Craig Sawyers

That's interesting, Kevin. While you've got one answer of 15k from the US distributor, I've just mailed my contact at the P&G factory and asked about 20-50k audio taper possibilities. I'll let the list know if I get the same answer (or a different one!). Might be a few days because of Easter.

Not as standard - 1k, 5k and 10k only. I've heard rumours on the web of higher values, and I've reasonable confidence that they will do custom values - but I have no idea at what volumes or unit price they get interested. If we have a value we're particularly interested in, I can certainly ask the question. I visited them in Wales around 20 years ago, and at that stage they were surprisingly cottage industry like. I think they are much more professional now, and part of a much larger parent. As I recall, to make the track they basically silk screen print resistive paste onto a polished glass plate and fire it. They then mould the plastic support plate with contact pins over the track. It is quite a while - so I can't remember any further details, and there must have been quite a few.

I've corresponded extensively with Erno Borbely in the last couple of years. He is seeking to retire during 2010, and shut up shop. He is trying to find someone to take over his designs, and either supply kits or built product for a suitable commercial deal and ongoing support. I've tried in the UK with Russ Andrews and Martin Colloms, so far with no luck. It would be a shame if his designs and design philosophy went the way of all dust. Any takers from the Industry?

It has disappeared from Alp's website product line up for sure. I've had a recent quote from P&G when I was toying with the idea of using one in the T2. Their prices for the RF15 in one off quantity in UK pounds was: Two gang RF15/2/D/A,

This is another wild and crazy project - love it, and count me in! I agree with the general format that others have come up with - predominantly RCA, with some limited balanced. No interest in Vinyl any more, for me main sources are CD, FM radio and DVD - none of which are balanced. Balanced out would be very useful for inputting to KG balanced headphone amps. Eichmann (ETI) Phonopods are gaining a bit of a reputation, and may be an alternative to Vampire. WBT are expensive for what they are.

I'm still very suspicious. Have a look at item 150399998323, now closed and zoom in. This is a 1dB per step! The thing to note if you zoom in is the pig's breakfast of resistor types - there are Dale ones, blue ones I don't recognise, ones with colour coded values. Almost looks like these are cobbled together using whatever job lots of resistors the guy gets hold of - hence the wild differences in attenuation per step and different resistor manufacturers in the same attenuator.

Yesterday 9 miles, rest today. Plan on 20 miles tomorrow - so crunch time on getting my ancient body half way fit for the London. Not looking forward, the first 20 is always a bitch. It gets easier afterwards. Apart from that listening to music, cleaning CD's, making stands for the ESL57s...not enough time.

Hmm - I'm suspicious. If you look at the AK Audio Labs website, there are some nice things listed (MM pickup cartridges, SE tube output transformers etc) but the website does not inspire confidence. The seller just lists AK stuff, so possibly the eBay organ for AK? And what does this attenuator offer over eg a DACT? Switch on the website is available separately for $155, FWIW. Craig

Oh yes - they are abso-fucking-lutely superb. Took my son (25) to see them in Birmingham UK last year when they were doing The Wall, and then some other stuff from UmmaGumma, Echoes, Dark Side etc to finish off. Rob has been a regular rock festival and concert goer since he was 16, and he chalked this APF gig as the best thing he had ever been to. Second row in the middle. Awesome.

I've worn contacts off and on for 25 years or so. But I've worn specs since I was 4, so am used to the convenience. The thing that permanently killed my enthusiam for contacts was maybe two years ago, when I was in the car and convinced that one of them was scratching. I poked and fiddled with my eyeball so much I scratched my cornea - the damned thing had actually popped out on the car floor, so it never was in my eye! Made a real pigs breakfast of my eye by poking it with my finger while driving, and that more or less did it for me. So I'm back on specs. Just another stitch in life's rich tapesty. Life, don't talk to me about life...

It's the wrong list, but these puppies were launched when I was one, and the pair I'm listening to right now were made when I was eight. Essentially two new treble panels (

That it great news! Lots of listening coming up in Mobile, I suspect.

I didn't catch that - but I clearly need to get hold of a copy! Cheers Craig

Yeah - I was surprised too. And suprised that being Japanese they haven't fixed it. I can't seem to find it now - but earlier today I found a Japanese high end retailer who had them on for 11KYen - hence my comment about cheaper. But for some inexplicable reason, it is significantly cheaper to buy a DACT from Justin, and get it shipped across the pond than it is to buy it in the UK. The damned things come from Denmark - so Denmark - US - UK is cheaper than Denmark - UK. Go figure, and good on Justin. The four-gang DACT sits in front of me, accusing me of not getting on and populating the T2 boards.....

I had some problems with TKD. In fact I'm looking at the part now - 2CP-2511, a 100k stereo unit. There is no good and solid electrical connection between the metal shaft and the grounded fixing bush, so you get a really irritating whoosh or crackle as you turn the pot. I though it was faulty, so I returned it (HiFi Collective - they are a good bunch) and they cheerfully replaced it. The replacement did precisely the same thing - so it looks like a generic "feature". Just replaced it with a DACT, which is a source of joy (and a bunch more expensive than TKD). Could certainly be overcome with a spring leaf bearing on the shaft and connected to ground - I've seen this done in Tektronix 7000 series plugins before, presumably for the same sort of reason - and there is certainly room in the T2 to fudge this in if it turns out to be a problem. Craig

And how much tequila?

Dragged my sad ass around a 13 mile run. Winter has come back to the UK with blizzards in Scotland. Even in the soft South I had to contend with driving sleet from time to time - so was pretty miserable and cold most of the way. Consoled myself with a decent listening session in the evening in the dark. Pulled the piano stool in and fiddled with listening position, with good effect.

This all looks great Kevin - thanks for looking at this!

I do like the LS3 - it isn't really an Audio Research purist amp, since it is a discrete FET circuit - and it sounds really good. The real killer for heat is the D125. There are eight 6550's in there with two upward facing fans. Quiescent power is 400W - so on a warm summer's day it can get a bit much! I'm about to add to that thermal overload - I'm building KG's T2 clone. You'll notice that the rack is full, so I have a bit of a space crisis for that monster. Craig

When I was 21, IC's were difficult to get and the 4040 was a shiney new thing. Pass the walking frame.

Some pics of the ShivaX2 http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/ShivaX2a.JPG http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/ShivaX2b.JPG http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/ShivaX2c.JPG I must admit that given the price of these beasts, I think I'll buy a second one and try two sealed box subs, and trial a dipole. That should give me an idea of which approach integrates best with the ESL57's. The wood needed is cheap by comparison. Thinking of ESL57's, two pics http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/QUADa.JPG http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/QUADb.JPG And two of the rig. Second one is a close up of the KG tripde E/S heaphone amp, feeding the Lamdbas on the top of the CD player. http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/Riga.JPG http://www.tech-enterprise.com/tekstuff/Rigb.JPG Craig

Forgot to mention that the checking process also found a couple of errors in my version of the BOM; I'll do another check through and then get it across to KG. Craig

Checked line by line, with minor differences on capacitors at board level: 0.47u, 12 off required - 2 extra are used on U8 decoupling both channels 0.1u, 4 off required - 2 extra used for U8 decoupling both channels High voltage power line decoupling not on schematic (and hence not on schematic BOM printout) But that's it. Exceptionally close. Resistors and semiconductors all A-OK. Craig Decoupling on

You're the main man - hats off sir! Helluva job - how you find the time *and* hold down a 9 to 5 beats me!

My dentist is particularly good at extractions - extracting the money from my wallet.