ampsandsound

[justinsweber]

Hey there everyone!

I wanted to bring some attention to the work I’ve being doing for the past 6 months. Ive been a bit more absent here, though have been moding and building at an even faster rate. At the gentle and not so gentle prodding of a few forum members I started an audio company. The support of the many DIY forums I’m a member of including Klipsch forum here has been instrumental in shaping both my technical understanding, values and principals I have sought in my love of music and attention to detail. I’ve only owned 3 true Klipsch products Gen I Heresy’s, Gen 1 Cornwalls and 1 industrial La Scala but have in love with the company the the ideas it embodies. What Klipsch heritage speakers have shown me is that horns allow for great sound with small power and that a good concept can is timeless regardless of the level of implementation. How all this relates to my own company includes: 1: build American if at all possible. 2. I can build lower powered tube amps which provide a quality of sound that is truly meaningful at a price most can afford. 3. Always build as though your product will be passed down. Klipsch products are bought and sold and more impressively handed down. I don’t know that anyone who buys my amps or speakers will own them for life but I certainly hope they do. 4. The Cornscala is the everyman’s speaker. Though I don’t post my own version of “the secret sauce”, I’m happy to help others in the process of building or modifying Klipsch speakers. Klipsch is the embodiment of from mild to wild and I believe this forum represents the most active seekers of that dynamic. Hope you guys can give me a look. If there is any feedback please feel free to email or call me. ampsandsound.com BTW: I asked Amy about posting prior to his message.

Justin Weber

Edited December 24, 2013 by justinsweber

[Guest David H]

Justin, your website looks great.

Fortunately I have am in close enough proximity to Justin to beta test Amps and Sound gear....

Fortunately I live far enough away that it is takes weeks + for Justin to get his gear back...

Its a rough job...Not!

Dave

[The Dude]

Good write up fellows.

[Tarheel]

Nice looking amps! Congratulations and best wishes!

[Lemon string]

I was on your site this week. Nicely done! I am really interested in your amps. As a new owner of a pair of vintage Cornwalls Im dying to get some tubes in my set up.

Best of luck

[justinsweber]

I really cant disucss indiv. prodcuts on here... its more about DIY and support of Klipsch

I really cant discuss individual products on here... its more about DIY and support of Klipsch products... that said... PM or my site lists great ways to contact me.

My personal fav amp is based on the 1626... I call it Kenzie after my daughter but most know it as the Darling. 3/4watt per ch, but my how does it sound. I have 4 designs currently all in the 3/4watt to 15watt power levels. I love SE amps

OK amps I love or just after:

Lust: McIntosh 2301s... someday they will be mine... I hope :-).

Want: McIntosh New MC75s. Come on, Its a MC75 with the new sentry circuit.

Miss: McIntosh MC275 MKV… sold when I had turned it on in 4 months and was using other gear. (Loved the sound, but really needed 2 ). (Just cuase)

Current: MA2275 currently my daily rig

Mac mini and Emotive DAC

DIYtube SUT and VPI Classic (Denon 103R)

Cornscalas by Dave Harris

(Eminence 15C, B&C DE85TN/ Eliptrac 400, Sp circletrac DE10) ALK APT12-500/ES5800

(The hybrid crossover makes a significant impact on why they are the reference.

Current: C. Chong based pre… 2 PCBS 1 for power sec, 1 for signal. 12AX7/ 6DJ8 / 12AX7 pre… Gain of 20 (2v 14v out).

Dynaco ST25 in DIY enclosure with Choke filtering. (Stocker)

1626/12SL7/1626 SE Amp (ampsandound product but my fav.)

2^nd DAC output from Emotiva in other room

2way Cornscala… Split cabs we build now. (Eminence 15C B&C DE85TN/Eliptrac 400, ALK Apt12-500.

Current: Rogue Tempest II bought used for a screaming deal.

Olive 4HD server

Airport Express

Econowaves (Cabs from Fastlane audio)

Current: CHIPAMP.COM Kit. More than a stand by... incredibly sweet sounding... only SS amp I own or use.

Edited December 25, 2013 by justinsweber

[tube fanatic]

I have 4 designs currently all in the 3/4watt to 15watt power levels. I love SE amps

Like your philosophy Justin!!! If the local reaction I've been getting to my low power SE amp designs are any indication, you should do very well. There was a guy in Texas (iirc) whose 1626 based designs were very popular. Name not mentioned in case he's still in business- I don't want to dilute things for you! Good luck-- Maynard

[mike stehr]

Bob Danielak's "Darling and DC Darling".

http://reocities.com/bobdanielak/darling.html

[justinsweber]

The same Darling. My amps are not 100% my designs. I am working on a new platform that will be only mine... Like most things in audio... rare to find a truly new idea, but hopefully I have clever implementation. Ive shown some of my wiring before... I keep everything truly tidy and always over specd... it how we all would want it.

