Eddie Current Super 7

Thanks mang. I mostly want to pop the top to see what I'm working with. I can't order new parts until I fully recover from being scammed, but this will help me wrap my head around the possibilities.

 

Help me remedy on originally passing on this amp by telling us about how the Aficionado, which I hopefully will be able to buy, is better than the S7?

 

Sorry to hear that happened - and I personally wouldn't let someone get away with it. Can't you file a claim in the small claims court? I'm certain that's something that will at least bring a notice to him? You have his account details etc so his name+address wouldnt be difficult to trace for them.

 

I shouldn't be allowed to own an amp with more than 1 tube in it. Says my wallet.

 

Send it this way and call it a day then. ^^

Don't go overboard or do what I usually do, keep an eye on the classifies and be patient otherwise, yes, you'll end paying a lot more than needed.

 

I'm being as patient as I can with tubes. Found a really nice combo with what I have on hand.

Yellow label/circle mica Sylvania 7N7 driver, chrome dome short bottle Sylvania in front and back, new production Tung-Sol in the middle.

That this amp remains somewhat unknown is an utter shame. It outperforms so many amplifiers even with this modest tube complement and no mods.

And it doesn't need an asterisk (*doesn't need "for the price"). If the Super 7 was still made today, the thread I made about amps under $2000 would be very short. Get a Super 7 or maybe something from ampsandsound and pretend everything else doesn't exist.

Looking at the original marketing material on the website, I think that's what killed it.

"The Super 7 is the entry level amp that can!"

Nobody wants the "I think I can I think I can" train engine.

This thing is not entry level. People looking at the price point don't want entry level.

This is an end game amp that was priced reasonably when it came out. Calling it out as your worst amp right in the first line of the description is just bad marketing.

 

What is happening with EC in general? After their latest production runs of Aficionado are things done?

 

I feel like this happened for a lot amps in the same price bracket. I'm assuming that is what happened to other amps like the Black Widow, Sonnet 2, and others.

 

I never considered that amp because of the 7 6SN7 tubes. It was priced reasonably, but 7 quality NOS tubes for it that you're happy with is going to add to that cost.

 

I think Craig not sending out loaner review units helped sink the amp. Hard for people to get hyped on a product with no professional or even semi-professional reviews of a amp that no one can audition or test out themselves.

There were probably 5 or 6 sites/blogs that could have really spread the word on the amp, hell even giving it to Zeos on youtube could have spread some hype, despite his ramblings.

Marketing 101, people can't buy what they don't know exists.

 

Warning: Noise, not signal.

This looks like a Firefly Red Light District

 

It's one of those things where a very small operation boutique manufacturer doesn't actually want that much publicity. It has been stated here a couple times now that EC doesn't want huge amounts of orders, because they would be unable to keep up with demand. So it's a fine line they tread on generating enough traction for a product to remain viable without getting out of hand.

I had a similar experience with a MapleTree Audio, a Canadian tube amp brand up here. I asked to review one of their newer amps and they flatly said no. From their point of view, even a single review sample is a significant portion of their funds tied up, and more often than not those units would become damaged in all the shipping back and forth. They already had one review done, and that was enough for them. They didn't care about generating (more) good press, because their orders were just enough to keep their one or two man operation busy during their spare time. Any more than that, and it wouldn't be a hobby anymore.

 

I can see why it works for the high end stuff. People who buy them already know about them & know what they are getting into.

Though I honestly can't see how any business would not want to sell as much as they can. If demand got completely out of hand, of course he would need to expand. That would probably require something under $1,000 or even lower to generate that kind of demand.

 

It really comes down to personal preference and risk. If someone is doing it as a side-business or hobby, it's nice to fill fun time and get some extra money doing it. If it starts to consume your life, you have to think about your family and also your full-time job. Do you leave it and hope the business stays busy - busy enough to support your family like before? That's a big risk and also not what some people want.

The opportunity is there to make money but is it (A) how you want to make money and (B) is it fun anymore. I say this because it's the same internal dialogue that happened when I thought about going pro as a photographer and quitting my job as a Geologist. In the end, it sucks the fun out of it and is too risky for me.

 

It's necessary to understand that money isn't everything to everyone. The satisfaction of doing something right can be a lot more fulfilling than gathering hundreds of orders.

Working by hand, small scale, as craft, means limiting the orders and/or taking long pre-order lines like Justin at headamp or Donald at DNA. There's just no way around it, as subcontracting is usually not doable for the type of amp they do, or the level of quality they provide. At least not at the price point they keep.