[Skylab]

There are lots of inexpensive tube amps that have been around quite a bit, with many happy users, that are clearly proven designs - DarkVoice 336i, Little Dot II/III, WooAudio WA3, Ming-Da MC84-07C, Musical Paradise MP-301, AudioTailor Jade...just off the top of my head.  All under $500 - the MP301 is $199 new!  And the DV336SE is just 249.  I think the LD II is something like $199 as well IIRC. The DV336SE uses the 6AS7G like the amp you got.  And the WooAudio WA3 uses the 6AS7G and the 6DJ8!
 
Don't let this scare you off of tube amps.  You just got a bum steer.

 

[levlhed]

I did use paypal so I can get nasty if needed.  So far the seller seems more worried that someone else modified his amp!
I did have the Crack amp kit on order, but when I accidentally won this I canceled it.  I may still go back to it now, but I don't even own a soldering iron.  I could always pay the extra $$ and have them build it, but that just seems to go against the whole Bottlehead concept doesn't it?
 
I'm not scared off of tubes at all.  My speaker rig is tube-based.  Love 'em.  Using headphones at all is new to me though.
 
As my headphones are the Beyer DT990/600ohm, I'm looking for things to drive them well.  I've been pouring over the forums for days.  In most cases getting the Bottlehead Crack still seems like the best one for the price.  However yesterday I stumbled upon the Phenix G3 (and G3-T7) which is quite interesting to me.  I'd love to get something that uses 6922's and 12AT7's since I've got a decent pile of choice  NOS here (the remains of a several month long tube rolling bender on my stereo rig).  The Phenix being OTL and designed to drive the high impedance cans and the silly low price makes it seem like a prime candidate, though it's relative inaccessibility ATM is a little discouraging.
 
I'm also shopping for a USB DAC with DIP-8 opamps (for rolling) to put in front of the headphone amp.  Ideally one that is only USB in and RCA out to keep it smaller and cheaper, but having a headphone amp in it wouldn't be so bad just for having more options.

 

[atbglenn]

 He should be thankful if somebody modified it. A blind person could do a better job than he did. lol!
If you're not going to build a Bottlehead yourself, you are probably better off buying something else. 
 
 
 
Quote:

I did use paypal so I can get nasty if needed.  So far the seller seems more worried that someone else modified his amp!
I did have the Crack amp kit on order, but when I accidentally won this I canceled it.  I may still go back to it now, but I don't even own a soldering iron.  I could always pay the extra $$ and have them build it, but that just seems to go against the whole Bottlehead concept doesn't it?
 

 

[levlhed]

I managed to order a 110v Phenix G3-T7 from a dude here on the forum who some other people have ordered from, hz_joe I think is his moniker here.
 
So assuming I have to eat DavidYee Audio's shipping to me and my shipping to him, plus the paypal chunk for getting my money back (I think) I should still be about even on the deal.  I thought I'd be spending more, but at $120 delivered (minus tubes) for something at least a few other people here have positive reviews for seems like a no-brainer at this stage!

 

[atbglenn]

 I hope everything works out for you. Keep us informed 

 

[levlhed]

He's definitely developing a very dick-ish attitude in his emails.  Telling me to send it back as a return for customs because he won't accept any customs fees  "or maybe don't accept the sign it".
Before that it was two emails of something to the effect of "don't let anyone touch or modify it or I want give you my money back"
 
I think he's earned himself a negative feedback whether he give me my money back or not.  Screw this guy.  He's an amateur, maybe that's even too much credit.  His crap is downright dangerous.  2 of his creations are being returned due to improper wiring.

 

[atbglenn]

Do yourself a favor and file a complaint with paypal right now just to cover your ass. They almost always side with the customer.

 

[Frank I]

Usually the recommendations on this board have been spot on. If no one here knows the seller and he doesn't have much feedback on ebay stay clear. Most sellers here are reputable and are in it to help our members except Mikhail who thought he was the russian Mafia and stole the money and sold hand grenades.

 

[levlhed]

 

Thanks everyone.
I did open a case with Ebay then too just for good measure seeing as how Starky had an experience with his being a jerk and not wanting to give him his money back.  It seems pretty clear that he's fixing to try the same crap with me seeing as how ever since I told him I'm returning it all he's done is give me conditions under which he will refuse to give me a refund.  Something tells me he's going to try and come up with something once he gets it back.
​

 

[Starky]

I would press for a resolution through paypal, and don't back down. When dealing with me he didn't seem to have much of an idea of how the system worked and this helped speed things along - he actually escalated my dispute to a claim, so I got my money back faster. Just make sure to be very clear and detailed in the report.
 
The trick he tried to pull with me was pointing to some very minor shipping damage and then reporting that it cost $90 to fix it at a fictional hi-fi repair shop - nonsense of course, as he builds these himself. Fortunately, Paypal saw through his story too, and I'm only out the $27 it cost to ship the amp back. It could have been a lot worse.
 
This guy is a real piece of work, evidently.

 

[levlhed]

I'll post some more details after it's said and done, but he already tried to claim his shipping charges to me (shipping was free according to his auction terms) and he again didn't seem to understand how it works.  I messed up and accepted his offer of the price minus $20 (it wasn't clear on the ebay form and I thought I was submitting a message, not accepting his offer of $130).  After which I immediately escalated it and within a half hour eBay sent me a message, took my side, and instructed me to return it with tracking saying once tracking shows it is delivered they will refund me full purchase price (and they even gave me a $10 coupon to help defray MY cost to ship it back to him).  I have no clue what that does to him and his offer/etc.  I don't really care as long as I get my money back.
 
 
 
 
More later!
(Package is somewhere between Mississauga and Vancouver right now)

 

[atbglenn]

Glad your're getting your money back. Who care what it does to him, or what he thinks. He's sounds like a total scumbag. 

 

[levlhed]

I have not received my refund yet because the Canada Post tracking page doesn't show that it has yet.  However I know he got it because of the email I just got from him:
 
Dear levlhed,

What the ******* help, I request you make it as return item, you dont do that, I paid $23.60 import fee.

Dav
 
My reply through eBay is:
 
The customs form is clearly marked as RETURNED GOODS per your instructions.  If you wanted to avoid customs fees you would have instructed me to mark the form as COMMERCIAL SAMPLE.  I am not responsible for any inconvenience your inept instructions may have caused you.  I am also not responsible for your inability to type proper English and whatever misunderstandings may arise from that.  Note that I paid $30.50 to return your dangerous piece of crap to you in the first place.  This is not the first time you have sold a tube amp that is DANGEROUS.  You put myself and my family at risk with your incompetent electronics skills and should be banned from eBay for life.
 
 
 
I made sure I left full negative feedback before sending it too just to be sure.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Jeez what a flake this seller is...good luck with the refund and getting what is your due in this matter.
 
Peete.

 

[d.g]

What's scary is that the seller obviously thinks he makes great tube amps