Well.......

I never gave the thought much attention but when you make modifications internal in the circuits of a unit, I wonder what else to call it but modification.

Picking cables is not determined by the amp manufacturer so obvious that's not a modification.
It's not a modification to choose the foundation to set the gear on.

It's not a modification to choose furniture or bass traps for the room.

Isn't it easy to understand that if you open the lid of your amp and change things in there, we talk modifications?

"dolph"

I would call VTA and tracking force as well as antiskating, hangover (not the one caused by alcohol so maybe it's overhang in english instead - excuse me but english is not really my language, I just pretend), azimuth and zenith are all Start-up adjustments when you unpack your TT and mount the arm and the cartridge.

Furthermore you make sure the capacitanse and impedanse/reactanse are lined up correectly between the cartridge and the RIAA as well as between the RIAA and the Pre Amp.

If you don't do this from the beginning, tweaks will be less audible.............they will simply be disguised by bad allignment/adjustment of your TT.

"dolph"

Another important issue concerning cables is that i use ferrite rings in all my cables both internal and external and both in my comp system and main system.

Another one, concerning electric current, is the fact that i'd plug all audio unit plugs with the same polarity.

Another upgrade i'd done was in my comp setup with a much better power supply. It was a little expensive but the results were very satisfying. Between others small things i found out that in a comp setup a very good power supply is the most important upgrade we can do.

With this amount of "tweaks or modifications" (whatever you want to called them) i'd have compared my average sound system with others much more expensive setups and i came the conclusion that i prefer mine.

Dictionary definitions of "tweak":

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tweak

–verb (used with object)
1. to pinch and pull with a jerk and twist: to tweak someone's ear; to tweak someone's nose.
2. to pull or pinch the nose of, esp. gently: He tweaked the baby on greeting.
3. to make a minor adjustment to: to tweak a computer program.
–noun
4. an act or instance of tweaking; a sharp, twisting pull or jerk.


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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tweak


Main Entry:
tweak
Pronunciation:
\ˈtwēk\
Function:
verb
Etymology:
probably alteration of Middle English twikken to pull sharply, from Old English twiccian to pluck — more at twitch
Date:
1601

transitive verb
1: to pinch and pull with a sudden jerk and twist : twitch <tweaked a bud from the stem>
2: to pinch (a person or a body part) lightly or playfully <tweaked the baby's ear affectionately>
3: to make usually small adjustments in or to <tweak the controls> ; especially : fine-tune
4 a: annoy , bother <tweaking the establishment> b: to criticize especially in a sly or sharp manner c: to poke fun at
5: to injure slightly <tweak an ankle>

By these two definitions, adjustments legally count as tweaks.

You just keep on tweaking your TT.
Fine by me.

I'm done adjusting and alligning my TT.

:-)

"dolph"

Talking about tweaks or mods - of course i'd learn a lot with these English lessons...- i remember read some years ago something about an aperture for the laser assembly in cdp drives, i mean a little plastic hood that stick on the face of the laser lens with a small hole for the laser to shoot through....
I don't know if i'd dreamed about it or if it actually exists?!

Does anyone knows something about this?

I reached another conclusion concerning some mods.
If in a tube amp the quality of the sonics depends immensely from the power transformers' quality, the same happens in a solid state amp but this time concerning the quality of the power supply filtering capacitors.