[WTD] LOST - First Watt M2 Power Amplifier - DIY Clone

[eastone]

Not a wanted ad as such, more an appeal for help!

UPS appear to have lost my much loved M2 amp which was on its way back to me after a repair. I didn’t insure it as had no proof of purchase with which to make a claim.

I’d be very grateful if people could keep their eyes peeled to see if it turns up for sale somewhere (even if the chances of someone whose received it in error identifying it seem slim as it’s a big blank tin can…)

Gutted about this, I’ve had this amp almost 10 years and had no plans to replace it.

The box also contains a matched quad of unobtainium Fairchild MOSFETs which hurts almost as much as losing the amp!

It looks like this:



With forlorn thanks…

 

[Dom500]

How long has it been? I've recently had RM lose a pair of Genelec speakers for over a week then turn up unharmed.
Good luck.

 

[eastone]

How long has it been? I've recently had RM lose a pair of Genelec speakers for over a week then turn up unharmed.
Good luck.

Three weeks now

 

[eastone]

Some better pictures below (it’s under the Audio Research preamp) that would help identify it.

It has a dint on the top left corner and an odd mark on the bottom left. The top and back plate are alu and the 4 screws holding the top on are larger than std + quite chewed up, there is a 5th smaller screw to stop the rear panel from bending when the IEC is plugged in. The feet are the std plastic Modushop items with no felt pads. It's a 160 by 300mm case.

Binding posts are gold plated CMC and are unconventionally mounted, in that the earth connectors are at the top. Rear panel is slightly bowed inwards.

The stock pic above is from the larger version. Mine has single piece heatsinks.

The circuit boards are the white ‘Teabag’ ones.

 

[Mynamemynaim]

Really sad to hear your much loved amp has disappeared at the hands of these idiots
I really hope it turns up or is found

 

[eastone]

Thanks… I realise these things happen every now and then given the vast numbers of items they carry.

But how you can lose a 20kg box that’s 60x45x45cm and has sender and recipients address written on it, is hard to fathom!

 

[Vinny]

I am unsure why anyone would think that proof of value from a receipt might be a requirement. You declare a value and insure whatever it is for that sum, by paying the appropriate amount. Anyway, too late now to insure.

PO rather than UPS, but I have had a small lost item turn up after a few months (I can't be sure, but from memory, over 3 months).

It will depend on the actual cause of the loss. If the packaging has disintegrated........... At 20kg, it ought to have been in a substantial crate, preferably ply. I suspect that if it had been insured, they might be keener to find it.

 

[eastone]

I am unsure why anyone would think that proof of value from a receipt might be a requirement. You declare a value and insure whatever it is for that sum, by paying the appropriate amount. Anyway, too late now to insure.

PO rather than UPS, but I have had a small lost item turn up after a few months (I can't be sure, but from memory, over 3 months).

I’ve always been asked for a receipt when making claims in the past.

I was perhaps naive to trust UPS more than other couriers, always found them to be excellent.

 

[Vinny]

Agreed - I have seldom shipped anything large, but UPS have always been excellent.

If something is insured for £X, the carrier would have to prove some kind of fraud. In a worst case, it would mean a trip to the Small Claims and I am sure that online sales etc. would be proof enough - I have been asked for proof of value just by a dealer providing one (not for hifi).

 

[hifinutt]

Thanks… I realise these things happen every now and then given the vast numbers of items they carry.

But how you can lose a 20kg box that’s 60x45x45cm and has sender and recipients address written on it, is hard to fathom!

some years ago UPS lost my arc ref 5 on the way back from repair ... it turned up with a very tatty state on ebay being sold as new . that was quite a story and in the end Ricardo himself had to sort it out as it went viral on the forums . Hope you find it

 

[irb]

What a nightmare. Evri (i.e. Hermes) recently took 4 weeks to get a (low value) ebay purchase to me. So don't give up hope.

 

[irb]

Just wondering - does it say First Watt or M2 anywhere on it, or have any other labelling that someone might use if they they did try to advertise it?

 

[eastone]

No… that’s the thing.

If they open it up it says ‘M2 Clone’ on the circuit board, which you can just about see in this pic.

 

[eastone]

Doesn’t look much eh! That PS was built by Jez Arkless and Dan K of this parish fitted active rectifiers and some selected parts… it has pretty much no measurable noise and it sounds sublime…


Since this pic was taken the brown and black caps have been replaced with a single AN-Keisei non-polar.

 

[irb]

Looks lovely! Those boards are quite distinctive, certainly. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

 

[simon g]

When sending packages that should be returned to me, I secret an air tag in it. Not foolproof by a long way, but it's surprisingly effective,

 

[lordmortlock]

It’ll turn up mate. You’ll have a few sleepless night between now and then, granted, but it’ll turn up.

 

[Dan K]

The really sad thing is that this was on its way back to Ian after having 'curve traced' Fairchild FQA output Mosfets fitted, there's 2 small component bags in the box containing a second matched quad!

Last scanned on entry to UPS Tamworth depot

 

[Dan K]

When sending packages that should be returned to me, I secret an air tag in it. Not foolproof by a long way, but it's surprisingly effective,

This might be the way fwd

 

[m7rso]

What is an airtag?