Our Technicians
One of Audio Connexion’s core strengths is our on-site technical team - previous SFI technical and design staff. Our expert technicians not only inspect trade-ins but also, most importantly, provide invaluable repair and modification services for our customers.
Modification / Upgrades to Speakers & Electronics
Modding vs. Buying
Many people ask us about modding vs. buying - what is the better value? Modification is a good option, especially if you are on a budget or if you want to save your older, or obsolete gear. Don’t give up on your vintage equipment yet! Let us see if we can help you upgrade or repair.
To Mod or Not to Mod
We are also asked about whether mods should be done at all -- "Isn't the entire mod process armchair quarterbacking the sonic vision of the equipment's original designer?" In some cases, it would be. However, we are not suggesting that every product will benefit from being modified; it may simply not be needed (this is often the case with the reference models of numerous currently manufactured high-end electronics lines). In many cases, simply a different sonic flavour is achieved, not something better.
At acX our mod techniques are broadly applicable, and we have done hundreds of "one-off" mods on numerous brands of equipment, whether they be your Sonic Frontiers gear, a vintage McIntosh MC240 or a previously state-of-the-art preamp like the ARC SP-11. Our techs strive for a quick turnaround, so you aren’t without your gear for very long.
Parts Upgrades
We believe that great products need two key design characteristics:
- a robust circuit design; and,
- the best parts available (or affordable) in all the sonically critical locations.
During the modification process, Audio Connexion does not typically modify or alter a unit's circuit topology. For the most part, our mods are restricted to parts upgrading, period. The skill comes from selecting which parts to upgrade and voicing them together, enhancing the unit's natural strengths and minimizing its inherent weaknesses.
Modification
acX only does mods in the following circumstances where the results are easily discernible so that a marked improvement in overall sonic quality can be achieved:
OLDER Products - Many older products have good enough circuit designs but lack the pedigree of parts available to us today. We will do our best to source the parts needed for your vintage products and to suggest appropriate parts upgrades.
BUDGET Products - In order to hit certain price points, some budget products made today use inferior quality parts.
OBSOLETE Products - Modifications are also very relevant to technologically sensitive products, such as DACs, CD Players, etc. which may benefit from the advances in various semi-conductor designs not available when the product was originally produced.
SFI /ANTHEM /ASSEMBLAGE Products
Given our intimate knowledge of these product lines, acX is proud to make available state-of-the-art updates and modifications to these classic SFI, ANTHEM and ASSEMBLAGE products.
These go well beyond the Signature, Special Edition or Platinum Series updates originally offered by SFI and TPC (all of which were originally defined, specified, and voiced by acX/pcX’s president, Chris Johnson) - we call them our SE+ upgrades.
We now have a palate of parts available to us that SFI did not thus we can achieve more with each mod. Moreover, as we don't sell these mods through dealers, they are generally 1/3 to 1/2 below the cost SFI previously charged.
We have pre-defined mod prices on almost every SFI, ANTHEM and ASSEMBLAGE piece, but can customize those substantially, according to your sonic tastes and budget. Moreover, we can perform a substantial (but not all I'm afraid) amount of repair work on this gear too. The work is performed by previous SFI technical and design staff.
Modification / Upgrades to Speakers & Electronics Fee: $74.95 USD / $89.95 CAD per hour for all modification design work performed, plus the cost of parts.
If you are interested in our Modification / Upgrades for Speakers & Electronics services, click on CONTACT US located at the top right of this page to email us your inquiry and find out what we can do sonically to improve your piece of gear. We are here to support you in your ongoing quest for the sonic holy grail!
Please note our technicians also provide the following services:
- Speaker & Electronic Repairs
- Custom Cable Termination
- Cable Re-Termination
- Tube Testing
