Can you spill the beans on the specifics of the update or do we have to wait until the 25th?

 Always happy to spill the beans Kev....

The Tercel II is a new chassis, with the same nice BBX phono stage as before. Which is: 12AT7 driving a passive RIAA network, 12AX7 gain stage and another 12AT7 follower on the output. No feedback. The new chassis might be called the "Bottlehead style"  - which means it is a horizontal wood frame with a plate top from which the tube stand up vertically. The trans is more buried horizontally into the top plate. The wood frame is really nice solid woods like walnut, maple etc.  As before, the Tercel will be available in kit or assembled. The kit is $495 and assembly is $100 extra. There are 2 phono inputs. In the basic unit both are MM. But you can add the Cream (LOMC) option for another $350 to the basic unit. 

We have had quite a line up of people waiting on this retooled Tercel. Suddenly the Tercel is very popular after wandering obscurely for about a year!  

Nice, Mark. Thanks. Curious, was the switch done for sonic reasons or parts availability / cost reasons? Any pics of the new chassis?

kev313:

Nice, Mark. Thanks. Curious, was the switch done for sonic reasons or parts availability / cost reasons? Any pics of the new chassis?

 

It was done mostly because I never liked the way the first chassis turned out, and neither did very many others, I am afraid. It seems everyone was always asking me could I put wood sides on it - ala Merlin. But, it was not designed for wood sides, so it never looked right. No pics yet. The parts won't arrive until the end of the week.   

Mark.  Is the T2 differences cosmetic only?

 

jc

 

 

Mark.  There isn't a pCAT II coming is there?

jc

The Tercel II is really all cosmetic. No, there isn't a pCAT II in the works yet. But ya know - eventually there is always a II, right? 

Thanks again, Mark. Looking forward to the official release. I've received the Peach II from Glen (actually got it about a week ago) and am enjoying it immensely as I did the BBX. As soon as I can get off my lazy bones, I'll be pairing it with a Rowland 112 and exploring the world of (hopefully!) not crappy solid state.

kev313:

Thanks again, Mark. Looking forward to the official release. I've received the Peach II from Glen (actually got it about a week ago) and am enjoying it immensely as I did the BBX. As soon as I can get off my lazy bones, I'll be pairing it with a Rowland 112 and exploring the world of (hopefully!) not crappy solid state.

I just bought a Rowland 2 that I'm using with the original style Blueberry. You should be more than happy with the 112/Peach setup