Some bad news, I am afraid.
Hi All,
I am afraid that I have some bad news.
S & B have had to inform me that, due to existing distribution agreements, they, reluctantly, are unable to complete this group purchase.
We are all very disappointed, but there is no way aound this particular problem.
Please accept my sincere apologies for raising everyone's hopes of getting hold of these well-thought-of trafos at more readily affordable prices.
Jon
PS I will mailshot this dist-list tonight, and will mod the WIKI.
Hi All,
I am afraid that I have some bad news.
S & B have had to inform me that, due to existing distribution agreements, they, reluctantly, are unable to complete this group purchase.
We are all very disappointed, but there is no way aound this particular problem.
Please accept my sincere apologies for raising everyone's hopes of getting hold of these well-thought-of trafos at more readily affordable prices.
Jon
PS I will mailshot this dist-list tonight, and will mod the WIKI.
Re: Another way out?
Or what about asking to Brian Cherry at Diyhifisupply for quantity discount pricing for Django kits?
Gregm said:
Or what about asking to Brian Cherry at Diyhifisupply for quantity discount pricing for Django kits?
...........YES PLEASE!!!Sowter
Hi All,
thanks for your patience! These things happen - JB did his best for us given the circumstances.
I have spoken with Sowter and explained exactly what I was after (GB discount to DIYAudio members) and they said they could do that (post to one destination, though and I don't know about the VAT thing - I could ask in a few days when I have the time).
However:
6+ units = 10%
13+ units = 15%
25+ units = 20%
I was looking at the 9395 model on their site - I'll want to do an in-depth comparison of specs with the 102.
Anyone got any feedback on the Sowters?
Cheers
Jon
Hi All,
thanks for your patience!
These things happen - JB did his best for us given the circumstances.I have spoken with Sowter and explained exactly what I was after (GB discount to DIYAudio members) and they said they could do that (post to one destination, though and I don't know about the VAT thing - I could ask in a few days when I have the time).
However:
6+ units = 10%
13+ units = 15%
25+ units = 20%
I was looking at the 9395 model on their site - I'll want to do an in-depth comparison of specs with the 102.
Anyone got any feedback on the Sowters?
Cheers
Jon
The Souter product looks interesting I see they have a passive pre pictured at the bottom of this page : Souter Passive Pre However this is just a single input and dual mono, I would want a switchable stereo version preferably with balanced inputs.
I wonder what switches they are using? I would also like to hear any info regarding any pre's built using these transformers.
Its a real shame that JB has withdrawn from the GB, I am not sure who his distributers are but it does not look as though they will gain anything from it. It just means that S&B will sell less transformers.
I wonder what switches they are using? I would also like to hear any info regarding any pre's built using these transformers.
Its a real shame that JB has withdrawn from the GB, I am not sure who his distributers are but it does not look as though they will gain anything from it. It just means that S&B will sell less transformers.
I’ve not heard the Sowter examples, but i remember reading a review written by Brian Cherry a while back. He compared the Sowters, S&Bs and the Audio Consulting Silver rocks. Brian seemed to like the Sowter very much, and there considerably cheaper than the other two.
You can configure them anyway you want. Balanced input-balanced output, balanced input-unbalanced output, unbalanced input-unbalanced output, etc....
Re: Another way out?
Konnichiwa,
Hmmmmm, similar? Put a pair of these next to pair of S&B. You will see how similar they are.
The fact that the specifications seems similar (to a point) may be related to the fact that I specified something very much like the 9335 many moons ago (around 1999 or so) to Sowter, at the time organising a group buy on the Joe-List and for the London Life DIY HiFi Circle, which fell through as Sowter insisted in making something different which we did not want (see among others the Jan/2000 LLDIYHFC Newsletter). Funny to note that a year or so later the 9335 appeared.... Well, bygones.
Anyway, have fun, but make sure you do compare carefully.
Some people who did commented here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/doctorjohn_CheapTubeAudio/message/3054
(I believe that is the "review by Brian Cherry" that someone summarised rather curiously)....
Sayonara
Konnichiwa,
Gregm said:
Hmmmmm, similar? Put a pair of these next to pair of S&B. You will see how similar they are.
