SAS Audio Labs Reference 11a Preamp Tour

[WEEZ]

Shit happens! (somebody said that once )

Just a reminder that Oct.12th weekend is RMAF; so whoever has it that weekend (me?) it will be delayed a few days. Hope that's okay.

btw: Steve, will you be going to Denver that weekend?

WEEZ

[steve]

Hi Weez,

     No, I won't be there. We are having a family get together in Florida so mom can see her brothers gravesite again. Been quite awhile and don't know how long mom will be able to travel.

Hope you guys have a great time.

Steve

[Carlman]

You'll be missed, Steve... and greatly sorry to hear the tour had to be paused for technical difficulties.  I hope it's something minor and we get back to touring quickly.
Thanks,
Carl

[Woodsyi]

Oh, well.  I was holding a gathering on Sept 1 to listen to SAS along with 2 other preamps.  I guess I can get it after RAVE after all.  I will just have to find another pre to put in the mix for the meet.  Ob la di, Ob la da....

[steve]

Oh, well.  I was holding a gathering on Sept 1 to listen to SAS along with 2 other preamps.  I guess I can get it after RAVE after all.  I will just have to find another pre to put in the mix for the meet.  Ob la di, Ob la da....

Hi Woodsyi,

     Don't give up on me. I got the weekend and all next week. I should know fairly early on, like over the weekend. Will keep advised. 

[Woodsyi]

Hi Woodsyi,

     Don't give up on me. I got the weekend and all next week. I should know fairly early on, like over the weekend. Will keep advised. 

Steve,

If Rich and Carl don't mind and you can get it to me in time, that would be fabulous.  Perhaps Chris can send it back to NC after the RAVE? 

BTW, if anybody is around the greater Washington DC area for the Labor Day weekend, you are cordially invited to join on the 1st.

[richidoo]

Rim, Don't worry I told Steve exactly where my big screwdriver shorted between those big black round things while I was cleaning out a bug, so he'll be able to fix it fast. haha    A little TIG welding and that box will be all straight again. hehe Just kidding!!

For the record, and before anybody puts me on the demo tour blacklist, I did NOT connect the amp output to the preamp input, or plug the interconnects into the wall socket, or anything else that would blow it up! Honest!  It must have happened in shipping, because it was noisy from the first note. I spent a good day trying to figure out what was wrong to try to avoid a rescue trip back to Steve, but in the end it beat me. I worried myself to death trying to figure out how I was gonna follow Bunky's great review with true account of my experience, I didn't even think that it might be broken at that point. I knew I had to ask steve 'what the heck???' before I wrote anything, but not before I tried a couple different pairs of known good tubes to no improvement. Once he said come on home, I was able to get it off same day, by DHL, of course!

From what I heard by "reading between the lines" - you're reeeealy gonna like it. Even with hiss and hum and spitting and popping, the stage was gigantic, and the musical colors were bright and joyous, but it was still very neutral, hard to describe in words. I do hope I get to hear it again, all 'right and proper.'
Rich

[Carlman]

I'm looking forward to hearing it as well... We're moving to the new house in late September so all my listening will have to be at Rich's place at this point.  I'm coming to a wall on audio-phility between now and a week or so from now...

But when it cranks back, man, it's going to crank big. 

[richidoo]

Just try not to shatter the foundation before the paint dries.... 

So should I buy more groceries? 

[steve]

I think I found the problem with spitting and popping. Noisy plate resistor. Did a quick replacement early this afternoon (did not dissasemble the entire unit) and will run thru the weekend to be sure.

(The plate resistor runs at approx 8% of max dissapation rating and 13% of max voltage rating, but sometimes parts can just fail. But this is the first time a part has ever failed in a preamp. Arrrrg.)

I checked for hum using my usual technique. All seems quite normal and ready to send. 

If all works ok over the weekend, should have the 11A to DHL Monday. Woodsyi, could you PM me with your address?

Thanks for your patience.

[richidoo]

That's a relief!  Glad it was easy fix.

[richidoo]

Can someone please PM me or Steve Sammet ("steve") with the correct phone number of Woodsyi? Steve's trying to prepare the 11a for shipping tomorrow, but he can't get ahold of Rim to verify which address to ship to. I have two different addresses from demo tour and group buy.
Thanks!!
Rich

[Woodsyi]

PMed both of you with my work address which is my preferred shipping address.  Thanks for repairing the unit so quickly and let me keep my turn on time.  Thanks Rich and Carl for giving up your time with it for the time being. 

[Carlman]

Well, Rim... sometimes you just gotta take one for the team... 

Seriously, no problem... we look forward to hearing it later in the tour....

-C

[richidoo]

It is already missed, even when broken. (Honest!)  You're gonna liiiiike it.......