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Head amp interest check

Arkless Electronics

Trade: Amp design and repairs.
Leading on from the thread "Can anyone recommend a good phono step SUT", where more details can be found.

The idea is for a transimpedance head amp for LO MC carts.

Doing some sounding out to see if there is enough demand for such a niche item to justify my building a demo unit, "rough and ready" looking no doubt as I would simply be using whatever casework is to hand or dirt cheap to buy in so as to make something that can demonstrate the sound quality of such a unit without it costing me a fortune in slinky bought in casework etc.

Let me know:)
 
I'd be interested. Have used a few head amps, and some SUTs. Currently using an SPU into an Ortofon T20 SUT very happily, but always keen to try new things
 
Aha we have the 4th intrepid traveller down the head amp route I needed to justify making a demo unit:)

So that's:

Early

Vinny

Sonddek

Sideshowbob

Rockhopper

matt j

nmtjb

mjhill1234

mand

onespeed

Tarzan

eevo1969

Darren L

Ali T

So far...

It will, for demo purposes (and assuming I don't find "argh that sounds like shite" when I have a first listen myself and it's a non starter!) be a "lash up" in old casework I have lying around etc to keep the cost down to bugger all for me to get it around a few fishies and see if they like it. If so and people wish to order then we can discuss silver or black casework in various styles and all that guff:)
 
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I still like the old one I have, equinox head amp which was developed, I understand, for ortofon mc3000, battery powered when operating.
 
New names added to list:)

I found a suitable metal case for it. It's die cast alloy and powder coated black. Also found a suitable in-line PSU case in ABS plastic. Both are IMHO "nice enough" to be the final version IMO but obviously feedback welcome on ALL points.

So expect a satin black metal box about 2"H x 3.5"W x 4.5"D, featureless other than an LED on the front (I haven't decided yet which side will be the front), rear to have input and output phono sockets, earth post, socket for power lead (probably locking DIN plug) and a high/low gain switch. I can provide as many gain settings as I like and was going to make it several but I reckon two should be enough. This then makes it easy to use a good quality toggle switch on the back panel rather than having to open the case to fiddle with little DIP switches. Note that this is a transimpedance stage and hence gain is set largely by the internal resistance of the cartridge, plus it intrinsically does not need any loading facilities.
 
Sorry to be Captain Obvious here but Just in case anyone on the list is making what it seems are very common misunderstandings about head amps (it happened yet again in a thread on the Audio pages just yesterday).... A head amp is not a phono stage and nor is it a headphone amplifier. It is of course an alternative to an SUT :)
 
Add me to the list please Jez. Any idea of final cost to customers?

The closest I'm willing to go on pricing it is £400 - £600. It still only exists as an increasingly full box of parts waiting assembly and a computer simulation of the actual circuitry so much is still "up in the air".
 


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