The fact that the specifications seems similar (to a point) may be related to the fact that I specified something very much like the 9335 many moons ago (around 1999 or so) to Sowter, at the time organising a group buy on the Joe-List and for the London Life DIY HiFi Circle, which fell through as Sowter insisted in making something different which we did not want (see among others the Jan/2000 LLDIYHFC Newsletter). Funny to note that a year or so later the 9335 appeared.... Well, bygones.
Anyway, have fun, but make sure you do compare carefully.
Some people who did commented here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/doctorjohn_CheapTubeAudio/message/3054
(I believe that is the "review by Brian Cherry" that someone summarised rather curiously)....
Sayonara
Konnichiwa,
A hint. The S&B Transformers are shipped to HK, taxed there, exported and re-imported with Tax/Duties as kit.
An option may be to agree with Brian Cherry a price for the the kits in a GB where the S&B transformers ship directly from the UK, thus shortcircuiting duties etc and given that $ 550 of the Kit Price is the S&B's you may be able to arrange a nice deal that way and the import from china would be for only $ 300 per Kit....
Just a thought.
Sayonara
Gregm said:The Django's a nice idea but comes in at a hefty $~850/pc. We'd have to add VAT, import duties, etc, to that + postage within the EU...
A hint. The S&B Transformers are shipped to HK, taxed there, exported and re-imported with Tax/Duties as kit.
An option may be to agree with Brian Cherry a price for the the kits in a GB where the S&B transformers ship directly from the UK, thus shortcircuiting duties etc and given that $ 550 of the Kit Price is the S&B's you may be able to arrange a nice deal that way and the import from china would be for only $ 300 per Kit....
Just a thought.
Sayonara
Pricing, and S&B vs. Sowter
You've compared them acoustically? If so, do give an overview of impressions and complement the comparison referred to by Kuei. BTW, in the Yahoo group there are quite a few posts on the subject, including some by Kuei Yang Wang (writing as TL).
The Django isan idea I like a lot for obvious reasons: it's a full kit & makes things simpler for us). Maybe someone who has a long-lasting contact with Brian (hint, hint
) could consider doing the first contacts and put up a good show about this GB. We're looking at 17-18 (s/one signed the wiki for 2-4 trannies) Djangos IF everyone agrees to this product (and depending on price of course). I am willing to give the Django a go.
BTW, the $850 is my quick calculation based on the $800 kit asking price + transportation to the EU. Hopefully a GB would give a good discount on that Which brings me to pricing:
Of course the question remains: do we want the Sowter or the Django -- in other words, does the price differential (chepaer Sowter) justify the sonic differences, such as they seem to be?
You've compared them acoustically? If so, do give an overview of impressions and complement the comparison referred to by Kuei. BTW, in the Yahoo group there are quite a few posts on the subject, including some by Kuei Yang Wang (writing as TL).
The Django isan idea I like a lot for obvious reasons: it's a full kit & makes things simpler for us). Maybe someone who has a long-lasting contact with Brian (hint, hint
) could consider doing the first contacts and put up a good show about this GB. We're looking at 17-18 (s/one signed the wiki for 2-4 trannies) Djangos IF everyone agrees to this product (and depending on price of course). I am willing to give the Django a go.BTW, the $850 is my quick calculation based on the $800 kit asking price + transportation to the EU. Hopefully a GB would give a good discount on that Which brings me to pricing:
As the wiki's already for 32-34 units, we'd be looking at -20% in the Sowter case. I.e. GBP 86,63 (base price) +VAT= 101,8 -20%= 81,5 per unit (about 118 euro, each).
Of course the question remains: do we want the Sowter or the Django -- in other words, does the price differential (chepaer Sowter) justify the sonic differences, such as they seem to be?
Re: Pricing, and S&B vs. Sowter
If we decide to go for Django, another possibility to make things easier is to involve Robert Bastani who should be a reseller of DiyHifiSupply kits in Europe.
I am not associated with Robert except for being a customer (I have built the excellent Prometheus system), and I could ask him if we are interested...
Carlo
Gregm said:
If we decide to go for Django, another possibility to make things easier is to involve Robert Bastani who should be a reseller of DiyHifiSupply kits in Europe.
I am not associated with Robert except for being a customer (I have built the excellent Prometheus system), and I could ask him if we are interested...
Carlo
Re: Pricing, and S&B vs. Sowter
Hi,
Within the discussion is also a list to comments I made on my own group, maybe worth reading with the usual caveats.
