Counterpoint SA 220

Who is upgrading your PV-11?

Do any other components in your system have a ground? If so, try floating the ground on all components exept the preamp.

Before taking a recommendation to replace caps try dropping the ground if you have not done so. You can also try your new amp in another system to see if it hums there too. Sometimes it doesn't take much and a sysytem hum can be hard to find.

So, this isn't really an upgrade, its a mod.

It appears this is nothing more than another of many out there performing mods and convincing you they know more than the engineers at Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, Wadia, etc.

If you are not satisfied with your PV-11, why don't you sell it, add $1200 to the sales price and buy a better preamp. Once you modify it that money is gone. You will never be able to sell your preamp and get that $1200 back.

GNSC modified my friends Audio Research SP-15 ($5,995 retail in 1988), one of the best preamps out there. And they ruined it with their so called mod.