Quad 9k Style Preamps. Kits or built units.

[TehGuitarist]

9K Style 4 channel Preamp.


I'm putting together a group buy for 9k style preamps (yes that 3 letter company, this is built off the same design, this is NOT an SSL, it is merely BASED off one of their designs that is readily available, just like the purple mc77 or the various neve clones). These will come in two versions. For those that know much about electronics, all caps that aren't ceramic (pf values) or electrolytic are Wima polypropolene films (i think one is polyester though)

NOTE: This is a feeler, if i don't get atleast 10 people on board for atleast the cases it will not go ahead. I have posted this elsewhere so hopefully numbers aren't a problem.

It seems like most people don't want kits so i'm offering fully built units as well. The pres will have custom designed cases and each channel has pad/phase/+48v. Along with just full kits of course.

Here is the case design, power switch comes in green or red.


I'll be putting these together in 2010 so i'm just getting numbers at the moment. I need minimum 10 people to get this going. This was originally posted in the aussie forums but so far not getting the numbers i need.

Pricing

Fully Assembled and Tested Kit - AU$780 + Shipping.
(WARNING: I'm going to make sure everything is working fine etc, but i can't offer a full warranty because after everything is tested and working fine, its just the very low chance that a component fails, which is completely out of my control. This is kit assembly not a commercial product)

Unbuilt Kit - AU$700 + Shipping
(I will document the first build for those who want to give this a try as well as point people toward more information on the building of this pre, but i simply don't have the time to help everyone individually. You may also need to obtain your own thermal compound which is optional for a few heatsinks)



All pricing includes full assembly and testing of the units. Pricing includes only parts and labour costs as well as shipping of the parts to me.



These preamps (the actual preamp not the original it is based off) have been described as clean preamps from multiple sources.


If you are interested, please say for which and a rough time frame on when you would be prepared to pay.


People interested

10/10 + 1 for no case and +4 on the maybe list. I will be running this til Feb 1.

[TehGuitarist]

Interest? No interest? Some Interest?

[phillis]

hey, im a fellow aussie and rather keen, although i would have the funds till about april!

[TehGuitarist]

Would you have a deposit earlier? I mean it depends all when i get the numbers together, when people have the money together etc. If you're number 10 then everyone waits for you.

I'd prefer not to dip too deeply into my own money, especially when i risk losing that much money. Remember this isn't me putting out a new pre, it started as me putting together kits, people just want me to build them :P

And don't forget, paypal has buyer insurance, i can't screw you because i will get screwed. Nor would i want to.

[901]

I would be interested in the kit, if it includes all necessary parts inlcuding the case, transformers, knobs, switches etc. I can live with supplying some thermal compound on my own ;-).

[TehGuitarist]

Yup, all parts, knobs, transformer everything.


The only think i'm not supplying is the thermal compound, heatshrinking too, because some people use it, some don't and some use more than others and... yeah thats all i'm not supplying. But hell, i can add the heat shrinking if anyone wants.

You can use a 240v transformer can't you (germany is 230 isn't it? i know US has 115v transformers even though they use 110)

If i DO miss anything, i'll ship it at my expense.. unless its like 1 resistor, in which case its much easier for you just to get it yourself. As you're in europe, and shipping is a bit pricy for large items, i could arrange for the case to be sent directly to you, but we'll come to that when we come to that. At a ROUGH guess i'd estimate shipping at 50-70 AU$ but that depends on weight etc.




When do you guys reckon you will be ready for the buy? No pressure, just trying to get a time frame up to say this is the last day to put your name down.

[ArnauTS]

pm'ed you i'm in

[901]

Originally Posted by TehGuitarist

When do you guys reckon you will be ready for the buy? No pressure, just trying to get a time frame up to say this is the last day to put your name down.

Anytime. If you need to gather more orders for let´s say two or three month it´s also fine with me. No hurry.

[science]

I'm kind of interested, but would want to read up a little more on these, and maybe hear some audio samples?

[Kenny Gioia]

Great to see you here. Great luck with it.

[TehGuitarist]

Thanks Kenny!

I hope everything works out with your other... "problems"

You've probably been the nicest one and definately the most supportive from that bunch.

On another note.


KNOB SELECTION DAY!

1105 Davies Molding Knobs & Dials
(thats pretty much the one in the design)

22mm Black Anodised Knob - Jaycar Electronics

Knob Plastic Pointer 1/4" Shaft Black - Jaycar Electronics

20mm Knob - Black Plastic Aluminium Insert - Jaycar Electronics



Also red or green power switch?

Also unfortunate price bump due to a recalculation with the current dollar.

[901]

I´d vote for the black aluminium knobs.

But I could also imagine a green power switch along with green LEDs and maybe even green knobs like

Green Push On Style Knob - Jaycar Electronics

Or everything in red (LED and powerswitch).

[ArnauTS]

my vote is for the black plastic pointer
Knob Plastic Pointer 1/4" Shaft Black - Jaycar Electronics
Led's i'm fine with red i don't care so much on color led..

[arbor]

This looks like a worthy project.

I vote for the 22mm Black Anodised Knobs, and think it would be slick with lower output white LEDs.

Is the power switch upside-down in the rendering?

How much additional for stepped-gain switches?

