MOTM

> The problem is that you're wasting your time soldering together 
> oscillators and filters instead of engineering new products. I think 
> everyone would be much happier if you found someone to do your module 
> manufacturing for you, even if they aren't up to your NASA-quality 
> soldering skills. I don't think my Minimoog could be launched into space, 
> but through-hole soldering doesn't require that much precision. Hell, if 
> my dumb monkey-ass soldering can put together your modules, anyone can. 
> Get someone to build your modules and spend your time on R&D to release 
> new models.
>
> You've shipped more modules than Bob ever did with one to two employees. 
> What's wrong with this picture? :)
>

Well for one a moderate MOTM system doesn't cost the same a new car like a 
Moog 35 did in 1971.

The only way to get really short lead times is to go SMT *and* to take out 
all the front panel wiring. This is what I did for Frac, Euro and the MOTM 
650 and '730. I can now build up 1 Euro module (not counting the 
calibration, just the building) in 13 minutes. The average time for a MOTM 
through-hole module is 2 hours. For the '320 and '480 it's 3 hours.

Had I known in say 2002 what I know today, I would have converted over to 
this method YEARS ago. Paul Haneberg essentially talked me out of it and 
took over the kits for ~ 18 months but then his stroke ended that 
unexpectedly. I then decided to try the MOTM 2.0 route and although it was 
slow to take off, it eventually did mostly to Will & Bill's wonderful 
dragonflyalley.com site. BrideChamber also help continue the legacy of the 
original pc boards. But then 2 major, relatively recent drawbacks happened 
in quick succession:

a) I had to change jobs and the new job has a LOT of travel
b) my wire supplier (since Day 1) went tits up *without any warning at all*, 
just a "thanks for your business and good luck to you" email the day the 
phone was disconnected. Great.....

I am still gathering data and thinking long and hard about everyone's 
comments (even if I disagree I still save them all) and trying to decide 
what to do (if anything). There is R&D going on "in the background", in fact 
I am starting a new DSP design (the mini-AudioEngine) on Monday that can be 
used cross-platform for some low-cost, simple DSP functions (including 
replacing the MOTM-510 WaveWarper). I plan to use Euro to test & fund the 5U 
much the same way I used the CEM chips to fund the 5U when I had them for 
sale (I think I'm down to my last 4 ICs or so). Now that I can predict when 
my new pot supplier can ship to schedule, I can think about what it would 
take to start moving the current through-hole designs over to SMT. I would 
still offer blank boards of the through-hole designs, I have PILES of them 
(thank you China).

I have to figure out what the cost would be and decide if I could even 
recover that cost. One point that was made that I am taking to heart: that 
even if I offer a "box full of modules" for say $1500 ready to ship, < 1 
week delivery that *unless* I also have a case and power supply with the 
modules stuck in there that .com will still get that level of customer 
business. Well, as of right now I have no desire to load up the garage with 
wood cabinets and all the stuff required to ship them. Then, this begs the 
question: why don't you let Roger build your stuff? The answer is easy: he 
doesn't want to. Why should he, he has *2* of his own businesses to worry 
about before taking me on. And there is no guarantee that the MOTM 5U 
business will ever "take off" like it did between 2000-2004 when I was 
selling 1200 modules/year. Right now I'm selling about 70 modules/year. See 
my dilemma?

Sure, it may boil down to "you'll never know until you try!" but it's an 
expensive gamble, and I *don't* like gambles.

Paul S.