Is the iMod a ripoff?

[n_maher]

I'd much rather have a SB3 and a nice DAC than a Imod/dock.

[laxx]

I'd much rather have a SB3 and a nice DAC than a Imod/dock.

Too bad not everyone thinks like you. I can't understand how that small block of wood can cost so much. I wonder if you asked him for a DIY kit how much he would sell that for.

[KenW]

So ALO is in the 550 ballpark on the new iMod dock. So what about 500 for the actual iMod, then another $550 (this price is approximate, it seems the way he is talking, that figure may even be on the low side) for the dock. We are over a grand for a stupid iPod as source. Why does this not make any sense to me?

Are you serious with those numbers? I'm shocked that anyone would do such a thing. Hey, I don't begrudge anyone the right to charge what they want for talent/products. That's their call. I'm just stupified that anyone would pay such a sum....for an ipod modification. Surely your numbers aren't correct. If it is, I agree with Nate......gimme the SB3 and a dac for that $$.

[PFKMan23]

Probably not hat much off, unless you're talknig about a block of wood, a set of RCA jacks, the dock connrector, a button and some wire, which still wouldn't be that much off. You'd still be ahead getting your own parts and just building it yourself from the ground up.

And yes he's stated that the ballpark price is starting around $550 .

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3172929&postcount=25

We are somewhere around $550, the high cost is because of the wood work. Right new I only have 2 left and my wood worker is busy finishing up some other audio company's fancy speakers.

ken

[postjack]

Are you serious with those numbers? I'm shocked that anyone would do such a thing. Hey, I don't begrudge anyone the right to charge what they want for talent/products. That's their call. I'm just stupified that anyone would pay such a sum....for an ipod modification. Surely your numbers aren't correct. If it is, I agree with Nate......gimme the SB3 and a dac for that $$.

My biggest qualm with the high price of the iMod is that, in my experience and the experience of my immediate group of friends (which, given, hardly is a representative sample of all iPod users, but FWIW...), iPods tend to die quickly relative to other electronic gadgets. The first two iPods I owned died in the first year, but I sold my 2g Nano a month or so after I bought it. Now I have a 1g shuffle and it is great.

[KenW]

My biggest qualm with the high price of the iMod is that, in my experience and the experience of my immediate group of friends (which, given, hardly is a representative sample of all iPod users, but FWIW...), iPods tend to die quickly relative to other electronic gadgets. The first two iPods I owned died in the first year, but I sold my 2g Nano a month or so after I bought it. Now I have a 1g shuffle and it is great.

Could have gone the rest of the day without reading of your ipod issues. Heck, I knew how problematic they were but mine was a gift from the wife so..... I know it's just a matter of time until it dies. Certainly hope for at least a year with such a hefty price tag. Then again, if it's going down, it is best that it happen during the warranty period. I also picked up a 2G shuffle. No sense in keeping the mp3 database around for a Rio Cali. Made better sense to simply use a shuffle. Not the greatest but hey, in the gym or on the riding mower, who give a flip? It makes music and drowns out the external noise. Can't ask for much more. Still jaw dropped about those numbers. I'd never given a first, much less second, thought about spending for any sort of mod to a portable player so I'd never been up on the pricing or even what the mods involve. Just amazing. Foolish but amazing.

[JBLoudG20]

You clearly underestimate that which is Head-Fi.

I guarantee trose will be all over that like a postjack to fried chicken.

[n_maher]

My Ipod is going on 3 years strong and it only cooked itself once. [me=nate]knocks furiously on wood[/me]

[PFKMan23]

You clearly underestimate that which is Head-Fi.

I guarantee trose will be all over that like a postjack to fried chicken.

I'm almost chomping at the bit to see what trose purchases next. I'm surprised he didn't jump all over the Apache, since he loves the HR2.

[n_maher]

I'm almost chomping at the bit to see what trose purchases next. I'm surprised he didn't jump all over the Apache, since he loves the HR2.

Being the captain of camp Ray Samuels I'm guessing that the super secret project he's had listed in his sig for half a year now is something from Ray.

[PFKMan23]

Being the captain of camp Ray Samuels I'm guessing that the super secret project he's had listed in his sig for half a year now is something from Ray.

I know, hence why I figured it was the Apache, but i guess not.

[Salt Peanuts]

Speaking of Ray's project, wasn't there a prototype amp called A10 at some point?

[Salt Peanuts]

My Ipod is going on 3 years strong and it only cooked itself once. [me=nate]knocks furiously on wood[/me]

You know, mine kicked the bucket after I made a similar comment to my friends when his 60gb photo died on him.

