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Official Head-Case Thread to help fix Icarium's SP amp


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Posted
I see the progression of this being something like this:

Mikhail must be given an opportunity to make amends. Ridiculous, yes, but I think that part of the scenario must at least be given a limited time period to play itself out prior to the reconstruction efforts really starting to gel. The end result of all of that might be Dan with a wad of cash and no amp, Dan with some cash and the broken pieces he has no or Dan with no cash and the broken bits and pieces. There are any number of choices that Dan will have to make after that and I think we, the community, can then be ready to step in and offer some assistance. If that's repairing the busted PS I'm sure we can find a way to do that, if it's gutting the chassis and using what we can we'll see what's needed and go from there. I think what is most important at this point is for Dan to know he's not alone on an island, which he clearly does.

Agreed. However at this point I'd say sending the amp back to Mikhail and hoping to see it again would be out of the question. If he's willing to fly out and repair it like he did for Tom, then I think it's fair to give him that chance.

I still feel that he's grossly overcharged for his services, but that's a lost cause at this point I guess.

Of coarse poor Dan has to make these decisions though.

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Posted (edited)

BTW it goes without saying that if a completely new amp is built for Dan, and he may want a custom wood case or faceplate, or any item for the amp from wood, I would be very happy to supply it at no charge.

Edited by swt61
Posted

I'm in too! It's really sad to see business going down like singlepower, I remember listening to his amps at headfest 07 and some sounded great!

I'll donate some cash if we go that way!

Manuel

ps: I make great pizza, but shipping it overseas doesn't seem reasonable...

I could ship some Port Wine!!(the real deal, not that California stuff.. :cool)

Posted

I've requested a few more pictures of the power supply. If we can figure

out all 12 wires on the 3 x neutrik connectors, i can make up the open frame

supply correctly wired with 3 tails. At least he will be able to listen to it

more carefully to decide whether or not he wants to completely gut the thing.

There is +12, -12, ground and +5 for sure...

Posted

Wow.. I'm a retard since I just noticed this thread today. Thanks guys! Honestly the support the community has given me is overwhelming. Without it I would probably be in a hardcore depressive state barely able to function.

Originally Posted by n_maher View Post

I see the progression of this being something like this:

Mikhail must be given an opportunity to make amends. Ridiculous, yes, but I think that part of the scenario must at least be given a limited time period to play itself out prior to the reconstruction efforts really starting to gel. The end result of all of that might be Dan with a wad of cash and no amp, Dan with some cash and the broken pieces he has no or Dan with no cash and the broken bits and pieces. There are any number of choices that Dan will have to make after that and I think we, the community, can then be ready to step in and offer some assistance. If that's repairing the busted PS I'm sure we can find a way to do that, if it's gutting the chassis and using what we can we'll see what's needed and go from there. I think what is most important at this point is for Dan to know he's not alone on an island, which he clearly does.

Nate's post that I copy and pasted here mirrors my thoughts right now though worded more clearly and concisely than I could have done (head-caser of the year indeed!).

I have become credit card disputes though I have no idea of what my chances are as the situation is bizarre on many levels. During that time I will continue to attempt to contact Mikhail and discuss things with him.

I think my list of stances is something like:

1. I will not settle for just a functioning version of what I have now.

2. I will not send it out to him to build me a new one. (I might be satisfied with his efforts but if it took him 6 months to make what he sent me.. it could take a year+ to see results).

3. I will not fix up the amp and dump it on some one else.

4. I will sooner or later have it gutted and turned into something awesome. The design will most likely be of the DIY genre :)

If any of the above seem unreasonable please give me feedback I will align my game plan to that.

If there's any advice on the dispute efforts I would appreciate that too.

Independent to this thread I've talked to a couple parties about options with regards to the gutting and revamp and when things are more crystallized I'll post details :) I have pretty specific requirements so I would not feel comfortable accepting anything besides advice and perhaps help with locating difficult to find parts to fuel my drug-crazed vision :)

I do recognize and appreciate the intent though guys! Thanks!!

Posted
He probably could. Plus I doubt that Dan really wants to deny everybody the pleasure of resurrecting this amp and creating the Phoenix. Great name Nate!

So I guess Lazarus or Zombie are out of the question for names?

Posted
He probably could. Plus I doubt that Dan really wants to deny everybody the pleasure of resurrecting this amp and creating the Phoenix. Great name Nate!

Project Phoenix. What a great name indeed!!!

Amicalement

Posted

I've gotten okay from the man so here's what we discussed:

Justin has graciously offered to populate my dynamite boards and put it and a dynamid in the chassis.

I think the plan is to keep the kit for the digital volume control for the dynamid which will also feed the pre amp outs.

If I can swing the money I will also try and hop on the RK50 order for the second batch of BHSE's and buy one of those to replace the 24 stepper for the dynamight.

The pointless dials (bias etc) can go to hell and will be removed.

There may be some chassis work in the way of plugging up holes/getting rid of etched writing (It does seem engraved rather than silk screened unfortunately) but that's dependent on Justin's willingness/time and my money :)

As you can see this is a pretty ambitious project that has frills that should be fed by own funds :) (Two balanced amps + RK50).

This kills several birds with one stone.. lets me do something with this am.. I mean chassis and I was planning on having a dynamight built anyways!

