Where is Singlepower? Where is Mikhail?

[purk]

Quote:

"hi power" mode is actually higher voltage mode, and you definitely do not want to run it this way,

Would you please explain why the higher voltage setting is strongly not recommended?  I'll ask further, what would be the consequence of running SP amp in this higher voltage setting?  Many thanks KG!

 

[kevin gilmore]

In high voltage mode there is 530 volts on the white cathode follower output stage.
typically with 250 volt output electrolytics. Tubes not rated at more than 450 volts.
Any major whoopsie or an output cap failure and you fry the headphones.
Normal voltage 260 volts.
 
Its absolutely goofy to run an otl output stage at 530 volts.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Hey Kevin,
 
Do you happen to know any reputable techs in the Tacoma/Seattle area who might be able to look at my Supra? 
 
Thanks.
 
Mamoru

 

[kevin gilmore]

this is one of the supra's with the high voltage option.
There are many different versions and different voltages
 
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/singlehoursupra.pdf
 
 
I wish i knew of a few good techs that were willing to work on these things.
There were a couple but they put in so much time on them, that there
was no way to break even on the labor alone. Plus any required parts.
 
I've put in over 10 hours rebuilding my ES2 so far, and all i have done
is chassis work (new holes, frozen screws, frozen feet, cracked tube sockets)
so these things take huge amounts of time.

 

[pjr300]

Wow..... 
 
Haven't logged on in a few years. Unreal to see what has happened here. i now know what NOT to do if my PPX takes a dump. Also realize that it has very little resale value.
 
But worse, very sorry to see how many of you lost money. That truly sucks.  

 

[MarcoEsc]

Stumbled my way into this nightmare by way of an MPX going cheap at a local estate auction. I passed, of course.

But was there ever an end to the story? So many people cheated, for so many thousands of dollars. Did anyone try to see Mikhail prosecuted? Pay him a visit? Or did he just take the money, take the gear, and the customers took it in the shorts? Unbelievable...

 

[Rob N]

He is still selling tubes on eBay http://is.gd/7vdmv7

 

[didwlgh]

Posting for the first time in years becuase this thread was revived. I really want my SDD-XLR back. It is unbelievable that he is still out there selling tubes.

Anyway, hope everyone is well - i see some very familiar names on this thread!

 

[purk]

He could have been a legend in a good way in our community. In stead, he decided to not owning up for it and stole from many of us myself included. He has a gift of voicing amplifiers like no one else. Despite reported build quality issues, my amps have been rock solid (knocks on wood!). By not standing by with his customers, the resale value of our amps are next to nothing. What a shame!

I also wonder why didn't we take up any action against him? Some of us are even in a legal field.

 

[didwlgh]

He could have been a legend in a good way in our community. In stead, he decided to not owning up for it and stole from many of us myself included. He has a gift of voicing amplifiers like no one else. Despite reported build quality issues, my amps have been rock solid (knocks on wood!). By not standing by with his customers, the resale value of our amps are next to nothing. What a shame!

I also wonder why didn't we take up any action against him? Some of us are even in a legal field.

 
good to see you Purk! Been forever since we've exchanged our thoughts on threads and PM's-
 
The sad part re: my SDS-XLR was that I never got to see that piece in person. Had bought it from a guy who lived closed to Mikhail and he had delivered directly to Mikhail for some more upgrades before being delivered to me...and than radio silence after emails and emails about delay and empty promises.
 
It was the SDS-XLR incident that really got me moving away from the hobby...these days I use iphone earbuds, and just a couple times a month, if that! Such a big change from my old days.
 
Regarding that last sentence....probably not all of us are "real "lawyers"...what does a transaction guy know anything about the courts and suing people anyway...damn.
 
Good to see that you are still going strong on the hobby!
 
T.

 

[immtbiker]

This thread wins the award for "busting up the most cobwebs in my brain, recently".
Those were defining moments in the molding of Head-Fi's history.
 
Singlepower…Ray Samuels/Kevin Gilmore wars…JH3A mishap…DIY cable shill camps
 
 
 
Live and learn.
Sorry for anyone that lost so much in the SinglePower mishaps. We fight very hard to protect out members, but SinglePower was a shocker that no one saw coming.

 

[purk]

  This thread wins the award for "busting up the most cobwebs in my brain, recently".
Those were defining moments in the molding of Head-Fi's history.
 
Singlepower…Ray Samuels/Kevin Gilmore wars…JH3A mishap…DIY cable shill camps
 
 
 
Live and learn.
Sorry for anyone that lost so much in the SinglePower mishaps. We fight very hard to protect out members, but SinglePower was a shocker that no one saw coming.

 
Toward the end it was nothing but a complete mess.  Mikhail himself couldn't even focus at a task at hand.  He modded one on my SDS amplifier with out of spec parts only to have it killed my HD650 afterward.  The blackgates were run way beyond their specifications.  It sounded excellent though, both the amp & phones before the cap failed a few days later.

  His earlier builds are rock solid however as he was probably a lot more sane then.
 
BTW, what's up with RSA these days?  Ray is a no show even for big meets now.  No new products either.
 

  good to see you Purk! Been forever since we've exchanged our thoughts on threads and PM's-
 
The sad part re: my SDS-XLR was that I never got to see that piece in person. Had bought it from a guy who lived closed to Mikhail and he had delivered directly to Mikhail for some more upgrades before being delivered to me...and than radio silence after emails and emails about delay and empty promises.
 
It was the SDS-XLR incident that really got me moving away from the hobby...these days I use iphone earbuds, and just a couple times a month, if that! Such a big change from my old days.
 
Regarding that last sentence....probably not all of us are "real "lawyers"...what does a transaction guy know anything about the courts and suing people anyway...damn.
 
Good to see that you are still going strong on the hobby!
 
T.

 
I'm sorry to learn of what had happened to you with the SDS-XLR.  My SDS-XLR is the first one made so it is rock solid (knocks on wood!).  This one was custom build for Tom Hankins and Tom later sold it to Hirsch.  I bought this amp from Hirsch couple of years back.

 

[PATB]

 
 
I'm sorry to learn of what had happened to you with the SDS-XLR.  My SDS-XLR is the first one made so it is rock solid (knocks on wood!).  This one was custom build for Tom Hankins and Tom later sold it to Hirsch.  I bought this amp from Hirsch couple of years back.

 
I got mine around Feb. 2006.  I love it so much with the HD650 and RS1 that I started selling the rest of my gear afterwards (KGSS/HE90, Qualia 010, etc.).  I was so satisfied with the SDS-XLR that I dropped out of head-fi and did not buy a single gear until three months ago when its source (Meridian G08) died.
 
Regarding customers in the legal field, I know at least 2 other attorneys (I am a patent attorney) who also got an SDS-XLR and they were also very satisfied with theirs.  I was really shocked that Mikhail became a complete fraud.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Purk, I think that Ray is just exhausted at this point. Coming to RMAF was killing him, he didn't sleep, drink or eat well. I miss going out with him after the shows to have a nice meal and talk.

 

[purk]

Purk, I think that Ray is just exhausted at this point. Coming to RMAF was killing him, he didn't sleep, drink or eat well. I miss going out with him after the shows to have a nice meal and talk.

Exhausted in what way?  Physically or with his headphones business?
 
@ PATB,
 
I know exactly what you mean.  Despite the build quality, the SDS-XLR is still pretty much at top of my dynamic amplifier game. However, it isn't amp for Orthodynamic however.