"The funniest part of this to me is that on a forum obsessed with fixing things that aren't broken by replacing capacitors, the broken device was smashed rather than fixed with a capacitor."
Speaking ONLY for myself: I don't really understand the circuits, I just follow directions. Swapping in a (inevitably more expensive) component is something I can do without much brain power. And whether it improves the sound or not, the modding (which, again, doesn't require much in the way of understanding) is fun. This is a hobby, after all.
Fixing something requires understanding, unless it is a wholly obvious mechanical failure of a part that is physically large enough that I have a hope of seeing it and being able to fix it. I
never would have thought that a sticking disc drawer on CD/DVD player was due to a faulty or under-specified capacitor, and I wouldn't even begin to know how to go about diagnosing such a problem.
It is easier to throw money at something than it is to gain knowledge. It isn't just a question of effort, it is a question of time. I don't mind putting in the effort to learn something, but I don't have the time. While I can post on BH during the day, corporate realities being what they are, I cannot sit at my desk and read electronics textbooks, nor can I tinker with projects and conduct experiments. That has to be done at home, when I make it there, and where I have a host of other competing priorities (primarily my kids and wife).
It is no exaggeration to say that as your income rises, you tend to spend less money on things/objects per se, and more money on things that you could probably do yourself at little to no cost if you had the time.
None of which takes away from the fact that you are right: it is funny that people here "fix" things that aren't broking by inserting capacitors where they aren't needed, but break things that could be saved by inserting capacitors where they
are needed!
Regards,
Adam
