Is Channel D audio gone out of business?

The founder, circuit designer, and CEO of Channel D recently passed away unexpectedly.  I too had reached out for support about 6 weeks ago due to the apparent failure of the battery power supply circuit board in my Lino C 3.3 (the battery itself is fine, as I discovered in the process of replacing it, at first thinking the battery was dead). I then ran into the same “radio silence” you are experiencing.  I then learned from another person in the industry about the founder’s death.  It’s unclear if the business will continue as it seems to have been a one-man (Rob Robinson) operation. Rob was my sole contact for pre-purchase questions as well as post-sale support - he responded to every call to the support telephone number or email address.  Very sad.  I do hope that there is a future for Channel D - the Lino C 3.3 is a remarkable product.    

Hi,

Have you found a solution to fixing your battery charging circuit board? I just bought new batteries and will soon embark on replacing them. I hope it's the batteries and not something else. How did you determine it was the circuit board?

As you said, previously Rob was super responsive. He upgraded my Lino C3.3 to 4 inputs (2 transimpedance inputs) about 2 years ago.

Sad that he has passed. Hope Channel D can continue.

And if Channel D is gone, what other transimpedance phonostages are alternatives that are not in the suoer expensive range like CH Precision or VdH Grail SX. I know there is Sutherland but to equal or beat the Lino C3.3 you would have to be with Dos Locos at almost $10k. And it uses single ended RCA connectors which I don't like since I am all XLR because of the Lino C3.3. Plus it is 2 chasis and needs 2 power cords.

Anyone compare the Mofi Master Phonostages and do you think it is atvthe Lino C3.3 level or even better?

No, unfortunately.  I bought a new battery only to find out that the existing battery had a good charge left.  That made me start looking for another explanation. There is clearly something wrong with the battery power supply circuit board-  sometimes I could get the Lino to play one side of a record, but then the Lino would go silent in the middle of a track on the second side.  Other times, after being plugged infor 24 + hours, it will not produce any signal.  The indicator lights on the circuit board suggest a problem as well e.g., not showing that the power supply rails are connected.  Very odd.