Split from "Lejonklou Tundra"

/Az

Thank you for the additional feedback, everyone! I do make an effort to try to understand and learn from all comments, positive as well as negative.

Charlie1 wrote:It would be nice to have the best of both in equal measure, but I fear this requires rather expensive Linn mono amps, or waiting for Fredrik's own mono amps.

I can confirm that Tundra Mono is currently in a late stage of testing. I have no specific date to share with you, as some details still remain. It will be released when I'm completely happy with it.

lejonklou wrote: I can confirm that Tundra Mono is currently in a late stage of testing. I have no specific date to share with you, as some details still remain. It will be released when I'm completely happy with it.

Exciting news! :-)

And what about the matching preamp ?

Pol wrote:And what about the matching preamp ?

Yes, I am working on that too!

Part of the things I've been testing on Tundra Mono is applicable on a preamp as well.

Hi Fredrik

Very exciting. Any comments yet on how the monos compare to Solos or it is too early to tell?

Best wishes

Kevin

macrotech2 wrote:Very exciting. Any comments yet on how the monos compare to Solos or it is too early to tell?

Hi Kevin and sorry for the late reply!

I leave it to others to comment how my products relate to other manufacturer's products. All I can say is that it will perform better than Tundra.

It's not quite finished yet, however. Testing should be completed soon, but some tuning and manufacturing issues still remain. Of the 500 transistors I bought, it turned out that only a dozen were in the correct range. Hmmm... Buy another 500 pieces or go back and search for a new optimal combination? Part of me enjoys the unexpected bumps in the road, so I'm not complaining.

Hi Fredrik! Can you reveal what kind of price bracket the Monobloc will be in? Slightly concerned you could kill the Tundra if the price is competitive but the quality better ...

Rufus McDufus wrote:Hi Fredrik! Can you reveal what kind of price bracket the Monobloc will be in?

I have decided to set prices according to my costs rather than how well I think the product performs. It just feels more honest.

That means if one Tundra Mono costs as much to develop and manufacture as one Tundra, their price will be the same. And right now the (preliminary) costs appear to be very similar - what is saved by removing one channel is spent on additional expenses on the remaining channel.

I don't think Mono will kill Tundra, as the cost for two channels is at least doubled. But even if it could, I believe Ivor was right when he long ago said 'Never protect a product!'. That is, if I can make something better for half the price, I do it. Hesitating due to how it could affect other products is not an option.

Rather than being killed, I beleive it's more likely Tundra will gain by the work on Mono. At the moment, the new drive stage and other bits I'm using in Mono doesn't fit into Tundras circuit. But sooner or later I will figure out how to make them - or something else. Tundra is very much a design I'm thinking about how to improve. Preferably with a retrofittable upgrade.

Thank you! Sorry to put you on the spot with that question, excellent answer.

Good Reply. Looking forward to it!

lejonklou wrote:

Rufus McDufus wrote:Hi Fredrik! Can you reveal what kind of price bracket the Monobloc will be in?

I have decided to set prices according to my costs rather than how well I think the product performs. It just feels more honest.

That means if one Tundra Mono costs as much to develop and manufacture as one Tundra, their price will be the same. And right now the (preliminary) costs appear to be very similar - what is saved by removing one channel is spent on additional expenses on the remaining channel.

I don't think Mono will kill Tundra, as the cost for two channels is at least doubled. But even if it could, I believe Ivor was right when he long ago said 'Never protect a product!'. That is, if I can make something better for half the price, I do it. Hesitating due to how it could affect other products is not an option.

Rather than being killed, I beleive it's more likely Tundra will gain by the work on Mono. At the moment, the new drive stage and other bits I'm using in Mono doesn't fit into Tundras circuit. But sooner or later I will figure out how to make them - or something else. Tundra is very much a design I'm thinking about how to improve. Preferably with a retrofittable upgrade.

usjaz wrote:Good Reply. Looking forward to it!

lejonklou wrote:

Rufus McDufus wrote:Hi Fredrik! Can you reveal what kind of price bracket the Monobloc will be in?

I have decided to set prices according to my costs rather than how well I think the product performs. It just feels more honest.

That means if one Tundra Mono costs as much to develop and manufacture as one Tundra, their price will be the same. And right now the (preliminary) costs appear to be very similar - what is saved by removing one channel is spent on additional expenses on the remaining channel.

I don't think Mono will kill Tundra, as the cost for two channels is at least doubled. But even if it could, I believe Ivor was right when he long ago said 'Never protect a product!'. That is, if I can make something better for half the price, I do it. Hesitating due to how it could affect other products is not an option.

Rather than being killed, I beleive it's more likely Tundra will gain by the work on Mono. At the moment, the new drive stage and other bits I'm using in Mono doesn't fit into Tundras circuit. But sooner or later I will figure out how to make them - or something else. Tundra is very much a design I'm thinking about how to improve. Preferably with a retrofittable upgrade.

