[Helter Skelter]

It is a sad day indeed. I love my Classic, and now it may become a collector's item (as well as a fantastic amp). But I guess all good things must eventually come to an end.

Best of luck Norm, I can only hope that the niche you occupied will not go empty for long.

 

[Lisa]

This is sad news. I really love my Classic and have always been very impressed by Norm's service. Was contemplating getting that batterypack afterall but I guess I should have decided on that sooner...

Thanks for everything Norm!

 

[Andrea]

I don't see it like "killed by success".
He sure has his good reasons, 'private life' ones.
Sad anyway, though I've never dealt with him.

 

[Genetic]

Hi Norm,

I was reading this and saw the obvious impact of a sudden closing business. So I was wondering if you could allow the members in this thread to place a last and final group order....there is a few dozens people in that boat.

Some kind of a last «au revoir» that could made you enter in the legend of Head-Fi...( I know I'm pushing it.....

)

Amicalement

 

[appar111]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fr4c i believe me and appar got the last batch of Go-Vibe from Norm. so glad i got it. and as for resale value, things should be looking good.

I guess we're some of the lucky ones. For an inexpensive, top notch sounding, tweakable portable amp, I can't think of anything better than the Go-Vibe. Hope I can still get some plainviews and a charger from him! His email address just sends back a stock message...

 

[Mr.Radar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genetic Hi Norm, I was reading this and saw the obvious impact of a sudden closing business. So I was wondering if you could allow the members in this thread to place a last and final group order....there is a few dozens people in that boat. Some kind of a last «au revoir» that could made you enter in the legend of Head-Fi...( I know I'm pushing it..... ) Amicalement

I would love this! I'd gladly pay 125% of the retail price to get a "last" Classic. Another option is to release your PCB designs to the DIY community so they can build and improve on your designs (not that they need much improvement of course

).

 

[appar111]

Didn't someone say that his amps were being clearanced out in the For Sale forum? I didn't see any listed-- are they all gone, or am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[Lisa]

He was/is selling some gear. Don't know if it's got anything to do with it.

 

[Genetic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by appar111 Didn't someone say that his amps were being clearanced out in the For Sale forum? I didn't see any listed-- are they all gone, or am I looking in the wrong place?

No you're not. It was like Norm was selling all his personal audio gears.

Amicalement

EDIT: HEY!!! Mr Radar.....dont put ideas in his head with your 125%...

I jus want to add that I'm not part of the group who could be interested by a last amp. It was a suggestion and I know perfectly well that at some point Norm will have to draw a line.

 

[drewd]

I'm sorry to see Norm close, too. But for those who wonder about how you can be a victim of success, just ask my wife. She hasn't seen me for a couple of months. After my "real" job, I head into the shop and come out to eat and go to bed.

I can't speak for Norm, but if I had to guess, I'd say that he didn't go for hiring someone or having his amps built by contract because there's a certain sense of satisfaction in building something yourself, in knowing that you're sort of a craftsman, so that when you send that amplifier out the door, it's like sending a little bit of yourself along with it. Not only that, but Norm was doing it at prices that made his amplifiers affordable for anybody!

Once you start contracting out the process, you become faced with a whole new can of worms - you stop being a craftsman and start becoming a business manager. For somebody who's in the game because he enjoys the work and the satisfaction of building a fine piece of equipment, that kind of takes the fun out of the equation.

But maybe the most difficult thing to deal with is balancing work and home, particularly if you have a family.

Anyway, my best wishes to Norm for the future, too.

-Drew

 

[Murdoch]

Wow, too bad. I was very impressed with my 1st generation Classic the minute I hooked it up, and continue to be just as pleased with it everytime I listen. Best of luck to you Norm, and thanks for all you have done for us on the budget end of the spectrum.

 

[Zweroboi]

Ahh it's a little sad, really. And my Home-Vibe is still somewhere on it's long way across the ocean... I was lucky to order it but I'd get sure that I'm lucky indeed only when it gets on my desk

Good luck Norm!

P.S. The inner links of the site still work (http://www.headsave.com/homevibe.htm). I've saved the entire site locally for history

 

[StevieDvd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by appar111 Didn't someone say that his amps were being clearanced out in the For Sale forum? I didn't see any listed-- are they all gone, or am I looking in the wrong place?

He was selling a few items - some nice equipment - not his actual products but a few high quality amps/dacs/cables etc. Obviously to get his own amps so good he needed to keep up-to-date with the others on the market. I think he decided not to sell the last items here as he withdrew the threads.

Still it's better to stop when you are still getting high praise than to linger on half-heartedly.

 

[mega]

Norm sold me my first amp here at headfi, and probably my last (the original classic)

I love my classic, and with Norm leaving, i definetly won't be selling it anytime soon.

Best of luck Norm...Thanks for all your help!

 

[HiWire]

Thank you Norm for your advice and patience. I guess I won't be getting that Headsave Classic v.3 any time soon, but good luck in your future endeavors.

About the price of success: one of our books became a bestseller lately and our intern was totally stressed out, as were our financial and other systems. Still, I never regret the cost of success, as it is so difficult to achieve.