Parts in Mumbai (India)

Gala Electronics Lamington rd makes pcbs ...
accepts layout printed on a trace paper
single sided :40ps/sq cm
double sided:1.2Rs/sq cm
delivery time: 10days

address : 20, Kalpana Building, 1st Floor,357, Opposite Lamington Police Station, Lamington Road, Mumbai - 400007
Tel: 2386 3549 / 2385 4510

attached dx blame es & detex 900d pcbs made by them

Thank you very much for the information. But wandering how much micron is the copper on the board. I remember getting some PCB done from Visha and I could never touch a solder joint second time with the iron, the copper invariably came out with the solder.

Regards
Roushon
 
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Folks:

I will travel for the first time to Chennai on business at the end of March. The day after I arrive will be my "recovery" day, during which my handlers will probably leave me alone (for the rest of the trip, a very nice team of people will convey / accompany me everywhere I need to go). My handlers will undoubtedly take me to cultural sites whenever we aren't working, so I'd like to use that first day as an audio shopping opportunity if at all possible.

Are there parts stores in Chennai? I can buy almost everything I need from my home in the US, but if there's a place to buy high quality, low-cost or hard-to-find parts in Chennai, I'd love to go shopping. If not, what would you recommend a sleep-deprived American do on his own?

Regards,
Scott
 
I know nothing about Audio shops in Chennai. But undoubtedly, if you are looking for genuine and high quality products you have to pay much more than what you pay in the USA. Because these high quality products are not made in India and hence imported, so the price includes shipping and (high) custom. For example whenever we import from the US we pay at least 30% more.

Edit: May be some of us will ask you to bring some parts from the US :)...it is like when I was going to Greece for a conference I asked the same question in this forum to people from Greece....

Enjoy your stay in Chennai....

Regards
Roushon.
 
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Miracle Transformers is based in Chennai [edit: not so, clarification below], they will be quite reasonable in pricing and if you are travelling, you can save a bit on freight. Maybe pre-order the units, and pick them when you're here?

Also, Eminence (except the USA version) and Beyma speakers are far cheaper in India than US, both the distributors are in Chennai. These are obviously all very heavy and you must freight them yourself - so baggage is an issue.

Plus, I do know Chennai is home to many audiophiles (not on this forum) and you may be able to spend some time listening to some really good setups. I am sure someone will be along and make you an offer.
 
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Folks:

I will travel for the first time to Chennai on business at the end of March. The day after I arrive will be my "recovery" day, during which my handlers will probably leave me alone (for the rest of the trip, a very nice team of people will convey / accompany me everywhere I need to go). My handlers will undoubtedly take me to cultural sites whenever we aren't working, so I'd like to use that first day as an audio shopping opportunity if at all possible.

Are there parts stores in Chennai? I can buy almost everything I need from my home in the US, but if there's a place to buy high quality, low-cost or hard-to-find parts in Chennai, I'd love to go shopping. If not, what would you recommend a sleep-deprived American do on his own?

Regards,
Scott

Hi Scott, you are welcome to Bangalore. Only a short flight. Listen to some very good system, both by those on this forum and others.

Regards,
 
Are there parts stores in Chennai? I can buy almost everything I need from my home in the US, but if there's a place to buy high quality, low-cost or hard-to-find parts in Chennai...

There are parts stores in Chennai, where you may get a few legacy parts - usually Japanese metal-can transistors from the 80s-90s, a few Allen Bradley carbon-comp resistors, and some odds and ends like silver mica and polystyrene caps. No tubes, except maybe some locally-made TV receiver glass-can stuff from the '80s.

IMHO, all of these are available on EBay at competitive prices, which can help avoid the inconvenience of trying to locate stuff at Ritchie Street in Chennai, which is usually very crowded and moderately filthy, even by Indian standards. It's OK for an old hand who can jump puddles and negotiate piles of garbage, but there is some risk for an outsider (no crime, but mainly the risk of catching some respiratory disease or slipping/falling in garbage).

With that not-so-pleasant description out of the way, there is always the possibility of finding some classic equipment in the bylanes off Riytchie Street. Most of this is high-quality e-waste from Singapore, so you can often lay your hands on a Marantz CD-63 or a Technics SL-series turntable or other classic gear for reasonable prices. Note that most of the stuff is as-is, so there may be missing functionality or scratches. Most of the stuff is fixable with some elbow grease.

My best find was a mint Technics SA-TX50 receiver for about the equivalent of USD 250, not dirt cheap, but very reasonable for desirable classic gear.
 
Member
Joined 2004
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Folks:

Thanks for the feedback! Because my stop in Chennai is the first of a few, I won't be looking for finished products or anything fragile. Roushon's point is well-taken -- I'm primarily interested in stuff that is relatively light-weight and locally crafted (or at least very competitively priced). Digikey, Mouser, Sonic Craft and Parts Connexion, which are my usual sources, all offer good to high-quality parts at a decent price, and I don't buy so much that it would make sense to purchase large quantities of stock items; they would most likely never get used. So I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for; perhaps it's the hunt alone that I'm after.

Samuel, thanks as well for the invitation to Bangalore! As it turns out, one of my meetings will very likely occur in your city. However, I'll be on a tight schedule and under the watchful eye of some people I work with, and hence must -- with no small amount of regret -- respectfully decline your kind offer.

