Pete had an open Q&A session this morning, so I asked him some questions about some things I had been wondering about.  Let me preface this by saying that I have never spoken to him in person before today-  but he's awesome.  Really nice, encyclopedic knowledge, laid back and doesn't take this crazy hobby too seriously.  With that I'll give some highlights of our chat:


Q: Do you have any plans to add a stat amp to your line in the near or not-so-near future?


Stat amps are hard to do right.  It would take some time to do R&D, parts cost would be high so it would be an expensive amp.  And it's a niche market, with more and more competitors taking a piece of that market - some of those existing amps are "pretty decent", so we would have to bring something special to the table.  I don't see it happening.


Q: I currently have a Balancing Act, which runs PX4's and 6SN7's, and is Balanced In and Out, SE in the middle.  On paper, that sounds very similar to your Pinnacle.  Why should I (or what is in) buy a Pinnacle for an extra $6250?


I've never heard a Balancing Act so I can't comment on the sound.  I will say that the cost was not decided over "how much we can get a way with charging" or any nonsense like that - it was a calculation based on cost.  For instance, we switched out our Electra-Print transformers with some really pricey ones from England that perform better.  I heard Craig started using the PX4 after hearing the Pinnacle - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  I really can't say more than that - if you hear it and think it's worth it, then you'll buy it.  Or you won't.


Q: The Glacier is tiny, and packs in more than the Slim.  Has tech evolved that much since the Slim's release?


The main reason the Slim was as large as it was was the power supply, which was fairly large.  With the Glacier we contracted out to some super high tech manufacturers who had the newest tech.  The power supply is much smaller now and actually better.  The amp section is the same as the Slim.  So yes, tech has evolved, as have we.


Q: Tell me about the solid state amps you designed for Headroom and compare them to your Apex line [Note- I asked this because I own a Headroom Max from 2006 and wanted to know if he designed it]


As you know I designed the Wheatfield tube amps for Headroom.  I also designed the first portable in the plastic enclosure.  Headroom SS amps have a module system - at one point, all the SS amps were using my modules.  That Headroom Max was my work.


As for comparison, the solid state amps in the Apex line are quite a bit better than what I was able to do with Headroom.  The chief reason for this is the constraints of crossfeed and the damage all the extra circuitry and coupling caps do that are necessary for crossfeed.  What I'm able to design independent of that is quite a bit better.


Q: Do you design by measurements, components, topology, etc or do you use those as a baseline and tune by ear?


You know, there's a lot of people out there who tune by ear but I'm not one of them.  I have a topology and specs I want to meet - I'm at a point where I can tell what an amp is going to sound like by looking at the FFT's and the measurements.  So no tuning by ear - people claim there's a certain house sound, and that's because of my consistent choices as an engineer.  I'm not one of those guys who hand-matches boutique components and chooses specific films for their sonic qualities.


Q: As a follow-up, do you believe the specs and measurements are it? 


No, I most certainly do not.  I do be lieve there is a component in components and music that can't be measured.


Q: Well, you'd have to say that to placate your customers, but do you truly believe that?


Absolutely.  I have quite a few engineer friends who believe there's the measurements and that's it, but my experience tells me otherwise.  I've had amps that I was designing where I tried multiple opamps that all should have sounded the same on paper for what I was using them for, and yet one or two sounded significantly better with certain parts of certain songs.  It's not measurable, but it was clear to my ears.


Q: Last question.  What's the best headphone amp you've heard that you haven't designed, and what's your favorite headphone?


Favorite headphone, AKG K1000.  [Q: how does the Pinnacle drive it? A: well, but not to ear-splitting levels]


Favorite amp? ... [hems and haws for a good three minutes.] You know, I've heard a few good ones at Rocky Mountain and Canjam, but one that sticks out as great? [hems and haws again.]  I don't know.  I don't think I have a favorite by another designer.