Posted: 8/21/2026 11:10:16 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Emoto][Edited]
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Angel Ruiz All-star contributor · 2h · THE MERCURY IIIS HAS COMPLETED ITS LEGENDARY RUN! After years of powering stations around the world, the Mercury IIIS has officially wrapped up its production journey at KM3KM Electronics. Rising component and manufacturing costs mean that building a 1200-watt amplifier like the IIIS today would force a price we refuse to pass on to our customers. Instead, we’re pushing forward—focusing our energy on the Mercury LITE and Mercury LUX, delivering a stronger mix of price, performance, and cutting-edge technology. To every Mercury IIIS owner: our support for you remains rock-solid. Technical assistance, repairs, and replacement parts (when available) will continue. Your investment is protected. The IIIS has been a major part of our story—and we’re incredibly grateful to every operator who trusted it on their bench. Its legacy lives on in the next generation of KM3KM innovation. Onward to what’s next. The future is bright. |
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| Wonder if they're working on a polar modulation/switching type amplifier. |
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Originally Posted By Mach: I don't understand the big deal. they still sell the LUX right? Why buy a 1200 w amp when there is a 1500 w amp for about the same price? Or am I confused? Originally Posted By AnalogKid: What does the IIIs offer that the Lux doesn't? I think the features were nearly identical on the two amps. The IIIs was some hundreds of dollars less expensive, so for someone on a tight budget, the IIIs was more attractive, I guess. The IIIs, initially offered only in kit form, was KM3KM's first product on the market. Did it being a kit mean that it did not have to pass any sort of federal regulations? My guess is that Kenny (KM3KM is his call sign) designed and sold the kit in order to create a cash flow for the nascent business, and then used that to put the IIIs through whatever sorts of FCC/federal approval processes there are, in order to be sold as a complete assembled RF amplifier. Why he went with 1200w, I do not know, but maybe available components lent themselves to that in a way that allowed the initial offering to be very reasonably priced? Or, maybe he planned to offer a legal limit amp later and wanted people to have a reason to trade up? With the IIIs approved and selling like hotcakes, this provided the breathing room to design a flagship 1500w amplifier (the LUX) and bring it to market. One of the interesting things is that he has kept the business small. Despite the very demand for the IIIs and later the LUX, he decided to have waiting lists instead of increasing production capacity. He has his people who build these things and did not want to risk the quality slipping by farming anything out or adding temp people. It'll be interesting to see what comes next. |
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Originally Posted By Emoto: I think the features were nearly identical on the two amps. The IIIs was some hundreds of dollars less expensive, so for someone on a tight budget, the IIIs was more attractive, I guess. The IIIs, initially offered only in kit form, was KM3KM's first product on the market. Did it being a kit mean that it did not have to pass any sort of federal regulations? My guess is that Kenny (KM3KM is his call sign) designed and sold the kit in order to create a cash flow for the nascent business, and then used that to put the IIIs through whatever sorts of FCC/federal approval processes there are, in order to be sold as a complete assembled RF amplifier. Why he went with 1200w, I do not know, but maybe available components lent themselves to that in a way that allowed the initial offering to be very reasonably priced? Or, maybe he planned to offer a legal limit amp later and wanted people to have a reason to trade up? With the IIIs approved and selling like hotcakes, this provided the breathing room to design a flagship 1500w amplifier (the LUX) and bring it to market. One of the interesting things is that he has kept the business small. Despite the very demand for the IIIs and later the LUX, he decided to have waiting lists instead of increasing production capacity. He has his people who build these things and did not want to risk the quality slipping by farming anything out or adding temp people. It'll be interesting to see what comes next. The main advantage the lux has over the IIIs is the fact the LUX can be remote controlled. Plus the power output of course and more headroom too. The LUX is loafing along at 1500. Without a doubt the LUX is a better amp, but the cost is "better" too. |
