[John Chapman]

Hello!

Too much new stuff to list. Finally got it online - must go collapse now..........

Thansk!

John

[tommg]

John,
  The trik is really beautiful. I almost wish I needed one.
Tom

[John Chapman]

Hello!

Thanks - that is exactly the reaction I was after!

I always like to have a 'what the heck is that thing' product and right now it is the TRIK. It's one of those things you really don't need but it is fun. It can be useful I think if you are doing a diy project and want a cool user interface without all the work of making one. Just plunk down the TRIK and then use the other modules with your project in a much more basic enclosure.

In most other cases it is simply a question of 'Why Not' or 'Because it is there'..................

Thansk!

John

[Ed Sawyer]

John, that is a fabulous looking piece of gear. Uber-cool!  Can you post pics of it against something other than a black background? and something for scale like a soda can or a tx102?  It's hard to tell how big it is and whatnot. Is it made of machined aluminum? How about the feet? looks like nickel plating or something?  how wide/deep/high?    Can it work with the TAP-x modules, e.g. the TVC modules? Presumably so.

So, to make this work with say a DIY tube amp, (making it in effect an integrated amp), you'd presumably need:

Trik controller
2 x transformer modules (TAP-X) (with outputs wired to the grid of the input tube in this case)
input/output board with rca jacks, etc.
power supply board
fiber optic board

anything else?  Making a tube integrated like that would not a cheap solution but certainly very over-the-top in terms of appearance and functionality. I will have to find a way to integrate one of these in one of my future projects! It's just too cool NOT to use it somewhere someday. Thanks for making such excellent stuff!

-Ed

[John Chapman]

Hello!

Good to hear from you Ed - I hope all is well with you and the Family!

>>>John, that is a fabulous looking piece of gear. Uber-cool! 

Thanks!



>>>>>Can you post pics of it against something other than a black background?

Do you know how much work it was to get that background! Just kidding  - will get some pics in a more normal environment.

>>>>>and something for scale like a soda can or a tx102?  It's hard to tell how big it is and whatnot.

It is 17" wide and about 5" deep and about 1-3/4" high.

>>>>>Is it made of machined aluminum?

Yes - it is 2 solid blocks that sandwich together with the PCB Inside and the acrylic rod at the front and the sides. Assembles very easy - but is VERY complex machining inside........

 
>>>>>>How about the feet? looks like nickel plating or something? 

Feet/Spacers/ Caps at each corner are solid machined pieces with chrome plating. Same for the knob and the button tops.

>>>>Can it work with the TAP-x modules, e.g. the TVC modules? Presumably so.

Yes - it can run with any pre-assembled expansion unit or with any set of DIY TAP modules - TVC or resistor based.

>>>>>So, to make this work with say a DIY tube amp, (making it in effect an integrated amp), you'd presumably need:
>>>>>Trik controller
>>>>>2 x transformer modules (TAP-X) (with outputs wired to the grid of the input tube in this case)
>>>>>input/output board with rca jacks, etc.
>>>>>power supply board
>>>>>fiber optic board

You got it perfect. Can be used with TVC or resistor modules. You could use a TAP-X chassis for the project and use the TRIK as the controller.

>>>>anything else? 

Nope.

>>>>>Making a tube integrated like that would not a cheap solution but certainly very over-the-top in terms of appearance and >>>>>functionality. I will have to find a way to integrate one of these in one of my future projects! It's just too cool NOT to use it >>>>>somewhere someday. Thanks for making such excellent stuff!

Thanks to you for the kind words.

John

[Young Skywalker]

Hi John,

Great job with the new TVC modules, they are looking fantastic. Do you have any short-term plans to introduce a simplified "volume control only" front panel board and if so what buttons if any would this include (i.e. mute, phase invert, etc)?

I am also interested in the input modules that are available without RCA connectors. Presumably one can use chassis mount WBT NextGens or another RCA connector of choice and hardwire both hot and ground directly to the appropriate points on the input board/s?

Is the 6 input 2-channel input board (minus RCA connectors) a single piece with both left and right channels and if so is it necessary for the RCA connectors to be offset when wiring up? Do these wire up from above and below the board (it is a little hard to see in the photo)?

Am I correct in my understanding that phase inversion is NOT an option on the RCA only units and if so what becomes of the front panel push button for this option?

