Audiophile cheapskate-on-your-behalf and all-around value cognoscenti Kevin Haskins of DIYCable had some very interesting and cost-effective components on display. In the tube arena, he's teamed up with the Chinese folks from Consonance/ Opera Audio to offer kit/assembled models. The Lady Day+ 300B SET monos sell for $749/pr without tubes or shipping and $1,507/pr assembled/shipped, custom options like grid chokes, Audio Note coupling caps, TJ300B mesh plates and tube cages necessarily altering the prices quoted here. The output transformers are said to compete even with Japanese Tangos. Equivalent dollar figures for the 45/2A3 or 300B push-pull Joplin are $499/$970; $649/$1,002 for the transformer-based Django volume control using the same TX102 units as Bent Audio, Seiden volume and selector switches and XLR/RCA i/o ports; $399/$653 for the Basie preamp with Audio Note coupling caps and integral phono stage; $599/$1,050 for the Bix turntable with Origin Live modified Rega RM250 [excluded in the kit]; and $459/$774 for the ultra-cool Chazz Headphone amplifier that can use KT88s, 6550s, EL34s or KT100s, is switchable between 3-watt triode and 10-watt pentode Class A SET operation, uses tube rectification and a 6SN7 driver and comes with a special second headphone jack for AKG K1000s. I want one for review. Badly! Yo, Kevin - put me on your undoubtedly long list...


On the subwoofer front, Kevin [above, nearly blown over by the performance] has collaborated with the folks from Adire Audio -- google and gawk over their massive driver above -- to soon introduce his own line of high-performance subwoofer and speaker kits. Like all assembled products from DIYCable from now on, they will bow under the Exodus name. These speaker designs will be collaborations with Dan Wiggins of Adire and utilize his XBL'2 motor technology said to reduce motor-based driver distortion by 30-50% which is applicable to subwoofer drivers, midranges and tweeters. Meanwhile, a partnership with George Cardas has netted a new DIY cable design. Did I mention digital amp kits from LC Audio based on proprietary ZAPpulse conversion? They'll debut under the Exodus umbrella in 2, 3, 4 & 5-channel variants in both stand-alone and integrated versions, with power outputs from 125wpc to 800w and with 96% efficiencies. Enough basic functionality is promised to directly connect an SACD/DVD-A/DVD player with analog outputs into these units for compact and affordable multi-channel systems.

Hey, this Haskins cat is hot to trot and busy as beaver, to offer the hands-on as well as financially conservative communities top bang for the buck. VSAC was a place where this type of behavior wasn't frowned upon by the audiophile mafia -- recognizing a threat when it bites them in the nose like an Australian sheep dog -- but rather applauded. While I can appreciate both sides of the bigger picture, I salute DIYCable for its unflagging commitment, to the cause of good music for less. Bravo! Our own Paul Candy and Mike Healey will undoubtedly pick over Kevin's menu to request a few choice review loaners. Also in the room was a sample of LC's digital amp, in SE version and with a Jena Labs-designed tube buffer stage that is sold by Kevin Whilden under the Solar Hi-Fi marquee, an environmentally conscious audio company.


As shown in integrated guise, the amp sells for an introductory $3,399 with DACT attenuator, 3 inputs, a sub out, 12 AU7 buffer stage, aluminum case with solid sustainable-species bamboo cheeks and 250/450-watt into 8/4 ohms power delivery. In amp-only form, the retail is $2,999, an optional remote with transformer attenuators is $250 on the integrated version. Non-tubed flavors can be had for $1,799/$2,199 in amp/integrated form. Solar Hi-Fi also makes the Solar 1, a $1,149/pr TL-loaded speaker in optional bamboo finish that uses a single 4" Jordan transducer. Look for reviews of the Solar Fusion Deuterium valved integrated by yours truly, a double-team effort on the Solar 1 speakers by Stephaen & Jeff and a review of Solar's forthcoming's DIY Jena Labs cable kit by Paul.

VSAC is a people's show where every opportunity to mingle and suffer a good time is exploited to the hilt. With our own Jeff, Stephaen, Marja & Henk at Bahn Thai's table above and the Oregon Triode Society cum Positive Feedback crowd in the throes of suffering while gathered 'round a Yacht Club Broiler table [Dave Robinson, ETM's Steve Rochlin, David Glackin from front to back on left, Dave and Carol Clark and Stan 'The Man' Ricker to right], Roger Gordon and Steve Rochlin below, here are a few faces belonging to the non-mainstream audio press. For pix of yours truly, wait for Robinson's show report on Positive Feedback On-Line. He's captured some compromising shots on his monster Nikon and promised to pen some savvy photo captions to drive them nails further into my coffin. Full-throttle exploits of all-around merriness, that's what this kind of show offers.