Where is Singlepower? Where is Mikhail?
Jan 2, 2009 at 12:12 PM Post #916 of 1,964
Received 2c51 adaptor today. Waited for 5months (and 2months since I received the tracking no.). Date of shipment reads 24/Dec.
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 5:48 AM Post #917 of 1,964
This thread has thoroughly scared me out of sending back my amp, I had some problems with the power supply of my MPX3 for the past couple of months and started a correspondence with Mikhail and he was supposed to send me a box for the amp back in March and never did. Now I don't know what to do, I really want to repair this amp but if he has a tendency of never returning it I would like to find a alternative. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 11:27 AM Post #918 of 1,964
If the amp has a problem, I think there are only two viable solutions, either find someone capable of repairing the amp or send it back to SP.

Given the history, I doubt you'll get the amp back quickly, but I don't think you'll never get it back either.

I think everyone should be informed and prepared. Be a skeptical and cautious customer, and use whatever leverage you have. Think of dealing with SP not as a consumer process, but more like a business-to-business transaction where you have to look after your interests because no one else will.
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 4:36 PM Post #920 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by leberserkfury /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was considering buying a near maxxed out SDS-XLR from him... now I changed my mind. Any suggestions as to top tier amp for the R10??


TTVJ Millett 307A. I love mine with the R10's (and every other headphone I have, for that matter).
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 7:16 PM Post #921 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
If the amp has a problem, I think there are only two viable solutions, either find someone capable of repairing the amp or send it back to SP.

Given the history, I doubt you'll get the amp back quickly, but I don't think you'll never get it back either.

I think everyone should be informed and prepared. Be a skeptical and cautious customer, and use whatever leverage you have. Think of dealing with SP not as a consumer process, but more like a business-to-business transaction where you have to look after your interests because no one else will.



This sounds like excellent advice.
I think that finding someone else to fix a problem shouldn't be that hard. I'm not sure if your amp is under warranty but even if it is, you may save yourself a lot of grief in exchange for a few dollars. It would be different if you wanted to upgrade it but there are lots of excellent repair guys that do work with tube amps. Find folks who have had tube amp repairs done in your area, and go by their advice. Not advice from people who have second hand knowledge (" I heard,.."= "I haven't got a clue"). Most local dealers who specialize in tube gear have a regular guy that does repairs for them too. If you go through a dealer there may be a little extra cost but the repair guy has a stake in keeping those customers happy (since he can expect years of return business).
That's my two cents.
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 7:25 PM Post #922 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by leberserkfury /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was considering buying a near maxxed out SDS-XLR from him... now I changed my mind. Any suggestions as to top tier amp for the R10??


This is most likely a great decision right now. Mine took 9 months and he had projected 3. Those last 6 months were very frustrating and I would probably still not have my amp had I not hounded him ruthlessly. That was no fun.

I would go to the National meet in May and listen to other amps.

Also, there is this guy in Los Angeles who builds custom amps but they are quite expensive I understand. The name is Blackie Pagano at tubeworld. His duality amp was built for a head-fier. I have not heard it or met him but the amp got great reviews at the 2006 National meet. If I had it to do over again I would have spoken with him.
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 7:49 PM Post #923 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by blubliss /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Also, there is this guy in Los Angeles who builds custom amps but they are quite expensive I understand. The name is Blackie Pagano at tubeworld. His duality amp was built for a head-fier. I have not heard it or met him but the amp got great reviews at the 2006 National meet. If I had it to do over again I would have spoken with him.



You can expect a long wait with Blackie Pagano as well ,John waited about a year for the amp,cost about 8k.Great amp voiced for the HD600s I heard it at the national as well at a minimeet at the owners home.
 
Jan 3, 2009 at 7:52 PM Post #924 of 1,964
I'm sure an amp from Blackie would be great but it might take just as long or longer than getting one from Mikhail. Every one of Blackies amps is a custom job so each one is different. Depending on how busy he is when you worked out the particulars of the design/appearance, each chassis is custom built and the electronics are designed from the ground up. On some amps, he winds his own transformers and makes some of the capacitors himself. He wants each one to be a page in his portfolio which is cool. But extremely $$$ and time consuming.
You might contact Craig @ Eddie Current regarding his Balancing Act amp. Craig is very professional and while there can be delays with any hand built amp, it won't be anything like what you guys are going through with SinglePower. I have a Zana Deux from him (second amp of his I've had) and listened to most all of his offerings. They aren't as creamy a sound as Mikhail's amps generally are, but I love mine and consider it a great value too. There's also a transformer version of the Zana that he sells now too.
 