[PFKMan23]

Speaking of Ray's project, wasn't there a prototype amp called A10 at some point?

Yup but who knows what happened to that.

[n_maher]

Yup but who knows what happened to that.

My guess is Ray saw Headroom/SP/Rudi/Meier all planning SS balanced amps and figured he'd better join the party. What's funny is that at last fall's Boston Meet Ray and I had a pretty long conversation about how he thought he'd never be able to sell a multi-thousand dollar SS amp and that tubes were the only thing that would work in that category. So I'm not sure he had the Apache in the pipeline all that long.

[PFKMan23]

hehe... I guess we all figured out how that turned out. I'd love to put the Apache up against a beta 22

[cotdt]

hehe... I guess we all figured out how that turned out. I'd love to put the Apache up against a beta 22

i have. long story short i don't think any SS amp can beat the Beta22 (as far as my own tastes go), but the Apache does offer the RSA house sound just like the SR71 portable amp. it has a thick, palpable midrange that can be pleasing depending on the music.

[PFKMan23]

i have. long story short i don't think any SS amp can beat the Beta22 (as far as my own tastes go), but the Apache does offer the RSA house sound just like the SR71 portable amp. it has a thick, palpable midrange that can be pleasing depending on the music.

While I can't say if the B22 is the top of the line SS amp out there, if that is the case for the Apache that it retains the RSA house sound, then that totally doesn't interest me. The RSA stuff I've heard has this funky "warmth" to it, wit the bass being splatty and not tight. I can see why people mistake that as hi fidelity and quality , but I really don't think that it is, especially becasue I've heard it on stuff that I've been to live and performed in.

[bhd812]

My guess is Ray saw Headroom/SP/Rudi/Meier all planning SS balanced amps and figured he'd better join the party. What's funny is that at last fall's Boston Meet Ray and I had a pretty long conversation about how he thought he'd never be able to sell a multi-thousand dollar SS amp and that tubes were the only thing that would work in that category. So I'm not sure he had the Apache in the pipeline all that long.

he was working on a lot around that time. the Apache and the b52 where switching names back and forth..but the main idea of a balance amp in both versions were around the time of the Central Ill meet (i think two years ago) when i called out the name "b52"(at least that's the first i heard of balance ss and tube). speaking of which he has been quite lately..little to quite..hmmm

i have been preaching "Ray come out with a $200-$300 Phonostage" a lot..in fact its a joke to us now. today on the phone I asked so hows that phonostage coming?..we just laughed...i keep telling him to do something in a Hornet case or some shit..small and cheap. what else is in that price range with phonos? a Valrei?...haha rite

(spelled Valwhatever wrong..)

[n_maher]

speaking of which he has been quite lately..little to quite..hmmm

Lemee guess, he's working on another portable amp.

[laxx]

I'm almost chomping at the bit to see what trose purchases next. I'm surprised he didn't jump all over the Apache, since he loves the HR2.

Don't you know? Trose's next purchase is the iMod Dock and he's going to start a "NAME MY IMOD DOCK" thread. It's going to be named "iMod Dock 36V452XT".

[postjack]

a small, $300 phono stage would definitely do pretty well, i would think.

and if it was from ray the vinyl guys over at sh.tv would cream all over it.

[kevin gilmore]

While I can't say if the B22 is the top of the line SS amp out there, if that is the case for the Apache that it retains the RSA house sound, then that totally doesn't interest me. The RSA stuff I've heard has this funky "warmth" to it, wit the bass being splatty and not tight.

Lets see, HR2 has 2 x .5 watt toy output transistors with an output impedance of 10+ ohms. Apache has 4 x .5 watt toy output transistors with an output impedance

of 20+ ohms. Naw that could not mess up the bass could it?? All the feedback in the world from the front end opamp ain't going to help.

B22 has 4 x 40 watt transistors with an output impedance of .1 ohm or something like that. OK, so 2 of the transistors are cascodes, and really don't count, but still.

Yep, no difference whatsoever.

Ray could definitely do a phono section in a sr71 box... With an external power supply. Hell i'll even give him the schematic since he has absolutely no

idea what a subsonic filter is and why you would want one. A total of 4 opamps coated with nailpolish. But ray's pricing would likely be about $500

for what is about $50 in parts. Virtually identical to his $5k phono section without the unbalance to balance TI chips.

[PFKMan23]

Hopefully I'll get to finally hear an apache about 1 week from now.

[kevin gilmore]

As far as the A10, ray himself told me he was scared to go directly head to head with SP.

Because that is exactly what the A10 is, an exact copy of the extreme. And exactly

the same thing with the darkvoice and woo audio, which are also exactly the same thing.