Star Micronics SCP-08B speaker availability

[reinhardtjh]

I may have a line on a guy that can get a quantity of Star Micronics SCP-08B speakers.  The problem is there is a $500 minimum order requirement.  I have a few details to get but I believe we're looking at somewhere between $3.50 and $5 each for the speakers.

Is anyone interested in a group buy?  The total number would probably have to be in the neighborhood of 150-200 speakers but this may be about the last chance to find this small 8mm x 12mm x  2.5mm unit.  See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31410.0

Let me know your thoughts.

[jdcolombo]

I'm in.

I'd buy $150 worth, however many that turns out to be.  Might even be willing to split the cost and invest $250.

John C.

[peteski]

I would be in for 10-15 sepakers.

[reinhardtjh]

I heard back from the parts source. The news is so-so.  They found a stash in Europe but having to import them raises the cost some.  The quote I got was for 150 pieces at $5.90 for a total of $885.  I tried to find out a quantity to get the total down to $500 but either he didn't understand me or else their overhead won't allow that.  He did give me another option of 50 units at $12.75 each for a total of $637.50 but the Zimo speakers are cheaper than that so I don't think that's a good option.

If no one else wants in then I'm probably going to have to tell him to pass.  $885 is way over my limit for funding this. $500 was semi possible.  He said if the speakers were available in the States then the price would be a few bucks cheaper but shipping and customs raised the cost.  Anyone who wants to see the quote PM me with an email address and I'll forward it to you.

So here's the deal.  Up to 150 speakers total @$5.90 each plus $5.85 postage (You can fit a ton in a USPS small flat-rate box).

I really need to know by Monday afternoon.

P.S. Feel free to tell your friends and copy this post to other forums.  The more that are interested, the more likely we can get enough people to make an order. 

[peteski]

Like you said, I can get a similar speaker with a sound chamber included in the deal, for $8.59.  http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Zimo-Small-Speaker-Sound-Chamber-p/zmo-ls8x12x8.htm  This deal now doesn't seem good enough to me to stock up on bunch of those speakers. I'll pass. sorry!

[jdcolombo]

I'd still invest $240 for 40 units.  Since I never use the sound chamber with the Zimo, I'd rather save the $3 per unit, and I'll probably use 40 of these over a few years.  I'd suggest posting this over in the regular N-scale forum.  I think there are folks who don't visit the DCC forum that might be interested. 

John C.

[peteski]

I'd suggest posting this over in the regular N-scale forum.  I think there are folks who don't visit the DCC forum that might be interested. 

John C.

So you think that people who custom-install sound DCC decoders in their models do not peek in the DCC forum?   

Just trollin' John. 

[reinhardtjh]

I'd still invest $240 for 40 units.  Since I never use the sound chamber with the Zimo, I'd rather save the $3 per unit, and I'll probably use 40 of these over a few years.  I'd suggest posting this over in the regular N-scale forum.  I think there are folks who don't visit the DCC forum that might be interested. 

John C.

I'd try posting at The Trainboard too but I'm afraid of running afoul of their vendor rules.  I can imagine one of the DCC sound vendors being unhappy about it.

[reinhardtjh]

Like you said, I can get a similar speaker with a sound chamber included in the deal, for $8.59.  http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Zimo-Small-Speaker-Sound-Chamber-p/zmo-ls8x12x8.htm  This deal now doesn't seem good enough to me to stock up on bunch of those speakers. I'll pass. sorry!

Yeah, I understand.  I'm not real happy about the price but these speakers are becoming near unobtanium and the size is really handy for N scale.  Plus the homemade sound chamber seems to work better than the Zimo ones and is more customizable to the small spaces available in N scale.

[jdcolombo]

So you think that people who custom-install sound DCC decoders in their models do not peek in the DCC forum?   

Just trollin' John. 

Yep.   

John

[jdcolombo]

Yeah, I understand.  I'm not real happy about the price but these speakers are becoming near unobtanium and the size is really handy for N scale.  Plus the homemade sound chamber seems to work better than the Zimo ones and is more customizable to the small spaces available in N scale.

I agree completely.

Is there any chance your source would sell us 100 units at $6 each (total $600)?  If so, I'd put up half the cost ($300).   The only other way to get this speaker is to do a custom order of 1000 units through Newark Electronics.  The cost for that is $2.82 per unit, which is obviously much cheaper, but I can't justify investing $3000 in 1000 of these things. 

John C.

[reinhardtjh]

Well John, it looks like it's just you and me.  I'm going to tell the guy it's a no-go based on lack of response.  For the record, it's 1-Source Electronics that I've been talking with.  http://www.1sourcecomponents.com/   Their web iste had the speakers listed for $3.18 ean and price breaks but didn't list stock quantitiy so I put in a quote request a long time ago.  After 3-4 weeks someone finally responded and this is the result.  When I talk to him today I'll see if different price/quantity is available but he was pretty adamant that the choices were the 150 pc @ $5.90 or 50pc at $12.75.

The other option is that I'll talk to the CFO (wife) about diverting part of the tax refund to this project and then see if I can sell some of the remaining 110 speakers on ebay or piecemeal to other rail modelers.  Assuming you (John) still want 40 of them (for $240).

I agree completely.

Is there any chance your source would sell us 100 units at $6 each (total $600)?  If so, I'd put up half the cost ($300).   The only other way to get this speaker is to do a custom order of 1000 units through Newark Electronics.  The cost for that is $2.82 per unit, which is obviously much cheaper, but I can't justify investing $3000 in 1000 of these things. 

John C.

How about $1500 for 500?     Then we would only have to find buyers for about 450 units each.  lol

[VonRyan]

Are these the Knowles Fox, or something else?
Given John's great results with the Knowles Fox, I'd be inclined to pick up a few.

[reinhardtjh]

Are these the Knowles Fox, or something else?
Given John's great results with the Knowles Fox, I'd be inclined to pick up a few.

They're the smaller speaker.  See this thread. https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31410.0

Per John, they might not sound quite as good as the Knowles Fox, but they're just enough smaller to fit better into certain N scale diesels (Like his VO-1000 install). https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31637.0

[VonRyan]

Interesting. Might be more useful to me than the Knowles Fox.
I just saw a video of someone having installed a sound decoder into Dapol's new 57xx and all the decoder sounds were quite good, but it seemed like the speaker could have been better, so since I have a 57xx on the way I'm looking at possibly installing sound in the future.

-Cody F.