What's going on with the Spud Kit?
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I have about 5 basic kits available in the current run, and there is a short delay on kits that include side panels. I have two amplifiers in the build queue that I’d like to finish before adding more.
I have full kits back in stock. I’ve contacted most, if not all, potential buyers who were on my contact list, so I’m opening sales up for everybody. I have about a dozen kits available at this time.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but due to supply chain issues, I am temporarily out of stock. Please contact me directly if you would like to pre-order to secure a kit in the next batch or be notified when kits are back in stock. Thanks!
Low powered amplifiers have very specific requirements when selecting the appropriately matching speakers. What if… What if there were a popularly available and relatively inexpensive speaker that just worked? Recently, I purchased a pair of long lusted after Polk Audio RTA-11t monitors. I always wanted a pair of these since way back in the day (late 80’s, early 90’s). Fast forward a few decades, and a mint condition pair fell into my hands for $90. Would they work with a Spud. Fuckin’-A-Right they do! Deep bass, full sound, great definition in the highs. Amazing! So what am I saying here. In fact, some mass marketed Polk speakers kick ass with the Spud. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
I have a limited number of kits back in stock, but I’ll be updating pricing to reflect a very modest price increase. I’ve chipped away at very tight margins historically, but I do need to add a little buffer in order to keep this project going. Thanks much for your understanding.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but due to supply chain issues, I am temporarily out of stock. My primary supplier anticipates that I’ll receive parts no later than February. Please contact me directly if you would like to pre-order to secure a kit in the next batch or be notified when kits are back in stock. Thanks!
Parts are back in stock, but they are selling a little faster than usual due to the pent up demand.
I’m pending delivery of power and output transformers, so any orders placed in April will experience a slight delay in shipping. I’m expecting them to arrive in 3-4 weeks.
I’m stocked up again with a run of 10 kits. I’ve done a few things to add a bit of cost, take out a bit of fuss when building, improve the performance, and pave the way for the future. First, I’ve completed the design, testing and implementation of the new power supply board. As I’ve mentioned previously, the power supply wiring on the terminal strips was sometimes a point of frustration for kit builders. After all, this is the heart of the Spud, and you want it to be right. To improve things, I’ve transitioned into a high quality PCB and very high precision / high quality parts. Can you say Nichicon, Dale, Vishay? Next, I’ve transitioned over to an Edcor power transformer. The Edcor is beefier with much higher reserve current, easier to wire due to fewer unnecessary voltage taps, prettier with the striking blue powder coated end bells and of course, made in the USA. As you may know, my output transformers are a custom designed Edcor product that I commissioned Edcor to design specifically for my amplifier. I’ve been using them for many years with excellent results, and it only made sense to bring their power transformer to the platform. To accommodate the updated power transformer, I am drilling a few extra holes in the chassis for mounting. The Edcor is bigger than the Hammond it replaces, so you won’t see anything unsightly once it’s mounted. The next run of chassis will consider the new Edcor footprint, so I won’t have to do this manually prior to shipping. Here’s the catch, I’ve managed to do all of this without increasing the price to kit builders. Cost of materials went up, additional labor went in (design, testing, rewriting instructions, etc.), and the price stayed the same…You may ask, “How’d he do that?” To be honest, I’m absorbing the cost. This kit is for music lovers who appreciate what can be done on a budget and with a little of their own labor. For now, the kit will continue to cater to that crowd. It’s a crowd who ends up alone in a room smiling to themselves while listening to well-recorded music for a few reasons. They have a beast of a flea-watt amp that is quieter and cleaner than anything they have ever heard, and they know what they paid for it!
The last of my current production run of kits shipped out today. I have one pre-built amplifier that I am currently assembling. It features the new power supply and the Edcor power transformer. I anticipate that I’ll be re-stocked and shipping kits again near the end of May. If you would like to pre-order, let me know, and you’ll have one of the first to ship out.