Now in place in the crowded home workroom where I "live" most days....
Weston's iMac is now residing on my mother's old, upright "secretary" style desk .
Well ... IN A FLASH ... the close of another year is upon us!
Welcome to the DaviSound "NEWS UPDATES" Page!
ARCHIVED CHRONOLIGICAL NEWS ENTRIES FOR 2017
In reverse order with the first entry at the bottom of the page and the last at the top as each new entry is added at the top of each prior entry.
December 12, 2017"DaviSeasonsGreetings!" 2017
All things considered, it has been a reasonably productive one here at DaviSound. That is considering where we were "DaviStuck" this time last year with health issues ... including the onslaught of a near year-long battle with a severe case of the shingles and its aftermath- post herpetic neuropathy.
But, we find ourselves on the threshold, I believe, of FINALLY being caught up with all of our back-logged Tool Box projects and, at least, one of the two large mixer projects, all of which should ALL be FINALLY out of here during the first half of 2018.
Here, below, is a copy of the text message I just sent to one of my LONG TIME clients, with whom I regularly correspond, when he asked me just how close I was to being finally caught up on the backlog....thought I may as well share it with all of you as my "year end progress report".
Aside from the units planned for you, I have four Tool Boxes left and two custom mixers (one pretty well built except for final assembly and rear panel fab). Thing is .... I also have a waiting list of inquirors wanting to place new orders.....I am afraid I am just going to have to start being VERY selective and take them one at a time in the future.
I have sent direct personal email to the four Tool Box "waitees" so all of you know who you are. I have received nice encouraging replies from all but one (one hasn't responded to my last two emails so I am wondering what has happened with him). I have announced projected completion/shipping schedules for these remaining Tool Box projects on order and I expect to make those projections, or come very, very close. This is the first time I have sent specific projected dates and, when I do that, I find it usually stimulates me a just little more to work even harder to make sure I fulfill those expected projections. Of course, it also generates more added personal stress when working toward "deadlines", albeit self-imposed.
As for the comment about "being selective" ... what I meant by that was I must accept new projects in a fashion that will allow me to complete them, one at a time, within a reasonable time frame of six weeks or so, as in the "old days". I NEVER want to get into a situation of backlogged prepaid projects again! But I do remind all serious inquirors that I have ALWAYS tried to honor the requests of ALL those who want to own DaviSound audio creations! I will continue to do that in the future to the best of my ability ... I will just be rearranging my business methods to be sure that any necessary wait involved will be BEFORE the order is placed instead of after.
So ... this is the last of the News Updates for 2017 .... beginning next month we will start a new edition for 2018 with this 2017 edition relegated to the News Archives section. I am still trying to learn my way around the iMac computer (described a couple of months ago herein) whenever limited time for it permits. Once I can get it on-line and my computer speed/upload capability has once again come back to current standards (instead of just about like the old 28K modem days!), I can them publish more photos and do the extensive website updates that I have fallen behind on.
Meanwhile, thanks to all of you for another year of faithful support! I wish everyone a happy holiday season and my hope for all of us is a BETTER YEAR IN 2018!
Thank you again,
Hayne
Tune in next month!
Happy Halloween!
"DaviSpecial Clients" revisited ... and "DaviSeptember" 2017
I was reminded of that bigtime this past month when, after reading about my ongoing plight with my recently dying laptop computer "workhorse", LONG time client, supporter and friend, Weston Ray of Weston House Recording in CA, took it upon himself to offer to send me one of his "old" iMac computers! In spite of the fact that I did try to discourage that idea initially, he finally talked me into accepting his gracious offer and he shipped the thing here, at his own expense! Now ... honestly, just HOW SPECIAL is THAT?!
October 31, 2017
"DaviSpooked" 2017
A Few TREATS ... ... NO TRICKS ... ... coming soon!
Hayne
September 30, 2017
For those who follow this updates page regularly year in and year out ... you know, all too well, the routine of "DaviStretching" September around here ... the old ''30 days hath September...except at DaviSound where we try and stretch it to at least 45 (or more) to help with the incessant 'catch-up' ''. This year is no exception as, like always, we need all those "extra" days we can get"!
