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Upgrades
for Counterpoint SA-3, SA-3.1, SA-5, and SA-5.1.
 
"I just inserted the upgraded SA-5.1 into the
system and listened to some Count Basie on vinyl. I consider myself a
fairly well-educated individual, and I can normally express myself
pretty well, but the only word that comes to mind as I listen is,
DA-AMN!!!!! I keep waiting for the sax to hit me with its spit! Job
well done Mr. Elliott. Even if the preamp sounds no better after 200
hours of burn-in I'll still be happy!!! I wonder what the sound would
be like with your amps. . ."
--F. Wells, Mercedes, TX
"UPS delivered my preamp yesterday and today my
dreams have been realized. It seems you must know your customers well,
because this is exactly what I had envisioned if improvements could be
made. Everything is more lifelike -- especially in the background where
silence between images can now be heard. Once-recessed tones now take
on immediacy in transients and vocals. And dynamics now are startling,
jumping out from my speakers, and giving a more virtual live
performance in three dimensions. You have just saved my LP collection
for years to come, and resparked my interest in live performances.
Thank you!"
--P. Hudson,
Jr., Yonkers, NY
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- "For a fraction of what a new
'high end' pre-amp would have cost me, I now have a unit that I think
rivals some of the best pre-amps on the market. I can only say, anyone
that has somewhat older equipment or, is looking to upgrade newer
equipment, Michael does outstanding work. It's worth every dollar."
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S. Schiendelman, Valparaiso, IN
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- The Upgrades
- Line Stage Upgrades
(Standard
and Premium)
- Balanced Outputs (SA-5/5.1 only)
- SA-3/3.1 Power Supply Upgrades (Level
I, II and III)
- SA-5/5.1 Power Supply Upgrades (Level I, II and
III)
- Phono Stage Upgrades (Standard and Premium)
OPTION: Transformer MC Inputs
 OPTION: Upgraded Power Umbilical
Option: Upgraded Volume and Balance Controls
Option: Better RCA
Jacks
Option: Upgraded Tubes
- I designed the SA-3 in 1982 and the SA-5 in 1985. They were
both revised upward to "point one" status in 1986 with the addition of
automatic power-on muting circuits. Both of these preamps are superb
little gems, with pure tube signal paths. Nothing new has happened in
preamplifier design to make them outmoded. In fact, with some better
parts they will outperform new designs.
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- In many respects, these preamps are very similar, and they
share the same phono and line stage design. The essential difference
between these two preamps is that the SA-5/5.1 has two line stage tubes
where the SA-3/3.1 has a single tube shared by both channels; and the
SA-5/5.1 uses a vacuum-tube regulator whereas the SA-3/3.1's regulator
is solid-state.
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- I have developed some modifications for these preamps.
Because the circuit is so similar, the pricing is pretty much the same
for the two preamps.
- Line Stage Upgrades -- This is the
place to start: all the signals go through the line stage.
- LSP Standard Upgrade. I replace the tube's grid
bias, plate load, and buildout resistors with Caddock Tetrinox and
Vishay "Naked" film resistors as needed, and Mills Non-inductive
wirewound resistors, and I upgrade input and output coupling caps to TRT Dynamicaps.
Price for SA-3/5 "LSP" Standard Upgrade: $640
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| SA-5.1 with
Premium Upgrade to Line Stage (center two tubes and parts in front of
them) and Premium Phono Upgrade (outer two tubes and associated parts.
(This SA-5.1 belongs to F. Wells. ) |
NOTE:
The Premium GOLD Line Stage upgrade has been discontinued.
Option:
Balanced Outputs (SA-5/5.1 ONLY). If you'd like
to add balanced outputs to your SA-5.1, this upgrade is for you. I
rebuild the line stage so that it can provide a pure-tube balanced
output without using any integrated circuits or other devices in the
signal path. The tube drives the XLR directly. To make room for the
XLR's I remove the serial number I.D. plate and affix it to the chassis
bottom. (This upgrade is not available for the SA-3/3.1 because the
latter product has only a single line stage tube, shared between the
two channels. I need one tube per channel from which to fabricate a
proper balanced output circuit.)
Price to
add Balanced Outs: $460
(add $110 setup fee if not done with an "LSP" upgrade)
Power
Supply Upgrades
Power Supply Upgrades for SA-3/3.1: The power
supply for the SA-3's audio circuit is transistorized, and uses very
average parts and it can be greatly improved. With better parts and
different circuitry it can sound liquid, sweet and smooth.
