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Author Topic: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?  (Read 396 times)

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Valentin Hogea

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What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« on: January 25, 2013, 06:23:45 PM »
Just curious...

Is it linked to the CLAS -dB having that balanced out-problem or was it just "unfortunately" timed and in fact happened due to another cause?

Enlighten me! :)
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shipsupt

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2013, 06:40:09 PM »
I noticed you don't see the CLAS on the ALO site anymore... I guess we can assume then that they won't tie the looks of the two together in the future?

I also noticed some claims about more issues with the CLAS (db) ... lot's of back and forth tonight on HF about it.  Hard to tell if it's one or two guys with bad units or something more.  http://www.head-fi.org/t/549750/cypher-labs-algorhythm-solo-discussion-and-impressions-thread/1155#post_9094545

There's got to be some rumors!?
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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Tari

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2013, 06:56:00 PM »
To make up something out of my rear, it would make sense that you drop a product line when you plan on creating your own competitor to that line.  ALO may be making their own unit with the same functions to be a one stop shop.  Or they could be making a one-box unit that does it all. 
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Anaxilus.

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2013, 07:00:15 PM »
I think it was a money/licensing issue that is somehow tied into a love triangle involving Jerry Harvey's JH3A.  That was the first rift when Cypherlabs and JHA got into a war over the development of the 3A amp/dsp.  The product was JHA and the developer worked for Cypherlabs.  This was the main cause for the delay and eventual change to the 3A's original design intent.  Anyone familiar w/ JHA knows they are no strangers to patent battles and having 'ownership' issues.  If I had to guess, this falling out left a sour taste in Cypherlabs mouth and may have eventually poisoned the ALO well also during some interaction they were undertaking.  Could be that ALO used to help Cypher w/ the analog section of the DAC but that is not the case anymore.  Just a guess.

Or Tari's reply.
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blue

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2013, 07:08:30 PM »
Quote from: Tari on January 25, 2013, 06:56:00 PM
To make up something out of my rear, it would make sense that you drop a product line when you plan on creating your own competitor to that line.  ALO may be making their own unit with the same functions to be a one stop shop.  Or they could be making a one-box unit that does it all.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/647801/alo-audio-new-amp-dac-the-international

Alo's new all-in-one, the international (their naming scheme is horrible btw, yuck).
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Anaxilus.

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2013, 07:26:10 PM »
Wtf?  That's like a Leckerton UHA6S mk2 knock off.  Similar looks, same DAC + balanced.  I'll bet it works w/ my Nokia.
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blue

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2013, 07:41:01 PM »
I don't know, all I know is I do not see the point in these all in one dac/amp units.

If I want a "transportable" rig, I am going to do the full monty and get a dedicated dac/source + amp. I don't see how a AIO unit could top the SQ, no matter how well designed, unless it's huge (that HiFi M8 for example, is already the size of a external USB DAC).

For "portable" use I'd want something simple (like my walkman X)  that is easily pocketed, and can withstand the wear and tear of daily use (especially at the gym).
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arnaud

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2013, 11:23:05 PM »
Quote from: shipsupt on January 25, 2013, 06:40:09 PM
I also noticed some claims about more issues with the CLAS (db) ... lot's of back and forth tonight on HF about it.  Hard to tell if it's one or two guys with bad units or something more.  http://www.head-fi.org/t/549750/cypher-labs-algorhythm-solo-discussion-and-impressions-thread/1155#post_9094545

There's got to be some rumors!?

The reversed relative phase on the CLAS-dB is no rumor and it was a design flow traced back to the DAQ (not a cable issue, not an amp issue). The funniest is that the person in charge at CLabs went ballistic saying the sound was as it should and that the (multiple) people noticing something strange were just not used to listened to fully balanced rig. In Japan, customer is king, and such kind of stubborn reaction,  tin ears judgment and overall lack of tact changed a lot my view of the brand.

I don't know how much this played a role, but I can imagine doing business with CLabs in general must not have been easy.
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Valentin Hogea

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Re: What caused the falling out between ALO and Cypher Labs?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2013, 08:28:46 PM »
Very interesting info presented here... Thx a million!

Anyone care to elaborate a bit on the JH3A-thing? All I know is that it was supposed to be much more than it ended up to be due to Ultimate Ears having patents on this and that. Had no clue CypherLabs had a part in its development.
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"I consider them symbols, and I leave symbols, to the symbple-minded." George Carlin