Again and again, you guys DON'T want to understand. Good things: quality, price, GREAT documentation. Bad things: he's mute to you, delays, out of stock stuff. Just answer me sincerely to this one: would you pay double to get your emails answered? No? That's what I thought. Stop complaining, you bitches.
I've ordered a board from Broskie for a recent project and bought his SE/tubecad software a very long time ago. In each case everything went very well. I find it exceedingly difficult to fault Broskie when I consider his situation and his approach to the hobby. In general, some of the highest value for the money items in this hobby are sold by people as a side business. These people often have great jobs working in a technical field. Because of their extensive knowledge and talent, demands for their attention are high both in their regular job and in the hobby. Once one realizes that you're one of hundreds vying for attention and that the main career is always going to trump doodads for crazy audio guys, expectations then start to align with reality.
its so scary , its quite true. as people like us are pulled in every direction and there is too many questions at once.
Well, it's something worth considering. Double or nothing. Casino style. Anyway, all jokes aside, I've got the funny feeling you'll still want to buy from him because the second choice is ....let me think....is there a second choice? The Chinese are out of the question, no pedigree, perhaps Tubelab should get into the preamp business.
Not going to happen any time soon, since I don't even own a working preamp at this moment. I plug my CD player or computer directly into one of my amps and the active devices in my current phono stage were made by National Semiconductor. It fits inside the turntable, in fact it would fit inside the headshell (all SMD). I bought an Aikido board but never had the time to build it.
My next project is a big rack mount power amp suitable for HiFi or guitar.
tend to agree...I just use JB's gear as i/v stages! Unfortunately I think preamps are a thing of the past...digital sources are reaching unprecented levels of quality so people are tending to just use one source (computer etc), so source switching and gain requirements are no longer seeing the demand levels of, say, the 1990s.
Still...he's obviously selling lots of pcbs!
Still...he's obviously selling lots of pcbs!
Got to agree with you Lordearl. Though I resist the trends, I have to admit, your are right. I will add this: when company comes over and admires the soft glow of tubes or the steely weighty of a SS gear, it is our time to promote the hobby/lifestyle of the audiofile in all of us. Then when you have their attention explain why it sounds so satisfying... because it was put together by your hand and that the Pre-amp KIT was thought out and fussed over for months on end. Explain how you patiently waited for your order. All the while improvements were being made as backorders stalled the original release and with soldering iron fingers you had hit the send button on an E-Mail asking if this tube would sound better than that tube! And what does your company say? "Wow. Look at the cool stuff!" and you reply... "It was great fun too!"
Multiple emails with zero response, my guess would be that your email addy is triggering his spam filter somehow. I'd try getting in touch using an alternative email account if you have one.
Looks like other folks are getting answers and you're not.
That being the case, explanations are:
1- He's ignoring you and your custom and willing to risk being sledged for it on an international forum frequented by his main client base...
2 - Some other legitimate reason...
My call is that it's option 2
Looks like other folks are getting answers and you're not.
That being the case, explanations are:
1- He's ignoring you and your custom and willing to risk being sledged for it on an international forum frequented by his main client base...
2 - Some other legitimate reason...
My call is that it's option 2
This scenario played out on Saturday night with my brother - he came by to listen to the aikido LV kit I just completed... He loved it.
I'm a tube guy but I have listened to a tube preamp + SS amp combo and it sounded pretty damn good. I still don't understand what tubes do to music but it seems they kinda 'fix' it. It can be a musical effect but sounds to me like the right one. So a tube preamp is a valid choice to people who like amps with lots of power. Having said that, hum problems can be VERY annoying to sort out. Right know my set up is a flea power tube amp and no preamp just because with the preamp I have a little noise. No hum just tweeter noise.
I mailed JB a few months ago with a question about an old Circlotron post and received a reply in 3 days.
Maybe, if he hasn't anything to say, he says nothing. Not that bad a habit.
Maybe, if he hasn't anything to say, he says nothing. Not that bad a habit.
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I wonder if it is possible to quantify the subjectivity level in our appreciation of our own gear. Much the same as cooking pasta always tastes better than when one buys it at a restaurant, it seems DIYers love the sound of their own gear purely because of the work that goes into it.
I've probably done a dozen projects, but for some reason nothing gives that same thrill as the first project one completes, though the buzz remains (and the hum.....). The thrill of completing an amp, preamp or dac is at least ten times that of just going out and buying a new one.
And ten times the cost sometimes....
Understand your point lordearl. In my situation, the aikido is my fourth project, and it replaced a B1 buffer clone which is also excellent... At this stage, the aikido is my preferred line stage, not because I put it together, but due to sonics.
About the original question: Is Broskies still there? I have to say here, as an amateur, I posed some rudimentary questions and did not get a reply. Then later I did pose a very valid question and got a reply with in a few days. I figure I was mostly lucky as John states most of his e-mails go unanswered. Can not possibly see any one man operation as successful as this ever getting to even 50% questions. Hell I get anywhere from 0-20 e-mails and some are sitting in my spam filter!
kingfisher
kingfisher
I like, and could say love the sound of some of my stuff, but I have built some gear that I didn't like, and some that I couldn't listen to. Granted most of them never get to the fully completed state since most of my projects start out as an idea that gets developed on a breadboard, and tweaked into submission before being wrapped in an attractive package. I have built a few shiney boxes that I took apart after living with them for a few weeks. I have also given a few away, or sold them cheaply.
I used to make guitar amps. A "combo" guitar amp has the speaker in the same box with the amp, and you need to build the whole thing to evaluate the sound. I have built some that I didn't like.
One particular amp comes to mind that I just couldn't get to sing. I kept telling people that I was going to stuff it full of fireworks and burn it on the fourth of July. My daughter played in the high school marching band and most of her friends played instruments. We had a room full of equipment and there were always kids over at out house annoying the neighbors. The amp was in that room for anyone to use, along with a Peavey and a Brownsville. One guy brought over a Gibson ES335 and plugged into that amp. He was in love. I must admit that that combination and his music and playing style did sound good. He was really surprised when I gave him the amp for free.
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