[Vinnie R.]

All,

Over the last few months I designed and tested a replacement circuit for the mechanical relays that are used in LIO’s patent-pending, isolated ultracapacitor power supply board (PURE-DC-4EVR).  The relays are used for the capacitor bank switching that automatically occurs approx. every 5 - 10 minutes.  The new design replaces the relays and uses a custom solid-state (mosfet) switching solution, so this means bank switching is totally silent.   

The mosfets used also offer an incredibly low on-state resistance of 4 milliohm (0.004 ohm), which is even lower than the two relays’ contact resistance, and they are rated for > 5x the continuous current.  Off-the-shelf solid-state relays could not be easily adapted to this design, so I had to custom design my own solution.  I am excited to report that it works beautifully! 

Unfortunately, this upgrade is very labor-intensive because it involves taking the LIO apart:

- Removing the front and side panels
- Removing the ultracapacitor board along with all 5 insulated charging regulators from the bottom panel
- Desoldering the two relays
- Hard-wiring in the new silent switching circuit components under the board
- Putting everything back together
- Programming the front panel microcontroller with new firmware to work optimally with the new switching circuit
- Testing, and getting all packed up to ship back to you.

Needless to say, it's an all-day job.  As such, the cost for the SS upgrade is $595 + return shipping.

If this is something that you are interested in having done to your LIO, I can get this completed for you in just a few days from when I receive your LIO, but only if you email me and we schedule in when you will be shipping.  Otherwise if a bunch of customers ship at the same time, the lead-time for the SS upgrade queue will grow too long. 
 
Very recently there were a few LIO customers who sent their LIO to me for DHT PRE installation and I mentioned the SS upgrade to them since their LIO was already in my hands.  They are now enjoying the totally silent switching!  My demo LIO that will be at RMAF will also have this installed in time for the show. 
 
For future LIO customers

For those who buy LIO between now and the end of this year, you will have an option for having SS built into your new LIO (adds $495).  Effective January 1st, 2017, all new LIOs will automatically have SS built-in and the price of the LIO base unit will be increasing from $2,495 to $2,990. 

Thank you,

Vinnie

[jtwrace]

Thanks for this Vinnie!  I loved my AVC LIO before hand but this has made the DHT experience complete.  Look for my AVC/Tubestage LIO coming back for the upgrade.   

[mirekti]

I am really glad the things get developed at your side and the product is getting better and better. I also hope the price will stop increasing with each new iteration.

[Vinnie R.]

I am really glad the things get developed at your side and the product is getting better and better.

Thanks, mirekti! 

I also hope the price will stop increasing with each new iteration.

The last LIO price increase was August 2015.  This new one is coming January 1st, 2017.
Who knows, there could be one in 2018 or 2019...

As I have always said since I started LIO, there are no "sales" and prices can only go UP in the future.
So the "sale price" is always NOW. 

Thanks for this Vinnie!  I loved my AVC LIO before hand but this has made the DHT experience complete.  Look for my AVC/Tubestage LIO coming back for the upgrade.   

Thanks, jtwrace!  Send it in!

Vinnie

[TomS]

My LIO is already on the way, looking forward to the "silent treatment" 

[jtwrace]

Thanks, jtwrace!  Send it in!

Vinnie

You said it so I dropped it off at FedEx tonight for Thursday pickup.   

[Jonathon Janusz]

Great news, Vinnie!

Will the 2017 units that will all include the SS circuit be built from a new revision of the board currently being modified, or are all the SS circuits being implemented the same (current boards being upgraded and new boards going forward)?  I know functionally it doesn't matter, but some folks are picky about these things.

Also, same mod available for (and change in 2017) for the VR120 I assume?

Keep up the fine work, sir! 

[Vinnie R.]

Great news, Vinnie!

Will the 2017 units that will all include the SS circuit be built from a new revision of the board currently being modified, or are all the SS circuits being implemented the same (current boards being upgraded and new boards going forward)?  I know functionally it doesn't matter, but some folks are picky about these things.

Also, same mod available for (and change in 2017) for the VR120 I assume?

Keep up the fine work, sir! 

Hi Jonathon,

Thank you!

I will be updating the PCB design for the changes (for new LIO orders in 2017).  Yes, functionally they are identical.

