Buckeye 3 Channel Purifi Amp Review

[pma]

Nothing said here can be taken as an excuse for the bent top cover of this amplifier. This is not about WAF or aesthetics, this is about amateurish work and lack of respect to customers.

 

[Krusty09]

Nothing said here can be taken as an excuse for the bent top cover of this amplifier. This is not about WAF or aesthetics, this is about amateurish work and lack of respect to customers.

We know who got coal this year. Next year will be better.

 

[Matias]

We should all be thankful for the internet warriors saving our poor souls from such perils.

 

[RickS]

Nothing said here can be taken as an excuse for the bent top cover of this amplifier. This is not about WAF or aesthetics, this is about amateurish work and lack of respect to customers.

Moderators please note that Pavel's account may have been hijacked by the grinch!

Since Dylan has clearly shown great respect for his customers, that should not require any further consideration imo. If anything, he has been very clear about the case aesthetics. They are not my favorite, but I do have 4. 2 older ones (I bought from him) and 2 of this newer style. The 2 of this style are 2 channel ones and the fit is as good as it gets for this style of case. There is no bend or major gap to be seen. This leads me to suggest some other more likely causes:

1. It may be that the wider 3-channel case has a bit more of a gap...
2. It may be that the case was opened and did not get put back optimally...
3. It may be worsened in Amir's picture than it really may be too.

In any case, the 3rd one is illusion and the first 2 may be readily improved by reseating the case and/or adding some gasketing tape.

 

[fatoldgit]

Putting aside the current technical issue (and whatever lessons learned re more robust pre-production testing that Dylan can take from this) maybe the other lesson is he needs to step away from the pure technical side and cast an eye onto things like fit and finish.

Sure a minor panel gap might not matter to him but to some people it might say "if the guy who made this is happy enough (or in others minds, sloppy enough) to not worry about a panel gap, what else, more critical did he skip over"

For the sake of a screw or two, the panel gap issue would be non existent.

As a retired software guy, you might have the best software product in a specific category but if the UI design/implementation is poor you will lose customers for the same reasons - if the UI is crap, what else is.

Dylan states he uses custom made cases... I suggest he work with his supplier to sort this panel gap issue out for current and future products.

Peter

 

[Bachemar]

I have the 3 channel Purifi, and there’s no gap on my unit. I suspect Amir’s unit may have been opened at some point and not been reseated properly.

If I press the top edge in the middle of the case, there is about 0.5mm of give. A clip on the inside to hold the top to the front plate could easily solve this without a screw to ruin the look.

My biggest recommendation to Dylan - would be to use countersunk screws for the side panels, or even better - have the panels wrap to the bottom, so screws are the bottom plate, with similar clips to hold sides to the front panel.

PC cases do this all the time (except they’re usually screwed to the back instead of bottom)

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Some people could assume that and in turn not want to purchase from me. Their loss.
(In regards to inferring because the case looks sloppy I'm sloppy)

 

[Sokel]

It's time for your most superficial member to write (I have stated it a lot of times,I can't help it!)

Do I love this case?Absolutely not.
Is it practical?No,dust will have a party after some time.

"Yeah" (sic),you like fancy stuff,etc,blah,blah,blah" :
Nope,I don't like this LESS than I don't like that wooden peachtree.
And I love the audiophonics one!

"Yeah (sic²) but it would raise the cost" :
I'm not really sure,anyone that makes diy knows that a nice case from Modushop as example that fits 3 purifi costs 150 euro tops,including the holes and at least has perfect fit.

Common sense,nothing more.I'm sure Dylan (which I really like,his responses are an oasis of politeness in a "yeah" desert) can make a good deal for a nicer case.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I have the 3 channel Purifi, and there’s no gap on my unit. I suspect Amir’s unit may have been opened at some point and not been reseated properly.
If I press the top edge in the middle of the case, there is about 0.5mm of give. A screw could help, that would also ruin the look of the top, so maybe a clip on the inside to hold it to the front plate.

My biggest recommendation to Dylan - would be to use countersunk screws for the side panels, or even better - have the panels wrap to the bottom, so screws are the bottom plate, with similar clips so the sides hold the front panel.