You or Jon (who started the GB) is welcome to talk to Brian and mention that I suggested this approach, see what he thinks, I'll talk to JB later.
Well, the Sowter are not bad at all, if you get the ACTUAL 9335 design not one of the later "simplified" ones. Given that I am familiar with these and with all versions of the S&B I can say that in my own system the Sowter lack both the resolution and the bandwidth of the "worst" S&B (MK II) and are less good building a 3-Dimensional Image.
The Review in HFN was of a MK II equipped Box, the current MK III (which was the one measured by MC but not heard by AH) is a notable step up from the MK II, almost as large as the difference between 9335 & the MK II, to my ears in my system.
So, the essential qualities of a TVC are represented well by either transformer, the S&B are basically "Ultra-Fi" compared to the Sowters "Good Mid-Fi". Or in other words, you do get what you pay for. If cost is really so much an object that it has to be cheap first go Sowter.
Sayonara
PS, disclaimer, I have peripheral involvement with Music First Audio, S&B and DIY HiFisupply (meaning I occasinally give a little advise, I know the people involved pretty well etc), but I will not get to see a red penny (or a free transformer or a free Kit) if the GB goes Django/S&B and will loose not a penny (or not "get a free transformer" or not "get a free kit") if the GB goes Sowter, take it as you will with this caveat.
Hi,
Gregm said:
Within the discussion is also a list to comments I made on my own group, maybe worth reading with the usual caveats.
Gregm said:Maybe someone who has a long-lasting contact with Brian (hint, hint
You or Jon (who started the GB) is welcome to talk to Brian and mention that I suggested this approach, see what he thinks, I'll talk to JB later.
Gregm said:
Well, the Sowter are not bad at all, if you get the ACTUAL 9335 design not one of the later "simplified" ones. Given that I am familiar with these and with all versions of the S&B I can say that in my own system the Sowter lack both the resolution and the bandwidth of the "worst" S&B (MK II) and are less good building a 3-Dimensional Image.
The Review in HFN was of a MK II equipped Box, the current MK III (which was the one measured by MC but not heard by AH) is a notable step up from the MK II, almost as large as the difference between 9335 & the MK II, to my ears in my system.
So, the essential qualities of a TVC are represented well by either transformer, the S&B are basically "Ultra-Fi" compared to the Sowters "Good Mid-Fi". Or in other words, you do get what you pay for. If cost is really so much an object that it has to be cheap first go Sowter.
Sayonara
PS, disclaimer, I have peripheral involvement with Music First Audio, S&B and DIY HiFisupply (meaning I occasinally give a little advise, I know the people involved pretty well etc), but I will not get to see a red penny (or a free transformer or a free Kit) if the GB goes Django/S&B and will loose not a penny (or not "get a free transformer" or not "get a free kit") if the GB goes Sowter, take it as you will with this caveat.
Thanks for all the info, Kuei, and your kind offer to speak with JB if necessary.
LOL
That's a good idea -- but maybe also contacting Brian Cherry as Kuei suggests would be opportune?
First of all, however, is there a similar interest for the Django?
As an indication, my quick cost estimate for building the passive is around ~160-200 quid /250-300 euro max for box, switches, connectors, etc, PLUS the attenuators. In this respect, a good discount from B Cherry/R Bastanis would make the Django quite competitive
(Of course this estimate assumes purchase of all components/box required, while most us probably have some of these at hand already...)
LOLThat's a good idea -- but maybe also contacting Brian Cherry as Kuei suggests would be opportune?
First of all, however, is there a similar interest for the Django?
As an indication, my quick cost estimate for building the passive is around ~160-200 quid /250-300 euro max for box, switches, connectors, etc, PLUS the attenuators. In this respect, a good discount from B Cherry/R Bastanis would make the Django quite competitive
(Of course this estimate assumes purchase of all components/box required, while most us probably have some of these at hand already...)
TL, thanks for that very informative post. I am most interested in the highest fidelity but others may not be. The Django looks very attractive and I had looked at it before and rejected it because of the cost (the same with the Music first which I would love) however if we can get a very good GB deal on the Django I may well be interested in that.
This has mde me think would S&B be interested in a GB for the Music First? or possible a Music First kit ???
This has mde me think would S&B be interested in a GB for the Music First? or possible a Music First kit ???
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.