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What is the status of Deltec Precision Audio (DPA)?

Does anyone (perhaps in Britain) know what is going on with Deltic Precision Audio and its CEO/designer Adrian Walker?  Their Facebook page continues to have updates, but I have tried to contact them/him numerous times without any response lately.  At his advice, I sent back an MA1 amplifier from the USA for repair, paid for the repair, and never got it back -- unbelievable!  My DPA system is lacking one channel, and it looks like it always will.
merlin
neil_k
2 posts
 
Well ... apologies for not responding sooner, I’m a very occasional visitor to Audiogon and was browsing the dpa threads when I noticed your enquiry.
I’m more familiar with the earlier incarnation of dpa - where Rob Watts did the designing. Adrian seems a bit of a "salesman" and seemed more concerned with profit this time round - the new designer based the designs on a less adventurous version of older dpa kit with redesigned hybrid op-amps. When the company got into financial hot water they upped prices, continued to rebrand cables and lost Tom Whelan (old dpa service engineer and all round decent chap) from the board - things went downhill. Adrian eBayed a fair bit of kit. I tried to buy the monoblocs but was pretty unhappy with phone calls discussing the potential sale.
dpa_service
5 posts
 
The Status of the 3rd version of Deltec Precision Audio is that it is being struck off the Companies Register, much like the 2nd version.

Pursuing Adrian Walker will yield you nothing. He is not a Designer of electronic equipment and apart from himself no one works for Deltec. Certainly not any servicing function.

Your amp can be repaired. Most parts can be sourced. Of the hybrid op amps I do have the original prototype pcb which may work.

It is pure chance that I happened upon this thread. I like to check what Adrian Walker is up to?

You can contact me here or by the Pinkfish forum. My advice is free.

Tom Whelan former Service Engineer DPA Digital.
dpa_service
5 posts
 
Where did you send your amplifier? If at an address in South Marston in Swindon it may still be there.
merlin OP
8 posts
 
Thank you very much for your advice, Tom, and to your dedication.  As a fan who fondly remembered the early Rob Watts DPA gear, I bought a full set of MA1s, CA1, 3-channel Power Plus Mains Filter, and Black Slink cables nearly new from someone who had been evaluating them for USA import.  I unfortunately delayed hooking them up.  When I finally did, one amp failed immediately.  I contacted Adrian, and shipped the amp back for service at his request.  His technician (named Dave?) fixed it, I paid for the (expensive) repair, and then Adrian temporized for months before finally ceasing communication altogether without ever shipping the amp back.  I had sent it directly to him late December of 2015 in Corfe, Mullen, Wimborne, since he was vacating the South Marston premises for DPA.  It might have been repaired there, or more likely, at either Wimborne or DPA's subsequent address in Poole.  Not living in England, there wasn't much I could do about it.  A cautionary tale, for sure.

Peter Goodrich
Marquette, Michigan, USA
dpa_service
5 posts
 

I believe it may have been repaired at Dave Clarke's home in Swindon. He was the Designer of the amp. I say this because everything about Adrian's business is vitrual. There is no office, no factory, no employees and I think no products. But there is a Web Site.

Dave Clarke has of October 2017 sold up and moved on. And at least according to Companies House in the UK is not a Director of the 3rd and soon to be struck off version of Deltec Precision Audio.

Perhaps you bought your equipment from a guy called Andrew Lovely?

After May 2011 when Adrian and Dave broke Company Law to sack me I lost interest in their brand and products.Their only passion in my opinion was greed.

My experience of Dave Clarke's designs much like the Reviewers is not favourable.

Your amp has been stolen so you should at least lodge a complaint with the British Police. Even as a foreigner you have this right. At £3000 the amps list price it is not something they can dismiss.

In closing in April 1990 a unanimous board motion was carried to sack Adrian Walker from the original Deltec Precision Audio. I invited him to join the second version of Deltec when I founded the company in January 2008. A very bad move on my part.

Tom Whelan


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