Will there be another I-82MkII run?

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Duke

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Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« on: 20 May 2008, 07:37 pm »
Hi Boris,

Do you have plans to produce any more I-82 Mk2 amps, or something similar (very affordable single-ended amp)? 

Thanks!

Duke

Audiovista

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #1 on: 21 May 2008, 01:12 am »
Hi Duke - thanks for visiting  :D

The i82 was always intended to be a limited run - due to the limited supply of Made in England PCL82 tubes. I have more tubes left (even after accounting for possible servicing of the amps in the field) and now I'm looking into making a new run. One of the reasons is that, out of my three personal amps, I'm left with only one now (friends pried them out of my hands)....  :cry:

Big problem is the weak dollar - i82 was assembled in Serbia, labor rates expressed in Euros, most of the materials are bought in Europe....steel and copper (chassis, transformers) have gone up....don't have a solution for that.

Turns out that making the next run in the US of A may be the only chance to keep the price where it was...who would've said that  :scratch: I'm discussing possible options with few people, not sure how will it turn out....

Another option is bringing in the low cost SE amps from some of my principals and tweaking them to my liking....

I hope that things clear up within next few months....


Duke

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #2 on: 21 May 2008, 03:10 am »
Thanks for the information, Boris.  Okay, if you and I are going to try an amp/speaker pairing at some point, it makes sense that the amp be one that's in regular production.  Like the i84, I'm thinking.

Duke

cryoparts

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #3 on: 21 May 2008, 03:48 am »
I'd love to hear Dukes' speak's with the Trafomatic gear in addition to Boris' Vista amps.  I volunteer to be the guinea pig--I'll be happy to write a full report in the name of science.   :green: 

Lee

Thanks for the information, Boris.  Okay, if you and I are going to try an amp/speaker pairing at some point, it makes sense that the amp be one that's in regular production.  Like the i84, I'm thinking.

Duke

Zero

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #4 on: 21 May 2008, 04:11 am »
Me too!   :thumb:  :lol: :lol:

Duke

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #5 on: 21 May 2008, 04:21 am »
Hi Lee,

Do you have a Trafomatic amp? 

The only glich I can forsee is shipping costs, on my end at least.   However...

Within the next few months, I might just might come out with a speaker that won't be so darn expensive to ship.

Duke

cryoparts

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #6 on: 21 May 2008, 04:58 am »
No, not yet.  I'm working with Boris to get one of the headphone amps to try soon.  So, hopefully soon, I'll be able to tell people how good they sound from experience, instead of just guessing based on design. 

I was just really struck by the quality (at least by the pictures of them) of the transformers, the industrial design of the amps, and the dedication of Boris to importing and designing great products.  And, you know me, I'm pretty jaded.    :|

I was just kidding about being the guinea pig!  However... :drool:

Must try to sleep now. 

Best,

Lee





Hi Lee,

Do you have a Trafomatic amp? 

The only glich I can forsee is shipping costs, on my end at least.   However...

Within the next few months, I might just might come out with a speaker that won't be so darn expensive to ship.

Duke

Audiovista

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #7 on: 22 May 2008, 11:12 pm »
Duke, do you have any experience with Single Ended amps driving your speakers? I can build another i82, but i84 (or i34) is a safer bet, as they can easily drive wider range of speakers. We'll definitely make arrangements when you're ready.

Lee - I did ask Trafomatic when do they expect review to be out (i.e. when will I receive the unit back), but that's pretty open at the moment. I understand them not wanting to rush reviewers, people need time to break in the units and then to give them some run time with different associated equipment....it takes time.....

Thinking of reviewers....it all looks great, playing with all kinds of nice stuff...but then I can only imagine all the equipment moving around and reconnecting, unpacking and packing, storing all the packaging, all the logistics, and then sorting out everything to actually understand technology behind the product and finally writing a review, reading again and again to weed out typos and make a good article.....sounds like work to me....Sean, how are you handling all these chores....

Zero

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #8 on: 23 May 2008, 12:02 am »
Boris, It's a fun job, and when you do it frequently enough - its a tough job.  Too bad the pay stinks.   :lol:   That said, I should get off my ass and get on top of that ELT 525M review if it has any hope of making the JUNE issue. That'll make number 14 for this year..   :banghead: :rotflmao:

Duke, I can send you an i84 to play around with. Whenever you are ready, just let me know - send a PM with your addy and I will get her on the way to your abode.

Audiovista

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #9 on: 23 May 2008, 02:58 am »
Duke, I can send you an i84 to play around with.

That's the "she works hard for the money" i84 :lol:


Duke

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #10 on: 23 May 2008, 04:47 am »
Thank you Zero and Audiovista! 

Okay, right now all the Jazz Module cabinets I have are spoken for, so I can't really keep 'em around for an extended listen once I've finished the speakers and put drivers in 'em.  I think that's the speaker I want to try with the i84... that, and maybe the prototypes of whatever emerges from the "what's in the future" thread over on my forum (assuming I get to the prototype point fairly soon... which is feasible, as I do my own prototype cabinets). 

On another topic... Boris, a friend told me told me that he thinks you deal in refurbished Counterpoint gear.   I didn't see anything about that on your website - is he mistaken?

Thanks,

Duke

Audiovista

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #11 on: 23 May 2008, 03:09 pm »
... Boris, a friend told me told me that he thinks you deal in refurbished Counterpoint gear.   I didn't see anything about that on your website - is he mistaken?

Thanks,

Duke

Duke, nope, I have no association with Counterpoint.

Duke

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #12 on: 23 May 2008, 06:44 pm »
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Boris.

Looks like Sean will be sending me i84 "she works hard for the money" - I just spoke with him today.  While it'll be several weeks before I have another "demo" pair of Jazz Modules, I'll still get to hear new pairs as they go through my living room, and I have a pair of Dream Makers in there now.  While I realize their 16 ohm impedance isn't ideal, presumably all we'll be trading off is some power - which probably won't be an issue.

Thanks for letting me try your amp!

Very best wishes,

Duke

cryoparts

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #13 on: 23 May 2008, 06:54 pm »
You're thinking of Mike Elliot at Alta Vista Audio.

Lee

 
On another topic... Boris, a friend told me told me that he thinks you deal in refurbished Counterpoint gear.   I didn't see anything about that on your website - is he mistaken?

Thanks,

Duke

Duke

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #14 on: 23 May 2008, 07:18 pm »
Thanks, Lee!  I'm sure that's it. 

Duke

Audiovista

Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #15 on: 23 May 2008, 08:59 pm »
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Boris.

Looks like Sean will be sending me i84 "she works hard for the money" - I just spoke with him today.  While it'll be several weeks before I have another "demo" pair of Jazz Modules, I'll still get to hear new pairs as they go through my living room, and I have a pair of Dream Makers in there now.  While I realize their 16 ohm impedance isn't ideal, presumably all we'll be trading off is some power - which probably won't be an issue.

Thanks for letting me try your amp!

Very best wishes,

Duke

That amp has seen a fair share of use and it traveled long and wide (hence the name)....I'm not sure if it's in presentable condition....but if Sean "The Golden Ear" (and I'm not even kidding about his ears) thinks that it still sounds good, well, give it a run, there are always spares in stock...

goldlizsts

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Re: Will there be another I-82MkII run?
« Reply #16 on: 24 May 2008, 03:01 am »

On another topic... Boris, a friend told me told me that he thinks you deal in refurbished Counterpoint gear.   I didn't see anything about that on your website - is he mistaken?

Thanks,

Duke

I think you may be thinking of Alta Vista!  They refurbish, upgrade Counterpoints, I think.