[Rick Craig]

... that you're in Charlotte. Perhaps we can get together sometime and talk audio while dining on Pad Kee Mao  

[tkp]

Rick,

Curt lives in Thailand.  Buffalo Electronic is one of his branch/distributor?
Of course, you can always fly to Thailand to talk with Curt about audio over dinner .

[Curt]

... that you're in Charlotte. Perhaps we can get together sometime and talk audio while dining on Pad Kee Mao  

Hi Rick,

Wish it was that easy. I've been in Thailand for about six years now. I live here year round.

The company in Charlotte is my business also but I run it from here.

I had done business in Thailand (mostly source labor intensive components)  for many years, while living and building products in Charlotte NC. In 1997 I decided to open a factory here.

So, maybe when I come for a visit, I do like seafood spaghetti  

[James Romeyn]

I was told the nOrh LeAmp is made by IRD & that it uses IGBT outputs.  Are both true?  I thought the IGBTs were discontinued around 1990.  Is there an integrated remote amp similar to the LeAmps?  
Jim Romeyn

[Curt]

Jim,

Yes, LeAmp is IRDs MB-100 private labeled for nOrh. I designed this amplifier and we build it here in our factory in Thailand.

It operates with a bipolar input stage, MOS gain stage, and a MOS output stage.

We will produce a integrated, later this year, with the same output design as the MB-100.

There has been much discussion as to the feature set and power level specs for this integrated. We currently plan on these features:

1.   Fully dual mono
2.   80-100W per channel
3.   Active preamp (gain x2)
4.   Ladder step attenuator
5.   2 line level inputs
6.   1 home theater input (gain x1)
7.   2 sets of outputs

We have IR remote capabilities but, have not decided to offer in in the integrated since it is already going to be quite large.  We felt the ladder step attenuator was a better, and more desired option.

If you would like to offer any suggestions or request other features please do so. We are accepting inputs over the next couple months.

Thank you for your interest.

[Thump553]

Hi Curt:

First time poster here, but I've been following your products and this forum for a while.  

For me personally, a remote (volume control) is a very desirable feature.  When I'm actively listening to music solo I'm nearly constantly fiddling with the sound level.  Its my way of participating in the music, I guess.

Any rough timetable on the Sabai?  That sounds like a product designed for me.

[Curt]

Thump553,

Thank you for your input.

I agree a remote is a nice option but, to do it right (high-end) takes a lot of PCB space.

For our volume controls we don't want to simply put a noisy motor on a potentiometer shaft. To start with… we believe that using a pot is a compromise that we care not to make.

The integrated may or may not have the room and/or be cost effective to design in a remote control. We will try and see if it is practical.

We are working on Sabai now. Please watch the website for release updates as they become available. No prediction at this time.