Any updates?

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PeterCapo

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Any updates?
« on: 10 May 2022, 05:18 pm »
Greetings,

Been watching for the availability of the Ultravalve - hope the parts shortages end up being temporary.  Also wondering about the status of the solid-state and hybrid power amplifiers that haven’t been available for a while.  The listing for the Vision SET 400 mentions new chassis-work and a reintroduction by mid-April 2022… 

Updates on any of the above?

Thanks.
Peter
« Last Edit: 11 May 2022, 12:10 am by PeterCapo »

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #1 on: 11 May 2022, 01:38 pm »
Since transformers and vacuum tubes for the Ultravalve remain unavailable, there is no plans for offering this amp again any time soon.

Regarding the new SET 500 amplifier, the pesky details of getting the chassis metal perfect has taken far longer then we anticipated, its announcement day is pushed back a couple more months.

It will be worth the wait.

Frank

gryphongryph

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #2 on: 11 May 2022, 02:46 pm »
Will the SET 500 be the same design inside? But with new chassis?
Or will you make design changes inside also ?
Thanks!

danielgk

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #3 on: 11 May 2022, 06:11 pm »
SET500 - no design changes, but
1)  soft start power supply board (which has been in the SET400 for almost a year now) allows higher output power, 200--> 250 wpc.
2)  plastic TO3-P Exicon mosfet transistors rather than the metal can TO-3 package which is  more expensive and possibly soon to be discontinued (as many transistors that use to offer TO-3 don't anymore) .
3)  new style chassis increases cooling capacity by a substantial amount.


Dan

gryphongryph

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #4 on: 11 May 2022, 06:14 pm »
Thanks

Komoyuki

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #5 on: 13 May 2022, 07:43 pm »
SET 500 then seems like an update from the SET400 which has been a beast in my system for about a year now. I guess a real upgrade would be those M225 monoblock  :icon_twisted:

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #6 on: 13 May 2022, 11:31 pm »
Actually the.internal layout is new with much shorter signal paths.  It looks much like the M225 but scaled up to 17” wide, 5.5” high, and about 12” deep.  Heat sinks the full width and height of the sides.  Layout allows much better access to connections. Weight about 40 pounds. Much easier to build and service.

All the new metal parts will go to the fabricators next week. Top, bottom, back, inner front panel, and faceplate. Heatsinks being fabricated right now.

Frank

aln

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #7 on: 14 May 2022, 11:09 am »
What about the FET-valve designs?

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #8 on: 14 May 2022, 07:33 pm »
Our tube hybrid power amps will take a lot more work to adapt into our new big chassis layout. Remember that our SET designs are scale invariant, so scaling them up and moving parts around to fit the much improved layout was pretty easy for me. We have had the new upscaled circuit boards finished and running for some time now, totally bug free.

My EE suggests that since the Fet Valve amps are our oldest current designs, it’s time for a complete new design rather just fitting the current design into a drastically new layout. Given the current unavailability of reasonably priced vacuum tubes, this plan is on hold until we find out if the unavailability of tubes is just a short term issue.

Frank

aln

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Keep us posted!
« Reply #9 on: 14 May 2022, 07:58 pm »
It may be time to raid the retirement fund.

wgallupe

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #10 on: 17 May 2022, 02:40 pm »
Are there any plans for a power amp that fits (output power wise) in between the 60wpc SET 120 and the forthcoming SET 500?

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #11 on: 18 May 2022, 01:50 pm »
Offering an in between power rating new SET amp?

This is not really economically viable.

It would not work in the current SET120 metal chassis or mono M225 chassis.

So it would still need the full size SET 500 chassis, circuit boards, and overall internal layout.

The only cost savings would be that a smaller power transformer and some lower voltage electrolytic capacitors would be used.

This would reduce its cost to build by an insignificant amount.

Thus not really a good idea.

Frank


wgallupe

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #12 on: 19 May 2022, 04:46 pm »
Thank you Frank for the prompt reply. Makes perfect sense.

keath23

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #13 on: 30 Jun 2022, 01:49 am »
Hi, checking on if there is a new update for the SET 500.

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #14 on: 30 Jun 2022, 02:10 pm »
After several rounds of fine tuning and bug fixes, the sheet metal finally will go to the metal fabricators later today.

We already have the completed heat sinks which are out for final black anodizing and the faceplates that arrived from Italy which are out to our anodizer for a clear fine straight line finish.

It will likely take our metal fabrication 30 days to run all the flat metal parts and powder coat them.  One last step is sending the back panels out to add the back panel text and graphics.

The wait is nearly over.

Frank




aln

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #15 on: 30 Jun 2022, 03:30 pm »
What about the fet-valve project?

keath23

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #16 on: 1 Jul 2022, 02:52 am »
Frank, thank you for the update.  Much appreciated.

avahifi

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #17 on: 6 Jul 2022, 03:30 pm »
Although the new SET 500 and M750 project coming along fine (all the metal out for fabrication now) the hybrid tube Fet Valve upgrade will take much longer.

The existing Fet Valve audio circuits don't fit gracefully in the new chassis layout.

Since this will take major layout changes, we decided it is time to go back to the basics and design a all new circuit configuration and that will take my EE lots of time to achieve.

This should give us another major step forward, but probably six months away before the project meets all our goals.

Frank

Komoyuki

Re: Any updates?
« Reply #18 on: 6 Jul 2022, 03:35 pm »
always appreciate receiving updates Frank. Looks like great projects in the works. Thanks !! :thumb:

aln

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Re: Any updates?
« Reply #19 on: 6 Jul 2022, 03:57 pm »
Sounds good.  I am looking at an upgrade to my 600R.