[greggf]

I realize that I tend to prefer buying headphone amps from the larger companies: Creek, Musical Fidelity, Headroom, Naim, PS Audio. I partly fear the very troubles that some have recently expressed in other threads about Lone Geniuses who sit on projects or use my money to take thrilling weekend jaunts to Ottawa or Cleveland.

So I like dealing with larger companies with support staff and little gnomes who do shipping and so on.

However, my experience is that that isn't always the best way to get better sound, as I found out with Craig Uthus' lovely Eddie Current Zana Deux and Dusty Vawter's CIA VHP-2.

So how big are these smaller places?

Does anybody work for Craig, or is he alone? How big are Singlepower, Ray Samuels, Channel Islands Audio, WooAudio, and all the other places? How boutique is boutique, how small are we talking about?

And does anybody else sometimes prefer economies of scale like I do, so that if the designer quits, dies, or goes insane

, someone can service the amps or send you obscure parts?

 

[BigEat]

All very good points. I've wondered the same thing. Those are important issues not to mention the reliability and value of underlying warranties.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I picked up my Zana at Craig's house. He told me that the chassis is subcontracted to a local metalwork shop and the build is handled by an electronics subcontractor.

I'm not particularly worried about service - the Zana has a straightforward point-to-point layout and every part is readily available. Any competent tech can fix it.

Which is one reason I bought it. I don't want to have to replace a no-longer-available PCB if a cap cooks off and lifts some traces. The only other option would be running jumpers on the PCB. I suppose you could redraw a PCB and have more built. But there's a large time factor there, not to mention having to move every component to a new board.

Also why I much prefer tube gear. Chips go out of production after a few years and then are impossible to find 18 months later.

 

[greggf]

That makes sense about tube gear. I'd never thought about that before.

 

[Audio Addict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif So how big are these smaller places? Does anybody work for Craig, or is he alone? How big are Singlepower, Ray Samuels, Channel Islands Audio, WooAudio, and all the other places? How boutique is boutique, how small are we talking about?

I recently went up to Skokie to visit Ray to audition his B-52 with my Meridian 808i.2. Ray recently added someone to help with assembly of his amplifiers and I can tell you he was very pleased with his work. Ray indicated he couldn't tell the work from his own. Ray still was reviewing all the completed work to be sure the quality as his name is on it. I also think he has assistance from an additional person on some of his portable amps. He outsources the chasis building and the silkscreening.

When I was there, Ray actually had inventory of his amplifiers. When someone calls for an Apache or B-52, he can start the burn in and ship it out in a few days. His portable amps, I think he can ship the same day.

This is allowing Ray to focus on the design side of his business like the new SR-71a that has recently been heard at the August 2nd Chicago meet.

 

[Mr_Junesequa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio Addict /img/forum/go_quote.gif He outsources the chasis building and the silkscreening.

Is that all ? I emailed ray for a predator I wanted to buy. The person on the other end seemed very impersonable and unable to communicate via email effectively. Still expecting a quality product. Its RSA after all! I hope it grows to a 7-10 person enterprise!!

 

[Audio-Omega]

I wish I could buy them locally. I'm always worried about my things getting lost or damaged, especially those from overseas.

 

[Leny]

I prefer the smaller guys, because you know that it means more to them. The key is to find one who knows his subject technically and backs it up with sound business practices.

I know a local guy (an electrical engineering consultant, but not in audio specifically) who has been designing audio equipment as a side-line for twenty years. He loves his headphones, and he has recently indicated that he intends to launch a headphone amplifier on a commercial basis. I think he said about November. He is going to do it on a small business scale, yet I get the feeling that the product will turn out to be quite wonderful. He certainly has a history of 'doing things right'. Oh well, time will tell!

 

[rmh1]

Of your list I only have experience with Ray, who lives nearby, so everything has been easy, fast and enjoyable. I have been reading the following thread with interest as Mikhail has been a well recommended supplier in terms of sound. With your concerns I would read through this. Read it to the end though as things have gotten better apparently.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/whe...ikhail-333677/

 

[Golden Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leny /img/forum/go_quote.gif I prefer the smaller guys, because you know that it means more to them. The key is to find one who knows his subject technically and backs it up with sound business practices. I know a local guy (an electrical engineering consultant, but not in audio specifically) who has been designing audio equipment as a side-line for twenty years. He loves his headphones, and he has recently indicated that he intends to launch a headphone amplifier on a commercial basis. I think he said about November. He is going to do it on a small business scale, yet I get the feeling that the product will turn out to be quite wonderful. He certainly has a history of 'doing things right'. Oh well, time will tell!

Are you in the south bay, perhaps? Like, San Jose? This person sounds very familiar, lol...

 

[Leny]

GM, no, not even in the same country! I'm based in the UK.

 

[Golden Monkey]

Really? Crazy...sounds like you're describing Oritek to a tee...

I personally LOVE "the little guys" for several reasons. Generally they are motivated by their passion for music to create great sounding equipment. They tend to QC their stuff a lot better, since their name's on it. They are not afraid to try new things and constantly upgrade or redesign their components. They (generally) have great customer service and communication - it's that personal touch. There's also the "boutique" factor, in that they are not mass producing equipment, so there's not usually a whole lot of units out there in the market. I got one of the last OMZ's Ori's going to do (for the forseeable future), but I know that I can email him at any time with a question, and get a response in the same day, if not immediately. The buying experience was fantastic - I went to his house, was offered a beverage, sat on his couch and listened to my DAC and some of his other stuff, and we just chilled and talked about everything from music to great jazz clubs in Tel Aviv for a few hours. It's nothing like going to say, Magnolia Hi-Fi, and being harrassed by some dude solely motivated by sales commission who's trying to push the most expensive component he can on you, or going to Best Buy and having to ask a refrigerator/cell phone/video game/DVD/vaccuum cleaner/camera guy questions he doesn't understand, or to be ignored completely and having to figure it out all by yourself. Mad scientists rule!

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio-Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wish I could buy them locally. I'm always worried about my things getting lost or damaged, especially those from overseas.

Ditto!
Never lost a parcel, but I am still a bit nervous when waiting for a cross-atlantic parcel.

Dealing with these small (one-man show) companies are usually great though. They are quite fast in answering emails, and take care that you are a happy customer. No issues so far.

 

[Frihed89]

Single Power has very good packaging, but the best is Blue Circle. My SBH headphone amp (and my SBM monoblocks and SBT preamp) arrived in Denmark embedded in 6" foam, form-fitting case, inside a double box.

 

[earwicker7]

I've had zero problems with Ray. I received my B-52 within four weeks; everyone else I've talked to has had very similar experiences with him. Not all of the boutique places run like SinglePower.