I'm sure you can compete with Chinese kits if your designs make sense, like low gain for line stages, proper phonos with something else than ECC83 everyone uses for kits, etc. Use good EU components, ok maybe Chinese sockets and cases you can paint here.
One very important thing is to write in good English, this is where Chinese fail. Also, shipping from Europe is cheaper and faster, people also seem to have more trust in kits from Europe...
I would use 230V transformers, i don't see a problem here as it is diy. Another thing is that you might offer pcb and p2p versions with little extra effort.
Good luck!
One very important thing is to write in good English, this is where Chinese fail. Also, shipping from Europe is cheaper and faster, people also seem to have more trust in kits from Europe...
I would use 230V transformers, i don't see a problem here as it is diy. Another thing is that you might offer pcb and p2p versions with little extra effort.
Good luck!
Further to this, there are some distinct differences in the symbols used by the Germanic countries when discussing electronics. For example, most of Europe uses 'V' for voltage (makes sense!), whereas the Germanic nations still seem to want to use 'U'... Some continentals also like to use a comma rather than a dot for a decimal point, which is also delightfully distracting.
You might consider writing an alternative set of instructions for these more backward peoples.
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I have a bright idea: when writing in English use English technical conventions; when writing in German use German conventions etc. That way everyone is happy, apart from the maker who has to pay for a full translation into proper technical German/French etc. If possible the translator should be a native speaker of the target language, not the source language. Just remember that in the EU any English should be British English. A separate translation can be done for the US market!
That's a royal PITA if you ask me. I once accidentally bid 5500$ (=5,500$) for a 12GN7 on ebay.com just because they use two different punctuations to keep orders of magnitude apart.
the point/comma is also very annoying when using multiple programs which handle those differently like Mathematica, Maple, Altium, Splan, Eagle, PSUD2, LTSpice etc. I always check component values at the end....
Units of measurement...well...I simply try not to buy stuff which is nonmetric. US muscle cars are great but I won't buy all my wrenches again as SAE version just like screws and threading tools etc.
Let's hope one day this will become real: Metrication in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
*grinningduckingrunning*
Of course Metric measurements will have to be used; that's quite obvious, sadly it's the way things are.
I dislike the Metric system, partly because it reminds me of Bonaparte's arrogance, but principally because all the values are useless either too big or too small. The Imperial measurements are human in scale and conception and have the added advantage of fractions, apparently a closed book in the Metric world. I think that fractions are lovely things.
I should add that I am perfectly at home with Metric having been something of an Italian car specialist for more years than I care to mention.
Paul
I dislike the Metric system, partly because it reminds me of Bonaparte's arrogance, but principally because all the values are useless either too big or too small. The Imperial measurements are human in scale and conception and have the added advantage of fractions, apparently a closed book in the Metric world. I think that fractions are lovely things.
I should add that I am perfectly at home with Metric having been something of an Italian car specialist for more years than I care to mention.
Paul
Metric is far more easier to use than imperial. Try adding 3 1/23 and 5 1/7 in your head and it should become pretty clear. Metric has the advantage of decimalisation perfect compatability between units, so no conversion whatsoever. Imperial measurements may be human in scale but they neglect the fact that our number system can only work in powers of 10.
I have never heard of anyone using such fractions as 1/23 or even 1/7 in measurement applications; the beauty is though they can be used if at all necessary.
I like the fact that base 12 can be divided by 2,3,4 and 6, and that the fractions used traditionally in measurements were all base 4 - 3/16, 1/4, 1/8, 9/64 and so on.
And defeating my own argument, was there ever a better unit for engineers than the "thou"? It's just the right sort of size, microns being quite ridiculously small.
Paul
I like the fact that base 12 can be divided by 2,3,4 and 6, and that the fractions used traditionally in measurements were all base 4 - 3/16, 1/4, 1/8, 9/64 and so on.
And defeating my own argument, was there ever a better unit for engineers than the "thou"? It's just the right sort of size, microns being quite ridiculously small.
Paul
Easy: the answer is 8 and a bit.
If you work with computers you quickly learn to do arithmetic in octal or hexadecimal too. Some trades used to routinely work in dozens or gross. There is nothing special about 10 as a number base, except for those who still count using their fingers and toes.
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