Second DAC production run - pre orders taken starting this week

[Doc B.]

We have been getting a LOT of requests for more DACs. Things have settled down from Warp 6 to Warp 1 (well, maybe Warp 3) around here so we are ready to tackle another production run. As with the last run we will need to have a minimum of 20 pre-orders before we can commit to the run.

The buyer will commit to a $1599 order (plus $30 for insured shipping in the US, $55 outside the US). The nature of our security system requires that the payment be processed the day you make your commitment. This is because we do not keep any of your credit card information on our server or in our facility. Thus we cannot hold the credit card information from a “pledge” in order to process it at a future date.  The pre-order period will be from May 7th thru May 31st 2015, and the funds will be held in a dedicated account. If at the end of that period we have achieved at least 20 commitments the funds will be used to get the components into production with an estimated ship date about six to eight weeks from May 31st. If we have not received 20 commitments by May 31st, all of your money will be refunded.

We will track the number of commitments in this thread on the Bottlehead Forum so everyone can follow the progress. Here's a link to the hot scoop. There's a pretty detailed description available by clicking on the Specs tab and we have added quite a collection of reviews from those who ordered from the first production run, so settle down with your favorite beverage and geek out -

http://bottlehead.com/product/bottlehead-dac/

[Doc B.]

First order is in this afternoon. Thanks Jesse!

Just nineteen to go to make this run happen. The sooner we reach the goal, the sooner we can get the boards into production.

[tcell]

I haven't bought Bottlehead in a while, and I'm excited to have that gorgeous DAC fronting my Foreplay/Paramours/Straight 8's.  It'll also get action in my humble music studio, taking output from the Reaper DAW.  Come on out there - get on the list with me!!!

[Doc B.]

Thank you Jeffrey! I think you will really like the BHDAC and Reaper together.
OK folks, 18 to go...

[Doc B.]

Thanks for your order, John!
Seventeen to go.

[Doc B.]

I'm giving this thread a nudge because we need quite a few more orders to make this next production run happen, 16 to be exact (and thanks for your order, Bob!). We have just a week to go on this preorder, so if you have been thinking about getting a DAC now is the time to get that order in. Read the reviews one more time. I'm not saying who's $2500 to $6000 DACs were getting compared to ours (they are all nice people) - just that they were not coming out ahead of the BHDAC.

[Doc B.]

Thanks for your pre-order Michael! Let's see if we can get ten more pre-orders. If we can all pull together and come up with ten more I think we can make a second production run happen. Maybe everyone can lean a bit on that bud of yours who is on the fence and get him to order.

[tcell]

I want my DAC and only you guys can make it happen for me (and the others who have stepped up already).  The price point of this unit is terrific.  In the more than ten years that I've been buying kits from Doc et al. they never cease to amaze me for the quality of sound their products achieve.  They made me a tube lover and circuit tinkerer forever!  Well, I'm ready for their digital experience!  It'll be a little different this time since the soldering iron will remain packed up, but I'm glad they're not giving me the opportunity to fry an expensive chip!  Ready to roll, fingers crossed, let's go!

[tomdellomo]

What's the word? Doesn't look like we made it...

[denti alligator]

Did this second run ever happen? And if it didn't will there be another attempt to do one at some point? Just curious, since I'm still interested, even though I don't have the funds yet. It would be nice to know that the possibility of getting one's hands on one of these isn't completely lost.

[Doc B.]

John Swenson has been working on the firmware issue that a couple of users had with very recent Macs not talking to the DAC via USB. That is just about complete. Once we have the new firmware here and ready to update existing DACs - and available to load on to new ones - I will test the waters to see if there is enough interest for a second run.

There should be another run, as those who have heard them continue to comment on how amazingly good the DAC sounds. Hopefully present DAC owners will help to spread the word and we can get enough orders to build some more.

[denti alligator]

Thanks, Doc. Good to know.
You can count on me as seriously interested, though my budget won't allow for it anytime soon, unfortunately. So I'm hoping there might be third or even fourth runs.

[Loquah]

Thanks, Doc. Good to know.
You can count on me as seriously interested, though my budget won't allow for it anytime soon, unfortunately. So I'm hoping there might be third or even fourth runs.

I'm with you on that one - oh to have the budget! 

[nerdorama]

Hi Doc,
Do you think there will be another run of the DAC's?  I'm looking around right now and it fits into my budget range if they become available again.  Do you have one in the listening room that could be compared to a user's DAC?
Thanks,
John Ferguson

[Doc B.]

I'm afraid the answer is no more DAC. The DAC is great, I use mine all the time without a hitch and get complements even when it has to compete with tape in my listening room. But the response to a second run was pretty much crickets chirping when I offered one, in spite of the great reviews about the sonics by users of the first batch. Since then we have come to feel that the constant changes in computer hardware and software force us to be giving more tech support for the computers used than for the DAC itself. It is just too difficult for our little crew to be Mac, PC and Linux experts and still keep the tubes glowing.

If people would be happy with us making a SPDIF DAC and figuring out their own USB to SPDIF converter we might consider a TOSLINK/SPDIF coax DAC, but at this point we have so many new project ideas in other areas that I wouldn't hold my breath.