At this time, the mod is NOT available for the VR120.  The VR120 power supply circuit is similar, but not quite the same as
LIO.  So I will need time to make adjustments to this SS design for VR120.  I will be sure to post about it when it is ready for
VR120.

Vinnie

[zybar]

Trying to get in as much listening today before I box up the LIO and send it back to Vinnie for the SS upgrade.

Listening to some hauntingly beautiful violin play by Hillary Hahn and the Oslo Philharmonic right now (Violin Concerto No 1. in A Minor, Mendelsshon:  Violin Concerto; Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1.)



Can't wait to hear how this upgrade improves upon an already outstanding sound.

George

[jriggy]

I cant believe I missed this announcement thread until now!!

Oh, wait,   I already have the "SS" upgrade!


Jason

[Vinnie R.]

All,

I received a nice pile of LIO units for SS upgrade, and have already started doing them last week and over this past weekend (some
are even shipping today).  All is going very well with SS!   

You guys are going to love it! 

Thank you,

Vinnie

[TomS]

Mine is already back and giving me the super silent treatment

Thanks again Vinnie, fantastic service yet again 

[zybar]

Mine is already back and giving me the super silent treatment

Thanks again Vinnie, fantastic service yet again 

I'll have mine mid next week and look forward to hearing the improvements.

Vinnie provided his usual awesome customer service by timing this perfectly for me.  I am being visited by my family and their dogs this weekend (8 people and four dogs) and wouldn't be able to do any listening.

George

[jtwrace]

My AVC/Tubesstage LIO is on its way back now too.  Now both units will have it!

Thanks Vinnie!   

[Vinnie R.]

All,

So far, the LIO SS upgrades have been a big success!

Being that I'll be leaving in the middle of next week to the RMAF Show in Denver, please hold off
on having your LIO shipped for the SS upgrade until the week after the show.

This way you won't be without your LIO for long...

Thank you,

Vinnie

[stingfan]

Great news Vinnie. I'm on the verge of making my first purchase in the Rossi family, the LIO Integrated (and new to Boenicke W5se's thanks to Srajan's discovery/review)  So how does one go about adding the SS option to a new order from your website e-commerce? Currently it is not presented as a selectable option. Is SS already built-in to every new order?  Thanks!

[Vinnie R.]

Great news Vinnie. I'm on the verge of making my first purchase in the Rossi family, the LIO Integrated (and new to Boenicke W5se's thanks to Srajan's discovery/review)  So how does one go about adding the SS option to a new order from your website e-commerce? Currently it is not presented as a selectable option. Is SS already built-in to every new order?  Thanks!

Hi stingfan,

I just added it this evening (thank you!):

http://www.vinnierossi.com/configure-lio/

This "Custom Configure LIO" page now gives you every possible option offered to configure
your LIO, no matter if you configure it as a source component only, preamplifier, or integrated amp.

Is SS already built-in to every new order?

It will be starting Jan. 1st, 2017 (and as I mentioned in my first post, the LIO base unit price will be increased from
$2495 to to $2990 at that time).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Vinnie

[brh]

Very cool, Vinnie! Can't justify the upgrade at the moment (why I haven't spent much time around here lately - loving the new modules that have launched in the past year or so, but the budget is tight right now), so for now I'll be content with the clickety-clackety character of my 'classic' LIO, hah! But I wanted to say keep up the good work, the new developments on LIO continue to surprise me... as does the sound on my unit. Never gets old!

[Vinnie R.]

I'll be content with the clickety-clackety character of my 'classic' LIO, hah!

It's just a little 'click' (no 'clack!'  )   

I wanted to say keep up the good work, the new developments on LIO continue to surprise me... as does the sound on my unit. Never gets old!

Thank you, brh! 

The LIO platform is all about long-term ownership and future developments, and that is exactly what you all will continue to experience. 

More to come...

Vinnie

[CSI]

I'm starting to rather like the "click". My gear is behind a thin door and sometimes guests hear the muffled click and ask about it. That gives me an excuse to open the door and show off my gear with a full explanation of off grid goodness and the noisy nature of mechanical relays. I conclude by asking for a $595 donation so I can upgrade to "SS". So far, no takers.