But... after an entire year, last, of sequential health related disruptions I am, at least, now back on track this fall to make a decent run at a good wind up with much progress for the end of 2017! As I approach my big "Seven-O" birthday bearing down on me this coming February 20th, I am once again becoming more and more "fit and able" to put in those long back to back workdays (albeit 8 to 10 hour days now instead of the 12 to 14 hour days of old!).
All the postherpetic neuropathy issues I have written about these past months, while not ENTIRELY gone, are, thankfully fast fading with a sense of "normalcy" returning day by day. It has been a pretty good summer overall ... even my wife's multiple chronic ills, while not actualy improving, have seemingly stopped worsening. So we have more hope and optimism again around here these days.
Through it all I am reminded, at least, a couple of times every month....usually more by your emails and texts.... just how SPECIAL ....YOU, my clients and friends ... truly are! I have always been awed by your faith and patience since so many of you have stuck by me and supported us over the years throughout some almost unbelievable "roller coaster rides of life" disruptions, one after another. If I had waited as long for order fullfilment as some of you, I seriously doubt that I would have shown as much tolerance and understanding as all of you have! I can never thank you all enough .... except to try and reward each of you with a better finished product than you ever anticipated when it does finally reach your hands (and ears).
Many years ago, I wrote a little piece for our "DaviStatements" section about the "DaviSpecialness" that surrounds DaviSound ... particularly in regard to you, our SPECIAL clients. If you are so minded, you can revisit that little snippet here-
"SPECIALNESS"
Whatsmore ... this "old" computer turned out to be more like a brand new one to my eyes!
This will be, yet another, "DaviShort/DaviSweet" news update...BUT...
For those of you long in waiting for your Tool box order to be fullfilled ...
This brief bit of news should be GOOD NEWS!
Progress has been pretty good on the work schedule since the last update although it has been lousy on the computer related front. My aggravations with trying to juggle between two limping computers, as well as new issues with accessing secure sites including PayPal and my own FTP, would fill a script for a black comedy sitcom.
So, sparing you the endless excruciating details, suffice it to inform that I will STILL not have any photos for you (I hope to have a way to transfer binary files that does not take all day [quite literally] before the next update in order to show some of the new beauties being readied for shipment here) but I did want to, at least, upload some brief html to get our monthly update squeezed in and to let you know the expectations for the fall season.
I am announcing herewith that I fully expect to have ALL overdue DaviSound Tool Boxes shipped by the end of 2017! Now this will not include the big mixer projects (which I plan to have follow early in the coming year) ... just the long overdue Tool Boxes that are being final prepped now.
This will occur, one item at a time, throughout the fall and I will notify each of you personally prior to shipping your item so that you may be expecting it ... so whet your appetites during the coming weeks/months.
So, with that bit of news I close this out (before my ftp editing window times out again)
and I will ....
See you in "DaviSeptember" with more news and, hopefully, finally a few photos!
THANK YOU!
Hayne
June / July, 2017
"DaviSummer - '17 "....
Since this is my ONLY connection to the internet available at the moment via phone tether
I am severely limited by it until I can figure a permanent solution for replacement (or repair).
I do have some photos of our latest gear that I had planned to display in the next upload
but that will now have to wait until I can see what I am doing (this little bit is a struggle, believe me!)..
Please join me again here in August for a VERY extensive update. Meanwhile stay "cool" and enjoy the summer!
Thanks!
"DaviSteps" and "DaviSecrets"....
We made some more "steps" during May but many of them were the old "up one then back two" routine.
I do want to report, out front though, that I think I am FINALLY overcoming most of the "Postherpetic Neuritis" I have been dealing with all year ... at least I have had nine pretty good days straight now with no major recurring symptoms .... a first since it all started!
The eye issues (optic neurtitis), and the ocular migraines and hypertension, have all improved as has the
vestibular neuritis. It is hard to imagine just how bad that combination can be until you deal with it and, also, start experiencing the contrast of getting back to normal (with some trepidation that it might all come back!).
If things continue "as-is", I may even be back to regular eight- ten hour workdays again from here on out (doubt I will ever do the old twelve-fourteen hour routines again).
