[phong]

I respect Dr. Xin and his products. So much so that I really want to buy one of his amps. I was considering the arrival of the Supermini but apparently that isn't going to happen anytime soon. The Supermacro has generated numerous positive reviews and while some question the upgrade issue (price, buying knowing he will always be upgrading his products), I don't have a problem with it. Dr. Xin is now offering a SuperMacro Light version for $249. (NE5534 class-A (no opamp sockets), 1x buffer, 2000uF caps, 2-layer PCB boards, no 4 feature switches. Others are the same as the standard version.). The part I was disappointed in is the markup of the price for the standard SuperMacro: $349. Now I don't think it is affordable for a poor student like me

! I was anticipating a SuperMini (so I can upgrade later to the macro; Dr Xin says the mini its $149 on his site) but got news of the SuperMacro 3 Light which, pricewise and feature wise aren't appealing to me. Is such a mark up I dont know the word . . justified? I know he is busy but lol I hate markups for the same product with no change. A standard Supermacro 3 basic for $349 would be around $400 with the 4 feature switches. Plus I live in CA, so that is what, $433 in all (in that case maybe go for the SR-71).

So what is the advice? Wait maybe for the Supermini 3 (with future of upgrading to a macro), whenever that will come out? I had thoughts of maybe getting enough money of just going for the macro but that added $50 i don't know

There are obvious choices now for me: Headamp's AE-1, Headroom's Micro (desktop module), maybe the SR-71.

Argh . . sorry for blabbering on. It is not good news for a poor student who is so eager to get his hands on audio equipment but sometimes prices are out of his price range. Again, I respect Dr Xin and his products.

hope y'all understand. there is basically nothing in my wallet but yet the SM-3 price goes up!

 

[KenW]

Understand your frustration. ~$400 is what I spent yesterday on the SM-3. FWIW, he told me that no version 4 is forthcoming but the Supermini and SuperDAC are. Pricey stuff but heck, I just use my play money....er...Paypal and it ain't so bad.

Motto: You only live once and you can't take it with you no matter how hard you try!! Save up and go for it!

Heck, at least he's responsive to email and is willing to TAKE your money. Some dealers simply don't respond and it's almost like you have to beg them to sell you some gear! Frustrating to say the least. Well, no more for this consumer. I'll send 2 emails and if they go unanswered, forget seeing my hard earned cash! Just too many other vendors out there who do give a crap about service. Well, that's completely off topic and I'll quit my rant now BUT....you vendors know who you are! GRRRRR!!!

 

[pkshan]

After a talk to xin,he updated the configuration again.
sm3 light does have op & buf sockets now(1x soldered on board).
2000uf cap,doubled battery life
$250,
not a bad deal

 

[GoRedwings19]

KenW>Oi, meatstick...you can send me 2 emails...do I get your hard earned cash as well?

Wowsers those mini amps are pretty costly. So Mr.Ampless what are you using these days for a DAP?

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phong The part I was disappointed in is the markup of the price for the standard SuperMacro: $349. Now I don't think it is affordable for a poor student like me ! I was anticipating a SuperMini (so I can upgrade later to the macro; Dr Xin says the mini its $149 on his site) but got news of the SuperMacro 3 Light which, pricewise and feature wise aren't appealing to me. Is such a mark up I dont know the word . . justified?

What markup? The SM3 standard model comes with the 4 switches, hence the extra $50.

 

[phong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit What markup? The SM3 standard model comes with the 4 switches, hence the extra $50.

awwwww ccccrrrap! i didnt even notice, dang it. im sorry! wow . . . . i guess i overlooked the minor changes on his site and probably scrolled past by what i usually see as his 4 feature switches section! my bad!

 

[phong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pkshan After a talk to xin,he updated the configuration again. sm3 light does have op & buf sockets now(1x soldered on board). 2000uf cap,doubled battery life $250, not a bad deal

okay that is good news! i did want to have op amp sockets but seeing the price at $250 initially without it socketed, i was a bit disappiointed in the $250!

gosh i do need to get some sleep . . . my whole post is somewhat irrelvant now because the supermacro standard includes 4 feature switches . . . but to some, they prefer just the basic without the switches.

 

[atx]

Quote:

okay that is good news! i did want to have op amp sockets but seeing the price at $250 initially without it socketed, i was a bit disappiointed in the $250!

It costs virtually nothing to add a socket, so the removal of the socket is just a gimmick so more people would feel compelled to buy the standard instead of the lite. I don't know if he would customize the opamp for you... if you know which opamp you want maybe you can tell him to build one with that opamp instead of the default.

 

[AuroraProject]

Anybody know what frequency the bass boost is set at? The site mentions it's a 5db boost, but doesn't mention what frequency.

 

[ChaosCow]

Come on, guys, have some faith in Xin. He doesn't randomly mark up his products. It's just that there were probably an overwhelming number of orders with the switches, and he figured that he could reach out to more people if he had the light version.

I don't thnk he's ever marked up the macro without significantly changing it first.

 

[phong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaosCow Come on, guys, have some faith in Xin. He doesn't randomly mark up his products. It's just that there were probably an overwhelming number of orders with the switches, and he figured that he could reach out to more people if he had the light version. I don't thnk he's ever marked up the macro without significantly changing it first.

yah it was my fault for 1 because i overlooked some details which would made it a mark up. sorry lol

but the light version seems like something i might want now

 

[Gremlin255]

I guess most people ordered the Supermacro with the 4 switches anyways, so Xin made it standard. Its interesting now theres a Lite version, whats the supermini going to have? Considering the SM lite is pretty minimum. What more can be left out into the supermini to make it $149?

 

[mattigol]

...did Xin give you any specifics about the SuperDAC? Especially release date? Cheers M

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaosCow Come on, guys, have some faith in Xin. He doesn't randomly mark up his products. It's just that there were probably an overwhelming number of orders with the switches, and he figured that he could reach out to more people if he had the light version. I don't thnk he's ever marked up the macro without significantly changing it first.

Even though that's essentially what he did. AD829A really costs him nothing over NE5534 (maybe $5?).

I really like xin's amp, but Xin really ought to sit on his hands for three months and let his product sell itself. These constant changes frustrate potential buyers and exhausts their interest.

-Matt

 

[SNR]

how does the lite version compared with a $200 maxed out supermacro 1 with 627 op amp?