GROUP BUY: Universal Audio 176 - a 100% faithful recreation of a legend! CLOSED!

[salomonander]

paid. best jakob

 

[JMarcovis]

paid for 2, thanks!

 

[BramK]

Paid and ready for the adventure!

 

[Spaceyjb]

Hi Martin

I guess I've missed it... or is there still any chance?
I found about you too late through analogvibes - great Job btw.

Greets from Stuttgart

Jan

Alright guys - let's do this!!

Sorry it took me so long but as some of you probably noticed I've been working a lot on my own analogvibes.com platform.

Anyway, besides working on analogvibes I got in touch with all suppliers needed to do a limited run of 176 chassis kits - FINALLY!

This will be the most sophisticated and complete kit I've done so far, so it was a lot to organize.

A couple of things though:

VU meter:
Of course I can do this run for the API 361 meter only as it turns up fairly often and relatively cheap on eBay - much cheaper than a new sifam for example. And besides - as moltenwok posted here, he has a friend who has 30-40 of them for sale...

But I could also do a part of the run for  the SIFAM R32AF on order as it's still readily available.

Logo: there won't be a UA logo on these kits - but a) they look equally as amazing without it and b) if you still want there's plenty of options by now you can get it on there

On the back there are 4 cutouts to mount the two 0.5 oil caps, but some vintage units didn't use these oil caps but regular film caps mounted on a little turret board inside with standoffs.
Should I leave these cutouts in, and whoever wants can use the oil cans if they can be sourced or decide to use regular film caps instead (in the case of the latter these cutout would remain empty)?
I mean it's 4 little holes with a diameter of probably 1cm (0.39in)

The mounting holes for the oil caps can also be used to mount the turret board inside in case of using film caps...


Anyway - we'll find a solution here, right


Here's what will be included in this authentic re-creation of a UA 176 chassis kit:

- main chassis, bent, welded, smoothed and powder coated grey

- first front panel  - also folded edges, welded smoothed and powder coated grey

- custom made hinge manufactured following original specs, powder coated and welded to the first front panel

- second front panel to go on top of the first one: this will be the black panel with white silk-screening

- custom made stainless steel thumb screws designed for original looks

- mounting bracket for input/output jacks on the front

- mounting bracket for optional metering switch inside

- handmade, authentic re-creations of the 2 original pcbs: these will be handmade to original specs with fork turrets just like the original
- handmade PSU turret board

- handmade RATIO turret board

- handmade METERING turret board

- first BOM

- first wiring layout for the entire unit


All of this I will offer as kit in this LIMITED run for EUR 399.00

Actually this is the price if we can reach 50 chassis, but I convinced all suppliers - if we don't hit that margin, but only 40 chassis instead, we'll still get that price

And I'm positive that we can reach 40pcs.
And in case we end up with only 38pcs, I will have to buy one for Mom and one for Granny - I'm sure they'd love them  ;D

SO:
I'll get in touch with all of those who posted here and want to have one or two or...

In case you're new to this thread and interested send me an email to [email protected]
If you posted here and don't get an email within the next couple of days, do the same

Lead time for having these gems manufactured will be around 6-8 weeks.

ONE MORE THING: I'll keep this group buy open until March 15th - after that deadline I'll process the orders and have the kits manufactured...

I'll add some more pics in a bit...

Thanks A LOT for your patience guys!! I really really appreciate it!
Martin

Some pics (I'll share more later)

 

[JMarcovis]

Woo hoo, great news Martin ~hoarded enough bits for 4 here please. Also have a friend with about 16  O~17 shields and he has 30~40 a pi  361 meters that he could print up ua logos for, let me know team

Hey moltenwok, I am looking for a pair of 0-17 shields and 1 API 361 meter. Can you connect me with your friend?

 

[mro]

Hey moltenwok, I am looking for a pair of 0-17 shields and 1 API 361 meter. Can you connect me with your friend?

I second that  question.  I'd be interested in the 0-17

 

[moltenwok]

Hi team, yahoo we're all go... If you pm or email me I'll just do a group deal with him, I've also got spares of the jacks from an old patch panel here!

 

[BramK]

There are a few NOS UTC O-1 transformers up for sale on the Bay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-New-Old-Stock-UTC-0-1-Transformer/132536874891?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[rainton]

Wow, I didn't expect that much interest in this project!! 

Great to have all of you on board guys!!

GROUP BUY IS NOW CLOSED!

I'll place the order with the manufacturers on Monday...

I'll keep you posted 

 

[mro]

If anyone's interested I have quite a few switchcraft longframe jack sockets.

 

[BramK]

How risky is it buying used vintage transformers (instead of NOS) such as the UTCs? Do these go bad over time from use?

 

[mjrippe]

How risky is it buying used vintage transformers (instead of NOS) such as the UTCs? Do these go bad over time from use?