The most difficult thing I have to deal with is computer work....which is why I have had to let both my website updates and email drag behind some during the past six months. Naturally, the visual disturbances are what affect that chore the most ... even now, albeit much improved, I still see a "dividing line" right down the middle of each word and sentence dividing each of the letters into two distinct halves.
As for email, it is amazing how it always seems to come in "spurts" (please note that I did NOT use the "DaviSpurts" acronym here!) .... ooops ... it seems that I may be waxing "presidential", by today's standards, with that hebetudinous follow-up parenthetical comment - good thing I do not "tweet" !
Anyway, this month alone, I have received several (three or four) email inquiries about a topic I have not addressed, or had inquiries about, in a couple of years ...."DaviSecrets".
In fact, the "DaviSecrets" topic has been, necessarily, so far down on the agenda that I doubt some of you newcomers to our website, particularly this "news" area, even know what I am referring to. It is, of course, the title of the on-going re-writes of my old "Tech Reports", audio technical instruction course that we offered for years, originally as a printed package by mail, and later as a download by email or special website link. I am a little over two thirds of the way through ( I think) with getting the new version the way I would like it and it WILL, eventually, be offered again from a link on the menu section of our welcome page. It will contain all new graphics throughout and extensive text updates as well when completed. I do have to allocate my writing time/computer time carefully these days since I had issues with the occular migraines (and even subsequent migraine related vertigo) even a decade BEFORE this latest nerve inflamation stirred up by the shingles outbreak the first of this year. So, I now only allow myself extensive computer time once or twice per week because it does, invariably, trigger lingering issues, at least to some small degree at best, each and every time I get on the computer.
As for some of those "two steps back" on getting "near ready" items fully ready to ship ... some of that is not only related to my health but also to the "health" of some of the components we are forced to use nowadays from the limited availability in the world marketplace (an issue addressed here extensively last year). I announced some time ago that I increased our "BURN-IN" time because the components we have available nowadays are not as reliable as the "old days" (particularly some capacitors) and we have to give it a longer "burn-in" test period (powered on 24/7 at full operating load) before I feel confident that any "early mortality" period for all components has passed.
This month, it was not only an issue with ELECTRICAL components but, in two cases (pun optional), it was also due to a late discovered flaw in the cabinetry! Two different units undergoing final test proofing and burn-in were each discovered to have hairline cracks in the cabinetry ... an almost heretofore unheard of occurrence! For heaven's sake, is even our expensive hardwood craft lumber now being processed in China also? It just seems that traditional fine quality becomes much harder to acheive with any consistency as each year passes. Quaity hand crafting seems to routinely take double the effort at every phase these days ... in no way making "excuses" ... just stating the facts as we have to endure them. This situation just adds even more frustrating delay to some of our already delayed items.
Well, that's about where we are as we approach our 47th anniversary the middle of June and the halfway point of another year at the end of next month. We still have a line of "almost ready" Tool Boxes sitting on four work tables in my crowded home work room that I hope to be packing and shipping one after another fairly rapidly as we move through the DaviSummer of '17.
This brings me to my last topic of this update that I need to touch on and that is "chronology". All who are even the least familiar with DaviSound business policies and work methods over the years are aware that we try to strictly adhere to the "first in / first out" method for all our orders and commissions. However, there are some situaitons where it just makes more sense, and is really for the benefit of all concerned, for us to "juggle" this chronological order sequence just a bit. The circumstances of this past month are just one such example ... the two units that were undergoing final inspection and their respectively discovered cabinet flaws ... one in a faceplate and the other in the rear connector panel. In this situation, these will neccesarily require some fairly major, and time consuming, work to replace and retrofit the required new panels. So, while this is taking place in its various stages, I will also be moving another unit, or two, ahead of these in the "pecking order" for their more routine, pre-ship requirements.
In closing this edition of "News Updates" ...
As always ...
Hayne
" DaviStrides? "....
Well, I can say that I did make a FEW "strides" toward getting things back in the "normal mode"... during the latter half of April anyway.
