B'ASS Current Amplifier

[Scroobius]

Hey Peter  -  I have just been reading in more detail your description of the BA'SS sound quality and noted this :

A bit depending on what you play, it can come to you as "dangerous". This is about the most typical attribute of the B'ASS - dangerous. This is about the sheer energy which is thrown at you and which really feels like electrical energy. It can give the feeling "is my system sure it can do this for real ?".

WOW I get that problem NOW -  does that mean I should not have the upgrade?

Cheers

Paul

[PeterSt]

Paul,

Of course it does not mean that.
It can be jawdropping. That's all. Ha ha.

Peter

[Scroobius]

I like "Jawdropping"

 

[Rob181]

Hi Peter...

Very occasionally I offer a comment...a suggestion...a recommendation...
This one is...why you would not send the upgrade parts to those who reside in far flung places to have the work done locally...
EG...me & Anthony (acg)...
No freight costs for the DAC - both ways - no tax for the DAC's return to you...no risk of damage...no logical reason exists for every DAC to return to you for an upgrade...other than for "control reasons"...
The fact is it will cost me & Anthony more in freight/tax costs than it would for the upgrade...& that is just ridiculous...when a perfectly logical alternative exists...
Look forward to your response...

Thanks
Rob

[PeterSt]

Hi Rob,

that is just ridiculous...

My response ? ... that your post is a bit ehm ... ridiculous.

"control reasons"...

What do you mean by that ?

Anyway, you seem to sound angry. Not a good idea.
If I saw a means to doit without the fuss on our side, then I would have done it; I suppose you just jumped in the middle of the topic.
Don't forget to look at the first page as well and compare the prices.

Best regards,
Peter

[acg]

Hi Rob,

that is just ridiculous...

My response ? ... that your post is a bit ehm ... ridiculous.

C'mon Peter, the post is not ridiculous at all, and you know it.  Last time Rob sent his dac across for upgrade it returned with the power transformers banging around loose inside the dac case.  Not your fault for sure but instead of going through the insurance rubbish it was me that repaired it.  Those two transformers are still only attached to the frame where I used epoxy to repair the broken weld, so I can for sure understand why Rob is reluctant to send his dac back for more of the same postal treatment...that joint will most likely break again in transit and the transformers will go banging into the power supplies.

Anyway, you seem to sound angry. Not a good idea.
If I saw a means to doit without the fuss on our side, then I would have done it; I suppose you just jumped in the middle of the topic.
Don't forget to look at the first page as well and compare the prices.

Best regards,
Peter

Peter, at the cost of freight for the NOS1a from here to there and back again, those prices on the front page are closer to what we will be paying.  My NOS1 is coming to you regardless, but the "I can't be bothered claiming back EU55 so you'll have to pay it" attitude is a bit rich on top of EU400-500 freight for an EU580 upgrade.  Plus you have not responded to my email as to whether we can claim the tax back from our end.

Anyway, as I have just reminded you Rob is reluctant to send back his DAC.  Even small overseas audio companies make arrangements for local techs in Australia to perform the upgrades/repairs on their behalf.  That is what Rob is hoping for. 

Written in the best spirit as the sandwich between the rock and the hard place.

Regards,

Anthony

[PeterSt]

C'mon Peter, the post is not ridiculous at all, and you know it.

It is.
Remember that I referred to the first post with the prices for NOT needing to send in your DAC's. So what is it more ? a 1000 euros ? 1500 ?

You followed this topic for sure (each post) and you know how I did my stinking best to avoid upgrades this time. So your (now both) posts are clearly in that context and therefore I call them ridiculous. Btw, who started out with that word ? not me.
But I have the solution : no upgrades will be done to DACs from Australia. It is too far away and things always break over there by UPS outlaws toshing yout DACs over the road. It is too dangerous.

That it is Rob's NOS1 which undergone this treatment is indeed what I recalled only after my last post with an .
You know too that I know this, as I mentioned it to you only last week (or it maybe was to someone else ?) and it is the single example of something which ever broke (but don't count the very first batch with improper packing for some Norwegian roads).

that joint will most likely break again in transit and the transformers will go banging into the power supplies.

Well, obviously I never knew (or forgot) about the fix applied and that it could be not all that decent for another shipment. And otherwise, at that moment nobody thinks of such future (did you ?). Anyway, if you put something on top of it (which is not 100% firm but sufficiently dense) and close that in by means of the cover which goes on top, it will be fine. And after it's here again we will repair it decently (and for free).

Peter, at the cost of freight for the NOS1a from here to there and back again, those prices on the front page are closer to what we will be paying.

Don't be ridiculous;
I'll add that 1000 again and the problem is over. OK ?
Meanwhile read back in this topic how people managed to complain that all wasn't to be in a separate box and now also required additional cabling (Interlinks) and such. Possibly you were among those.
If you come here to only complain I quit the business. Easy enough.
Maybe you start to grasp how I can perceive things ridiculous.
I know all is in good spirit. But maybe less thoughtful.

but the "I can't be bothered claiming back EU55 so you'll have to pay it" attitude is a bit rich on top of EU400-500 freight for an EU580 upgrade.

