Hi, just noticed this s a lot of referrals to our website from this thread.
Firstly apologies for being under the radar of late.
A couple of years ago we had planned to come up with some new amps and a number of other little things cooking in the pot. COVID came and steered us a little in a different direction. There are a number of reasons for this, but a big one being is time and another big one was that a few of the suppliers of custom parts for the amps in particular had either gone under or were on very long lead times. Some electronics parts are also now obsolete. So since there are only two of us designing and I (Haider) spent a lot of the last year and a half helping with home schooling, new things were getting done very slowly. The baby phono stage and the Headspace were supposed to be only fun, interesting sideshows. Though they have become mainstayers in their own right. Thank you to all who have bought them so far.
Ok so saying that, the reference Orton and Alabaster amps still live. So so the designers. I also have the reference Alpha 7/8 and Alpha One for those who said Arcam amps sound similar. Well I had a hand (not sole hand) in some of them. Those who bought the 7SE CD player may regard the Bronte and Byron CD players as the more high end follow ups too.
Anyway, just keep this between us, but we have a few things cooking properly again. pecs have changed as times have too. So not everything will see the light of day.
Here is a mini list of some. I can't promise more than one, maybe two in the year. If time and luck allow then others will and maybe a surprise not mentioned.
in no particular order:
1. A two box amp based on original Campion/Alabaster/Orton circuits. Preamp may include digital elements.
2. Sedley 2 phonostage. A complete redesign but the heart of the original circuit still at the core. Might call it something else. Dunno.
3. Headphone amp/DAC for desktop PC. I work at home a lot now and I would find something like this handy.
4. A guitar amp. I'm first and foremost a guitarist outside of work and parenting. So if I only ever make one, it's for me. But it'll be good, because it's for me!
5. Might do some more headphonie stuff. Remo might not be keen, but my kids are.
6. Maybe a little digital amp to sit next to a PC? Does anyone remember the Bard3 or the Morpheus? The amps in there were not too bad were they?
7. Maybe we finally bring out the big high end amp we have had on the bench for a few years now? It would be so expensive though. It's one of the reasons we've been reluctant. We've always tried to bring hi end substance to a wider audience. Just the cost of making one of these big babies would be out of reach for most (including me!)
8. Totally a secret too is I have been dabbling with a headphone guitar amp belt clip-on thingy. Not got it quite right yet. But again, I want one and I don't like what can be bought. Sooo....
It's all a bt speculative I know so shhhhhhhh ;-)
Anyways. Just to let you know we are very much alive. A lot of new people must know about us now, but probably don't know our full history and probably think we make headphone gadgets. I am currently testing a batch of baby phono stages to ship to Japan next week. Am listening through an Alabaster.
I'll try be back more often.
Haider
