[xiled10]

I've been on the hunt lately for a 300B amp and I came across this company and their Red October REV2 headphone amp.
Are they really charging $13k for this, like for real?
So many zip ties in product that expensive?
As in a less expensive product to hold a few cables together here and there... maybe, but to hold capacitors in place... oh boy.

If you can't afford it, just say so lol. There is nothing wrong with holding the caps with the zip ties, and they will last longer than the amp itself.

 

[ampsandsound]

If you can't afford it, just say so lol. There is nothing wrong with holding the caps with the zip ties, and they will last longer than the amp itsel

I've been on the hunt lately for a 300B amp and I came across this company and their Red October REV2 headphone amp.
Are they really charging $13k for this, like for real?
So many zip ties in product that expensive?
As in a less expensive product to hold a few cables together here and there... maybe, but to hold capacitors in place... oh boy.

Erik, I can appreciate your frustration with my prices. You may not understand the actual time spent building a Red October. They are extraordinarily time intensive.
Regarding use of zip ties, we dont create a wire harness as you could not optimize/ have the shortest wire runs. The zip ties, allow us to pin the wires as we go and provide a super structure between the turrets. Now regarding the use of a zip tie for the caps... there are only 2 zip ties used in the picture in question. They are used to secure the 1st section of the power supply. A solder joint is not a mechanical connection, some may chose to not pin/secure the cap but we do. I view a solder joint as only an electrical connection and not that of a mechanical one. I disagree with your value assessment about zip ties use and price, but you dont have to chose us as a result. That said, completed, Red Octobers and Nautilus amps alike are nearly bullet proof amps.

 

[ampsandsound]

Happy Birthday to me!

1950 Mullard ECC35 Pan Getter (2nd oldest iteration of this much sought after tube)

Dear god thats an amazing picture. !

 

[ampsandsound]

Had an interesting chat with @ampsandsound tonight. I am beyond humbled that Justin took time out of his busy schedule to help diagnose some noise I was experiencing on my Agartha 2021 (incredible customer service especially considering I am not the first owner) Walked away with a better understanding of the amp and a few ideas on how best to tackle the noise. Thank you Justin for going above and beyond. You’ve earned a customer for life.

Very welcome. Sorry I havnt been on in a few weeks. Have big stuff in process for CAF and Canjam. New Pre, RedOctober Rev 2 (Review units)... Huge speakers oh my... and some how I tripped and few onto being an executive director of a community rehab program that needed some additional support. 80+ weeks.

 

[shwnwllms]

Dear god thats an amazing picture. !

Thank you, here is another for comparison (from tonight)

Elrog vs WE 300B shootout.

As far as the input tube goes, those early Mullard ECC35s are incredible but nothing I have tried can hold a candle to a Brimar 12BH7A (Made in the UK for GE) that I acquired recently. Its my favorite input on both the Elrogs and WE and its not even close.

I read somewhere that a 12BH7 is a direct replacement for the ECC99 which was designed to drive 300Bs. Its what made me curious to try it on the Agartha 2021 and it may explain what I've been hearing when rolling any of my 12BH7's, the sound is significantly more full than a 12AX7 / 12AT7 (with less noise as well)

 

[nwavesailor]

ELROG vs WE...........and the winner is?????

(I have my opinion but don't want to lead the witness )

 

[shwnwllms]

ELROG vs WE...........and the winner is?????

(I have my opinion but don't want to lead the witness )

It’s too early to tell. I know which way I’m leaning but ultimately they each have their strengths and both will probably get some time in the rotation

 

[nwavesailor]

It’s too early to tell. I know which way I’m leaning but ultimately they each have their strengths and both will probably get some time in the rotation

You may have a future in politics with that answer!

Personally after reading many posts, and initially thinking I'd go for the WE, I decided to pass. Once I found detail and more clarity (and then looked for it) I had no interest in a warmer presentation. I have had the EX, MO and now TM version and I am a big fan of all the versions Thomas has in the quiver. This is in an Envy.

 

[erik701]

Erik, I can appreciate your frustration with my prices. You may not understand the actual time spent building a Red October. They are extraordinarily time intensive.
Regarding use of zip ties, we dont create a wire harness as you could not optimize/ have the shortest wire runs. The zip ties, allow us to pin the wires as we go and provide a super structure between the turrets. Now regarding the use of a zip tie for the caps... there are only 2 zip ties used in the picture in question. They are used to secure the 1st section of the power supply. A solder joint is not a mechanical connection, some may chose to not pin/secure the cap but we do. I view a solder joint as only an electrical connection and not that of a mechanical one. I disagree with your value assessment about zip ties use and price, but you dont have to chose us as a result. That said, completed, Red Octobers and Nautilus amps alike are nearly bullet proof amps.

Hi Justin,

I appreciate your response and it is clear that you stand behind the design and build quality of your product. I just shared my impression from the information available on the Red October REV2 amp website. I still think that in today's age of 3D printers and many other advanced methods which are available to choose for support components and for internal use to hold caps in place or wired connections together and some of them would be more appropriate in such an expensive product imho, but hey, maybe it's just me when I want my potential end game headphone amp to not only sound good and be sturdy, but also look good from the inside too. At the end of the day, we all perceive value differently and that should be fine.

Anyway, thanks for your input. Hopefully one day I'll get a chance to try it out and see its internals in person at the show like CanJam here, over in Europe and who knows, maybe I'll change my mind then, I'll let you know for sure.

Thanks

 

[shwnwllms]

You may have a future in politics with that answer!

Personally after reading many posts, and initially thinking I'd go for the WE, I decided to pass. Once I found detail and more clarity (and then looked for it) I had no interest in a warmer presentation. I have had the EX, MO and now TM version and I am a big fan of all the versions Thomas has in the quiver. This is in an Envy.

The Elrogs are the clear winner in my book, although the WE did sound great with some of my Octals. I would have gladly kept them as a backup pair to keep in the rotation as it’s a significantly different presentation than the Elrogs but ultimately one of them ended up having a noise issue (possible gas leak?) so they went back.

Elrogs are king!

 

[smodtactical]

Anyone compare A+S amp to ha 300 or ha6a ?

 

[theveterans]

@ampsandsound

Will the Forge 32/300 support 12BH7 as the front end to increase the power without increasing the noise and feed it with a fixed gain booster box pre for Susvara?

 

[shwnwllms]

@ampsandsound

Will the Forge 32/300 support 12BH7 as the front end to increase the power without increasing the noise and feed it with a fixed gain booster box pre for Susvara?

Can’t speak to the booster box but you should be fine with a 12BH7 input. I ran them in my Pendant SE (and now in my Agartha 2021 with an adapter)

If you can find them the UK Brimar (made for GE) are particularly nice

 

[ampsandsound]

A 12Bh7 will likely increase current and not gain.
12AX7 with give you most gain.
If wanting to ekk out most power... 12AX7 and then some pre on the front would be the path forwards.
The 12BH7 is fantastic choice but not for power.

 

[shwnwllms]

Well I just blew a fuse on my Agartha 2021 (hopefully that’s the extent of it)

Can anyone recommend a replacement to get me going? It’s 3.15A 250V (assuming slow blow). Will any old fuse meeting these criteria work?

cc @ampsandsound