detail. You’ ve mentioned a“ holistic” approach to design. What does that mean in practice?
[ Chad ] A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A lot of companies will take a generic design, slap a high-end transformer in it, and call it a day. To me, that’ s a waste. If you don’ t put that transformer in the best environment, you aren’ t hearing it. For our Tube67, I obsessed over the wire. I ended up using silicon wire because it has lower resonance and helps keep microphonics at the lowest possible level. I even obsess over resistor brands. We use PRP resistors made in Iowa— the same ones NASA uses in the Mars Rover— because they have the lowest theoretical noise floor.
[ WM ] You also mention“ serviceability” as a core tenet. That’ s rare in a world of engineered obsolescence.
[ Chad ] Exactly. Most companies follow a“ Happy Meal” mentality— lots of extra junk in the box like cheap cables and flight cases that you don’ t really need, which takes money away from the actual components. My goal is to make something that never winds up in a landfill. On our FET 47, I eliminated all electrolytic capacitors because they dry out after 20 years. We use film capacitors and lab-grade mylar. It’ s built to be passed down to your kids.
[ WM ] You’ re still based in Baton Rouge, and you’ re doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself, right?
[ Chad ]( laughs) Yeah, I’ m the Maytag repairman for our company. We get semipopulated boards for the basic stuff, but the“ judgment” work happens on my workbench. We terminate the capsules, install the transformers, and select the tubes here. You have to listen to a tube, tap it with a chopstick and hear if the ringing is“ sour” or acceptable. You can’ t teach a machine to do that. My nieces help me part-time,
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