PC cases do this all the time (except they’re usually screwed to the back instead of bottom)

The gap occurs if the top panel screws are to tight upon reassembly. Easy remedy. Just didn't know it would become such a focal point of discussion. But there is the fix in case anyone wants to infer "that other problems might exist from my sloppiness"

 

[Buckeye Amps]

@Bachemar

The countersunk screws is an update I am considering. But it does bring a cost increase (not huge) and I'd have to change the thickness of the aluminum.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

On the topic of something more appreciable (performance):

Still running through testing, have excluded quite a bit of possibilities as to what is causing the distortion.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

"Yeah (sic²) but it would raise the cost" :
I'm not really sure,anyone that makes diy knows that a nice case from Modushop as example that fits 3 purifi costs 150 euro tops,including the holes and at least has perfect fit.

Even with a 1:1 Euro rate, this would still add cost to the amp. I'm also not sure if Modshop does customization such as adding stand offs for PCB mounting, different powder coat and anodized options, large MOQ's, Free Shipping. And a few other things the manufacturer I use offers.

 

[fatoldgit]

The gap occurs if the top panel screws are to tight upon reassembly. Easy remedy. Just didn't know it would become such a focal point of discussion. But there is the fix in case anyone wants to infer "that other problems might exist from my sloppiness"

I wasnt making that statement specifically about you (i.e. you were sloppy) but we have a continuum of viewpoints from people:

1- people who dont notice the minor gap cause they arent wired like that

2- people who notice it but its not an issue cause they care mainly about the tech aspects of the product

3- people who notice it and its a concern because it casts doubt on other aspects and even if the tech aspects are all ok, they still wouldnt buy the product cause there will always be other products that measure as well that meet their design aesthetics.

For example, in my case (no pun intended) I would never buy a Mcintosh audio product cause I cant stand the looks.

And re the counter sunk screws... I actually came back to make that comment... you might not think its an issue (from your purely engineering perspective) but to some potential customers the lack of them means they might look else where because aesthetics is important to them.

Peter

 

[Bachemar]

The gap occurs if the top panel screws are to tight upon reassembly. Easy remedy. Just didn't know it would become such a focal point of discussion. But there is the fix in case anyone wants to infer "that other problems might exist from my sloppiness"

To be clear, I was saying my case does NOT have a gap. So any gap on Amir’s unit is not indicative of other units (yes I know, sample size of 2). The rest of the case actually feels quite solidly firm (except for the one point at the top, front center)

 

[fatoldgit]

On the topic of something more appreciable (performance):

Well.... that top panel will have a sympathetic resonance and I have seen (not gear I own) panels such as this resonate to the point of being audible.

Again I am not being critical but for a few cents here, a few cents there you can remove any visual issues... you might not think its critical but many people (maybe more than you can imagine) consider looks as important as any other aspect of a product.

Peter

 

[Sokel]

Even with a 1:1 Euro rate, this would still add cost to the amp. I'm also not sure if Modshop does customization such as adding stand offs for PCB mounting, different powder coat and anodized options, large MOQ's, Free Shipping. And a few other things the manufacturer I use offers.

That was just an example and for 1 case as a hobbyist,there are other places too.
I think it does all that and more and a costumer who makes lots of cases can get a nicer deal.

(The 150 euro case I had in mind is one with heatsinks and all,simple ones cost less).
I don't want to appear like I advertise them though I'm only a happy costumer who has got 3-4 cases (one of them is 10yo and still running nice looking!).

 

[Buckeye Amps]

As always, I appreciate all the feedback but the case design is definitely not changing, except maybe for adding countersunk screws.

From day one I've said if someone looks at my cases and says "not for me" regardless of price vs. performance, than my product is not for them.

If someone infers that a gap in the cover (which I've already said is easily addressed) means my overall workmanship is questionable, there is plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.

 

[Billy Budapest]

People complaining about casework is really the antithesis of what ASR is about. Audio is full of products with fancy cases and crappy performance. I’d rather see a manufacturer devote money to where it counts than cosmetics.

 

[Fahzz]

Some people have nothing better to do than nitpick.
Ignore the aesthetes. Work on the technical issue, and get back to turning these great amps out like you have been doing.

 

[Sokel]

People complaining about casework is really the antithesis of what ASR is about. Audio is full of products with fancy cases and crappy performance. I’d rather see a manufacturer devote money to where it counts than cosmetics.

Let the aesthetics out for a moment (you,I wouldn't leave them,I like a nice case as I like a nice leather porch for my papers even though I can carry them in a plastic bag).
Dust?Sleeves that can get caught by this screws and carry the amp with them? (the later is about to be addressed as I read).
And not all nice cases costs thousands,look at the 500$ beautiful black Yamahas for example (ok,different scale but still).