Why two balanced amps? Well to be honest the only thing I really was liking about the amp towards the end.. more than the sound signature... was the functionality of two balanced amps and all the inputs and outputs and what not. It served as the center of my rig and many purposes and replacing that will be hard or require multiple amps :/ So if I can at all retain that then that would be ideal.

Two dynamights would be pretty ridiculous, but I would worry about heat and Justin mentions the dynamid is better suited for the pre amp outs anyways. Also having two different flavors can't hurt either.

Phoenix is a good name, but I'll leave the naming to Justin if he is willing and interested :) This thing should be a beast like it should have been in the first place, but clearly some sort of lack of ability/focus/time prevented it on being such.. well now it will go to a man who obviously has spades of ability and focus and I will give him as much time as he needs and be thankful that is willing to spend it.

Posted

Honestly I don't see how he could.. if I was willing give him a year or two to build me a new power supply. I would be satisfiedish, but I was going to have the dynamight built anyways and keep which one sounded better.

I think I know which one a majority of people on this board would think is going to win.

Posted

Well right now... the inputs (which means there are holes to play with if some should be nixed) are 2x pre amp xlr outputs (I'm not entirely sure which either connects to but at least 1 if not both are to the "fun section" I hadn't used them at the time). 2 xlr inputs to the fun section 1 xlr input to the reference section.

Then 3 speakon inputs for the umbilicals and a smaller 5v jack for the display smaller umbilical that has since been phased out.

The right side has a bunch of useless dials (bias/power/dynamics which never did anything/and one other that I don't even remember). These can all eat shit and die.

The left side has a button for selecting which input goes to the fun section. It just cycles through 1-4 I dunno why 1-4 I think that was probably just how the kit or whatever works.

Two buttons for upping or lowering the digital volume for the fun section.

Then I think a button or dial that had something to do with the pre amp.. maybe turn off the headphone outs? I don't know.

Posted
Well right now... the inputs (which means there are holes to play with if some should be nixed) are 2x pre amp xlr outputs (I'm not entirely sure which either connects to but at least 1 if not both are to the "fun section" I hadn't used them at the time). 2 xlr inputs to the fun section 1 xlr input to the reference section.

Then 3 speakon inputs for the umbilicals and a smaller 5v jack for the display smaller umbilical that has since been phased out.

The right side has a bunch of useless dials (bias/power/dynamics which never did anything/and one other that I don't even remember). These can all eat shit and die.

The left side has a button for selecting which input goes to the fun section. It just cycles through 1-4 I dunno why 1-4 I think that was probably just how the kit or whatever works.

Two buttons for upping or lowering the digital volume for the fun section.

Then I think a button or dial that had something to do with the pre amp.. maybe turn off the headphone outs? I don't know.

If you're going to use the dynamid just for preamp duties, why not just get a preamp on it's own?

Posted
i think it might be worth salvaging the Squarewave boards. the balanced Squarewave was not, in any way, a bad sounding amp, when i heard one.

The production wasn't, at least. The prototype was not anything special.

You would have to suss out (based on vintage) whether the SS-1 has the proto-style boards, or the production boards.

Posted
If you're going to use the dynamid just for preamp duties, why not just get a preamp on it's own?

Primarily I just want it for a second pair of balanced outputs for headphones which is what the "fun section" primarily served for me. Pre amp duties are a secondary role. I have a pre amp right now. It isn't balanced and it isn't particularly good so I might use it for that.

If it turns out to be a pain I am okay with plugging up those holes have no pre amp outs.

Either way.

What I was trying to say though I said poorly due to a meeting I had to run off to was as I am reusing the chassis I have to make the choice with Justin whether or not to just fill up a hole that was a knob/dial/input/ouput jack or maintain its functionality with the new innards. So mentally I just replaced fun section with dynamid and reference section with dynamight and then mapped the holes that previously mapped to either of the old amps to the new amps.

Does that make any sense? Sorry the meeting was boring and my brains are now mush.

Posted

Thanks Kevin. You are a god send!

He is shipping me a tripple open frame supply which I believe completely replaces the travesty that is in the power supply chassis. This will either work its way into the eventual beast-like end result or I will try and enlist someone local to attached the proper connectors so I can use it to use/checkout the amp section as it exists now while waiting for the dispute to play out and can leave "Wall Wart Heaven" as is for dispute-related viewing.

Posted

power supply shipped :D

But wait, maybe the tracking number is a fake.

Might have to fake 3 more tracking numbers.

Power supply was free, but the power cord is $3000

CASH NOW... Special hi-faluten off white power cord...

Special 9 nines copper. Aged for at least 5 years...

Posted
Power supply shipping today :D

Kevin,

Lame.

You're supposed to keep him waiting for 2-years and then promise it him over several months. You then send fake shipping labels by email, pretend you're snowed in, and then offer to fly it out to him in person.

I bet it's not a revolutionary new design with parts polished by angels (to unheard of tolerances) either?

Cheers,

Mathew.

Mikhail clearing the roof of his top secret lab:

http://www.leenks.com/gallery790-2.htm

Trying to clear his car using only a stick to get to the airport so he can fly the amp out to Dan:

http://www.leenks.com/gallery790-4.htm

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