Bottlehead DAC - making it happen with Kickstarter?

[PassionForSound]

RPMac, I think comparisons are most helpful when people are considering multiple options to invest in (i.e. a Woo tube amp vs a Bottlehead tube amp vs maybe a Burson solid state - purely for a rough example). For that reason I think comparisons would be highly valuable here, particulary a range of them, because the price tag (circa $1500) means that it's a purchase decision that will likely be an either or as it's not a sum of money that many people will spend in multiples. I expect many people will be deciding to buy the BH DAC or a premium amp or a TOTL headphone so they'll need plenty of justification to choose the DAC over the possible alternatives available in this price range.

That said, I couldn't agree more with you about the continually brilliant quality and value delivered by Bottlehead's products. In some ways, the higher price tag has me excited because I know the project would have been scrapped already if the product didn't completely justify the price tag.

Now where are those spare coins I had??? 

 

[AudioDave]

Count me in Doc!

 

[xcortes]

Pm sent

 

[kgoss]

I will eventually buy the DAC.  In fact it will be my next Bottlehead purchase but I won't be able to join the kickstarter effort. I have been looking forward to this product for a long time but I have some medical bills to take care of first.  I hope this kickstarter campaign is wildly successful. I know that John and everyone at Bottlehead have been working hard for over a year to bring this to life and they wouldn't release it if it wasn't worth two or three times the asking price. If that wasn't the case it would have been released a long time ago.

Ken

 

[RPMac]

Loquah, the way I look at these things is that the biggest factors in how a system "sounds" are the speakers, their inner action with room acoustics, and the perception of the listener. A person that likes warm and mellow is not going to be of the same opinion as someone that likes bright and detailed.

But, I stand corrected in that the comparison opinion of Doc and the Bottlehead team would be of great value because they are the ones that have "voiced" the gear we use and enjoy.

I understand that an almost 50% jump in projected price is something to think about, but we all know that Doc isn't going to put something out until it is right and worth having.

I'm not trying to get into Doc's business, but if he can get 20 or more of us to commit to buy and willing to pay up front, why does he need Kickstarter? Exposure???

My bottom line,( for Grainger's sake ;>D ), I want to see it happen.

 

[denti alligator]

I understand that an almost 50% jump in projected price is something to think about, but we all know that Doc isn't going to put something out until it is right and worth having.

First of all, it's more like a 25% jump (Doc projected $1,000-1,200). And second, he also warned us that it was an estimate, and that he didn't want us to hold it against him if it went up.

I'm bummed it is higher, but by no means will I stop trying to get one. Brand loyalty has a whole new meaning with BH. And since digital is, after all, the future, this a DAC is a must.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I'm not trying to get into Doc's business, but if he can get 20 or more of us to commit to buy and willing to pay up front, why does he need Kickstarter? Exposure???

It's more that Kickstarter is a really transparent way to organize this.  We don't (yet) have the capabilities to easily run something like this where any customer could see the number of units sold, and know when the project is funded.  For new customers who haven't bought from Bottlehead before, using Kickstarter as the middleman should provide some peace of mind.

 

[Grainger49]

Thank you Robert!

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I'm gonna try and raise the funds, but I don't know.  Doc, I was sure the price wouldn't be lowered; just worried a bit it might go up.

I don't believe Kickstarter would allow us to raise the price, even if we wanted to.

 

[debk]

So when is this going to happen?  I know in my previous post I was on the fence, but I am on board now.
Don't want Grainger to miss out on this! 

Debra

 

[Grainger49]

I know Dan appreciates the startup support, and so do I.

 

[Doc B]

I am working with someone on their kickstarter today, to learn a little more about it. We will get it going as soon as I feel like I have everything in place.

 

[denti alligator]

I'm gonna try and raise the funds, but I don't know.  Doc, I was sure the price wouldn't be lowered; just worried a bit it might go up.

I don't believe Kickstarter would allow us to raise the price, even if we wanted to.

I meant once it's up on the site here.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I meant once it's up on the site here.

As I mentioned before, it may not be available as a product to purchase after the kickstarter.  That is uncertain at this point. 

 

[Alonzo]

Da Da Daaaaahhhhh, now all of us fence sitters are quivering even more.  To commit sight unseen and ears unheard or to jump into the cold stream with all the other BH's, that is the question.

 

[caffeinator]

To borrow a line from Mad Max:

"This is a threshold moment, Johnny. Step through."

 

[denti alligator]

I meant once it's up on the site here.

As I mentioned before, it may not be available as a product to purchase after the kickstarter.  That is uncertain at this point.

Oh, I thought you had to order 150 or more of a certain part and were using kickstarter to finance that initial buy. What would happen to the other 130 parts?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Oh, I thought you had to order 150 or more of a certain part and were using kickstarter to finance that initial buy. What would happen to the other 130 parts?

Yes, the Kickstarter will finance the initial run and these obnoxious minimum order quantities.  It will also give us the ability to produce the boards at an affordable price with sufficient guaranteed orders.  We are going to do our best to keep the costs of the kit under control, which may mean that our overstock of DAC specific parts may sit on a shelf at the assembly house for a while. 

 

[mSummers]

I think the Kickstarter scenario is a good way to get this going.

However, $1,500 is above the price that I can afford to spend right now.  At that price, I would want to hear it first to make sure I can hear a difference.

My other concern is the battery.  I know it is included because it helps with the sonic qualities, but what happens down the road when it needs replacing.  Do we know that replacements will be available?  If for some reason a suitable replacement can't be found for whatever reason, could the DAC run without a battery installed?  I apologize if any of those battery questions have been previously answered.  I must have missed them.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

My other concern is the battery.  I know it is included because it helps with the sonic qualities, but what happens down the road when it needs replacing.  Do we know that replacements will be available?  If for some reason a suitable replacement can't be found for whatever reason, could the DAC run without a battery installed?

The battery is an SLA7-6.  This is a very popular battery for uninterruptible power supplies used for computing, so they are generally widely available and should be in production for quite some time to come. 

The DAC can be run without a battery installed, and there will be a switch position on the stock unit that would allow for this if you happen to need to replace the battery and are stuck waiting on shipping.