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| The
heart of the power supply upgrade for the SA-3 and SA-3.1. This board
replaces the big old slow
power transistor used in the high-voltage regulator. Eight small
high-speed Zetex transistors (hidden under gold-colored heatsink)
provide clean, smooth power no trace of transistor edginess. |
- SA-3/3.1 Level I Power Supply Upgrade. As in the
audio stage, I install far better resistors and film capacitors, and
upgrade the aluminum electrolytic capacitors, using Black Gate Powdered
Graphite capacitors. The large, slow power transistor is removed and an
entirely new regulator circuit installed. The new regulator is much
more liquid-sounding, which complements the sound of the tubes,
increasing musicality by eliminating transistor hashiness and grain.
"
Price for
SA-3/3.1 Level I Power Supply Upgrade: $940
Add $110 setup
fee to this price if not done with an "LSP" upgrade.)
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SA-3/3.1
Level II Power SupplyUpgrade. Like the Level
I SA-3/3.1 Power Supply Upgrade upgrade, but with additional Black Gate
Powdered Graphite capacitors used the remaining critical
areas.
Price for
SA-3/3.1 Level II Power Supply Upgrade: $1520
(Add $110
setup fee to
this price if not done with an "LSP" upgrade.)
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SA-3/3.1
Level III Power SupplyUpgrade. In addition to
getting the Level II Power Supply Upgrade, I also install a Plitron
toroidal transformer. You haven't heard what your preamp can do until
you hear it powered by one of these incredible Plitron
transformers, each one built to my specifications expressly for Alta
Vista Audio! More delicate, faster highs, a cleaner background -- say
goodbye to grunge!
Price for SA-3/3.1 Level III Power Supply Upgrade (includes transformer and new transformer box for larger transformer):$1950
(add $110 setup fee if not done with an
"LSP" upgrade)
Power Supply
Upgrades for SA-5/5.1: The power
supply for the SA-5.1's audio circuit is is a pure tube regulator and
it sounds very smooth. It has the potential to sound far livelier, more
neutral and more transparent if the passive parts are upgraded, and
some solid-state parts removed.
Price
for SA-5/5.1 Level III Power Supply Upgrade:$2020
(add $110 setup fee
if not done with an "LSP" upgrade)
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| SA-5.1 with all
Premium everything. |
Phono Stage
Upgrades
- SA-3/5 Phono Stage Upgrades. What's
good for the line stage is superb for the phono stage, where the using
high-quality components really shines, especially in the first stage
and riaa de-emphasis network where high-frequency energy levels are
extremely high. Upgrading the phono stage is more costly than upgrading
the line stage because it is over twice as complex, but the increase in
sound purity, imaging precision, air and musicality, is readily
apparent. NOTE: SA-5/5.1's were designed with high and low gain MM phono inputs. This was my attempt at the time to deal with new cartridges that were entering the market which had levels that departed significantly from the "standard" 4.7mV output level. By providing two inputs with different gains, I hoped to level out the differences. But, as we learn over and over again, whenever flexibility is added, the additional complexity has a negative sonic impact. So, unless otherwise requested, the Low Gain MM input will be disconnected and the High Gain phono input will be direct-wired and present the standard MM load of 47kohm. (Note added 10.2006)
- Standard Phono Upgrade. I replace the MM load
resistors with Vishay "Naked" TX2352 S-foil resistors, and all the grid bias, plate
load, and buildout resistors with Caddock Tetrinox film resistors and
Mills Non-inductive wirewound resistors, and I upgrade all coupling and
energy storage caps to Dynamicaps.
Price for
SA-3/5 Standard Phono Upgrade: $1150
(add
$110 setup fee if not done
with an "LSP" upgrade)
- Premium Phono Upgrade. Just like the standard phono
upgrade, but with additional Dynamicap power supply bypass caps and the far better Naked Vishay TX2575 Z-Foil resistors. This upgrade is tremendously
transparent, sweet, lifelike, three-dimensional and musically
involving. Ceramic/gold tube sockets used for the phono tubes.
Price for
SA-3/5 Premium Phono Upgrade: $1400
(add $110 setup fee
if not done with an "LSP" upgrade)
NOTE:
The Premium GOLD Phono Stage upgrade has been discontinued.
