Overview
The Deckard Amplifier project was yet another beautiful design by BMW DesignWorks and my first time managing a project that was completely electronic. To date, I haven't an found an amplifier that sounds as good or looks as cool for less than $1,000? Although completely electronic, this project taught me a lot of mechanical design concepts and validation tests that I wasn't anticipating at project kick-off. Due its multi-piece extruded aluminum enclosure, the tolerance of every part needed to be within a very tight spec for a fit up without any noticeable gaps between the pieces. During the design validation stage, I spent a lot of time working closely with our aluminum supplier in Asia to get this ready for a smooth roll into mass production. I'd like to say I wore my management hat a bit more than my engineering hat on this one, but it's likely the latter! At the end of the day, this is still one of my favorite amplifiers for listening to planar magnetic headphones.
MSRP: $699
