ABOUT ME
Hi everyone, I my name is Jeff. I am a hobbyist amp builder located in Singapore.
With more free time at home thanks to the pandemic, I have decided to build and sell headphone amplifiers that I deem to be nice sounding and classic (as opposed to being the flavour of the month).
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If you are in search for an ultimate amplifier to be part of your end-game set-up or looking for a new and interesting piece of gear to rejuvenate your listening experience (and never go back), look no further! I am currently selling a few different amplifiers for different listening needs. Super Symmetry (SuSy) Dynalo and Dynahi for dynamic and planar magnetic headphones. KGSSHV Carbon and Grounded Grid for electrostatic headphones. Prices are competitive for products of the same build quality and sound quality.
If the base options are not good enough for you, I also offer customisable options to upgrade power supply, customise chassis sizes and case colours and more! Simply send me an email to enquire.
I am a hobbyist builder, and making money from sales is not my main concern. I just wanna build some top quality amplifiers to better utilise my time and earn some tuition fees for my $32k university course. For me, quality is of utmost priority, not quantity.
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The reason I can keep my default build prices low is because I use custom CNC acrylic cases instead of aluminium chassis. I also don’t have the time to arrange for paid reviews on major forums. Nonetheless, I don't skimp on quality of my builds, and i am confident that my overall workmanship and attention to details is better than what most people can find online. My stuff is built with premium materials and good workmanship. I design the cases myself. The transistors are often new-old-stock and hand matched, capacitors are chosen with care, resistors are through-hole with ultra low thermal drift and 0.1% tolerance at critical junctions. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, the circuit design I used are so good that audiophiles all around the world celebrate them.
I offer bespoke design services alongside my amplifier building services. Everyone’s listening need is unique. One audiophile might want a dual box set up for separate power supply and amp unit. Another might prefer a smaller footprint. Someone else might wanna use a particular upgraded power supply, or a certain gain level to be present. FWIW, you might even wanna just buy a kit of material and boards and build the amp yourself. I’d entertain all these requests, with the necessary material fees, of course. I have confidence over the reliability of my products, and would offer limited warranty for 1 year from the date of purchase. Afterwards, material cost applies.
You might call me a DIYer, but I call myself an artisan, for I truly know the stuff I work with, and my standards are much higher than factory-line jobs. A really huge thanks for making it this far! If you have questions regarding anything audio at zengding123@hotmail.com. Feel free to just message me if you are interested to know more about my amplifiers too. As much as I hope to earn some tuition money, I'd love to make friends too.
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Cheers,
Jeff
A CLIENT ONCE ASKED ME, WHAT MAKES A GOOD BUILDER...
It is in fact very hard to define what makes a good builder. If there were a checklist, then the builder should at least
0) be electrically safe. No loose, exposed wires, especially those carrying high voltage. Proper grounding and earthing
1) knows what he is doing thoroughly - from understanding the electrical schematics, to the circuit board layout, to each component inside the build if he decides to give the build some of his own flavours and deviate from the blueprint
2) prudent and honest in the material used. The profit driven nature of the building service must not undermine the quality of the end product. So quality of the materials used must be ensured. If a customer decides to use non-standard build materials, it is also the builder's duty to check the viability of the materials used.
3) optimise the performance of the product built - including, provide sufficient cooling solutions to ensure good thermal performance and longevity of the build, clean and neat workmanship, functional and decent aesthetics of the product.
3) ensure user satisfaction
3a) good communication with the client and know what they are looking for - this is a customised service afterall, and being an independent builder, I have the capacity to tolerate a heterogenous clientele. Suggest suitable amplifier solutions and variations from the standard build, depending on client's requirements.
3b) minimise risk for component failure - it can still happen, but using high quality components and good workmanship reduces the risk quite significantly. Also, test the product before sending out.
3c) have a good damage control solution - in case of component failure, own up to the problem and prioritise repair services. To me, I would value my existing clientele more than new or potential ones, because I really don't have the ambition to do this at a larger scale.
I dare say that so far, I have been trying my best to fulfill these points, otherwise my conscience won't let me sleep well at night. So far, I have not encountered any amp repairs yet, so fingers crossed.
Usually I would run the amps for quite a while to ensure that they sound and measure alright after the amp warms up. I would use IEMs and my own hard-to-drive planars to check for noise and power respectively. As for the customised casework, I will ensure that they look good and fit well. In case if it doesn't look right, I will liase with the factory and bear the cost of any casework revisions.
WHAT MAKES MY BUILDS SPECIAL
WORKMANSHIP
All amps are hand-built in Singapore, with premium materials that are not often found in similar products.
COMMUNICATION
I would communicate with you to find out your ideas, needs and concerns and make appropriate suggestions and recommendations for your audio set-up. Again, my main aim is to gain satisfied clients instead of hitting sales targets.
PERSONALISED
Everyone’s listening need is unique. I offer numerious upgrade options and encourage highly personalised requests to tailor your amplifier only for you.