OPTION: Transformer Step-up MC
Phono Input. Natural
sound with no transistor interface -- for the listener who wants the
best possible sound for MC cartridges.
The SA-5,
SA-3, SA-5.1 and SA-3.1 were never intended for use with low-output MC
cartridges. Counterpoint had the SA-2 tube "head amp" for that purpose.
The low and high-gain inputs on the SA-5/5.1 were an attempt to offer
some flexibility when dealing with high and low output phono cartridges,
but the phono stage in these preamps is really suitable only with the
higher moving-magnet signal levels of 4.7mV or so. If you've ever attempted
to use one of these preamps with a low-output MC cartridge, you know that
there is really not enough gain, tube noise predominates the background,
and dynamics are not great.
This upgrade eliminates that restriction by using
a pair of transformers to step up the low output of an MC cartridge to
MM level, and by doing so, lets you listen to vinyl with your best MC
cartridge, with pure tube sound. For this, we use transformers designed
expressly for this purpose by Sowter.
(Click
here to read more about why
transformers are your best choice for MC step-up.)
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| Accomodate
low-output moving coil cartridges with your SA-5,
5.1, 3 or 3.1 with Jensen's excellent MC stepup transformers. Dead
quiet, transparent and warm-sounding. These are the same parts used by
manufacturers such as LAMM, Jeff Rowland, ARC and Valve Researh. (Photo
of S. Kushino's SA-5.1 preamp, used with permission.) |
There
are two ways your preamp can be modified to use MC stepup transformers:
1.
The Flexible Approach: The "high gain" phono input becomes a dedicated
MC input and is connected to the stepup transformers. The "low gain"
phono input becomes your MM input. A new switch is mounted on the back
to select between the MC and MM inputs.
2.
The Purist's Approach. Phono cartridge signal levels are minute, and
even the slightest bit of contamination on a switch's contacts can
affect the sound. If you know you will not be using an MM cartridge, we
can hard-wire the transformers directly to the phono stage.
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Price for
MC Transformer Inputs:
$260 for
the transformers, and $420 for installation.
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(Add $110
setup fee to this
price if not done with a Basic upgrade.)
Other Upgrade
Options
 Upgraded Power Supply Umbilical Cord.
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| You know how a good interconnect sounds miles better than the $2 interconnects that came with your CD player? Or how high-end speaker cables trounce zip cord? Or how a good AC Mains cord can transform the sound of your system? The same applies to the cable that connects your preamp to its power supply. New in summer of 2007 I am offering upgraded power supply umbilicals that so completely outperform the original $20 umbilical in every way possible. It's not even a close race. |
Click here for more information and pricing for the Power Supply Umbilical upgrade.
Upgraded Volume and Balance Controls. TKD makes
excellent feeling and sounding volume and balance controls. Once you've
heard (and felt) the difference between a $7.00 volume control and a
$70.00 control you'll understand why people go to such lengths to get
cheap controls out of their signal path. For the "he-men" (and
she-women) out there, why not have the balance control bypassed
altogether? You know you don't use it, why run the signal through it?
Price
to Upgrade Volume Control: $115
Price to Upgrade SA-3/3.1 Balance Control: $130 (pair)
Price to Upgrade SA-5/5.1 Balance Trim Controls: $145 (pair)
Price to Bypass Balance Controls Altogether: No Charge
(add $110 setup fee
if not done with an "LSP" upgrade)
Tubes.
For current recommendations for tubes for the SA-3.1 or 5.1, see the Tubes page.
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- Option: Better RCA
Jacks.
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| The jacks on the SA-3, 3.1, 5 and
5.1 can be upgraded to use jacks with much better metallurgy. This can
be done selectively: you might wish to only do your CD and phono
inputs, and the main outputs. I can replace some or all of your jacks
with direct-gold over copper CM1F-OFC from Sound Connections. (Above
photo from SA-1000. |
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Price
to Upgrade RCA Jacks: $70 for first stereo pair,
$30 for each pair thereafter.
(add$110 setup fee if not done with an
"LSP" upgrade)
If
I can be of any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me.
Payment Terms and Policies
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A L T A V I S T A
A U D I O
L.L.C.
2027 Charleen Circle · Carlsbad, CA 92008 · USA
PLEASE SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT
Email: mike@altavistaaudio.com
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