Nice job on the TRIK controller by the way, I really like the metal buttons (as opposed to the plastic jobbies on the TAP derivatives) to select input, phase, mute, etc and the volume control knob with its finger indentation.

If building a DIY TVC using the various modules would it be possible to use a larger volume knob and if so what shaft diameter must this conform to for the optical rotary encoder?

Is there any way of mounting the front panel board from behind so that the screw heads are not visible from the front? This distracts from the units otherwise clean lines.

Sorry for all of these questions John, you have done a fantastic job and you deserve some time to relax.

All the best,
Aaron

[John Chapman]

Hello!

>>>> Do you have any short-term plans to introduce a simplified "volume control only" front panel board and if so what buttons if >>>>any would this include (i.e. mute, phase invert, etc)?

I have a small module that was made with the help of Arn at Goldpoint. It will be called the PRM - Pot Replacement Module. It is a very small (approx 1.5" x 1.5") machined enclosure with a threaded bushing out the back that will allow it to fit inside a standard pot hole in any front panel. This module has minimal buttons for size reasons - just volume up and volume down on the front but all TAP functions are supported via the remote handset. The display is a 7 seg led and a couple leds behind the lens. Really clean and simple to install - should be fun!

I expect to do a board in between the TAP standard front panel and the PRM - but that will have to wait until all this other stuff is buttoned right up and done.

>>>>Presumably one can use chassis mount WBT NextGens or another RCA connector of choice and hardwire both hot and ground >>>>directly to the appropriate points on the input board/s?

Yes - that works just fine - although many folks would maybe use some of the PCB mount connectors for a few inputs, tape out and the second rca output pair.  9 Pairs of nextgen's are not so cheap!


>>>>>Is the 6 input 2-channel input board (minus RCA connectors) a single piece with both left and right channels

Yes it is. Worked out really well with the staggered connectors.

>>>>>>Is it necessary for the RCA connectors to be offset when wiring up?

If you use the PCB mount connectors then yes you'd offset left and right. If you don't offset left and right you'd want to space further appart vertically. The board was designed to offset this way to fit inside a 1U height chassis and still leave plenty of room to get at the connectors for cable connections.

>>>>>Do these wire up from above and below the board (it is a little hard to see in the photo)?

If hardwiring you can land the wires from above or from below the board.


>>>>>Am I correct in my understanding that phase inversion is NOT an option on the RCA only units

That is right. It would double the relays involved. I double up on input relays for phase inversion so there are no additional contacts added to the signal path. This adds 24 relays to the rca/xlr board and they are expensive relays - cost goes up quickly. The thinking is that most TVC only users will be taking advantage of the symetry and phase invert features of the TVC's so they'd use the RCA / XLR coard. The RCA only board was done mainly with the resistor attenuation boards in mind - and in that case cost is more likely and issue and also a simple passive phase invert (flipping +/- of the inputs) is not possible........


>>>>>and if so what becomes of the front panel push button for this option?

It is just not used. Same thing if you do a 1 input version. One of the hard parts of the TAP/FLEX designs was to offer lots of configurations - but it is not practical to stock PCB boards and front panels specifically for every possible combination........

>>>Nice job on the TRIK controller by the way, I really like the metal buttons (as opposed to the plastic jobbies on the TAP derivatives) to select >>>input, phase, mute, etc and the volume control knob with its finger indentation.

Thanks! I am quite happy with it. BTW - The same buttons are used on the TRIK and the TAP.


>>>>If building a DIY TVC using the various modules would it be possible to use a larger volume knob and if so what shaft >>>>diameter must this conform to for the optical rotary encoder?

Larger knob is fine - must fit a 6mm shaft size.


>>>>Is there any way of mounting the front panel board from behind so that the screw heads are not visible from the front? This >>>>distracts from the units otherwise clean lines.

If the front panel is thick enough I suppose you could drill/tap from behind.


Thanks!

John

[poseidonsvoice]

John!

I leave your site for like a year, and what do you do? TRIK? Wow! FLEX? What an obvious name. And look at those enclosures 

Really looking forward to some combo of a TRIK with 3 input RCA/XLR and 2 output RCA/XLR with remote volume and switching + TVC! My head is just going gaga  thinking about it  aa

Excellent prices. I agree with Ed Sawyer (how are ya ED!). This has got to be the best set of TVC based systems out there. Did you guys look at the knobs?

