To my reading you did your classic “I’m the greatest amp-designing genius because I say so. You are a no-nothing ignoramus” act. That sort of ego and self-aggrandisement simply does not work here. People who try it, especially without presenting any hard evidence to back up their claims, should expect to be taken down a few pegs. I just can’t expect my site’s members to have to put up with it. Those who choose to take that path present an open invitation for a kicking IMO. Glass houses, stones etc. This was the case when Richard Dunn tried it, it was when Ashley James tried it, and the end result is almost always ejection. I move far more slowly than most forums, but ultimately it is your call.
I’m well behind again, I have a couple of months of invoicing to do. I’ll certainly get it all done this tax year.
Hard evidence??? How about all the tech advice I give your members everyday? how about my having been an EE and designer with well known companies?? How about the Arkless 640P and Arkless GTi (one of the very few transimpedance stages around) which you've seen all the rave reviews on?? How about my transconductance phono stage prototype, which several fishies heard, some borrowed, and was demoed at a major bake off at MCRU premises (and at v1 status, not even any attempt at "voicing" etc) and all who heard it have said it is as good as the legendary Paradise? How about the valve hybrid MC stage that a few heard some time ago? How about the several other prototype amps I've told people about and sometimes posted pics of? (some of which have been heard by visitors here). How about the design for a valve pre I put in your DIY section and a few built? How about the class A 16W monoblocks playing as I type this?
For any class of analogue equipment from head amps to headphone amps, phono stages, power amps, power supplies etc etc I have not just one but many designs I have built prototypes of and which I can prove to be more than vapour ware to anyone who cares to visit Arkless Towers. A few who have visited can verify this.
I don't need to have my work mass produced and in dealers or What Hi Fi? One working sample is all that is needed as proof of concept and ability of designer. Notice I make zero claims to be any good as a businessman and entrepreneur, which I admit to being really crap at!
I could start making gear for sale, in very small quantities, which would have to be "high end ish" (prob over £2k) due to being totally hand made, down to me with a drill press drilling all the holes for the phono sockets etc etc, and made from parts bought as one or ten off from RS etc at 10 X the price a big company pays for them.
The only way to get it LOOKING like it's worth £2K is to pay outside contractors silly money to have the casework made to those sort of standards... I don't have that sort of money and TBH really don't care about the aesthetics of gear.
So what would likely happen if I make a £2700 hybrid phono stage and show it on your site with invitations for people to try it?? Probably loads of people would want to try it just to see if the loudmouths amp is as good as he claims... it would (hopefully!) get rave reviews... and then no one would buy one. People would be mainly diplomatic and say stuff like they have other units to try, or they were hoping for remote control of loading (!?). Some would be more honest and say it just doesn't have the fit and finish of aesthetics they expect at that price...
For most the simple facts would be that they may risk £450 on an Arkless GTi but no way will they spend £2700 on a phono stage knowing they are the first person to buy one, one that is not available in dealers or present at shows etc and they may have great difficulty selling on without huge loss (though I will say that when Arkless GTi's etc appear in the classifieds they sell instantly at a very good price). I'd end up either keeping it or selling it on for maybe £200 more than what it cost me for the parts and after spending 2 months building it.
The wining, dining and bribing of reviewers and dealers, paying for and getting to hi fi shows, giving the fake smile, the "oh I can see sir is a man of taste from the moment I saw you coming" bit, the rising of finance etc etc is all stuff that has nothing to do with electronic engineering, I'm really shite at, I have less than zero interest in, and TBH I'm simply not prepared to do... and probably no one would buy my stuff unless I am seen to "play the game" in that way.