[Uncle Erik]

Is he in Colorado? Has anyone tried calling the State District Attorney and tried to file a complaint? In Colorado they arrested Mark "Shifty" Shifter who was running a raffle scam and taking peoples money without having the raffle. You may try that first and proceed with that before spending money on layers and investigators and see where it goes.

You can try, but there is a difference between civil and criminal law. Generally speaking, an attorney general or district attorney usually is very reluctant to turn civil disputes into a criminal dispute. You would not want the police to arrest you if you missed a credit card payment, would you?

Look into a civil action. Once you file a lawsuit, you can start discovery. If you have a suit going, it might be possible to subpoena bank statements and financial documents from banks and other third party institutions. That's a good way to start figuring out what someone has.

I'd start looking at aggressive lawyers/firms that collect bad debt. This is sort of like that. Most of them have PIs and others they work closely with to recover bad debt. They will have a good idea on how to proceed with something like this.

 

[Frank I]

 
Quote:

You can try, but there is a difference between civil and criminal law. Generally speaking, an attorney general or district attorney usually is very reluctant to turn civil disputes into a criminal dispute. You would not want the police to arrest you if you missed a credit card payment, would you?

Look into a civil action. Once you file a lawsuit, you can start discovery. If you have a suit going, it might be possible to subpoena bank statements and financial documents from banks and other third party institutions. That's a good way to start figuring out what someone has.

I'd start looking at aggressive lawyers/firms that collect bad debt. This is sort of like that. Most of them have PIs and others they work closely with to recover bad debt. They will have a good idea on how to proceed with something like this.

erik I am not a laywer but it appear this guy took money for a product and never intended to build them. That is in my opinion a criminal action. It appears a case of fraud IMO

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

I'm confused what you mean by source?  Anyways, I already replaced it with a better amp but I'd just like to get it up and running as a spare amp.  When wiatrob inspected it he said the amp was not defective, but found that the PSU was bad.  Hew blew a transformer when he was casing up the S22 and shorted it out, then after that it kept blowing mosfets.  I'd like to think it was the bad history the S22 had that makes it blow mosfets, and not a bad amp killing the PSU.
 
I'd like a new SS balanced amp to play with, and when money grow on trees I'd consider either the GS-X, Blossom or Headroom Ultra Balanced Desktop.  But I'd more likely get a KGSS or KGBH before I get one of those.

The source as in what is causing the problem.  If the S22 was repaired properly then it shouldn't keep blowing up so I'd guess the amp is either pulling too much current or something strange is going on. 

 

[Double F]

My suggestion is to purchase some of his tubes off fleabay.  When they arrive most are likely duds.  File a claim with Paypal and they will suspend his account until he resolves the issue.  If he gets to many complaints they will lock his account indefinitely.  I know because he sent me some bad 5998 tubes and failed to respond until paypal became involved.  Paypal is the only way he can unload his junk. Of course even if they are not bad file a complaint.  I can not think of a more deserving individual

 

[kevin gilmore]

for some entertainment, you might want to look at this one...
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Eimac-JAN-2457-power-tube-NOS-Sealed-Long-Life-Can-/270646097499?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f03c3b65b
 
Its interesting that it is in the original and vacuum sealed packaging, yet it has been tested and found to be good.
A number of ham's have bought his eimac tubes and found them to be used tubes with holes in the grids, so
even at $10 no one buys them anymore.
 
And for more fun, look up his callsign for more verification.
 
If you have been watching his auctions over the last year it becomes apparent that
he has little to sell that actually works. And expensive auctions such as the
gold lion kt88's always seem to end early to avoid fees, because few are going
to pay $750 for a pair of those tubes.

 

[purk]

Quote:

for some entertainment, you might want to look at this one...
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Eimac-JAN-2457-power-tube-NOS-Sealed-Long-Life-Can-/270646097499?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f03c3b65b
 
Its interesting that it is in the original and vacuum sealed packaging, yet it has been tested and found to be good.
A number of ham's have bought his eimac tubes and found them to be used tubes with holes in the grids, so
even at $10 no one buys them anymore.
 
And for more fun, look up his callsign for more verification.
 
If you have been watching his auctions over the last year it becomes apparent that
he has little to sell that actually works. And expensive auctions such as the
gold lion kt88's always seem to end early to avoid fees, because few are going
to pay $750 for a pair of those tubes.

KG,
 
Could it be the case of ending the auction early to avoid the ebay's fee?
 

 

[telecaster]

Haven't looked at the HP amp scene in years, this story is downright depressing. Feeling bad for all the singlepower owners! Such a shame robbery is so hurtfull.

 

[estreeter]

You could always turn that around and consider this : the vast majority of the amp makers which were here when Mikhail disappeared are still here and still faithfully honoring their obligations. Its a sad chapter, but when I go to Cambodia I don't dwell on the past - I look to the future. I'd suggest you give it a shot. 

 

[giovanni]

I'll say, for whatever it is worth, I still enjoy very much my MPX3, it really has a phenomenal sound IMHO with my old 580. 
 
Of ourse if however it decides one day to stop working....oh well, I will have to trash it

 

[estreeter]

Fair enough - some of Bernie Madoff's early clients got out before his Ponzi scheme collapsed. I dont think any of the early Singlepower owners were unhappy with the sound quality of their product - where it went downhill was when their reviews generated more sales than Mikhail could (IMO) supply. Contrast that with two high profile Head-Fi sponsors who currently have very long waiting lists for the 'stat amps but are steadily building and shipping the amps - thats what being a professional is all about. Even if it means customers have to wait a few months, they WILL get their amps. 

 

[neilvg]

Oh customers waited a 'few' months with Mikhail as well.. a few years.  His inability to cope with the orders was just one part.  There were many parts.
 
Neil

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

You could always turn that around and consider this : the vast majority of the amp makers which were here when Mikhail disappeared are still here and still faithfully honoring their obligations. Its a sad chapter, but when I go to Cambodia I don't dwell on the past - I look to the future. I'd suggest you give it a shot. 

Those are very inspiring words. How much time and money did Mikhail steal from you?

 

[estreeter]

The Singlepower saga had unfolded by the time I got here. My point is that he was one bent unit among some very good amp builders catering to the Head-Fi community - the exception rather than the rule. I expect that karma has caught him by now. 

 

[neilvg]

My ES2 also works perfectly.  With the pain everyone went through - for the most part it was the amps made during the very end when Mikhail ran out of resources that were in really bad shape.  There was a reason he got popular and people loved his amps -- just as there was a reason, or reasons rather, that led to his eventual shutdown and disappearance.  In hind site the writing was on the wall.
 
Neil

 

[spritzer]

It may function and play music but unless it's been completely rebuilt then it doesn't work perfectly.  All the ES-1 and ES-2 amps have the same problems, single filament supply which is grounded and the tubes really don't like that with -450V on the cathode, the G3 isn't connected on the output tubes which causes some interesting issues, the bias supplies aren't even close to what they should be and the offset adjustment doesn't work so the amp is always stuck at -110V.  Then we can add to that the fun option such as a digital voltmeter to adjust the amp (doesn't work and causes a bunch of issues), the digital volume control which is a huge kit from China which often didn't fit the boxes very well and called for some interesting wiring. 
 
The whole myth that the SP amps were once good and then deteriorated simply isn't true.  The first ES-1 amp was just as fubar as the last ones.  The ones with the most custom stuff are the worst though and any that were sent in for repair Mikhail often stole parts from and substituted with some very cheap crap.