All I can say is  , You put a LOT of thought into your work. Talk about some serious R&D here...I hope you sell a ton, and I mean a ton of these to keep your sane prices...

Anand.

[Kel...]

Hi John,

    I've sent you 2 e-mails in the past week but got no reply.  I figured either your e-mail is down or you are swamped with orders.  I'd like to know how much is the 2 input RCA only (with remote volume) FLEX TVC assembled as well as the shipping cost to Singapore.  Sorry to use this forum like this but I need to get a pre-amp urgently and yours is in my very short list.

Thanks,
Kel...

[shib]

 
John,

My...brain...is...numb...
The additions to your website...talk about exponential progression!  Your new TAP is the best preamp I have yet experienced.  Focus, clarity, not forced detail, micro and macro dynamics...WOW!  Now the new products...

Can you briefly explain how the Flex and Trik hook up with the Tap?  Even with your detailed descriptions, I am still confused (dumb?).

[John Chapman]

Hello!

I was away for a day or two - back at it now.

Kel - don't know why the e-mail would have burped. I sent a PM on the audiocircle to you - hopefully we can communicate that way. I generally try and reply to e-mails within a day - most often much faster than that!

Shib,

I hope all is well. Here is the rundown:

TAP is the full featured single box pre-amp using the new TVC modules - or alternately it can use Resistor type modules. Although stuffed with every feature we could think of NONE of these features in any way complicate the signal path. 

TRIK is simply a controller that can be used to run expansion modules. Think of it as the 'front panel' of the TAP but in a separate enclosure.  Most often the TRIK would be used with one or more expansion units - either TVC and/or resistor based. Alternately it can become the user interface for a diy project using TAP modules inside. There is no inherent sonic benifit to the separate TRIK controller except in one respect - it can allow the audio path stuff (ie the expansion unit or modules) to be located to keep cables as short as possible and then you can locate the TRIK unit anywhere in your room you'd like. With resistor units it is important to keep the cables to the amps as short as possible.

FLEX is a traditional hardwired pre-amp using the standard tx102 units. Basically the parts from my older NOH pre-amp in a new more 'flexible' chassis. Bottom line is although the TAP modules are really working out well they are not cheap to build. A FLEX pre-amp will not have all the features that the TAP has but it is a great option for those that find the TAP pricing out of reach. Remote volume control is an option with the FLEX pre-amp. FLEX is availiable standard as a kit version for those wanting to build their own units or we can pre-build them here for those that just want to drop a pre-amp in and play.


Hope that clears it up a bit........

Thansk!

John

[Ed Sawyer]

hi John -

wow, all machined aluminum and chrome plating!  daaaaaamn.  Now I *have* to get a Trik and find a use for it sometime soon. not like I need another preamp but man, that is one sweet looking piece of hardware. I am impressed you are able to keep the price that reasonable too!

Thanks for the update on what would be needed to integrate it into a DIY tube amp type of project. (good to know.)

just running off at the mouth... how cool would this be: 

Trik as the front end interface,
set up the tranny modules and control board(s) inside the amps for volume controls (talking monoblocks here... presuming the fiber signal could be split somehow)

then somehow talk John into making and selling a couple of the TRIK top plates machined with cutouts for a few tube sockets instead of buttons/ball/knob...  then build those onto chassis as the top plate of the amp (not sure what the rest of the chassis would be made of)... aligned front -to-back instead of side-to-side, ... so the whole tube integrated monoblock combo would have the same super quality look and feel...  wow I am drooling at the thought of how cool that would look. Esp. with something exotic for tubes like 75TLs and MV rectifiers. 

OK, wake up, back to reality....

(hi Anand!)

thanks again for building such terrific quality parts and offering them to the rest of us!

-Ed

[John Chapman]

Hello!

Ed,

In answer to your question about fiber optic cable connection - each unit has 1 input and 3 outputs for fiber optic cables. You can fan out from any unit to 3 others or daisy chain from unit to unit. Any number of modules or expansion units can be connected in any combination you'd like. There is no practical limit to the cable lengths - I have run up to 50 foot cables here and likely even much longer cables would work fine. 

Thansk!

John