The Simple P-P boards were ordered in January. My supply of Tubelab SE boards were low, but I figured that there were about 3 months supply left based on recent sales. I got two surprise orders, one for 6 boards and one for 10 boards, both from previous customers. This left me with 2 boards on the shelf. I asked the board supplier to hold off on the Simple P-P and make me 100 Tubelab SE's. I got them Friday (the original Simple P-P delivery date). The Simple P-P job will be resumed, but I don't have a firm delivery date yet.
When the boards arrive, I still need to write the assembly manual and shoot all of the pictures. I am afraid that the Simple P-P boards will show up about the same time that we get our next test chip back at work which will keep me at work for 60+ hours a week. The duration of that workload depends on how well the IC works.
When the boards arrive, I still need to write the assembly manual and shoot all of the pictures. I am afraid that the Simple P-P boards will show up about the same time that we get our next test chip back at work which will keep me at work for 60+ hours a week. The duration of that workload depends on how well the IC works.
I am following this with great interest. I've been planning on some PPP monoblocks for a while now,I've got almost everything ironed out,except the driver/front-end circuitry.The "Universal P-P" boards sound like just the ticket! 
No rush,take care of your self/health first! We're pullin for ya.
No rush,take care of your self/health first! We're pullin for ya.
Yeah, I need a couple of those myself. I want to rebuild my 300Beast, and make a monster P-P sweep tube amp. I made two prototype PC boards, started populating one of them, but haven't had the time to finish it. I am recovering from a multi year case of the SE fever, I need some P-P, soon!
The simple P-P board design is finished, and it looks like I will get the first batch in about two weeks. The construction manual for the Simple P-P will be first priority when I get boards.
The last cancer incident was over 6 months ago. Previous recurrences were within weeks, so I think that it is finally gone. Three experts all agreed that the tissue was cancer but none of them could agree on what kind. 56 years in the Florida sun has caused some minor skin cancers, but this was a recurring lump under the skin with nothing on the surface.
I work for a company that seems to excel at laying off engineers. I must stay ahead of the young ones, or be replaced by one. This means long hours. We get our latest IC prototype back in three weeks, and I am responsible for much of the testing. If the IC works we get to keep our jobs for a while longer, but I will be really busy. If the chip doesn't work.........
tubelab.com said:
All too familiar. 11 years worth of familiar. Hang in there! I still know some guys down there, though those groups got hit hard the last few times.... I've been down there too to visit family, thankfully not for work.
Add me to your list of at-work tube guys!
(even if I'm 1300 miles remote)
I have been there for 36 years, how many old timers are left? Not many in FL08. I got out of the MD rat race about 6 years ago, the rats won! I'm back in CGISS (or what ever they call us now).
60 was a short week when I was in iDEN. My current department is far more civilized and I actually like what I do, but there are times (like now) when the substance hits the fan, and the fan is pointed your way.
I learned a long time ago to never be the critical path. You got to stay ahead of at least one other person to avoid some unwanted attention. My test fixturing WILL be ready before the chip gets here!
The tube heads that used to be in Plantation all went to RIM. I'm the only one left.
One of the downsides of working for a big company... I work for a small concern (probably <500 people world-wide) - when I bring my tube amps to work to test, people gather around and gawk, but no one talks about safety. The CEO has seen my "Shrine" amp with the 1625s poking out of the top, and he reminisced about the 807s he used in his amateur radio projects back in India... I'm trying to get some people here (who are very competent engineers) to do a tube project or two, but no one seems to want to get off their butt and actually do something. One of the junior guys has a Scott 399 receiver he inherited from his granny, and the thing is crying out for a recap - maybe before the next Burning Amp...
tubelab.com said:
Not too many at your level, that's for sure. Much of the key talent has either left or has been let go. A lot of good people went to RIM, at least until they put a stop to that. Not sure what the current situation is with that, but folks I have talked to from the last round are not getting any bites from them.
I did 5 years hard time in CIG (not sure what the TLA is now) straight out of college, survived the dot-com slashings but eventually left for greener pastures at MDS. Been there ever since, but things are looking pretty grim now and the pressure only increases. I am working right now, in fact, well...I should be.
Yep, we go through cycles as well. When things let up, the environment is fairly relaxed, but times like now things get bad.
Somehow I always end up in the critical path. Maybe because I'm one of the few software guys not afraid of hardware (I'm an EE)...I dunno. But yeah...it's not fun...especially when you see others that somehow manage to fly under the radar while you sit on the hot seat.
tubelab.com said:
Just make sure that it is a Tubelab SE
I had a Magnavox tube amp in my old office for a while. the safety lady made it go away. She got laid off last week, but it wouldn't be a good idea in my current location.
