I was going to do a fully blown ecommerce website for RD, however lets say we had a falling out (a common issue it appears with RD) so I'm now no longer building the website. A shame as I spent over 2 weeks solidly on it, including updating eBay templates. These things happen, I should have listened to others.
So if anyone wants an amazing ecommerce store, I can easily flip all the work I did, to a new brand and products or even start from scratch.
Exactly. People warned me but I thought it would be ok as I'm really chilled. Anyway...I've moved on and hence why I wanted to join a new friendly forum. I'm on AOS and Wigwam but I don't find them very personal, this forum seems to be made up of a more tight knit group of nice people from what I've seen. So if anyone wants a decent website/ecommerce store, well built, SEO'd so it will rank well and help setting up and/or running the online side of things let me know.
As for amplifiers I'm looking at lots of options. The Loth-X speakers are 94dB so quite efficient so I don't believe I need an amp with loads of power (although I hear more power can add benefits to sounds, like the bigger NVA's), I'm more interested in clarity and finding something which doesn't add to the source. One of the reasons I quite like the NVA kit is to me it sounds very transparent. I missed out on an Oberon a few weeks ago, I keep hearing Inca Tech but haven't seen on available, Exposure pops up a lot and then due to my efficient speakers people keep saying Class A to me...confused.com
I'm surprised there aren't more DIY amplifier kits on the marker. For example where you buy a pre-built PCB, then select things like case and transformer size, different quality of internal wiring and detailed/simple instructions on building. The raw material costs in most DACs and Amps seems cheap so it feels like there is a gap in the market. The DDDac for example looks like a great piece of kit, but I do think the online ordering process and information on building could be better.
Yeah, I've got the expertise from a marketing, web and running the business side of things but I need to find an amplifier geek. I did speak to Nelson Pass last year and he recommended a couple of guys, one in Poland and one in the US but both of them after initially being interested backed away, which was a shame. Since then I haven't managed to find anyone else, I was interested in not only amps but DACs...again needed a DAC geek.
the thought of a modular DIY amp build is a decent enough idea in principle. HOWEVER, i'd imagine those that have the relevant skills either know where to get the individual bits and bobs already or can design stuff from scratch themselves. Personally I'd rather trust an amp/dac built by them that have the skills already and have done all the jumping through all the relevant certification and safety hoops for me - I can't imagine this is a cheap process to go through...though I could be entirely wrong!!! What happens if your PCBs (or whatever) fail and cause injury or death? Who is responsible? Who are the insurance company gonna come looking for. All i'm saying here (and certainly not wanting to pee on your chips) is electronics should, in my opinion, be left to them that can!
As Stu says, DIY amp kits are really for those who understand the circuit and can competently build, test and adjust/tune as necessary, particularly where lethal voltages are concerned (especially where valve amps are concerned). The certification is a mute point. Whilst a design if properly and accurately built should comply with the designer's intentions, the trouble starts where people start modding things, as is the want of many DIYers. I would be hesitant to supply such kits even if I were am amp designer as the issue of reputation if the kit was incorrectly built, and more importantly, someone being injured would weigh too heavily.
I have an AP30 that i wheel out from time to time. It doesn't sound underpowered to me, tho I don't know the sensitivity of my speakers. My room is quite large (8x4m).
I'll give it some thought... I don't use it much and now have a working revamped Claymore too... The front of the top of the AP30 panel sags a bit (a couple of mill). The glue must have given way. Easily sorted.
Well my friend bought it when a year or so old I think, making Ben the third owner (that I know of). It was originally equipped with a remote volume pot, which was removed.
We compared the AP30 to my old tin case AP20, and the AP20 whupped it so thoroughly it wasn't funny. RD took the AP30 in shortly afterwards & replaced the remote control pot with a standard issue cermet pot which made them almost identical. (I still preferred the AP20 - it is the absolute gem of the range IMO, only about £100 for a beat up 15 year old one. It just bops along better than everything but the dual power supply models).
My guess is the AP30 is between four and five & a half years old. It always sounded wonderful driving the Sapphires he had.
Has anyone any experience of upgrading the pot in an NVA. I've seen people mention ALPs and other ones before but not sure if it's a simple or worthy upgrade. I've also seen a fair few people changing the power cable for better/different type as well.
No the Alps will be worse than NVA's cermet pot, I only know of one other designer who prefers cermet, he's also a world-class audio engineer who listens to his kit a lot...
Perhaps you could send the unit back and ask NVA to fit a stepped attenuator instead. Am not sure about this though as it isn't a standard request, but they are helpful, so worth asking!
PS I challenge anyone to find a setup with more 'PRaT' and ability to hold the tune together, but with sophistication and ability to preserve tonal colour, than an NVA AP10H / Grado RS-1 combo.
PS I challenge anyone to find a setup with more 'PRaT' and ability to hold the tune together, but with sophistication and ability to preserve tonal colour, than an NVA AP10H / Grado RS-1 combo.
I'm surprised there aren't more DIY amplifier kits on the marker. For example where you buy a pre-built PCB, then select things like case and transformer size, different quality of internal wiring and detailed/simple instructions on building. The raw material costs in most DACs and Amps seems cheap so it feels like there is a gap in the market. The DDDac for example looks like a great piece of kit, but I do think the online ordering process and information on building could be better.
Comments
Having lived with both, I would be surprised if some one liked one but not the other.
I'd love to see, or even be involved with some kind of kit enterprise, but I honestly don't have the expertise (So don't look at me!!
Personally I'd rather trust an amp/dac built by them that have the skills already and have done all the jumping through all the relevant certification and safety hoops for me - I can't imagine this is a cheap process to go through...though I could be entirely wrong!!!
What happens if your PCBs (or whatever) fail and cause injury or death? Who is responsible? Who are the insurance company gonna come looking for.
All i'm saying here (and certainly not wanting to pee on your chips) is electronics should, in my opinion, be left to them that can!
I've been looking out for one of the above models on the market for ages but they rarely seem to come up for sale.
The front of the top of the AP30 panel sags a bit (a couple of mill). The glue must have given way. Easily sorted.
We compared the AP30 to my old tin case AP20, and the AP20 whupped it so thoroughly it wasn't funny. RD took the AP30 in shortly afterwards & replaced the remote control pot with a standard issue cermet pot which made them almost identical. (I still preferred the AP20 - it is the absolute gem of the range IMO, only about £100 for a beat up 15 year old one. It just bops along better than everything but the dual power supply models).
My guess is the AP30 is between four and five & a half years old. It always sounded wonderful driving the Sapphires he had.
(I think... ;-) )
You can see that the top plate is sagging front and back, but should be easy to fix.