Aspen HAKSA Group Buy

[AKSA]

Folks,

As we near the destination (and despite appearances we are always a step ahead of where we appear to be!), I would like to get some idea of quantity for the upcoming HAKSA headphone amp pcbs.

Now, here's the deal. A double-sided, silk screened and masked professional pcb layout will be produced by Nico and me which incorporates the following:

Regulator and virtual earth
Active tone control
SE amplifier block
Volume control
Balance control
Crossfeed control
Defeat switch
10R/120R series R selector
High Z/Lo Z switch (80mA for HiZ phones, 130mA for LoZ phones)
Mute switch
On/Off switch
Signal Input plug
Output HP jack, two types
Preamp out jack, two types

All components will be mounted on the board. (There may be some issues with some of the controls, but this will be the broad intention).

This board will be quite large, and I would expect it to be at least 160mm x 100mm. Enclosure choices are therefore limited, and we will select something which is available from Mouser/Digikey from anywhere in the world. We can of course take no responsibility for installation into any other enclosure. You are on your own there!

The power supply will be a 24V wall wart smps with nominal 1A regulation. These universal supplies are both inexpensive and efficient, and generally function from 65Vac to around 260Vac, either 50Hz or 60Hz. We hope to select a Mouser or Digikey product.

As you all know the design philosophy is directed towards very high quality. That is the reason we've moved to single ended; it is generally acknowledged that it sounds better than push pull circuits, particularly Class AB. This is important for headphones as sound quality is very easy to discern with even average quality cans.

The idea of this new topic is to get some idea of order numbers; whether we do a sample run of proto boards, say ten, or 50, or 100, or even more.

Cost will be around $US35 for the bare board. This is not cheap, but it will be two sided, premium quality, top deck design and implementation. We hope that it will compete with the world's best; a premium quality high end product. I propose that Gareth aka Bigun distribute them for the US and Canada, and I will ask for a volunteer from Europe to distribute for Europe and UK. I will do Oz, Asia and SA. My company will stump up initial cost of manufacture, but buyers will need to pay the distributors in advance when ordering. At sale of full stock, the distributor will then repay Aspen. When we know numbers, we can start directing appropriate numbers from the manufacturer to distributor locations worldwide.

I would like to glean some idea of FIRM COMMITMENT to buy these pcbs. Payment will be up front, to avoid distributors sending out product for which the buyer will not pay.

Please put your name down in this thread IF YOU ARE 100% SURE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUILD THE HAKSA. If you don't put your name down, cool bananas, but if you DO put your name down and then back out, you may still be obliged to pay for pcbs you may never use. So, no commitment without follow through - no penalty for backing out now, but financial commitment if you do commit, regardless of whether you build or do not build.

Payment would be required just prior to shipping when the pcbs are available.

Please signal your intentions here, leaving your email with distributors later by PM to confirm.

I would expect the HAKSA pcb to be available no later than March next year, but it could be earlier.

Thanks for your interest and cooperation,

Cheers,

Hugh

[Bigun]

Originally Posted by AKSA

I propose that Gareth aka Bigun distribute them for the US and Canada

I'd be happy to help

[AKSA]

Excellent, Gareth. Many thanks!!

Do we have a volunteer to distribute for Europe and UK? Pretty please?

Hugh

[mlloyd1]

i'm no good as a distributor, but i'm definitely down for one board.
in case anyone is collecting data, i will be driving 50 ohm sennheiser hd-595 cans.

mlloyd1

[AKSA]

Michael,

You are #1 off the mark! 50R is fine, Low Z phones.

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Cheers,

Hugh

[AKSA]

Hmmm, one person? After all this angst, design work, endless discussion? This is not looking good..... lots of interest but complete apathy is not a good start.......

Hugh

[jleaman]

Originally Posted by AKSA

Hmmm, one person? After all this angst, design work, endless discussion? This is not looking good..... lots of interest but complete apathy is not a good start.......

Hugh

I can help in Canada if you need!

[wirewiggler]

There is way to much apathy here : but who cares. I would build one and take it to some shows and see if there is interest on the West coast (So Cal).

Bill

[AKSA]

Bill,

Somewhat pythonesque.

Forget going to the West Coast to hawk it around..... tried that once before. Unless you have $100K for marketing, it's a lost cause. And have you any idea of the cost of an air ticket and accommodation to the US from Downunder? Why would I do it as this is a free, open source design anyway - no profit for the maker??

Jleaman,

Much appreciated that you offer - Gareth, aka Bigun, is in Canada and is handling that part of the world, but thank you.

Hugh

[gaetan8888]

Originally Posted by AKSA

Hmmm, one person? After all this angst, design work, endless discussion? This is not looking good..... lots of interest but complete apathy is not a good start.......

Hugh

Hello Hugh

For some guys like me, it's not apathy, there is guys like me who will do their own PCB etc.., that's can be for economic reasons or for learning process or because they will use parts from their parts bin but those parts are quite big or non-standard and will really not fit on the group buy PCB, or maby for others unknow reasons.

So, some will made it but without buying the PCB, and somes will even not say they made it. By looking at the big number of guy's who read the Haksa thread, it's a popular thread.

Bye

Gaetan