This won’t be a typical post. There’s nothing new to see here, just a reflection of our progress.

We posted a short year end summary after 2010, at which time I drafted a few goals for 2011. The year turned out nothing like I’d planned… (more…)

It’s doubtful I can convey anything more worthwhile than the pictures, so here’s this week’s big news:

Looks amazing, doesn’t it? Nick had a difficult time stepping away from the 3D model:

Our JDS Labs branded O2 front panels and fully assembled O2′s are available now for preorder.

c421: Quality Inspection 3

Continuing from our last update, the third batch of c421 cases arrived last week. To our great dismay, the manufacturer damaged our $1500 custom die (a tool to make the cases), so batch #3 turned out far worse than the first two batches. Instead of scratches, batch #3 pieces weren’t even the correct shape.

We’re moving case production to a high precision aluminum manufacturer. These guys understand the perfection we’re seeking and will ship nothing less than excellent. Since they’re starting from scratch, it will be February before final c421 cases are ready.

All c421 preorders will be shipped this week in batch #2 cases. You will be able to request a final case for free in February. Batch #2 cases aren’t terrible; they’re simply not up to our standards. Keep watching for more updates…

Side note: We had no trouble with c421 front panels. O2 panel production really will be done by January! We’ll post a “lessons learned” story when this mess is finished.

It’s time for a few short updates. First, we’re helping out with NwAvGuy’s do-it-yourself O2 project. Bare O2 circuit boards are in stock:

O2 Objective2 PCB, Front

The O2 has created a stir in Head-Fi.org’s do-it-yourself community. After posting one too many “objective” (or possibly stubborn) comments, NwAvGuy found himself banned from the forums. He proceeded to design O2 for maximum benchmark performance to prove his points. It’s large and heavy, so hardly worth consideration as a portable amp, however, O2 so far lives up to its name.

c421: Quality Inspection 2

We hoped quality control of c421 enclosures wouldn’t turn into a saga, but here I am posting a progress update. The second batch of enclosures arrived in much finer condition than the original run. Although better, we also rejected batch #2 due to minor manufacturing scuffs. Dozens of phone calls, e-mails, and meetings later, we’re approximately two weeks away from receiving enclosure batch #3…

Assembled c421's in enclosure batch #2 (sitting atop our office subwoofers).

Therefore, the November 14th ship date may slip. We’d rather ship great products late, than ship ‘okay’ products early. All c421 preorders will be held until the final batch of cases are available. Onto the good news:

• Anyone who has preordered may request immediate shipment in a batch #2 case; final enclosures will be made available in a few weeks (free + shipping).
• Samples were sent to professional reviewers last week, and initial feedback of c421 is strong! Customer Tony .G writes:

  “Got the headphone amp and wanted to say that I’m quite happy with my purchase!  Can’t wait to put in some good listening time.  I’ve just given it a limited run and it is quite stellar.”

• Hexibase of PWK Designs posted a great unboxing:

Welcome, Nick!

JDS Labs is quickly expanding. Nick has joined our team to help with soldering, programming, and new product development.

Rechargeable cMoyBB v2.03R

When we released the NiMH Module earlier this year, the idea was to bring recharging to the cMoyBB in a versatile fashion. Owners of existing cMoyBBs could add the feature to their older amps, and there was no need to revise the cMoyBB circuit board.

cMoyBB v2.03R Printed Circuit Board

But, the charging module placed too many limitations on the amp: no 18V support, batteries were difficult to remove, and the dual DC jacks confused new users.

As of this week, the NiMH Module is discontinued. In its place is a brand new cMoyBB v2.03R circuit board, which adds simple NiMH recharging support to the cMoyBB.  The cMoyBB finally accepts single- or dual-9V NiMH batteries!

Slip-on on 5.5 to 3.5mm Barrel Adapter

Ordering a rechargeable cMoyBB has been streamlined as well. Simply select standard or rechargeable.

To make matters even easier, we now stock a rare 5.5mm to 3.5mm barrel adapter. This allows you to power the cMoyBB from common AC/DC adapters, including most laptop power adapters.

NiMH vs. Alkaline vs. Li-Ion

Adding recharging support to the cMoyBB has never been a high priority, despite popular request. We’ve avoided it for a few reasons:

• NiMH batteries are typically 1V weaker than alkalines = Less voltage swing.
• NiMH recharging circuits lose 0.7V-1.2V on top of the battery voltage! More lost output power.
• NiMH run-time is about half that of alkaline batteries
• Separate AC/DC adapter required
• Long charge time (10-12 hours)

c421 - High Performance Li-Ion Headphone Amplifier

If you’re using moderately low impedance headphones (under 64 ohms), a single 8.4V NiMH is usually adequate for high volume amplification. Even if you have higher impedance headphones, voltage is no longer an issue since the cMoyBB v2.03R supports 18V (2x9V)!

For top performance, a fixed voltage Li-Ion amp like c421 is the way to go. You’ll always have maximum output power, long run-time, and short charge time. For those who have already pre-ordered c421, we’re 1 week ahead of schedule!

