NOH More.......

John Chapman · « **on:** 25 Jul 2004, 10:51 pm »

Hello!

I have been really struggling to find time to keep up these past months and I am going to suspend deliveries of the NOH pre-amps until I get to a point I can build them and keep up with other things. I started bent audio to explore new ideas in audio and it has been some time since I did much exploring!

This does not affect any of the pre-amps (or kits) I have orders pending for. All present orders will be looked after as you expect.

I have just edited my web page to show the following note at the top of the NOH page:

---------------------------------
Important Note: The NOH preamp has worked out very well and so this is kind of a hard note to type! We will not be shipping any more NOH pre-amps for some time. Present orders consume all parts on hand and no new orders will be taken at this time. All presend order will go out as expected. This is due strictly to a lack of time right now. Personal commitments along with other bussiness activities and some new projects in delevelopment make it difficult to find time to build them - each one taking full day or more to build and test. I would not do this if there were no other options out there for TX102 based pre-amps! There are several now and a couple more comming on stream soon. These Include:

The Django by DIY HiFi supply - http://www.diyhifisupply.com

Stevens and Billington's own MF Audio pre-amp - http://www.mfaudio.co.uk

Audio Oaisis Passive Pre-amp - http://www.audiooasis.com

Avtac's Pasiphae - http://www.avtac.com/Products.htm

They are all fine units with a variety of features. Only the Pasiphae offers remote control presently but I have offered to the others to send my remote modules if they'd like to add remote to their units (along with the shallco switches if that fits in their designs). I have offered to the other suppliers that they may use the OCC copper wire I supplied to Stevens and Billington (the Audiooasis and the Avtac units already use the OCC versions). I hope this does not cause any inconvienience. I will finally be getting caught up and will be offering again the kind of service I'd like to. The past several months it has been difficult to look after customers the way I should be. Present owners need not have any worries or concerns! All parts are standard and will be stocked here on an on-going basis and all other activities such as parts sales and MU step-ups will be continuing without interuption. I will be in a better spot now to look after you guys than I have been the past while.

I am leaving the NOH information below online unchanged in the hope I will again find time before too long to offer them for sale again!
---------------------------------------
(end of web page note)

It was not easy to make the choice but on ballance I think it is best in the long run. Please post any questions that come to mind.

Thansk!

John

Marbles · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Jul 2004, 10:56 pm »

Quote from: John Chapman

Hello!

I started bent audio to explore new ideas in audio and it has been some time since I did much exploring!
...

Can you let us know some of the new ideas, or would that put you at a competitive disadvantage?

Thanks

John Chapman · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Jul 2004, 11:00 pm »

Hello!

To early to talk about them yet! I can say that one in particular would add a bit of flexibility and most important to me - buildability (that can't be a real word!). Cutting down on the hours to make one of these would go a long way toward making it possible to make'em again!

Nothing being worked on is to improve sonics. I have been quite happy with the sonics of the NOH units (as I was of the model 102 like you have!).

Thansk!

John

Al Garay · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 03:56 am »

Just took a quick read of this, you are not leaving us ... RIGHT?

I hope you have time to enjoy the fantastic weather we're experiencing. Just spend the weekend camping and fishing. Now my girls are hooked. Looks like we'll be buying my sisters popup camper as well. And just bough a bunch of fishing gear for everyone. Audio is fun but fishing and outdoors is great too. I know you know that.

take care,

AL

John Chapman · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 03:58 am »

Hello!

Not leaving at all! I hope I did not give that impression......

Thansk!

John

zybar · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 01:10 pm »

Quote from: John Chapman

Hello!

I have been really struggling to find time to keep up these past months and I am going to suspend deliveries of the NOH pre-amps until I get to a point I can build them and keep up with other things. I started bent audio to explore new ideas in audio and it has been some time since I did much exploring!

This does not affect any of the pre-amps (or kits) I have orders pending for. All present orders will be looked after as you expect.

I have just edited my web page to show the following no ...

John,

I hope you figure out a way to get back to producing the NOH preamp. I have owned many preamps (costing anywhere from $500 to $4500 and being tubes, ss, or passive) and this is the "best" sounding to my ears. It is clean, dynamic, and just gets the heck out of the way.

I am extremely pleased with this purchase and would heartily recommend it to others if production kicks back up again.

Best of luck John.

George

John Chapman · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 01:22 pm »

Hello!

There is absolutely no doubt - I will be doing that pre-amp thing again!

Thansk!

