This is inevitable. We're only just starting to see what's possible in terms of supply chain ransom. Toll in Australia (one of the largest logistics players here) got hit twice in 3 months last year.
Hifi2000 is now on holidays, but I have no doubt a call to FedEx will be placed on Monday morning. Gianluca and I are in touch, we'll get whatever information we can.
I think the best way to look at this is to be grateful things started shipping last week, rather than at the end of this month when they are back from holidays. Who knows what the international shipping situation could look like next month when the zeta variant hits.
Thanks for the reply Jason, but surely it is a reasonable question to ask FedEx in Europe as to why so many parcels from the same shipper are being held in Paris. Especially when their email with tracking here this morning shows delivery to me tomorrow.
That's very nice of you.
We received USD191.9 after PayPal had taken their ransom.
I made a donation in your name, of the same value to the prostate cancer foundation, and covered their processing fees myself.
Thanks Jason for that, looks like the DHL delivery from the US will be delivered here tomorrow according to the latest tracking update - not bad 3 days from Cincinnati OH, then delivered here to me.
Jason you and everyone else behind the scenes are doing a fantastic job of keeping things running smoothly. We all appreciate the fast and honest feedback. 
Jason you and everyone else behind the scenes are doing a fantastic job of keeping things running smoothly. We all appreciate the fast and honest feedback.
I haven't replied to similar posts but I do see these kinds of messages and they are well received and provide encouragement.
I make plenty of mistakes but I hope most of them are turned into lessons.
Many thanks to everyone who is involved in this unique scene. You, all the participating diyAudio members, designers like Nelson and Mark, and manufacturers like Gianluca. We're in this together, and thank you 🙂
So far DHL Express seems to have excellent feedback, so that is great to hear.
Gianluca just got off the phone to FedEx this AM Euro-time. Their feedback was they just don't have enough planes at the moment to load all the cargo due to COVID related issues.
I wouldn't be worried about your shipment eventually turning up. But there may be some delays. Personally I feel that if there has been a 3 day delay, it could well easily blow out to 7 or even 14, but that is pure conjecture.
Your shipment to AU is actually FedEx Priority (normally ~2 business days service) not FedEx Economy (normally ~3-5 business days) because they stopped shipping FedEx Economy to AU during COVID. So if anything they should ship your stuff as a "priority" before anything else.
What's worth noting is that they have been updating the tracking at least once a day to let us know exactly where it is. It was somewhat more disconcerting when last year packages' tracking heartbeats stopped for 90 days at a time.
As a very final item worth mentioning - we can always make more chassis, but not the VFETs. So don't stress too much. You will get your chassis one way or another I promise.
Chassis No. 144 received in Spain last thursday.Parts kit one day later. Super fast!
Thanks a lot to all involved in this round. Especially to Mr. Nelson, Jason and Elena.
Thanks a lot to all involved in this round. Especially to Mr. Nelson, Jason and Elena.
Thanks again for the follow up Jason - much appreciated, lets wait and see where Fedex go from here with the deliveries.
Both packages arrived this morning, one day ahead of schedule.
Maybe both Fedx and DHL bottlenecks are easing? Here's hoping, anyway.
Thanks again to everyone involved.
Maybe both Fedx and DHL bottlenecks are easing? Here's hoping, anyway.
Thanks again to everyone involved.
What is a good oreamp for the V-FET amp? I have B1 and B1 Triode. If they are okay, I can dial down the 2nd harmonics on the Korg Nutube.
The case is so gorgeous I think it deserves these:
BRZHIFI aluminum feet (with rubber ring) for power amplifier/preamplifier/speaker D:30mm H:10mm|breeze audio aluminum|pre amplifieraluminium feet - AliExpress
BRZHIFI aluminum feet (with rubber ring) for power amplifier/preamplifier/speaker D:30mm H:10mm|breeze audio aluminum|pre amplifieraluminium feet - AliExpress
Buy a lot of extra rubber O-rings, they pop out of those feet pretty frequently. You don't want a bare aluminum foot with no rubber, to scrape against whatever's below. Fine furniture, glass, other audio gear, etc.
I have feet similar to those, maybe the same ones. The O-rings do fall out. Simple fix is two drops of superglue for each ring, down inside the aluminum groove.
How much gain do they have, and what's the output voltage of your source?
I know that there at least versions of the B1 that act as buffer, and depending on your source, may not have enough gain to sufficiently drive the DIY Sony VFET (to clipping). If you have very sensitive speakers, it'd probably be fine either way.
Jason you and everyone else behind the scenes are doing a fantastic job of keeping things running smoothly. We all appreciate the fast and honest feedback.
+1
FEDEX tracking says the chassis has left Charles De Gaulle, but not expected delivery date. Don't know how it left or where it is going.
The VFET lottery is now done and dusted.
If you have your own VFETs, there will be a VFET-less "round 3" pre-order opening up in a few weeks. Those will ship whenever all the bits arrive or have been manufactured, which could take several months.
If you don't have your own VFETs, there will be more amps coming in the future, but patience will be needed.