Hope it won't be to long to hear from Fredrik how it sounds a early christmas present maybe?

Mike

So, clearly the most important question (tongue firmly in cheek here!) is whether it'll be called "Tundra Mono" or whether it will have a new name.

Perhaps Savanna, Veld or Steppe?

How about calling it the Lejonklou tundra mono makt?

Ozzzy189 wrote:How about calling it the Lejonklou tundra mono makt?

Fredrik any news regarding Tundra Mono when and how it sounds i'm very exited to hear something?

Mike

Hi Mike!

I've been completely buried in work on Mono for the last month. The project is now rapidly approaching ready for assembly.

The enclosures have been completed. Basically, they are Tundra enclosures with some improvements. Internally, the circuit boards are secured at more points that before. Externally, the front plates have been machined instead of water cut, which makes the edges a bit smoother.

The power supplies are the same as in Tundra. So, twice the power per channel is available with a pair of Mono's.

The first Mono circuit boards were completed by the end of summer. But I wasn't completely convinced by them. I knew they could be better and that I had to keep working. The new boards are soon being manufactured, provided all tests are positive. Almost all components have been purchased and most of the semiconductors measured and selected. Working hard to complete the last bits of this.

Thank you for being patient!

A question for Fredrik:

Will the mono amps have the same gain as the stereo Tundra ie can they be combined with stereo Tundras in a multi amp system ?

Flatcoat wrote:Will the mono amps have the same gain as the stereo Tundra ie can they be combined with stereo Tundras in a multi amp system ?

Yes! No problem combining them.

Yesterday the last box of parts went to the assembly company; torque screwdrivers, solder wire for the hand soldered parts, black M4 countersunk allen screws and finished and approved front plates. Now all they need to wait for are the circuit boards.

Just like with Tundra, the circuit boards are made in three separate steps; surface mount components, through hole components and manually fitted components. I can't praise the manufacturers enough, because they actually do all the curious little details exactly the way I ask them to; twist that one 1,5 turns, solder at 353 degrees, install that component reversed, use this tool only, do this before that. Some other companies I previously tried working with have politely ignored the instructions that seemed odd, probably suspecting I was a bit mad.

I have two final prototype Mono's in the lab that I'll bring home this weekend. That should be fun. Then I'll have to wait until December to find out how the production units perform. So far production units have always sounded a tiny bit better than prototypes, due to the manufacturing processes being more exactly specified. But every time I'm still a bit nervous.

lejonklou wrote:Yesterday the last box of parts went to the assembly company; torque screwdrivers, solder wire for the hand soldered parts, black M4 countersunk allen screws and finished and approved front plates. Now all they need to wait for are the circuit boards.

Just like with Tundra, the circuit boards are made in three separate steps; surface mount components, through hole components and manually fitted components. I can't praise the manufacturers enough, because they actually do all the curious little details exactly the way I ask them to; twist that one 1,5 turns, solder at 353 degrees, install that component reversed, use this tool only, do this before that. Some other companies I previously tried working with have politely ignored the instructions that seemed odd, probably suspecting I was a bit mad.

I have two final prototype Mono's in the lab that I'll bring home this weekend. That should be fun. Then I'll have to wait until December to find out how the production units perform. So far production units have always sounded a tiny bit better than prototypes, due to the manufacturing processes being more exactly specified. But every time I'm still a bit nervous.

Hope you write something about the performance of the prototype Mono would be great?Does the Tundra Mono come in Black only?

Mike

I'm eagerly waiting to hear them. Any ideas when you will be making them available to the UK (and perhaps visiting again?)

lejonklou wrote: probably suspecting I was a bit mad.

No worries Fredrik, you are in good company.
It was ages ago I stopped discussing tweaks with non Linnies...

Good Luck with the monos.
Please ask some friends to visit you so we can get feedback regarding the Tundra vs. Mono difference.
Knowing you, you likely not going to assess you product this time either ;-)

Is the official name defined yet?

macrotech2 wrote:I'm eagerly waiting to hear them. Any ideas when you will be making them available to the UK (and perhaps visiting again?)

Me too! My decision is whether to get a 3rd Tundra and go active, or wait for the monos. I'm more inclined towards the monos purely for simplicity's sake. Then the decision would be to go active with 6 monos ... but that's crazy talk!

Thank you for your comments!

The official name is Tundra Mono. It's available in black only. One Tundra Mono will cost exactly the same as one Tundra.

I have been promised ten units before Christmas, I hope they will make it. I won't be telling them to hurry up, as it's far more important that every detail is exactly right.

Fredrik, is there any chance at all of the Tundra being available in silver ?

Not much chance of that, I'm afraid. The silver finishes I've tried haven't been convincing.

It's also very practical and cost effective to only stock one colour.