Jan 4, 2009 at 1:42 AM Post #926 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by ironbut /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm sure an amp from Blackie would be great but it might take just as long or longer than getting one from Mikhail. Every one of Blackies amps is a custom job so each one is different. Depending on how busy he is when you worked out the particulars of the design/appearance, each chassis is custom built and the electronics are designed from the ground up. On some amps, he winds his own transformers and makes some of the capacitors himself. He wants each one to be a page in his portfolio which is cool. But extremely $$$ and time consuming.
You might contact Craig @ Eddie Current regarding his Balancing Act amp. Craig is very professional and while there can be delays with any hand built amp, it won't be anything like what you guys are going through with SinglePower. I have a Zana Deux from him (second amp of his I've had) and listened to most all of his offerings. They aren't as creamy a sound as Mikhail's amps generally are, but I love mine and consider it a great value too. There's also a transformer version of the Zana that he sells now too.



The Zana Deux might not be as creamy as Mikhail's SDS-XLR but it's also a lot cheaper... Is there any other tube amp in between in terms of sound quality?
 
Jan 4, 2009 at 2:12 AM Post #927 of 1,964
Craig's Balancing Act will be at a level above the zana.
Given that no one has heard the final version...just prototypes, hard to say how it will match up to an sds-xlr.
sound quality of the prototypes is noticeably above the zana.
Price will also fit in between, closer to the zana side than the sds side.

other higher end options besides going completely custom would be RSA B52, TTVJ 307a, Woo Audio 5 (which can be maxxed out for higher performance)
 
Jan 4, 2009 at 4:58 AM Post #928 of 1,964
Blackie Pagano makes "one off" guitar amps for famous people, too, one being Bruce Springsteen.

I don't remember if it was you, Tom (Bozebuttons) or John (tjkurita) that told me at the 2006 National Meet that he never makes 2 of the same design.

MySpace.com - Guitar Amp Repair Los Angeles by Blackie Pagano - 94 - Male - los angeles, CALIFORNIA - www.myspace.com/amprepairtubesla

Even better:

Guitar Amplifier Repair Los Angeles , Tube Amp Repair and Custom at Tubesville by Blackie Pagano

resized_thouback.JPG
 
Jan 4, 2009 at 5:24 AM Post #929 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Blackie Pagano makes "one off" guitar amps for famous people, too, one being Bruce Springsteen.

I don't remember if it was you, Tom (Bozebuttons) or John (tjkurita) that told me at the 2006 National Meet that he never makes 2 of the same design.

MySpace.com - Guitar Amp Repair Los Angeles by Blackie Pagano - 94 - Male - los angeles, CALIFORNIA - www.myspace.com/amprepairtubesla

Even better:

Guitar Amplifier Repair Los Angeles , Tube Amp Repair and Custom at Tubesville by Blackie Pagano

resized_thouback.JPG



Is he really 94 years old, or is that one of those "ironic" MySpace pages? That's freaking sweet if he's still making amps at that age. My grandfather is going to be 102 if he makes it until next month, and he was going strong up until around 100 or so.

Either way, those are some seriously beautiful amps... if I hadn't blown my audio wad on my new Transrotor 40/60/M, maybe I'd consider buying one of them. Too expensive for the time being, but maybe if the stock market recovers
normal_smile .gif
.
 
Jan 4, 2009 at 6:22 AM Post #930 of 1,964
Quote:

Originally Posted by foo_me /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Craig's Balancing Act will be at a level above the zana.
Given that no one has heard the final version...just prototypes, hard to say how it will match up to an sds-xlr.
sound quality of the prototypes is noticeably above the zana.
Price will also fit in between, closer to the zana side than the sds side.

other higher end options besides going completely custom would be RSA B52, TTVJ 307a, Woo Audio 5 (which can be maxxed out for higher performance)



thanks for the input.. I thought the balance act was SS not tube. let me be a little be more specific on the amp that i'm looking for. The top tier amp is somewhere between Zana and SDS-XLR in terms of sound quality and must be able to accept balanced input and outputs. tube amp preferred.
 

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