John

Doc Jr 8156 · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 03:47 pm »

John,
As one of your many customer, I'd like to thank you for the service you provided to me and to other NOH owners at present. You are the best. Hopefully a little R&R will chage the scenario. As long as you are not leaving us, we know its going to be okay. The audio world would miss the NOH preamp and I'm sure you will be back way ahead of schedule per demand. Godspeed.

John Chapman · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Jul 2004, 03:56 pm »

Hello!

Thanks for the kind words! I will be here all the time so I am not leaving at all - just freeing up a bit of time for other things that need attending to.

Thansk!

John

OBF · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Jul 2004, 07:01 pm »

John,

Would your NOH hiatus also apply to upgrades? I purchased a used NOH a couple months ago that only had a single input/output figuring that if I liked it I could get more inputs added and/or converted to balanced outputs. I have not even been able to listen to it yet but should have my system put back together very soon.

Thanks.

John Chapman · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Jul 2004, 07:14 pm »

Hello!

NOH problem with upgrades or any service type things. Just shoot an e-mail up or call when you want to do it and we'll work it all out.

Thanks!

John

OBF · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Jul 2004, 10:57 pm »

Thanks, that's great to hear. I should be getting a chance to hear the thing after a long wait full of anticipation

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 04:55 am »

Quote from: zybar

John,

I hope you figure out a way to get back to producing the NOH preamp. I have owned many preamps (costing anywhere from $500 to $4500 and being tubes, ss, or passive) and this is the "best" sounding to my ears. It is clean, dynamic, and just gets the heck out of the way.

I am extremely pleased with this purchase and would heartily recommend it to others if production kicks back up again.

Best of luck John.

George

Chris[/list:u]

Marbles · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 05:02 am »

For me, when I don't even think about upgrading a component, it has to be special.

I haven't thought about upgrading my pre-amp ever since I got Bent

Not only is the Pre special, dealing with John is a special treat too........

tkp · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 06:35 am »

The only thing I wish is there are more secondary taps on the TX102 for finer incremental steps. This was not an issue with the VMPS RM40s but because a problem for the 98db efficient Incredarray.

How about more taps or reduce gain on secondary for finer steps with high efficiency speakers John?

Gordy · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 01:02 pm »

TKP,

Would something like the Ultimate Attenuator work for you?

http://www.tweakaudio.com/Fixed%20Volume%20Ultimate%20Attenuators.html

tkp · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 03:27 pm »

Quote from: Gordy

TKP,

Would something like the Ultimate Attenuator work for you?

http://www.tweakaudio.com/Fixed%20Volume%20Ultimate%20Attenuators.html

Appreciate the suggestion but I do not want any resistor in the signal path to reduce sound quality.

John Chapman · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Jan 2005, 12:46 am »

Hello!

Thanks for the kind words you guys and good to hear from you TKP! I have had S&B make versions with taps lower down in level for folks with more efficient systems. We usually start at about -60 then keep the step sizes lower down load and go with large steps at the top of the volume - since in a system like that the upper settings would never likely be used. This puts the standard 2db steps in the range they are normally listenning. I can't see getting a LOT more taps in there but we could maybe squeek a few more taps in. At that poijnt we'd need to go to a larger switch frame size to get a 32 position switch or something. If you need something like that just let me know and we can make a plan.

Thanks!

John

tkp · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 Jan 2005, 02:49 am »

Quote from: John Chapman

Hello!

Thanks for the kind words you guys and good to hear from you TKP! I have had S&B make versions with taps lower down in level for folks with more efficient systems. We usually start at about -60 then keep the step sizes lower down load and go with large steps at the top of the volume - since in a system like that the upper settings would never likely be used. This puts the standard 2db steps in the range they are normally listenning. I can't see getting a LOT more taps in there but we could maybe s ...

John,

Sound like a 32 secondary taps is a possibility and with smaller steps at lower end. With the combination of 32 taps and more steps at lower setting, do you think a 1 db step is feasible? I already had an amp with gain of 26db but some time I feels the 2 db step I have now is a bit coarse. I am listenning between 10 o'clock to 1 o'clock. At 1 o'clock the volume is at the top of what I can widthstand for long listenning session.

Believe it or not, I have been looking for some thing to best the Bent but so far I have not found any. Look like I need to build another unit to work with the high efficiency of the Incredarray.

John Chapman · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Feb 2005, 01:32 am »

Hello!

Sorry for the late reply.... Incredarray should be really fun! I like what I see of that design Although we can make tx102 units with any step size the trick is getting a big enough window to go from quieter than you need to louder than you need.... 32 1db steps would only be 32 db of range - which may not be enough. If you want to optimize to suit just your system it is possible but we should not cut it close since you want to be able to play with different sources, etc.....

Thanks!

John