Potential EUVL F5X Case 2nd Batch, Autumn 2012

[bkdog]

Originally Posted by EUVL

I am glad that you guys have calmed doen before I had a chance to read Nic's post.
It is just DIY. We all want to have fun, and don't want to get at each other.

Thanks to Nic for posting the first batch expenses, showing that we are not over charging by any means for batch 2.
Again please note that the Euro has depreciated over 10% in the meantime.

As to the FETs, Zhou is now charging 180 USD for 8 MOSFETs, single point match at room temperature.
We are offering curve tracer match at operating conditions.
It is the difference between 1 minute per device and 15 minutes per device including data processing.
As I said, the prices are tentative, and will be in line with those of Nic's GB, plus labour.
(We don't have the time and have to pay someone to do the actual matching work.)
Of course all are options. I did not say you have to buy everything from us.

It is a bit of a shame that people appear to have the feeling we are ripping off, when we are just providing a service.
Count CNC milling for 1000 HKD an hour, and you can count how many hours we need to make such a case.
We don't want to make a loss, like Batch 1, but considering the time we have to put in, it will never pay our hours.

When we told Variac of the forum that we would do a Batch 2, he was surprised that we would bother to.
That just gives you an idea how much work there is to organise something like this.
The same amount of work goes for products that some of us manufacture (for a living) that cost over 20k USD a piece.

Patrick

Patrick, I doubt that there are many people who have actually looked into this who would feel 'ripped off'. I have looked at the expense of good cases, and fet matching etc etc - this is very reasonable which is why I PMd you a while ago about a potential round 2 of the case GB, which I unfortunately missed out on the first time around.

It's not cheap I suspect for any of us, but it is of supreme quality. It's possible to do this cheaper for sure, as you say with another case, not as well matched fets, different parts etc, but it's not possible to do it any better, particularly at the price. Thanks for the round 2 possibility.

bk

[EUVL]

Right at the beginning, when we first discussed the case with Variac, we made it very clear that we wanted to offer something unique. If you just want a off-the-shelf solution, there are many such offers around, where the cases are designed for low-cost mass production. We also know how that could be done -- thin metal sheets, stamped, long slots, button head screws, ... You can get something decent for 250 Euros. But then they do not come with internal fittings, opening, etc.

We don't want to do this. We want to make something that even a hi-end manufacturer would be proud of. So we use CNC milling or laser cutting through out. Our screw holes are all toleranced to +/-0.1mm, which will allow you to use countersink screws, and hence less visible. Each front panel will require a brand new spherical end mill to mill the slot. That alone is 400 HKD per case. In batch 1, we had a high cosmetic reject rate, because we do not ship parts that are not perfect.

And we have a unique design where the transformers are mechanically decoupled. You will see it in no other Audio products, because audio designers do not know such techniques used only in ultra-precision engineering, like micro-lithography.

That is what you get for your money.
If I may use an analogy, you don't go to a Porsche dealer if you want a Honda.

Ask the batch 1 guys. I only have emails from them filled with amazement and praises.
Those emails made the effort worthwhile.


Patrick

[Odysseas]

Nicmac, no problem, no harm done.
EUVL I never said or thought that you are ripping off anybody, I understand very well the costs and 100% support your efforts.
See, the problem isn't you or me or nicmac....it's my budget......(unfortunately).....

[EUVL]

Quote from post #32 :
"These prices have nothing to do with what I had heard for the case of the 1st round."

....suggesting that Batch 2 prices are much higher ?

Anyway, no problem.


Cheers,
Patrick

[EUVL]

People too shy to take their own names off :

1. Xen Audio intern
2. Xen Audio intern
3. Xen Audio intern
4. syklab
5. bkdog
6. BebopMcJiggy
7. Dennis Hui
8. RKH
9. neb001
10. matsj
11. ashaw
12. ashaw
13. ashaw
14. blitzkrieg


Patrick

[APK]

Having taken part in the original GB and can testify to the supreme quality, can you please add me to the second run in order to build an active system.

1. Xen Audio intern
2. Xen Audio intern
3. Xen Audio intern
4. syklab
5. bkdog
6. BebopMcJiggy
7. Dennis Hui
8. RKH
9. neb001
10. matsj
11. ashaw
12. ashaw
13. ashaw
14. blitzkrieg
15. APK

[EUVL]

Thank you for your continuous support.
There is no recommendation better than those with first hand experience.




Patrick

[bada bing]

I'd like to be added to the list for 1 slot.
I'd like to be in for all the parts options as well.

1. Xen Audio intern
2. Xen Audio intern
3. Xen Audio intern
4. syklab
5. bkdog
6. BebopMcJiggy
7. Dennis Hui
8. RKH
9. neb001
10. matsj
11. ashaw
12. ashaw
13. ashaw
14. blitzkrieg
15. APK
16. bada bing

[JBdV]

I was sold on the batch 1 cases (2x) for an important part because of the temperature simulation that was part of the case design.

Knowing that this part of the design is good is crucial for and A class amp.....
(I hate smoke coming out of my stuff)


Jan

[neb001]

I wish I had gotten in on the first batch and the documentation of the process in Linear Audio only cemented my wish to get in on the second batch when it showed up