[Trevor Wilson[_2_]]

"bassett" wrote in message
...

"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...
.

**Let me re-state the situation:

* Peter Stein is supporting and servicing products he manufactured. I am
servicing and supporting ME and other products.
* There are others who service and support ME products. Due to the
careful matching of semiconductors in all ME products, servicing the
output stages by anyone other than PS (or his appointed successor/s) is a
real bad idea.
* Supplying schematics to anyone calling themselves a 'tech', in the case
of ME, may be a very bad idea. Techs who are unable to perform even basic
fault-finding, can end up doing far more damage to the amplifier.
* In the case of most ME models, the output stages are modular in format.
This makes removal and replacement a quick, simple exercise. Peter Stein
(and his appointed successors) can effect service to those output modules
and the modules posted back, safely, inexpensively and easily. Freighting
amplifiers around the nation is not required. All that is required, is a
competent tech.
* I have seen many ME amplifiers which have been worked on by incompetent
techs. The result is not pretty, nor cheap to rectify.
* Poorly serviced ME amplifiers reflect badly on the product's
reputation.

Trevor Wilson

One would have thought or at least hoped that electronics' would have
advanced, improved, or at the very least progressed to a point where a 30
year old design could be called dated, superseded or at the very last
'outmoded' By modern technology, multi-layered chips, and modern
manufacturing technique's

**I'll let you into a dirty little secret:

* Amplifier topology (BJT) has not altered since 1965.
* MOSFETs and IGBJTs are the only new devices, necessitating new topologies
to enter the market place. MOSFETs suck (sound-wise) and IGBJTs have never
succeeded.
* Even so-called 'digital amplifiers' (aka: Class D) are not new. They were
around several decades ago.

There you go. No amplifier is significantly new, nor innovative. Peter Stein
released his innovative products in 1976. They were and still are, very
different to almost every other product on the market.


At what point do you decide that up-dating, re-fitting, or simply
replacing old components for new ones, is beyond the scope of
transforming something into what you consider expectable or comparable
to a modern day design. and at the very least on a par with what is
available today.

**I'll put a 1976 model ME up against any mass market product available
today.


Or have you also updated your Holden commodore, by removing the starting
handle out the front of the radiator, and while it might have been an
advantage in the late fifties to have such a leg breaker, we now have
modern electronics' making your starting handle obsolete.

**I'd LIKE to update my Commodore to one or more of the following:
* Direct injection Diesel.
* Direct injection petrol.
* Hybrid Diesel/electric engine.
* Side curtain air bags.
* Stability programme.
* Etc.

I can't because GMH don't make the technology able to be retro-fitted, nor,
if it was, economically viable. At least Peter Stein ensures that his
customers can keep their products up to date. Which is more than can be said
of Rotel, Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo, Krell, etc.


In short we get to the point where a 30 year old design, is simply
that, nothing more nothing less,

**ALL amplifier designs are at least that old.

Of cause supporting something of that age does
have considerable advantages, for one thing, nothing new needs to be
learned, Old relics constantly breakdown, so an income can be assured in
your retirement years.

**I have news for you: Instead of throwing their amps away, ME owners can
simply update them.


Of cause it could also be argued that a modern day design, would simply
not make it in this modern age, and there would simply be no need to
start manufacturing new models as the diminishing market and the
production costs would make anything new completely out of reach, price
wise to Jo Public, unless it was made in China, Korea or Taiwan, and
for that to happen schematic's would need to be supplied to the factory
of choice, with a undertaking that Chinese laws would need to change to
protect the Copyright's of such valuable documents

**That much is correct. The rest is just wrong.

Trevor Wilson