They will generally not go bad from use, only from abuse.  If the seller can at least verify DC resistance with an ohmmeter or multimeter, the transformer should be ok.

I actually came here to say I have two UTC O-2 with O-17 shields available.  They are the same as O-1 but with a center tapped secondary.  Used, desoldered, tested, $100 each.  PM if interested.

 

[BramK]

Thanks for the info mjrippe - I just slept past the auction end for an A-18 and missed it. Whoops.  :

If anyone has any extra UTC A-18's for sale, please let me know!

 

[xarolium]

Hi diyer
As I bought a  pair of 176 I need two Api 361 meter. Let me if you have some to sell.

Best regards,
Vincent

 

[jslstudio]

How risky is it buying used vintage transformers (instead of NOS) such as the UTCs? Do these go bad over time from use?

Are these the mono? With the angled up ground connection?  That is what is in the originals. Though a lot of people switched to two STEREO jacks.
J

 

[jslstudio]

By the way would the increased DCR of the A19 vs the A18 cause any issues?

Also to clarify, you said both the A18 and A19 were used in the 176, correct? References online said it was the A19, and one said both were used.

Thanks Doug!

Mike

For what it is worth.....My original UA 175b  has a UTC- A 19  . With the UTC A 33 shield over it....
Original never changed.
J

 

[rainton]

Hey guys,

as some may have probably found out the 20uf/20uf can caps with 1" diameter are not longer available.
When I built my prototype back then they still were offered by CE manufacturing.

Now thanks to Jonathan aka Quayhog we may have a solution for the problem!

He found a little company that can custom make can caps for us!! And the good thing is, if we order more than 50 caps from them, they will be even cheaper than the CE manufacturing ones!

They can also make the long out of production 10uf/10uf can caps that are soldered directly to the pcb...here's a pic - they have a chrome finish  8):

Now we only have to find out if they can make the 10uf/10uf caps with pcb pins instead of regular twist lock terminals - which would be great!
If not we'll also find a was to make them compatible

 

[JMarcovis]

Count me in for 2 units worth!

Hey guys,

as some may have probably found out the 20uf/20uf can caps with 1" diameter are not longer available.
When I built my prototype back then they still were offered by CE manufacturing.

Now thanks to Jonathan aka Quayhog we may have a solution for the problem!

He found a little company that can custom make can caps for us!! And the good thing is, if we order more than 50 caps from them, they will be even cheaper than the CE manufacturing ones!

They can also make the long out of production 10uf/10uf can caps that are soldered directly to the pcb...here's a pic - they have a chrome finish  8):

Now we only have to find out if they can make the 10uf/10uf caps with pcb pins instead of regular twist lock terminals - which would be great!
If not we'll also find a was to make them compatible

 

[jslstudio]

I would like to have a special edition chassis for the 361. Oh wait, I take 2 !
In real life, I actually don't need an illuminated meter, but I have a daylight studio.

I thought about the lid situation. Why did they build the units without lid ? Maybe to simply reach the internal pots more easy ? Because they were needed so often ?  Really mysterious. When you have to change settings all the time, it's good to have no lid. When it's about one set and forget, I think, it'S better to have a lid. Case closed

SiFam AL 22 is closer to the original Weston. RF 32 is to big...
API meters where used on the Very early 175 not the 175b.  Basically 175b / 176 are the Weston 3" Same as the later Urei/La3a/1176 blue etc.......

I would say do not cut out meter rectangle.....Leaves options for the original meters...

 

[rainton]

API meters where used on the Very early 175 not the 175b. 

That's not true John - I've seen several 175b with API meter - here's one of them:

SiFam AL 22 is closer to the original Weston. RF 32 is to big...

I would say do not cut out meter rectangle.....Leaves options for the original meters...

The AL22 is not being made anymore so it makes no sense as an option as it's extremely rare.
Besides - pretty much everyone in this thread wants the API meter anyway

BUT my friend Aaron with Don Audio has a good connection to SIFAM - and he's actually the only retailer that still has the R32AF. But these are discontinued and he has the last batch made by SIFAM
.
He's now asking if SIFAM could make a limited run of customized AL29 meters - with a scale closer to the Weston in terms of looks - and maybe even with a custom bezel and pointer. But that's not confirmed yet!


If not, I would leave the R32AF option as planned (besides the API option of course) since it looks absolutely great and the build quality of the old R series is far superior to the newer AL series. (metal bezel and full VU specs)

The Retro 176 also uses the R32AF meter by the way...

Anyway, I can do yours without VU cutout John, but I think not cutting out the VU rectangle in general is not really an option.
The main front panel (the one with the hinge welded to it) is made of 1.5mm steel - so you might have a hard time cutting out the rectangle by hand...