I will be posting an earlier update for May, to include some of this progress as well as the results of the first half of May's efforts around Mid-May ... so PLEASE STAY TUNED for this next combined update coming soon!
Meanwhile, for any who missed my detailed "quarterly report" of last month about our early 2017 "DaviStruggles" ...
Thank you all!
Hayne
" DaviSurviving and DaviStock "....
My wife, Annette, who has been disabled for the past three years, calls it "the survival mode" that we find ourselves in these days ...I am starting to think she may have the appropriate term for it.
I, myself, have felt some of that this year as each day is a "fight" to get back to "normal" and really get things moving as I want and need to.
I mentioned last month that I expected March to be much better than February ... well, I can stretch a bit and say it was "better" .... but, unfortunateoly, not "much" better as I had hoped/predicted. It seems I did experience some nerve damage from my shingles bout early this year and, while it is hopefully NOT permanent damage (it does fluctuate and it does gradually improve overall it seems), it has definitely made life difficult in all directions these past few months. It seems some symptoms can last for months (even years I am told) before completely tapering off- a form of "postherpetic neuralgia".
Specifically, my vestibular nerve is still "all out of whack" which causes a lot of lightheadedness and an unstable feeling of "moving in slow motion" from time to time and I also have some visual issues as well with difficulty in focusing both eyes simultaneously. All of this has, naturally, added some extra stress which, in turn, has aggravated my battle with chronic hypertension. But it could have been worse- many people in my age bracket, with the type of outbreak that I had in the head and face, suffer pneumonia ( I already had that LAST year! ) or even a stroke!
Awhile back, I had vowed NOT to report personal problems and health issues here in the "News" section
anymore but, since that is what I am constantly dealing with, and since these issues do directly affect everything else, including even my ability to write these updates, as well as meet previous expectations and predictions on completions and shipping dates, I don't see that I have any other choice but to tell it like it is.
The good news is .... there are a few days now and then when I feel "like my old self" and I feel my stamina and endurance returning ... however this is, at best, unpredictable and usually, after a day or two of seemingly improving, the "switch flips" when you least expect it and it is back in the "unstable mode" once again. But, while it has been a very SLOW process ... as I said earlier, it is getting better overall with time.
SO ...
Yet, based on steady, albeit all too gradual, improvement, I feel I can also predict with confidence that
there WILL be positive results ahead to report in the coming quarter month by month!
I have only been able to manage an average of about six or seven hours per day of actual critical bench work this past month. And, most of that has been necessarily concentrated on a steady flow of MasterPiece module orders from Europe which must be given priority to help keep the bills paid. As most of you know, I have kept new Tool Box orders frozen for the past two years until I can get these units here now on the tables completed and shipped.
This will be the "DaviShortest Update" ever since my laptop screen "died" early this week
and I still haven't figured out how to resolve that situation yet. Actually it is just a massive dead pixel area due to damage during transport but it renders the thing pretty much useless with a big black "blob"
right in the center of the screen. I am typing this on it but it "ain't easy" as I have to keep
moving the notepad window around in the one clear area left that I can see.
Hayne
May 31, 2017
"DaviSmoldering" ..."
I want to reiterate that I truly am MUCH, much better health-wise, and for a more sustained period, than I have been so far all year long to date. Needless to say, this is MOST encouraging to say the least! It is so nice to be able to experience some lasting endurance, instead of exhaustion, as the day wears on. SO .... maybe we will finally see some REAL progress reported in this area for a change in the immediate monthly reports ahead!
THANK YOU for your continued faith and support and for "tuning in" here!
I look forward to the next update in June.
April 30th, 2017
please scroll down for full details.
March 30th, 2017
If I consider all of you "clients in waiting" to be my faithful DaviSound "stock holders" of sorts .... which I do in fact to some extent because of your investments in my creations for you here over the years .... then I guess this, my "quarterly report" to you for the first quarter of 2017, again seems "DaviStagnate".
Alongside the soldering table in the workroom are the following projects ... all very close to being ready for closing and proofing ...but all with a few remaining critical touches, tweaking and testing yet to be performed... all of which require my BEST attention for which I have not been quite able to provide in recent months. I will list these in the chronology of those nearest completion although those down the list are not that far behind the others. I believe all of you awaiting your new unit will reognize yours in the list.