Once my schedule is better defined I'll post another note and again solicit your advice. Thank you, very much, for the quick and enthusiastic responses!

Regards,
Scott
 
I still have to start the project. Good u woke me up. Presently I am using Leach Amp for my main speakers and this RMI FC100 was thought of for the Subwoofer, which I don't have presently.

I will come back soon with the details, as I am now(currently bored) sweating for some DIY.

Gajanan Phadte
 
Miracle Transformers is based in Chennai [edit: not so, clarification below], they will be quite reasonable in pricing and if you are travelling, you can save a bit on freight. Maybe pre-order the units, and pick them when you're here?

Hey Try him.

I bought couple of Transformer from him.
Price was reasonable, and Quality too was good enough. ( I saw him doing loading tests for my transformer.)

Its Saumi Enterprises.
Mr. Bhopatkar

Call him on 9890674348 / 024444101.
 
Panasonic FM capacitors

I am looking for Panasonic FM electrolytic capacitor.
Internationally online it is available but before that does
anyone know if I can get such genuine capacitor in some
physical/online shop in India? I need quite a lot of them in
many different values.

Thanks and regards
Roushon.
 
I know nothing about Audio shops in Chennai. But undoubtedly, if you are looking for genuine and high quality products you have to pay much more than what you pay in the USA. Because these high quality products are not made in India and hence imported, so the price includes shipping and (high) custom. For example whenever we import from the US we pay at least 30% more.

Edit: May be some of us will ask you to bring some parts from the US :)...it is like when I was going to Greece for a conference I asked the same question in this forum to people from Greece....

Enjoy your stay in Chennai....

Regards
Roushon.

This is something Ive been wondering about! For some reason your logic tho very reasonable does not apply. Parts are much cheaper in India than in the US, even tho they are from US companies. I have bought parts from local retailers in the US (Houston) (who cater to service centers) as well as Digikey, Mouser etc. A good eg. is the common microcontrollers from Microchip. They are sold here (Bangalore) at a fraction of the Digikey price, and they are quite genuine, as far as I can tell.

The problem is that the local parts shops are living in the 90s. Very few "modern" parts are available. Thus if you want a 74HC series logic chip you can readily get it for peanuts but if you are looking for an FPGA, you will get blank stares. Any op-amp more esoteric that the LM358 will be difficult to find.

Another major problem is the prevalence of spurious parts, esp. power transistors/MOSFETS. Honest dealers will frankly ask if if you want the genuine or the "duplicate". Others will palm off the spurious part and rip you off. I just bought a heap of MJ15003/4 pairs which look very dubious. Fingers crossed.

vkj
 
Parts are much cheaper in India than in the US, even tho they are from US companies. ... A good eg. is the common microcontrollers from Microchip. They are sold here (Bangalore) at a fraction of the Digikey price ...

Retail prices for small quantities of components are quite high in the US, because of rentals, wages, etc. Same applies to most of the mail-order and online vendors. However, there are very good deals to be had from surplus and small EBay vendors of specialty components.

The problem is that the local parts shops are living in the 90s. Very few "modern" parts are available. Thus if you want a 74HC series logic chip you can readily get it for peanuts but if you are looking for an FPGA, you will get blank stares.

The bulk of the market is fast-moving commodity stuff. They cannot risk locking up capital in fast-depreciating specialty items. Hence, you'll find TTL, PICs, commodity opamps, etc. Quite easily. Incidentally, you do get FPGAs, mostly surplus Spartan-2 and -3 from the telecom bust hangover, but the Chinese have mostly mopped up the excess stock, so the great deals don't exist any more.

Any op-amp more esoteric that the LM358 will be difficult to find.

Another major problem is the prevalence of spurious parts, esp. power transistors/MOSFETS.

Commodity stuff is generally genuine - there's no money in faking a TL074 or a BEL 2N3055. The risk is specialty parts like an MJ21195 or similar.

I just bought a heap of MJ15003/4 pairs which look very dubious. Fingers crossed.

If they're aluminium case, they're fake.

If they're steel-case, made in Mexico and feel heavier than a 2n3055, I'd give it 50:50 odds that they're genuine.

If in doubt, cut open the case of one of each with a Dremel. If the die size looks to be the same as 2n3055, then it's a re-badged 2n3055 or MJ15015. If it's larger, it's mostly genuine.

The safest TO3s to buy are BEL - they're too cheap to counterfeit. 2n3773/2n6609 at Rs.40 each will be mostly genuine. For this reason, they're also a bit scarce.
 
I am looking for Panasonic FM electrolytic capacitor.
Internationally online it is available but before that does
anyone know if I can get such genuine capacitor in some
physical/online shop in India?

Highly unlikely, though you do get FC, FK, FJ and FL occasionally. I have no idea why FM is scarce - it's heavily over-rated. It has magnetic leads like its other F-series brethren, and sounds harsh in many audio bypass applications. FJ is better, and costs a fraction of an FM. IMHO, several commodity Elnas, including RE3, RJ4, RJH, RJJ, RSE, RSH sound way better in most audio bypass applications, but YMMV.

There are superb Panasonics like Pureism PXL and Master Ta-keh, but mostly unobtainum even internationally.

However, Nichicon Muse FG, KG and KZ are widely available and give good results. The sub-miniature Muse SW is almost as good as a BLack Gate PK, at a fraction of the cost.