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Euro Stevens and Billington TX102 Group Purchase

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jonclancy

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Joined 2002
#1
Hi All,

you may have heard of the Stevens and Billington TX102 Transformers. A pair of these, a decent rotary switch and some quality connectors will enable you to construct a very nice passive preamp.

I have been in contact with Jonathan Billington and the prices for each transformer is 135 GBP plus VAT and delivery. If we order 10 (i.e. 5 preamps), then the price drops significantly. A further price-break is at 20 units (i.e. 10 preamps).

I will email prices to those who sign up on the WIKI as interested - get to it through "Everything Else" or by clicking here: http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/index.php?page=TX102+Group+Purchase . I would like to be discreet about the exact discount that I have been offered. Because I am not VAT registered, I do not know about sending products outside of the EU. If VAT is paid in the EU, then I believe that the transformers may be sent without further duty payable.

Please list your name in the WIKI, and the number of transformers you want. I will consider adding other Stevens and Billington products to this page - let me know if there is anything on their website you wish to order.

Cheers

Jon 😀
 
#4
Hi All,

I have emailed Jonathan Billington and asked for the price premium of the silver wound 102s. The OCC copper used in the Bent 102s is supplied to S&B by them - I have asked if the performance of the copper used in stock UK 102s is comparable.

I was planning on the stock version -- reviews are very good (I've found 3 on the net as downloadables).

I have not yet looked at sourcing Shallco or Seiden switches - can anyone give me a steer towards a competitive UK or EU supplier??? With the USD to GBP exchange rate, it might be worth looking at a US supplier and ordering individually.

Let me know that you think. 🙂

If you need a hand adding your name to the WIKI, give me a shout.

Jon

😀
 
#7
The wiki already reached 22 units and my feeling is, there is more interest coming... 😎

Is there the possibility of another price break, for example at 40 or 50 units?
Jon, could you please ask Mr. Billington what he can offer to us?
 
#8
If you can get hold of the October edition of the UK magazine "Hi-Fi News" it has a review of the Music first passive pre amp which is made by S&B and based on the transformers which are the subject of this group buy.

Its clear from the review that this preamp is very very good and this GB could enable DIYers to make something with similar performance at a fraction of the price. The Music First Preamp is about £1500 in the UK.

Hi-Fi News states in the summary that this preamp "warrants the very strongest recommendations possible"
 
#9
Konnichiwa,

wytco0 said:
If you can get hold of the October edition of the UK magazine "Hi-Fi News" it has a review of the Music first passive pre amp which is made by S&B and based on the transformers which are the subject of this group buy.
Click to expand...

First, the review is available here:

http://www.realhi-fi.com/pdf/mfhn1004.pdf

Secondly, while superficially identical the stock TX-102 supplied to the DIY Market and the ones used in the MF Audio passive preamp differ in some ways, not hugely but notably.

Sayonara
 
#10
I have been in email contact today with Jonathan Billington. I have asked what the price differential between the copper and silver-wound versions are - so I can gauge a price/performance comparision between the two. Kuei, have you an opinion on this - knowing your close work with S & B?

I will keep an eye on the WIKI to see how we are doing - and will, when we get a little nearer to 40, ask where the higher price breaks might come. Might need to consider a cross-channel point of contact to distribute the goods. One other thing - as VAT is paid in the UK, no further duty is payable in the EU. I have had enquiries offline from folks in the US etc, and suggest that they contact the S & B North American distributor (available from the S&B website at http://www.stevens-billington.co.uk ) to see if they can arrange a similar GP across the Pond. For those of you in non-EU countries - please be aware that you may be liable for duty according to your National legislation. I am not a customs expert, though!! :angel:

I'd appreciate someone setting up a decent (Seiden, Shallco, Elma) switch GP to run alongside this one. I'm going to use the Cardas connectors I set aside for my AX project on this one 😎 .

More info as it comes.......

Jon 🙂
 
#11
Konnichiwa,

jonclancy said:
I have been in email contact today with Jonathan Billington. I have asked what the price differential between the copper and silver-wound versions are - so I can gauge a price/performance comparision between the two. Kuei, have you an opinion on this - knowing your close work with S & B?
Click to expand...

Well, I have yet to hear the most recent Silver versions, earlier ones where a bit of a mixed bag. JB however is over the moon about the new silver version.

Sayonara
 
#12
Kuei Yang Wang

Secondly, while superficially identical the stock TX-102 supplied to the DIY Market and the ones used in the MF Audio passive preamp differ in some ways, not hugely but notably.
Click to expand...

That is very interesting, could you say a bit more about the differences? S&B did not make this point clear when I was in touch with them a few weeks ago about a DIY project.

Do you have a feel for how a DIY passive Pre would compare with the Music First Version? I am hoping to end up with a very good preamp.
 
#16
Konnichiwa,

wytco0 said:
Do you have a feel for how a DIY passive Pre would compare with the Music First Version? I am hoping to end up with a very good preamp.
Click to expand...

As with all things some of the sound is in parts and some is in the rest. I have had several versions of the 102 in my system, they generally are all more alike in sound than they are different and drastically different to most active and passive preamps. The rest, maybe in the region of different capacitors or valves, you finetune sound to a specific goal with the choice, yet the fundamental sound remains there....

Sayonara
 
#17
Update

Hi All,

I was on the phone with JB yesterday sorting out an issue that was, frankly, of my making 🙄 .

Suffice to say, we are on track, albeit with revised pricing. I will send a detailed explanation to those on the WIKI sometime today.

Bottom line is that we have a green light. 🙂

Cheers

Jon
 
#20
Distribution List

Hi again,

I am setting up an Outlook distribution list. If you haven't had a mail from me, of if I emailed you through the forum, pse would you PM me at jc(at)capt(dot)co(dot)uk.

Many thanks. This will allow me to get the latest info to you without too much effort on my part.

Cheers

Jon
 
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