See ? there we have it again. So instead of being thankful that I paid possibly 150 x that ~50 for all the non-EU upgrades (which comes to ~7500 euros), I get this from you.
The fucking funny thing is that you seem to notice (again) that this is 55 on 580 because 580 is 580 only and not 1580.
The solution is clear again : I make it 1580 for you and Rob and next can dig the 55 I will be charged for.
All in good spirit.

Even small overseas audio companies make arrangements for local techs in Australia to perform the upgrades/repairs on their behalf.

Oh is that so. You mean me spending a day with emails on such a bloke who - out of all and IIRC - tried to work out something for the very same Rob and which never happened. That guy ?
Don't make yourself ridiculous.

Plus you have not responded to my email as to whether we can claim the tax back from our end.

Yes, I only now see that I never responded to that email. It got lost in all the emails I had to organise the day after being back from vacation. From your email :

are we able to claim them back or are they just a donation to your government?

No, you can not claim that back. It's just how things go regarding import duties. As I told, I can get it back by means of a 8 (or was it 12 ?) page form which may take 1-2 hours. Regarding what I charge for time, that would be 60-120 euros. Regarding what I lose on ridiculous time I need for my normal job where I charge 150 the hour ... no, unless of course I can charge that to you.

My advise is to stop nagging with things you think you can organise better than me and instead just decide that this upgrade is too expensive for you. Meanwhile think carefully what you're actually saying to me when you seem to complain about a 55 I am charged for with the implication that I better pay that myself instead of you, the beneficiary. The other solution could have been that I made that 580 just 635 without notice, so half of your colleguages in here woul pay too much. That's a better attitude than me paying for all, right ?

I guess this was not in good spirit and I am pissed.

Peter

[acg]

Nice customer service right there Peter.  I wonder if you really tried you could be more patronising, rude and over-sensitive.

I'll only respond to one thing in particular...

Even small overseas audio companies make arrangements for local techs in Australia to perform the upgrades/repairs on their behalf.

Oh is that so. You mean me spending a day with emails on such a bloke who - out of all and IIRC - tried to work out something for the very same Rob and which never happened. That guy ?
Don't make yourself ridiculous.

No, not that guy, assuming I am thinking about the same guy as you.  As far as I am aware you never had contact with him, and he would be about the last guy I would recommend for this task.  There are good techs about, but obviously this option is off the table.


Looks like I am stuck with the NOS1.

[manisandher]

I've got nothing to say really... but felt I wanted to say something... anything...

I think it's so easy for each of us to forget that our relationship with Phasure is probably very different to that with any other manufacturer. I've never really felt a 'customer' of Phasure. More a 'collaborator'. My feeling is that if Peter wasn't offering us all the Phasure products, he'd still be developing them for himself. That fact that he offers them to us for, let's face it, ridiculously good value for money, is really great. How many of us would have the quality of sound we do without Phasure gear? Not me for sure... and not for pretty much any amount of money I could have spent elsewhere.

Ah but that doesn't mean we shouldn't give Peter a hard time from time to time. But stick to criticizing his hearing ability (or lack of) rather than anything else

Mani.

[Rmalits]

Hi Peter,

I read the post about the G3 option right now and it's a very interesting option for me, as it looks like that SQ is better again that way and there are no extra interlinks needed.
A few month ago I had an remarkable experience concernring different RCA interlinks I am using:
One more time I was compairing SQ of the NOS1a with my Linn Klimax 20k€ network player, what I had done before a couple of times. The NOS1a always had been far better than the Linn Klimax, although my NOS1a and XXHE configuration has not been really good thst time, as I was pretty new in the business.
But this time SQ of both was in about the same level. What was going on? I easily found out that it was just the interlinks. The NOS1a was connected with "normal" RCA interlinks (price 150€ a pair) and the Linn had the advantage of beeing connected with my 1000€ siver ones. I new that this would make a diffenrence in SQ but I did not expect such a big one.
I am on the list for B'ASS since April and I already was planning to invest another 1000€ in good RCA interlinks to connect it. So the 3G option will be a perfect solution, because I sure that the best interlinks are NO interlinks.
Peter, would it be possible that I send you my NOS1a in the beginning of January for that upgrade? I will be in Panama for vacation that month and so I could have it back upgraded right after my vacation.

One question about B'ASS in an extra casing: Will this product be still available? I am asking this, because this way there would be other options for using it like connecting it in between other device, to test if it would have a big influence of SQ there too.

Anyway... I will go for the upgrade of my NOS1a. Your price for that is a very good one and will save me the 1000€ for good interlinks.