Someone reminded us that we haven’t posted a c421 update in “forever”. Today’s your day:

• The c421 preorder page is now up! Note that the release date is tentative, so the page cannot yet be found through our store, and the formal announcement e-mail has not been sent out. We’ll send the official message when the date is 100% certain.
• Features, specifications, and a description of c421 can be found on the preorder page.
• Fewer than 95 amps are available for pre-order.
• Price: $169

Quality Inspection 1…

The first batch of enclosures arrived Monday, but we rejected the shipment due to a total lack of packaging. Every single case was scratched. I don’t know about you, but if I’m paying $169 for a device, it better look decent! The manufacturer is redoing the job immediately. This sets us back 1-3 weeks, but high quality is more important than speed.

Timeline

Assembled c421 circuit boards are scheduled for arrival by October 24th [Edit: Arrived OCt-21]. If you preorder now and get impatient, we can send the amp in a temporary rejected enclosure. You can order another enclosure later for the cost of shipping. Just send us a note.

October 31 is the earliest expected shipment date. Realistically, we anticipate all preorders to ship by November 14.

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest

It’s 1PM Wednesday and I’m scrambling to fly out to Denver for the 2011 RMAF. We’re not exhibiting, however, I will be wandering around the show. Tweet (@jdslabs), e-mail, text, or call if you’d like to hear c421!

While we eagerly await the release of c421, here are a few rough, rendered previews. The enclosure will be composed of black anodized aluminum with black or natural brushed aluminum end panels, unless we’re persuaded differently!

Screws, light pipes, and the battery are not shown…

Rear view of c421, showing countersink screw holes. Color of end panels not final!

Obligatory size comparison to a popular portable source

Size comparison at another angle

We expected to have real samples in hand by now. So what happened?

A reputable aluminum extrusion shop promised us 6-8 week lead time and a a competitive price, so we faxed over the deal on July 1. Three weeks passed and I recieved a phone call from their company president, Bob. He said, “Hi, John. I have some bad news . . . We dropped the ball on this one.”

Bob’s company  had severely underestimated their bid and refused to fabricate C421′s enclosures unless we forked over another $10,000. Wasn’t gonna happen, Bob! $10k would have ruined our project goals.

Although this delayed c421 by three weeks, everything has worked out for the best. We’ve used the extra time for additional circuit tweaking. And, we signed a better enclosure deal with an amazing extrusion shop whose manufacturing plant is only four hours south of our office! Their staff has kindly invited JDS Labs to witness on-site sample inspection.

Samples are due approximately 4 weeks from today. I will personally inspect the enclosures and post pictures if possible. Final device specifications and pricing will follow soon afterwards.

One final note: We’ve received countless offers from past customers and new faces seeking to review c421. Thank you! The first production batch will be a small run of only 100 units. Just two amps will go out for initial review (more later). A pre-order page will be posted around the time reviews go live, no more than 4 weeks before we can ship.

Like the design? Hate it? Let us know!

We have three great additions to the store this month.

AD8620ARZ with BrownDog Adapter

After our recent opamp swapping article, we received several requests for pre-soldered opamps. Therefore, Analog Devices AD8620 opamps are now available for purchase.

NiMH Adapter for cMoyBB

Also new is a 9V NiMH charging accessory. This small board fits into the cMoyBB’s enclosure (or other cMoys) to provide battery recharging functionality. The charger uses the same DC jack as the cMoyBB v2.03, allowing it to utilize any cMoyBB-compatible power adapter. Installation is easily accomplished with a hole-punch and double-sided adhesive (included). No soldering is required.

Tenergy 9V NiMH and Charger in cMoyBB

One obviously needs 9V NiMH batteries to go along with a NiMH charger, so we now carry Tenergy 9V, 200mAh NiMH low self-discharge batteries. These rechargeable 9V’s are available in single- or two-packs. Typical rechargeable NiMH batteries lose charge in a matter of days, but low-self discharge technology enables these batteries to maintain 80% charge after 12 months of storage.

Order the NiMH Adapter and a Tenergy 9V with a new cMoyBB and we’ll install the set for free!

We’re past due on several announcements, but not due to a lack of content. In fact, we’ve been exceptionally busy this spring.

After returning from Silicon Valley last week, I was thrilled to see a package from Advanced Assembly at my office. Inside were two recently completed “c421″ prototype headphone amplifiers:

A first look at codename c421, Prototype II (v0.84) - May 2011

(more…)

New to our store this month are Brown Dog SOIC-8 to DIP-8 adapter sockets. A great number of fantastic opamps are only available in surface mount form. These adapters allow you to enjoy noteworthy chips such as the AD8620, AD8599, etc.

Below are two cMoyBBs with freshly seated SOIC adapters. Powered from a mandatory 10V+ DC adapter, the AD8620 sounds stunning!

BrownDog adapters installed in the cMoyBB

It’s a good idea to measure DC offset when rolling opamps. An unusually loud pop when turning the amplifier on is a definite sign of error. Weak or cold soldering joints are usually the cause.

Another long awaited addition to the store is (more…)

This week we have a brand new blog! Just a couple days ago we received a curious inquiry:

“You’ve done a stellar job with improvement from the original [cMoy] design. I am blown away by the PCB work as well. What software did you use to design it, and did you design it yourself? It is definitely a work of art.”

So, here’s a behind the scenes look. (more…)