I have been wanting to build a tube headphone amp for work, since I spend so much time wearing them to filter out the noise, but if something were to go wrong it would not put me in a very good position.
I don't know of any tube guys where I work. Most of the people I work with are just amused by my hobbies and the fact that I drive a 1986 Turbo Dodge to work everyday while they arrive in their Beamers. I get the last laugh when someone wants a ride, though....
UH, I did that too. In fact I did it twice. I stuffed a turbo 2.2 motor into an Omni before Dodge got the idea. Tweaked it up to 200+ HP (12 psi boost, intercooler) and rattled the Mustang GT guys at the local dragstrip, then drove it to work every day. That was long before "sport compacts" became fashionable. I got to talk to Caroll Shelby on the phone one day when I was building the first one (1984 I believe).
Now, I have an older Dodge with a bit more power, but no time to work on it. Someday.....
Here they just ignore me! The EE's sometimes ask why? or WTF?
tubelab.com said:
I just looked through your automotive pages. Very cool ride. I also have a 1987 Shelby CSX that I brought right out of college in 98. It is also suffering from a case of having been taken apart. I haven't had time to get it back together due to the newcomer in the family. It needs bodywork too, but luckily it was a California car.
I've been driving Turbo Dodges since I learned to drive on my mom's 1986 Chrysler LeBaron GTS Turbo. My first car was a 1987 Plymouth Sundance Turbo. Been driving them ever since. Just set in my ways I guess.
Neither of my cars are exactly stock. 21psi of boost on pump gas.
Yeah, same here. Most of the guys I work with are my age or younger. Only one or two are serious about audio at all, but they are mainly HT guys. I did work with one guy long ago who had some money and was serious about music. He had a pair of bridged stereo SET amps (4 6L6 for 40W, IIRC) driving a pair of Martin Logan ESLs. That was my first experience hearing ESLs. I think the amps were Golden Dragon or something like that. It sounded amazing and started me rethinking my big 100W PP amp project.
Anyway, sorry about the thread hijaaking....
Every time I even thought about going there I was rewarded with the opportunity to change a head gasket. I finally had the block O ringed. Then I could turn it up some. Then I got to learn how to rebuild transaxles, I went through 5.
Now, back to the subject of the thread..........
We were told today that the chip cleared customs today (3 weeks early) It will be in house early next week. My fixturing is not ready, one board is not even designed yet. So much for avoiding the spot light. Sherri goes back up north on Tuesday, and I will probably be living at work. No tube time in the near future.
Sorry to stay off topic, but you guys are makin' me feel all nostalgic here. When I was 14-16 I drove an '88 LeBaron GTS (you could get a "school permit" at 14, but I was grounded from driving for most of my 15th year). I drove it around 85-90 mph across 9 miles of gravel to school each day. At least once I day, I stopped on a pavement bridge, revved it up and neutral dropped it. Tough transmissions, those. The tranny on my next car wasn't so lucky.
When I was 16, the Lebaron was suffering from some difficulties, and we were trying to sell it, to no avail. One day in my 1st period physics class, a couple of girls ran up and said,"Paul, Paul, you're car is on fire!" "Oh, no it ain't, it's just smokin'. It always does that" says I. "No, flames! On the hood!"
It was a bad day for my insurance agent, who was also my mother. I had a nice conversation with my Principal while the Lebaron burned to the ground in the school parking lot. Takes a long time for a a volunteer fire department to assemble, even if the station is two blocks away. I've still got a soft stop for four door hatches. I drive a Focus ZX5.
I spent the rest of high school messing with my brother's '82 El Camino. We put a 350 in it, new tranny, new rear, the basic stuff. Maybe I should have been playing with a turbo Dodge. Front wheel drive didn't seem fun back then. You guys were pioneers! Maybe I should check craigslist for a Turbo Dodge . . .
pj
www.wildburroaudio.com
When I was 16, the Lebaron was suffering from some difficulties, and we were trying to sell it, to no avail. One day in my 1st period physics class, a couple of girls ran up and said,"Paul, Paul, you're car is on fire!" "Oh, no it ain't, it's just smokin'. It always does that" says I. "No, flames! On the hood!"
It was a bad day for my insurance agent, who was also my mother. I had a nice conversation with my Principal while the Lebaron burned to the ground in the school parking lot. Takes a long time for a a volunteer fire department to assemble, even if the station is two blocks away. I've still got a soft stop for four door hatches. I drive a Focus ZX5.
I spent the rest of high school messing with my brother's '82 El Camino. We put a 350 in it, new tranny, new rear, the basic stuff. Maybe I should have been playing with a turbo Dodge. Front wheel drive didn't seem fun back then. You guys were pioneers! Maybe I should check craigslist for a Turbo Dodge . . .
pj
www.wildburroaudio.com
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