Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › anyway to get someone else to build bantamdac?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

anyway to get someone else to build bantamdac?

post #1 of 19
3/29/10 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 
i was thinking of building this thing, but after look at the cost (notably the shipping cost to get a flux pen, the box, helping hands, tweezers, and then the Nichicon UHZ 1500uf 6.3V and Wima MKS2 - 3.3uf 50V caps) it looks like it'd almost be cheaper to buy a udac. and i can't really afford that. i was just looking for a good low cost dac for around $50 or less.


and then there's my fear of screwing up.


it'd be nice if all of this could be had in the same place.

and why the hell does it cost over $6 to ship $2 or $3 worth of caps?
Reply
post #2 of 19
3/29/10 at 4:15pm
1) You don't need a flux pen or helping hands and you can probably manage without tweezers.
2) You can buy everything from the same place.
3) Why do people whine about shipping? Get over it. Whether it's $2 in parts or $200, you still need to pay the base price for shipping. Companies don't make money on this and in case it may come as a big surprise - shipping does cost money. So yes, it costs money to ship items; yes, it's expected; and no, people don't care for whiners.
Reply
post #3 of 19
3/29/10 at 4:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by metreonfuture View Post
i was thinking of building this thing, but after look at the cost (notably the shipping cost to get a flux pen, the box, helping hands, tweezers, and then the Nichicon UHZ 1500uf 6.3V and Wima MKS2 - 3.3uf 50V caps) it looks like it'd almost be cheaper to buy a udac. and i can't really afford that. i was just looking for a good low cost dac for around $50 or less.


and then there's my fear of screwing up.


it'd be nice if all of this could be had in the same place.
Post a wanted add in the FS forums.
Quote:
and why the hell does it cost over $6 to ship $2 or $3 worth of caps?
Do the math:
The box costs about $0.50
It costs about $1 to pay all of the people in the warehouse for the time they spent handling the item.
It costs $3-4 for postage.
the last $0.50 to 1.50 covers warehouse space, keeping the lights on, and maybe a few cents goes towards profit. Dont order less than $25 worth of parts if paying more for shipping than for parts bugs you.
Reply
post #4 of 19
3/29/10 at 4:31pm
nikongod beat me to it.

There are other things like the cost of box fill, cost of shipping systems, cost of the paper, cost of tape, cost of labels, etc.

I used to manage a third party logistics warehouse. It amazes me how cheap some of the shops can ship stuff.
Reply
post #5 of 19
3/29/10 at 5:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
1) You don't need a flux pen or helping hands and you can probably manage without tweezers.
2) You can buy everything from the same place.
3) Why do people whine about shipping? Get over it. Whether it's $2 in parts or $200, you still need to pay the base price for shipping. Companies don't make money on this and in case it may come as a big surprise - shipping does cost money. So yes, it costs money to ship items; yes, it's expected; and no, people don't care for whiners.
and what place would that be? i can't find both caps, the wima in particular at glass jar to go along with the kit. and then i still need the box.
Reply
post #6 of 19
3/29/10 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
3) Why do people whine about shipping? Get over it. Whether it's $2 in parts or $200, you still need to pay the base price for shipping. Companies don't make money on this and in case it may come as a big surprise - shipping does cost money. So yes, it costs money to ship items; yes, it's expected; and no, people don't care for whiners.
This guy has 22 posts - do you think maybe he's new to this stuff and is still learning? People don't care for whiners OR condescending people. I don't think people realize what a turnoff it is when you are new around here, and the "supreme members" of head-fi are so dismissive from their high horses. There are many classier, less off-putting ways to make your point. You were new at one time, too - remember that.
Reply
post #7 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:05pm
1) Any particular reason you want those particular caps? There are many good choices.
2) If you're getting the PCB from Beezar, you can buy the box and the electrolytic from them.
3) Newark stocks everything, but I still recommend going with Mouser or Digikey and simply picking other parts. Bad experience in the past with Newark.

