MOTM

Whew, what a frantic last 5 days :) I'm really going to missing running 
around like a madman every December from now on (snicker).

2007 was a transition year in many ways. I started a new full-time job in 
early February, one that involves working in military aircraft hangers with 
armed guards peering at me. Quite the change from the boring FAE desk job 
the previous 4 years. My son entered high school and was on the football 
team. I was the kid that the football players tried to stuff into the upper 
locker. Quite an adjustment.

First, let's run the numbers:

The total number of MOTM modules (not Frac, not 2.0 stuff) shipped in 2007 
was 275. This compares to 2005 shipments of 1003 and 2006 of 1057. However, 
if you look at the period from Dec 10, 2006 to Dec 24, 2007, the number 
shipped is 583. I tend to ship a LOT in December. For comparison, the high 
point was 2001 when I shipped 1193. Of course, for 5 months of 2001, I was 
*unemployed* so I had a bit more ....errr...incentive. And, business was 
good :)

The TOTAL number of MOTM modules shipped after tomorrow will be *exactly* 
8000! I didn't plan that, it just sort of happened that way.

Next, let's look at orders and the backlog.

There have been 754 orders placed with the shopping cart, and about 18 more 
via other means. Roughly 770 orders placed since Feb. 2006. This is *all* 
orders but Frac (which is via Analog Haven). There are 49 orders that I have 
partially shipped, and 101 orders that I have yet to ship. This means that 
since Feb. 2006, I have shipped 620 orders. About 30 a month. So, even 
though the backlog is still WAY too high, I haven't been goofing off too 
badly. But the backlog is still too big.

So, what is in the backlog? Mostly, there are 3 modules that are the 
majority: the '650, the '510 and the 'VCOs.

Now, let's discuss the schedule for 2008: reducing the backlog and shipping 
NEW STUFF.

For the backlog:

a) the VCOs are waiting for Analog Devices to ship me more MAT02s from 
Singapore. These will arrive ~Jan 10th. I have all the other parts needed.
b) the 510s have (now) all parts in stock
c) the '650s require another SMT board run. I don't expect this to happen 
until late February.

Essentially, all the backlog 'needs' is my time. However, the months of Jan 
and Feb are my *busiest* real-work months because that is when defense 
budgets are funded. To be realistic, I expect I can ship 45 completed orders 
by March 1st (plus the MOTM 2.0 orders that trickle in). This still leaves a 
large backlog. So, the $64,000 question....when will the backlog get to 
something like < 20 orders remaining?

Well, I'm going to say that my goal is May1st. That should provide enough 
time (and allow Vishay to deliver log pots) to get things under control. I 
think I can still hit 30 orders shipped/month starting March 1st. But not 
before then.

For NEW STUFF:

New stuff is being worked on "in the background" all of the time. In fact, I 
expect delivery of another little audio development board on Thursday. We 
have successfully interfaced USB on the Cloud Generator Expander to a PC.

So, I can still work little-by-little on the new MOTM modules without 
impacting the backlog. I spend a LOT of time in airports and sitting in 
airplanes. The mind wanders :)

The next relevant question: when is the MOTM-520 Cloud Generator and the 
companion MOTM-521 Expansion module *actually* going to *ship*? Again, being 
realistic.....by Aug 1st. In order to SHIP on that day, the stuffed pc 
boards have to be in my hands by the end of June. That is what I am shooting 
for. It is hard to plan one's "spare time" 6 months away. But that's what 
I'm saying today :)

If there is one 'message' I want to convey, it is that I understand everyone 
is anxious about getting new stuff, but I have to ship the old stuff FIRST. 
The old stuff is what *funds* the new stuff. It seems I am in a "slowness 
race" with Buchla at the present time. If I read/hear negative MOTM 
publicity, it tends to center on my "slow delivery times". Well, there is a 
solution, albeit not a very popular one. Rid myself of the kitting burden, 
move to assembled SMT and engineer the modules from the start for fast 
assembly and checkout.

I'm already getting the "will it sound different" questions. Sigh......maybe 
it will to *you*. Maybe.....it will sound *even better* :) Certainly, there 
is just so much one can do with discrete analog parts. Can you imagine a 
MIDI-CV converter NOT using a uP and DACs?

One last point (I've been up 20 hours packing orders...yawn) is to remember 
the new paint will start 'showing up' this year, starting with the '521 (the 
first 50 '520s have the old paint). I didn't decide to change it, OSHA did.

To end on a positive note: the MOTM 2.0 business (CEM/pcbs/etc) has done 
VERY WELL in 2007....keep it up :)

Monday the 24th is my last shipping day until Jan. 15th. If Santa could give 
me a magic wand to ship everything to everybody, that's the best present. I 
*am* shipping 47 modules tomorrow, so Santa is *trying hard*. Merry 
Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. I still have the best customers in 
the world, and I pledge to keep plugging away in 2008.

Paul Schreiber
Synthesis Technology