Kind regards
Richard

[PeterSt]

Hi there Richard,

What you really should do is get yourself a pair of Blaxius Interlinks for 250. These are used by everybody, regardless what they owned ($$$$) previously. But mind the possible downside (depending on your situation) : this is Single Ended and not Balanced. It can be made balanced, but then your amplifier(s) must take double 75 Ohm BNC (and you'd have 4 Interlinks for Stereo). And hardly any amp exists with such input (which is allowed to be double RCA !).
It also requires (sort of) not to use a preamp and at this time I don't know whether you use one or not.
The ultimate situation is that you change the (RCA) inputs of your power amp(s) to BNC - the material for that is all provided in the 250 package and it usually is easy to do it yourself (assumed one can hold a soldering iron).
Anyway, the Blaxius is a 75 Ohm interlink with BNC connectors and it can also be used with RCA-BNC adapters.
This is the topic about the (development of the) Blaxius : Cables with BNC Connectors/Adapters Are Generating A Superoir SQ and questions about it better be put in there so in here it's not getting too much off topic (wich at this moment is my fault of course).

would it be possible that I send you my NOS1a in the beginning of January for that upgrade?

Sure, but at this moment is is a but tough with a real planning, because the final PCBs are produced (China) at this moment and I can't know when we can begin really.

One question about B'ASS in an extra casing: Will this product be still available?

My answer to that should be No, although you have seen that all has been done to design a case for it, which also has really been produced one time (prototype). Main point is : by now I have been doing the SQ testing with the in-built (in-NOS1a) amplifiers and so that will be the final situation with guarantee of the best SQ  (guarantee is tough, but you'll get what I mean).

Best regards,
Peter

[Rob181]

Peter...

Please do not exclude Anthony from any future upgrades...he has been a long time supporter of yours & just because he understood the point I was trying to make should not eliminate him from pursuing upgrades to his NOS 1.

There was no anger or angst in my comments whatsoever...there was certainly frustration with having to send a DAC back for an upgrade that will cost LESS than the combined freight cost of the DAC when (in my opinion...there should be no need to do so)...

Please explain to me why you would not sell the parts for the upgrade PLUS a written installation procedure for the same cost...you make more money (no labor costs for the work on my DAC)...I save money but not having to incur the freight cost both ways plus pay a stupid tax (because you are too lazy to claim it back)...everybody is happy...

Another benefit is no further damage to my DAC by freight companies...if you complete a SWAT or cost/benefit analysis on my suggestion/s...it is by far the best option.

If its good enough for PS Audio & a host of other companies that do offer upgrades &/or repairs by sending parts for local repairs/upgrades I fail to understand what makes your company so different...

Thanks

Rob

[PeterSt]

Hi there Rob,

Of course I am not excluding anyone from upgrades. If the fun about that came across as serious then I apologise for that.

And of course I also understand your worries like with the transformers, but that was not on my mind when I replied to your post. But as I explained, it can easily be sent in a safe fashion (and after that it will be repaired by us).

Please explain to me why you would not sell the parts for the upgrade

Easy enough : because it requires measuering with equipment I bet you nobody in the field you're addressing, has. Next to that, nobody will know what to measure and how to interpret. Lastly, if something is wrong nobody will know what to do.
I hope this is clear.

If its good enough for PS Audio & a host of other companies

Show me the measurements of those. All is good enough when it measures 20dB more noise to begin with and besides it does not require measurement for the same reason.
I am not claiming "they" will also sound worse, but I have my ideas ...
Btw, what a silly discussion (again). Here' some more :

I fail to understand what makes your company so different...

Why not answer that yourself.

(because you are too lazy to claim it back)...

Ah, so you too eh ?
Right.
I am not going to explain it again. Did you ever read my explanation ? is my math wrong ? am I stupid ?

there was certainly frustration with having to send a DAC back for an upgrade that will cost LESS than the combined freight cost of the DAC when (in my opinion...there should be no need to do so)...

I organised a special price for you guys. 1580 euros.
Problem out of the way.

Peter

[PeterSt]

I thought to be the adult and stroke all through which is silly.

[Rmalits]

Hi Peter,

concerning the Blaxius interlinks: very interesting to read about that.
All my devices I use unbalanced. So that would be fine.
But you wrote that changing to BNC only would make sence without a preamplifier.
So, I am using one, actually a good one (Ayon Polaris) for several reasons:

With my pretty new SE tube monoblocks I would have to put XXHE to almost full volume to get enough out of the speakers. I wrote you about it in an email a few month ago.

I also have got a nice turntable for my vinyl disks. Some of them sound very nice and it's interesting to compare it with digital sources played with NOS1a.
Then I also own a Lamizator DSD DAC, it's DSD only, what it does very well.
These devices are also connected to the preamp.

With my former amplifier, also a single ended tube one, but with double input impedance, I had the NOS1a connected directly to it, what gave very good results. But as new Ayon Crossfire Evo monoblock amplifiers are much better than the previous one, it was quite a big step up in SQ, even when the NOS1a is connected to the preamp most of the time.
But I will try again to connect it directly to the amp to compare SQ.

So I probably should try the Blaxius BNC interlinks, but I don't know if it would make sense in my setup.

Best regards
Richard