A quick bump / reminder to check post #1 regularly for updates / great information...
Stay tuned.
🙂
Stay tuned.
🙂
I can offer an opinion. Jason is the final word on the subject, but I have a bit of insight.
Some of this deserves repeating with some added clarification.
First, this is not a group buy. Group buys are generally run by members in the Group Buy section of the marketplace, and the products are not sold through the diyAudio web-store. This was / is a limited release product that
many people hope will be a permanent addition to the diyAudio store. A group of dedicated busy beavers are determining how/if that can happen. I can say with confidence, that it takes a lot of work, and it's a huge team effort.This was/is a design gifted to the community by our own mighty @Zen Mod. It's the first (to my knowledge) product of his to be sold through the store, and quite a number of anxious 'Greedy Boyz' have been patiently waiting for the opportunity to build it. So, with limited quantities, long lead times, and unobtainium parts obtained from Nelson Pass's stash; it seems fair (in my opinion) that those that followed the project closely and expressed their interest get the first opportunity to purchase in the order that they expressed their interest.
Again, the goal is to get the Iron Pre permanently stocked in the store, so no one will have to wait to build this awesome project... until then... patience is appreciated.
Thanks for asking. I hope that if you're one of the patient Greedy Boyz awaiting a kit, that you get one soon.
Note - For those that don't know me, I'm not a diyAudio staff member etc. I'm just a happy camper. Nothing I say / write is official ... nope... nope... 🙂
Will there soon be an option in the Store for PCB's only for generel purcase. So you can buy just the PCBs without being on a list?
3rd batch is going to be made in fashion ensuring steady quantity
IAIMH will give more details, when in mood
IAIMH will give more details, when in mood
Everything is to the best of my knowledge and subject to change at the whims of the audio gods. No, PCBs alone will not be offered soon, and likely will not be offered. To the best of my knowledge, the 'Essentials Kit' will be the base offering.
I'm feeling particularly moody. 🙂
Seriously though... even though I type a lot, and I make every effort to be transparent, there are some things 'in the works' that have not been shared. It's a tough balance to keep everyone well-informed and excited, and that's not even my area in this whole fun group of people. Until things are truly 'production ready' i.e. known-working-good and reliable/stable, I didn't want to get everyone salivating over something that may never see the store. Reliable/stable doesn't just mean the product itself. That includes all the supply chain logistics, production logistics, web-store logistics etc. etc. etc. There are a TON of moving pieces that all have to fit together nicely. All of us have high expectations of a product sold through the diyAudio store. That's why I was very careful to explain that anything having to do with the Iron Pre sold through the store is not a group buy. It's not nearly as simple as one person tossing together a few things and putting them on offer in the marketplace. Don't get me wrong, some GBs are remarkably well run, but the standard for selling something through the diyAudio store is exceptionally high for excellent reasons.
To the point (I know, I go around my elbow to get to my a$$ to find a point)... From my very narrow experience, every reasonable effort is made to ensure that each product is tested every which way before it's released. Of course, this is DIY, but one of the goals for the Iron Pre from the Mighty ZM himself and everyone surrounding the project has been to make it more accessible to more builders. We still find little things to improve, and it's been 5 years (at least... I still have 2018 boards) and X prototypes. We're already on the second iteration of production boards. 🙂 Every single change has to be documented and tested (or at the very least verified with a few sets of eyes).
Sure, it's an intermediate to advanced project, relatively speaking against other things sold through the store, but ... it's still gotta just work.
So... yes, wholeheartedly YES, there's a prototype that we're all very excited about that does not use unobtainium parts. Once it's gone through the initial stages of verification... a few kind souls donate their time and effort to put the design through its paces and make suggestions for improvement. Once everyone has kicked the tires... we'll all collectively decide how to best get it into the hands of the Greedy Boyz the best we know how. Then, sometimes there is a 'pre-launch' like for the first kits with this product for 'beta builders'. It takes... time...
...Please don't forget... it's just a hobby. Everyone involved in this has at least some life outside of DIY.
What MAY happen...
- 'Round 2' is very, very, very, very likely to be the last run of Iron Pre kits using JFETs from Nelson Pass. He graciously allowed us to use more for this round b/c so many people that expressed interest didn't get an opportunity to buy one. Remember way back, we thought we might get lucky to get enough parts to do ~150 kits. Thx to Papa!
- There will be no more 'Rounds' / lists after the people that kindly expressed their interest have had their opportunity to buy a kit (we hope). They've been waiting VERY patiently.
- The next iteration will simply be listed in the store just like any other product. That iteration is in the works, and it will be wonderful. We know 95% of what it's likely to be. The remining 5% takes 95% of the work. I'll think up a snazzy name... Iron Pre MKII Deluxe SuperFi Edition has a nice ring to it.
Most importantly...
Enjoy the tunes!!
I need some clarity please. I am interested in selecting between only two input channels by use of a toggle switch if that is possible. I am trying to understand the Input Selection Schematic in order to see how to connect a toggle switch, but I am not getting anywhere. For two inputs I assume one populate relays K1 and K2. Now, it looks like K1 is connected to pins 11,12 and K2 is connected to pins 9,10 of the rotary switch. But I am not sure how these 14 pins of the rotary switch relate to the connector pad on the pc board. To select either K1 or K2 – is it as simple as closing/shorting the pins as indicated on the picture?
Second question. I also need two outputs as well. Can I simply split the output signal to two sets of RCA connectors?
Second question. I also need two outputs as well. Can I simply split the output signal to two sets of RCA connectors?
first question - it's really everything shown in schematics*** 
second question, yes, explained as that several times
***you have first batch of pcbs, negative common for relays:
second question, yes, explained as that several times
***you have first batch of pcbs, negative common for relays:
Patrick,
Thank you so much for sharing those details. It's great a version without the unobtainium Toshiba jfets is in the works, which will ensure steady availability of the IronPre in the long run.
Cheers,
Dennis
Thank you so much for sharing those details. It's great a version without the unobtainium Toshiba jfets is in the works, which will ensure steady availability of the IronPre in the long run.
Cheers,
Dennis
Everything is shown, but not everything is understood. But, some clever folk around here have all the answers.it's really everything shown in schematics***
Thanks, ZM
Would a piece of Cat 5 wire running from volume pot to board be sufficient?
Edit:
One piece of cat 5 per board, one pair being unused.
try
if you still have a hum, you must use coax cables
it is not matter of circuit sensitivity - there is no gain and routing on pcb was careful
if there is hum, it is strictly from wiring, combined with external magnetic drek
if you still have a hum, you must use coax cables
it is not matter of circuit sensitivity - there is no gain and routing on pcb was careful
if there is hum, it is strictly from wiring, combined with external magnetic drek
Where do I add myself to the list of folk who desire the SE version kit?
Many thanks, Pete
Many thanks, Pete
^ You cannot be added to the list. There may be some kits left from Round 2 that will go into the store. Jason or I will post here to let everyone know.
But isn't there a new version in the pipeline that doesn't use unobtanium parts? That's something to look forward to. 😍
You are 100% correct! 😁
