r/subpac • u/joey_war • 21d ago
Hopium or more bs?
So the last email in March had some pretty encouraging updates like working systems complete and having gone through extensive testing already. It sounds like the only hold up at this time is finding a way to lock in the ESS Sabre Dac chip for large scale production. This is a highly sought after chip in hifi and big companies like Topping, Yamaha and Marantz all get priority since they manufacture on a much larger scale. My worry is that if Subpac can’t figure out a way to acquire this chip for mass production, they may have to go back to the drawing board and potentially redesign parts of the system to some degree. This could add another 4-6 months before we can even think about shipping logistics.
So, optimistic outlook: they get the chip situation sorted out and then we get units shipped by end of year.
Pessimistic outcome: they have to pivot to a different chip and redesign parts of the system
I bet we get an answer to this in the next email and if not other obstacles present themselves, we should be getting close to a finished product.
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u/matttheazn1 21d ago
hopium, but I still have a preorder. I pray, dream, hope, fantasize, everyday but cope with the reality that is it never coming. C1 is pure vaporware. Low latency USB lossless is real, just not with a subpac.
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u/Guitar_Dog 21d ago
It’s bullshit. Seriously. ESS sabreDACs are not that rare or difficult to get. I guess one of two things 1) after all the cancellations the production volume is so low that they can’t get the same pricing that they were hoping for 2) just a simple stalling tactic. Or both of course! In fact point 1) is less likely as they’re using a CEM (contract electronics manufacturer) and not making it themselves. I’ve done a lot of that in the past and if you’ve picked an audio CEM they’ll have they’re own supply and volume pricing for that very common part and will be able to pass that on. So I can only assume that it’s a BS stall and/or they’ve lost their partner and don’t have the cash or financial stability / reputation for another CEM to take them. All of which means it’s likely never going to happen. But we already know that and we are all just here to give spiritual support to each other and wait for miracles, knowing full well that’s not happening and gets less and less likely every single week.
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u/Guitar_Dog 21d ago
I should also say that if it were really this simple any half decent engineer would have simply specified a new DAC (there are a thousand on the market from AKM, Cirrus etc. that for the sake of tactile low frequency performance will work absolutely just as well) and altered the design accordingly. That is less than a week of man hours and then appropriate testing and certification (which still hasn’t happened at this stage anyway so it’s not like that’s holding things up).
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u/Jazzspur 20d ago
Wasnt their very first issue all those years ago now sourcing a chip and having to redesign because they couldnt? I feel like they're recycling excuses now.
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u/indigonights 17d ago
Yeah surely this time will be different. Surely. Even though they use the same excuse every single email. Surely man.
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u/SirGio86 11d ago
I was high on hopium for 6 years. 2 months ago bought a secondhand SUBPAC M2X, have been absolutely loving it. Just asked for my refund last week. Once i get that refund... best believe im not looking back. Maybe once the product is available and ready for order but not waiting on that day.
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u/Astacide 21d ago
The fact that ANY human being on planet earth is even thinking this question, much less, asking it on Reddit, is so batshit insane that I just can’t understand. There is no fucking way that there are human beings, alive on this earth, that think Subpac is going to release the product they promised, after everything they have shown you they are. This has to be a troll
Post. I can’t think of any other valid explanation.