[yeldarb]

It's up and there is more new product.

[TheChairGuy]

Michael is an incredibly industrious fella'....that's a lot of stuff for a small company to produce rapidly.

[JohnR]

It's rebadged.

[Red Dragon Audio]

It's rebadged.

The computer stuff looks sort of like it was designed there in asia and rebadged but the tube gear he is making looks like original work to me.  The speakers are a new design too I think.  I know the fostex driver he is using is gaining lots of popularity now as it is inexpensive but offers excellent performance for the buck.

I think one of the worst rebadging efforts was done by Mark Levinson Red Rose integrated amp.  I distinctly remember reading an article where someone bought his amp opened up and had it next to the "chinese" version of it.  They looked identical on the outside and from what I could see inside they looked the same there too.

Only difference was they put Red Rose on one and charged $2k for it and the other was like $200...

[TheChairGuy]

'It's rebadged'

JohnR, I hope they don't pay you only by the SPOKEN word in Oz, do they?  

 

[nathanm]

Cool!  Now you can chop vegetables, grill them up and listen to music all with one device!

[JLM]

I barely know what all this computer stuff is, but I'm very excited about it.

The possibilities are mindblowing.

Hopefully this stuff is targeted to audiophiles and will be offered in full plug and play packages for us techno-dummies.  

Considering the cost of audiophile equipment and the power of PCs versus players this should be no-brainers (if the sound quality is there), even if none of the other features are used.

Perhaps like other audiophiles with separate audio and HT systems, I'd like a screen for occasional use in the audio system.  Some sort of screen with remote controls/keyboard would seem to be a necessity to use an audio PC anyway.

Frankly MB's track record of trying to do business in a 3rd world setting is not encouraging when dealing with the pace of advancements in computer technology.

[Marbles]

Michaels fine when it comes to dealing with certain venders, like IRD.

He only get's into trouble when outsourcing to small Mom and Pop companies.

I heard some of his computer stuff as a source a year ago at the Midwest Audiofest playing through the LAII's and the AC2B pre and an outboard step up pre to my mini column 9.0 speakers.  The sound was best described as "clean".  It was a very large untreated room and so a tough one.

I did not really hear much emotion in the sound, but it was a very clean and Bryston like sound.  The computer as a source was pretty impressive really and it didn't seem to make any sound I could hear from 2 feet away.

[JLM]

I'm not trying to imply MB can't run a business, just that the environment he's working out of makes his delivery of products flaky.  He mentioned the CD-1.  Add LeAmp II to the list.  And computer technology is changing so fast that to be six months behind is to be out of date.  On top of that he's working with chips competing with Intel, which seems like a tall order in itself.

Honestly though IMO it will take a guy just like MB to start the audio/HT PC revolution and keep the audiophile concerns in the mix.  The big computer folks like Dell are pushing whole house connectivity and convenience.  The big electronics guys like Sony are looking mostly at HT.  The small volume audiophile sales will require a smaller vendor like Norh to cater to audiophile needs.  I see a significant market for 40+ geezers who don't aren't computer savy enough to break into the field on their own and will need convincing to switch from analog.

I attended the 2003 MAF and just quickly breezed through the Norh room (like many others).  The setup sounded cheap, but it was through some of his little speakers and wasn't impressive enough to hold my interest.  My mistake!

[gonefishin]

Michaels fine when it comes to dealing with certain venders, like IRD.

He only get's into trouble when outsourcing to small Mom and Pop companies.

I heard some of his computer stuff as a source a year ago at the Midwest Audiofest playing through the LAII's and the AC2B pre and an outboard step up pre to my mini column 9.0 speakers.  The sound was best described as "clean".  It was a very large untreated room and so a tough one.

I did not really hear much emotion in the sound, but it was a very clea ...

   MArbles...did he fix something after I heard it?  When I listened to it in his room you couldn't even get a glimpse at what the source (or the LeAmp2) sounded like, from all the buzzing and popping the system was making.  Where the noise was coming from...I'm not sure...but it was bad.

   

Michaels fine when it comes to dealing with certain venders, like IRD.

He only get's into trouble when outsourcing to small Mom and Pop companies.

   Is this (LeAmp II) the first amp he's attempted to make and market by himself?  or have there been others?

    Far as I know the LeAmp , SE9, SE18 were all rebadged items...and the new tube line looks as tho it may be also.  Then again...there's nuttin' wrong with that!  As long as your reBadging from reputable good quality audio companies such as IRD.


   JLM...MB had the mini 9's set-up when I was in there...do you remember what speakers he had running when you were listening?

[Marbles]

MArbles...did he fix something after I heard it? When I listened to it in his room you couldn't even get a glimpse at what the source (or the LeAmp2) sounded like, from all the buzzing and popping the system was making. Where the noise was coming from...I'm not sure...but it was bad.


Is this (LeAmp II) the first amp he's attempted to make and market by himself?  or have there been others?

    Far as I know the LeAmp , SE9, SE18 were all rebadged items...and the new tube line looks as tho it may be also.  Then again...there's nuttin' wrong with that!  As long as your reBadging from reputable good quality audio companies such as IRD.


   JLM...MB had the mini 9's set-up when I was in there...do you remember what speakers he had running when you were listening?

Gonefishing, I heard nothing like you describe and was in the room both Saturday and Sunday.  Most of Sunday Namphung wanted MB to play through the 3.0's as they had those speakers to sell and mine were one offs, so I could certainly understand JLM's perception of the rooms sound.

As far as electronics are concerned, MB has always outsourced.  Either to Warner Hartinger, Curt at IRD, Q whatever the hell the CD-1 factory was etc..or to whomever is now making his tube equipment.

He outsourced speaker cabinet manufacture to native mom and pop factory's as well as local artisans.

I don't think he has had problems with speaker cabinets to the extent he had problems with Warner, and whomever he had assemble the LAII's.

I don't think he has had any problems with IRD.