Edited December 26, 2013 by justinsweber

[Deang]

I like the site and the products. Dave is going to send me one of your amps on loan after I get some LaScalas set up - I'm really looking forward to hearing it.

Godspeed to you with the business.

[Thaddeus Smith]

I too liked the site and product designs, however, it was missing a very critical piece of information. Can you send me a PM with amp model pricing? I didn't want to go through the order form just to find out that information as I window shop.

[Thaddeus Smith]

scratch that.. it looks like it's just the kenzie the doesn't have pricing.

[justinsweber]

Michael The Kenzie should too.... Scratch that... you're right! So many details... PM me and Ill share. Ill also take $50 for finding a F up.

With all the amps... I do 100% refund minus shipping if not happy within 2 weeks of delivery. Sometimes we all make bad choices when buying something... not trying to burn people. That said, SE amps are lower power... perfect for Klipsch heritage speakers but probably not well suited for inefficient speakers with crap designs :-).

[justinsweber]

DeanG. The SE84 is built around DIYtubes Budgie... Ive made some personal build choices that give it a house sound.

After you try it... you might want to give Big Ben or Kenzie... Kenzie is like whole milk for sweetness. Big Ben is the very best of SE sound plus deep bass without the price shock. Id be happy to send you either after you give Dave's a turn around the track.

Edited December 26, 2013 by justinsweber

[PBT]

^{Congratulations on the new venture Justin.}

^{Took a look at the website and thought it was great.}

^{Hope it all goes well and the experience is a rewarding one.}

^regards

^{Paul T}

[justinsweber]

Thanks Paul.

To be honest it’s a massive distraction from my work life, which is why my wife allows for it. I work in 2 of the highest acuity settings for mental health and am a front life/line staff provider of mental health services. (The two setting are a prison in California and a large community hospitals emergency department). Over the course of my life, Id drank too much and worked too much and I find the later to be a vastly more healthy behavior.

The company idea is a way of my not continuously loosing money to support my hobby. I really enjoy the learning building and trying. Each time Id build a tube amp, Id generally only change 1 part at a time and Id copy ideas of the best builders I could find. I brought on a business partner to help shoulder some of the workload and to have a comrade in arms.

Transforming a hobby which lost money into a business is difficult. Adding a partner with equal voice, a bit harder. Documenting everything for transparency and figuring out how to make it scalable harder still.

All that said… there is a super big pride of ownership I have. I aspire to have ampsandsound know for some musical reliable amps and speakers. Many of us can only afford 1 system. I’ve been there a few times and Id hope Id be the 1 someone wanted to keep.

I’d like to sell 20 amps next year… 2 a month would be great. Parts for each amp are around $700-1000 before any labor. Hard to believe that 15%-20% of parts cost is shipping. The chassis is about 3 hours of woodwork. The mechanical assembly is 1.5-2 hours. Soldering the PCB about 1-2 hours. Final wiring is 2-3 hours and 1 hour of bench testing. The amps get played for about 10 hours on a set of speakers for good measure. Once a final listen is done, we ready for shipping. Shipping is another unknown that we are working to grasp better. Anyway, long and short is I like building and love the idea of others using.

After some reflecting during my 2+ hour drive to work… I’d like 1 other thing. A small where house600Sq. with enough room for some boxes with amps and speakers and an amazing listening space… 15ft tall ceiling and 20x15 with 2 cigar chairs, 1 a cooler for soda.

Edited December 27, 2013 by justinsweber

[PBT]

Sounds like a journey many go thru.

I myself sold my soul and made a lot of money when younger only to lose it thru not being happy with the way i lived my life.

Now i am a firefighter, the pays not so good and i will never own a set of palladiums but when i look into the mirror each day i like the person looking back at me. Money cant buy that!!

Plus i am pretty good at DIY which when armed with a bit of knowledge can help you carve out a pretty nice system.

I know your job is stressful, i can relate. However also knowing that you are making the world a better place each day you go to work must make it a lot easier.

I think that it is great what you are doing with the new business, it also helps keep the wife happy about your expenditures or at least it helps justify them. :-))

I have used that little chestnut myself once or twice.

Not to mention the fact that life has a way of making things work out when we apply a bit of passion and a positive outlook.

Best of luck once again.

regards

Paul T

[justinsweber]

ER work is funny... can be so bussy you dont eat or so dead that youre left with your rubix... Most of the time I keep audiokarma, klipsch forum and DIYaudio as tabbs in the background.