How long is it taking to receive a preamp?

" Seems dealing with manuf directly may be an upcoming way to do business."

My experience has been with ordering direct from the manufacturers - speakers, preamp, power amp , DAC still required 50% up front payment with the orders, and pre-pandemic wait times were from 8-12 weeks for each. As others have noted, wait times now are even longer due to all of the supply chain disruptions which are impacting everything not just audio.

It will take less time than services from AI.

I find dealers get in the way. Manuf know more and u tend talking to them about product. Dealers r heavily biased. Some good but many arent.

further, dealers refer me to manufs. They want to limit involvement.

tough business.
Just drop ship to me.

@emergingsoul

You may have been speaking with the wrong dealers. In addition, if you believe dealers are heavily biased, try asking Audio Research how their preamplifier stacks up against Shindo or Audio Note or BAT or another brand you may be considering.

Once again, buy what you like from whomever you like but no one is unbiased. 

I value dealers....  This hobby, pastime, lifestyle, whatever you want to call it NEEDS dealers.   I visit a few local ones occasionally...  usually for. an accessory or tube or something just because.   But often times it stokes the fire for something like a new speaker, or source,  amp.... 

So when I am looking for something I will consider used and new .  I never waste a dealer's time.  If you, the dealer take the time to demo something and work a little on the price I am most likely buying it from. you.  Im really not a fan of buying online...  I do it once in a while,  there was no Quicksilver dealer near me so I bought from Johnny at Audio Connection in NJ.   He took good care of me, no doubt and I'm still supporting a dealer, not some mega-conglomerate