1. Custom portable TB-7 ... 2. Exotic cabinet TB-3 ... 3. Custom "TB-40" (special innaugural edition) ... 4. New, first ever, DUAL TB-7 ... 5. Custom 8 channel preamp package- metal chassis in metal cabinet ... 6. Standard TB-6
Those are the "outstanding" Tool Boxes (pun intended!). Alongside those, I also have the LONG ongoing "Mixer O'Tube" eight channel vacuum tube mixer project underway and, along with it, components awaiting assembly for my last major mixer project - a multi-function unit in wooden cabinetry for another European client. I say "last" on this one because I decided some time ago, when down sizing my work space, that I would no longer accept major custom mixing console projects in the future.
So there you have it .... my "quarterly report" for the first quarter of 2017. Definitely, not the "diividends" that I would like to have announced but defintely a few steps closer to delivery than ealier in the year. And, with the springtime and warm weather on the horizon, there is definitely a MUCH better "prospectus" for all you "stockholders" on the horizon for the rest of the year.
Tune in here next month for a PROGRESS report!
Thank you all,
Hayne
February 28th, 2017
" DaviShort and DaviSweet "....
The "short and sweet" of it is ....
The first two months of the quarter have been dominated by health issues for yours truly (some of which are described below in all updates so far for 2017).
BUT ...
So, while we are starting 2017 running about another quarter behind ... March should still be productive barring any more unforeseen, weird illness setbacks on the horizon.
In spite of everything, I do expect to have one or two units ready to ship out by next update so, once again, STAY TUNED for better news next month!
Thanks again for all your emails. text messages, and well wishes through it alll!
Best efforts,
February 6th, 2017
" DaviShingled ".... Part Two ...
I just wanted to do a quick follow-up to last month's post to let you all know that I SURVIVED the danger stage of my shingtles outbreak!
Naturally, my first (and, hopefully, ONLY) experience with shingles had to be about as bad as it gets and in the worst possible location- head, forehead and around the eye. As I explained last month (see below), there was concern because of this that I might have permanent nerve damage and possible vision loss. Well, this prompted eleven doctor visits over the first two weeks of the outbreak but the good news is- hopefully, today will be my last, "discharge" visit.
With the exception of a couple of gravel sized scabs still in the top center of my head (the place where it all started is the last to clear I suppose), all of the sores have now healed and I am on my way to full recovery. All of the area is still very sensitive to the touch and I still have an occasional "stabbing" pain while my eye is still weeping continuously. But, the most severe symptoms have passed after three weeks.
I am told that residual issues such as some mild pain, sensitivity and overall lack of normal stamina may continue for another three weeks or so but at least I did not have any serious, lingering effects. I just wanted to go ahead and post that bit of good news here so no one would be in doubt about my ability to get back to work as usual in the immediate weeks ahead!
If you are curious, and would like to see what I looked like ten days ago when a photo was taken, I have posted one for you to look at (I did NOT include it here since I did not want it to just appear unexpectedly....yes, it is THAT repulsive to look at!). Be warned however, the photo is a VERY UGLY thing to behold (and the shingles don't look too good either ;-] > .... ) ! If you do choose to look, keep in mind that this was about ten or twelve days into the rash and it had already started to heal in most places with some scabbing yet there are still a few open sores at that stage ....my daughter says I look like I was in full makeup for the "Walking Dead" (and I FELT like it too!). Most of the larger sores were up in the very top of my head and not visible in the photo (buried in the greasy antibiotic ointment I had to use to prevent secondary infection) but it will give you some idea. The opthamologist pointed out that my nerve inflamation stopped spreading just about a quarter inch away (from the tip of my nose) where it would have infected the nerve that causes vision loss.... yes it surfaces at the tip on one's nose! So, as bad as it was, it could have easily been MUCH worse!
So, if you are morbidly curious (and BRAVE enough) ... CLICK HERE FOR
SHINGLES PHOTO .
