I have -- sporadically. It looks very interesting on paper. The designer also looks very interesting, and his motivation to produce a super fine-tuned riaa is very encouraging.
The expected pricing, while high, seems to follow the retail cost of parts used (i.e., to diy it, were you to have the final fine-tuned schematics, would be more or less the same); example, a pair of Sowter step up trannies (used for MC 20dB boost) cost ~$220+postage. Precision resistors (the "real" precision ones) cost anywhere fm $4-10 per unit...
ASA I can tell, most of the tubes used a) are relatively inexpensive b) operate within a highly stabilised circuit, so tube rolling -- an expensive side activity -- may not be very important.
A slightly worrying aspect is the attenuator circuit being part of the riaa equalisation. This means the user must not tamper, touch, breath, or otherwise impact that circuit -- or the equalisation curve will be off.
Anyway, for anyone investing in a top-level phono this could be one of the options. On the down side, it's still in very small circulation (beta phase?); on the up side, this means access and interaction with the designer and flexibility.
Finally, if one considers some of the known "outstanding" phonos out there (FM Acoustics, Boulder, Aesthetics, Manley, Raul's equaliser...etc), the pricing becomes "reasonable".
Of course, all of the above is speculation.
The expected pricing, while high, seems to follow the retail cost of parts used (i.e., to diy it, were you to have the final fine-tuned schematics, would be more or less the same); example, a pair of Sowter step up trannies (used for MC 20dB boost) cost ~$220+postage. Precision resistors (the "real" precision ones) cost anywhere fm $4-10 per unit...
ASA I can tell, most of the tubes used a) are relatively inexpensive b) operate within a highly stabilised circuit, so tube rolling -- an expensive side activity -- may not be very important.
A slightly worrying aspect is the attenuator circuit being part of the riaa equalisation. This means the user must not tamper, touch, breath, or otherwise impact that circuit -- or the equalisation curve will be off.
Anyway, for anyone investing in a top-level phono this could be one of the options. On the down side, it's still in very small circulation (beta phase?); on the up side, this means access and interaction with the designer and flexibility.
Finally, if one considers some of the known "outstanding" phonos out there (FM Acoustics, Boulder, Aesthetics, Manley, Raul's equaliser...etc), the pricing becomes "reasonable".
Of course, all of the above is speculation.