As for being a bit rude on complaints of shipping fees, yes it's likely because I've been having a crappy morning and read the same thing one too many times, not sure why "new" makes a difference, the fact that shipping costs money is pretty standard with all stores.
Reply
post #8 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowpogo View Post
This guy has 22 posts - do you think maybe he's new to this stuff and is still learning?
do you mean the costs of shipping? most people have been shipping stuff since before they started up posting on the web.

Nobody is dismissive of his efforts to build something. go for it! FA's post actually encourages that. Its a load of crap when someone complains about shipping from a vendor that could VERY easily say "no orders below $150, no exceptions" and not loose money. Sorry, these venors cater to million dollar corporations with absurd budgets. Their life would be several times easier by NOT catering to hobbyists.
Reply
post #9 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:18pm
Definitely true about companies like Mouser/Digikey/Newark that even allow small orders. Especially from one-off projects like we usually build. I can't imagine how glad I am that I can order 2 resistors of a certain value, have it picked, placed in an individual bag, have a printed item label on it and shipped. The amount of work that goes into that is incredibly large and the company must pay the employees to do it, on top of the huge operational costs of having a warehouse like this. I would not doubt for a second that lose money on every small order.
Reply
post #10 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:34pm
Still doesn't mean you be rude or snappy right off the bat. Last i read, HF caters to a large demographic..there are many folk who are new and probably young, in their teens. So it might just be possible that by being heavy handed in your replies you may turn away young members of this forum from a potentially fulfilling hobby. Doesn't hurt to go easy..
Reply
post #11 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:42pm
Obviously anything you order over the internet requires shipping. When you order a book from Amazon, or whatever, a $6 shipping charge makes sense.

But this hobby was the first time I ever ordered tiny things that literally weigh less than the envelope they are put in. Many people are not likely to order something weighing less than an ounce before they get into this hobby. I remember when I built my Pimeta I forgot a few resistors, and had to order them separately, incurring a $7 shipping charge.

This is bound to be a "WTF, seriously?!?" kind of thing that does not compute like ordering a DVD or chair or whatever. I still have that reaction, I'm just resigned to it at this point.
Reply
post #12 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:52pm
In most cases the amount of effort to pick a single line item is the same. Picker goes to spot, puts it in something to container and takes it back to the packing station.

A $1000 DVD player, a $20 DVD and a single $0.10 diode take the same effort to pick.
Reply
post #13 of 19
3/29/10 at 6:56pm
Firstly, I'd like to say I completely agree with Sachu.

Secondly, FYI, shipping from digikey is very very cheap when you have it shipped via USPS parcel post.
Beezar shipping is very reasonable as well.

I have arguments to refute some of nikongod's and FallenAngel's claims, but I'm not going to bother. This thread isn't about shipping costs.

Going back on on topic,
There are two things you should realize.
a) You shouldn't get into DIY in order to save money.
(With cables being an exception.. cause they are easy and aftermarket cables are stupid expensive)
I don't think there are any of us that will claim they saved money by going DIY.
If they do they are either lying or their time is worth nothing.

b) Start up costs of DIY is about $100 this includes things like hook up wire, solder station, helping hands, and such. but you only have to spend this $100 once.

EDIT: it also doesn't hurt to put a WTB ad up like nikongod said.
Reply
post #14 of 19
3/29/10 at 8:18pm
Thread Starter 
i wanted those caps because the nichicon i chose is the best one there is, and the wima has strong mids apparently. i'm hoping the wima would fill in the mids of my dt770's. in fact, the wima is the entire reason i decided not to go with the grubdac.

and my WTB ad is up!
Reply
post #15 of 19
3/29/10 at 8:44pm
I really wouldn't concern yourself with that all too much. As for going with a capacitor on the output instead of NOT having one, that's just absurd! The GrubDAC should certainly be better than a PCM270x-based DAC with some coupling caps.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › anyway to get someone else to build bantamdac?