Hope you all have a good February and I will be gradually working my way back into the normal, full work routine and will have a further update here by month's end.
Thank you all!
My biggest issue was feeling faint at times ....something I have never experienced at any time in my life previoously. My entire sensory perception was "all messed up" to say the least. So, as much as I am into natural treatments and herbal remedies whenever possible, I have to put this "bug" into the severe trauma category and tell you emphatically to seek out professional, mainstream medical help if you ever suffer the bad luck for this virus to surface around your head or face!
January 16th, 2017
I now have ... "new shingles on my roof"!
Why is this bad news?
As I write this I am about to go to the doctor for the second time in two days for what I am told will be quite a few consecutive monitoring visits. You see, my shingles outbreak (naturally) had to occur in the WORST possible place ... in my head, forehead and eye (the one situation that requires urgent medical care)! Furthermore, it is a very severe (heavy) case. Therefore, there is concern for possible nerve damage affecting my left eye (vision loss) and, worst case, cranial nerve damage (the brain). Of course, it also affects another chronic issue I live with (and try to control naturally) and that is high blood pressure which has been spiking considerably because of it.
So far, my eyesight is not too bad (although you may find some typos herein that I miss!) so that is encouraging and i am now on some strong antiviral medication. So, being the eternal optimist, I expect to come through this relatively unscathed for the longterm. However, I am told that it will take AT LEAST three weeks, possibly even five or more, for the symptoms to subside. That is NOT good news since this is a MISERABLE condition to deal with, believe me. I have heard that shingles are PAINFUL but never imagined what I have been experiencing.
The pain can not be over-stated! Since this affliction is an inflamation of the nerve endings, it causes extreme pain and assorted other weird sensations along with it, incessantly! Stabbing pains behind and in the eye, assorted headaches and throbbing pain on the lesions themselves, binding tightness, stinging and buring sensations ....It is hard to imagine dealing with all of it for three to five straight weeks. I can tune it out somewhat during the day but it seems worse when lying down and sleeping is very difficult.
I describe all of this here so that you will know why I will be greatly hampered with my work schedule once again for the next month or so (although I do plan to try and put in an hour or two at the workbench each afternoon). But, in order to get through this okay, and get back to a normal work routine as soon as possible, I need to "take it easy" and try and get plenty of rest (easier said than done).
Therefore, as they say at the airport .... "expect significant delays during the winter months"!
Thank you all for your continued support of DaviSound and I do look forward to 2017 being our "culmination year" for our many ongoing projects. For the moment however, like many of you reading no doubt, I am VERY disappointed to have to report this additonal obstacle that has turned up in my path to affect our first quarter delivery predictions. However, please keep the faith and STAY TUNED as I hope to have much better news posted here by this time next month!
Meanwhile, I will be doing all I can to take care of me so that I can take care of you, all my loyal clients and supporters!
Sincerely,
Here it is the end of the month (with another "update" as promised) and I still do not have a whole lot of "News" to include in an update.
My "couple of hours a day" workday endurance, as mentioned previously, has now picked up to around aix or eight per day most days and my stamina is definitely increasing, albeit little by little (the old up-one/back-two recovery routine it seems).
Hayne
This is NOT my regular monthly update ...
I plan another around the end of the month as usual.
Hayne
PS- I just wanted to comment further that this is a BAD, BAD virus! I mention that so that should any of you ever come down with this, I urge you to get to a doctor as soon as possible for anti-viral treatment.
This is especially the case if you have it in your head and/or face! If you have never experienced it, no one could ever make you understand the myriad of truly WEIRD sensations and pains that you go through incessantly for weeks! As one doctor put it ... it places your entire nervous system into "overload" and the sensations are as terrible at times as they are indescribable.
" DaviShingled ".... and once again "DaviSlowed" (as the result) ...
This is definitely NOT the news that I wanted to start out with for 2017!
Unfortunately, it is what I am dealing with currently and, therefore, what I need to report here.
Well, because the shingles (and the roof) I refer to are NOT of the construction variety but the medical instead. That's right, after a week of WEIRD symptoms leading up to it, this past weekend I developed my first experience with .... THE SHINGLES.
Hayne Davis
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