Bottlehead DAC - making it happen with Kickstarter?

[Doc B.]

We have been working with the numbers on this project. As with many no holds barred kinds of projects costs have crept up from our initial estimate. A shocker came today, a new requirement for us to commit to a minimum advance purchase of 250 of the programmable oscillator chips on top of the 150 XMOS usb chips we had already been told we would need to commit to purchasing. Those advance orders will cost many thousands of dollars before we order the DAC boards and cabinet parts. When we consider the price breaks based upon volume for the board production it looks like an initial production of a minimum of 20 units will get our customers the best price. At that quantity we can offer the kit for $1550, and we'll just hope that the first units will be so enthusiastically received that we'll sell enough kits to use all those chips and recoup our investment! I recently compared the Bottlehead DAC running from an inexpensive Mac Mini to a $3000 high res music server from a well known company and frankly it was not much of a contest. Our DAC was smoother, more resolved, had a much blacker background and just plain sounded more real. So I think the proposed price is a bargain considering the sound quality.

What we would like to propose is a Kickstarter for this project, with a requirement of 20 commitments of $1550, a total of $31,000. The Kickstarter will protect everyone, no one's card gets charged unless we make the goal. And of course the project does not happen without the full 20 commitments. We will give regular progress reports on the completion of the run. Getting the chips pre-programmed takes something like 8 weeks before the boards can be assembled, and then we have to program the FPGA on the assembled boards once we receive them from the board manufacturer. So if we make the goal we would have a delivery date of about 12-15 weeks after the Kickstarter ends - hopefully followed by 20 rave reviews!

We're very interested to hear how those who are seriously considering the DAC feel about the project at this proposed price and time frame.

[tdogzthmn]

I think kickstarter is a good platform for soliciting committed buyers.  Spreading the word on popular audio blogs and forums would help spread to word to a wider audience of potential buyers.  The price point seems reasonable considering the supposed performance level of the product. 

[bernieclub]

+1

[denti alligator]

Would our cards then be charged when the DAC ships 12-15 weeks from now or sooner?

[galyons]

Would our cards then be charged when the DAC ships 12-15 weeks from now or sooner?

Payments are usually processed when the Kickstarter offer successfully meets or exceeds the target funding and closes.  The funds are used to produce the product, then it is shipped.

Cheers,
Geary

[pdxgrampa]

+1

[2wo]

The $1550 is a bit higher than I had expected. I wonder if we can get 30 or so to commit if the start up cost could be spread out a bit more.

anyway I am in...John   

[Doc B.]

I will suggest that folks read up a bit about Kickstarter. They have a pretty structured way that a fundraiser works. The project fundraiser is promoted and then launched. Backers can pledge money up to a certain date. On that date either the project is ended for lack of enough pledges and no one's card is charged, or if the goal was met the pledges are processed, i.e., the backer's card is charged. The funds are made available for the project to go into production a couple of weeks later, and the product is delivered by a date which has been stated in the original fundraiser.

https://www.kickstarter.com/

My bud Bob Bean just had a very successful Kickstarter for his Acoustic Stream wireless guitar interface for the iPhone.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1705772138/acoustic-stream-the-guitarists-wireless-4-in-1-com

[denti alligator]

My wife already nixed me getting it when I thought (hoped) it would be around $1000. Now I may really have to wait. The price will remain at $1550, even after the fundraiser, right? That is, it won't go up?

Also, would you be taking orders for the 21st kit and on as soon as the Kickstarter makes it to the 20?

[Aural Robert]

Now that my Paramounts are done, I have my Paramours to sell. That's half way about.

Put me down for one.

Aural Robert

[Loquah]

I would love to be in on this and support the launch of an awesome product, but just don't have the money to pledge.

I really hope others will jump in though and think that a Kickstarter (or similar campaign) is a great idea.

If I can find a bunch of Aussies who need Cracks, S.E.X.s or Mainlines built for them perhaps I can scrounge together enough funds by working in the evenings building kits for friends and fellow music lovers.

[RPMac]

Been waiting too long...I'm in!

[davechen]

Kickstarter is a good idea.  I've funded a number of things that way, mostly musicians trying to get their albums out.

I'm interested in a the Bottlehead DAC.  I'm loving my recently finished BeePre and am itching to fire up the soldering iron again.  The $1550 price does give pause though.  Especially since I already have a DAC.  Can't really justify it other than "I WANT IT!!!"

How difficult a kit to build do you think it'll be?

[Doc B.]

Assembly will be easy. The only soldering will be done when assembling a small PC board with the charging circuit on it and when wiring the switches and jacks. The main boards all connect with ribbon cables.

[mcandmar]

Excuse me if i'm being a bit dim, but will that price be fixed going forward, or is that just what’s required on the basis of 20 units to get the project off the ground?

I'd like to say i'm in but i'll have to think long and hard over this, came in a bit more than i had anticipated. Kickstarter does sound like a good solution though.