Anyone have a 9K and a FiveFish SC-1 for comparison? I have several channels of the FiveFish SC-1, and know what that kind of "clean" sounds like. (Great on drum overheads, piano, acoustic guitar and vocals, and probably lots of other things.) I might just add a few more channels of the SC-1, or perhaps it would be good to diversify a bit.

Any idea how much shipping would be to Seattle, WA, USA?

Sorry for all the questions.

[901]

Originally Posted by arbor

Is the power switch upside-down in the rendering?

The British and their colonies have their switches this way. They are also using the wrong side of the road, you know... SCNR

But I think we all can turn the switch the way we like.

[TehGuitarist]

To the states, now this is only an estimate, i can't give you exact numbers until i weigh everything (i can get a good idea today so i'll post back) But if it ends up being 5kg. its 100 (incl box and bubble wrap) for air mail and 63 for sea. Then about $2-5 for insurance. It could be less, i'll check back with you on the weight asap. If its 4kg it goes down to 85 and 55.

This is Australian dollars mind you.

As for comparrison, i'll have an ask around for you.

Stepped gain switches, well that really depends, how many steps and what quality switches. Elma dual gang 24 pos switches (probably one of the best) run at around 60-70 EACH. The resistors are like a dollar for everything so thats not a problem.
there are dual 12 pos alpha (taiwanese) switches for about $6ea + resistors.

So really depends on the type of switch before i can get you a better idea.



And yes, the switch doesn't have to stay one way, it could be sideways if you really like. Probably easier to let me know while i'm building it though (if i'm building it for you)


So far black anodised knobs are winning, and red power switch/phantom led.

[Sean Sullivan]

I'm sure you've been asked this before, but what are you using for transistor pair? Both the LM394 and MAT-02 are no longer available, and from what I understand from a Prodigy DIY thread is that the "chinese source" MAT-02 are fakes.

[TehGuitarist]

I can get LM394s if necesary, but they raise the price by $80 a unit.

I'm using SSM2210's which are the LM394s drop in replacement... well they say they are drop in.. but they're dip-8s which still work, just have to do a bit of bending.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9610/img1740p.jpg

its the left most IC

Ignore the leccy and carbon film, i didn't have any cable ties on me for the prototype and i used some parts i already had.


All people on board now, Will be running the feeler til Feb 1

[TehGuitarist]

Just so people know, i'll be running the feeler til feb 1, then i'll start the buy. I have enough people willing. I'll confirm everyone is willing to pay before collecting money though.

I'll be PMing everyone then of course.

[TehGuitarist]

Starting to PM people now, let me know asap if anyone else wants in.

[Tim Farrant]

How about a photo of the internals, so people can see what they are actually buying, so far you only have graphics mock up...?

[TehGuitarist]

Theyre kits or assembled units, its a group buy... Sorry if there was any confusion on this but thats the case.

[901]

Originally Posted by Tim Farrant

How about a photo of the internals, so people can see what they are actually buying, so far you only have graphics mock up...?

Yeah, a photo of a prototype would be nice.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by TehGuitarist

I can get LM394s if necesary, but they raise the price by $80 a unit.
I'm using SSM2210's which are the LM394s drop in replacement... well they say they are drop in.. but they're dip-8s which still work, just have to do a bit of bending.

Eighty bucks for a $5 part? That's some profit for a group buy. Avoid the LM394, known for it's sluggish mud. You can still get them new until June.

Those 2210's do not have the betas of the MAT 02 or 394. They are also noisy.

Analog Devices is redesigning the MAT 02 due to demand after the MAT 02 was discontinued. It will be released in June. It will be called the MAT 12. The real question is whether they can approach the .5 nv noise specs now available in 20 cent Japanese discretes.

I've been ripping out LM394's and MAT 02's for years using those low noise devices.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[TehGuitarist]

sorry, that really should be 8 (aussie dollars)

just a typo. That really does seem stupid.

As far as the graphics mockup, the cases are all custom made, and thats the design for them. Anyone worried about case quality, here is the link to the guy doing the cases.
www.DIY-RACKED.com • View topic - LIST OF ALL AVAILABLE CASES


The SSM 2210s will have IC mounts so if anyone wishes to replace them, nice and easy.


http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4318/img1724c.jpg


Yes, the cabling is a mess, if people are worrying about my cabling, i can redo all the cabling to make it neater, it was a prototype to make sure i had all the components and they all worked out fine. I don't have a picture of a full working unit. Mostly because i simply can't afford it. Thats ALOT of money to drop, it ends up being 900+. I just used what i had lying around, of course the caps will be wimas where it counts, and x7rs where they are ceramics (minus i think one in the psu)

I know it works fine in a 1ru case because i'm not the first one to put 4 of these pres into one.

If anyone is worried about my assembly skills i can pull out a monitor controller i assembled as well. Just waiting on a case to put the rest together.


Oh also, This is NOT my creation, it is not my assembly work, i have nothing to do with it. BUT here is a set of pictures of someone who built one into a 1ru case with no problems.
Makin’ Mic Pre’s – The SSL9K 4 Channel Mic Preamp | The DibS Reaction

And seeming as he is not having any problems, i will probably loosely follow his layout.


Hopefully this settles some peoples worries. Its been alot of hard work and still waiting on a couple more confirmations. I'm just really hoping i can get this done for the people who are interested.