Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => BeePre => Topic started by: xcortes on March 02, 2013, 02:36:00 AM
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the bee pre design is awesome. i don't need to listen to one to know it's got to be special. the engineering and design behind it will give the builder the best amplifier out there period. bottlehead kits are shipped with parts tested to sound very, very good. so there's no need to replace anything. even more so, if someone has to replace parts my advice is to build the kit stock and only the. start experimenting. that way the builder will not only have an easier build and a simpler troubleshooting but will also benefit of comparing the sound before and after every change.
ok. but i'm weird and stubborn and here i'll show some parts changes, just to make the doc uncomfortable :)
first of all an elma selector switch:
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Xavier, are you only using two inputs correct?
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yep
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wiring the inputs. belden 89259 instead of the cat5:
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the other end:
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That looks like a PITA to work with.
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actually it's not that bad
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Good call on the black jacks, this will be a neat build in the end!
I'm surprised you didn't go for the black connex UX-4 sockets to top it off!
-PB
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actually i had the two pairs of black ones and used those for the input. used the four pairs in the kit for the outputs. i'm cheap, you know?
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the soldering of the second input to the selector was indeed a b@tch!
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See as a total N00b all I am seeing is some cthulhulitic tentacle horror eating your poor little Bee.
Stephen
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PB,
You wrote:
I'm surprised you didn't go for the black connex UX-4 sockets to top it off!
Can you tell me which ones those are? I've been looking for black ux-4s and none of the descriptions on pcx tell what colors things are.
Sorry for the O/T...
-- Jim
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Can you tell me which ones those are? I've been looking for black ux-4s and none of the descriptions on pcx tell what colors things are.
http://www.partsconnexion.com/CONNEX-76733.html (http://www.partsconnexion.com/CONNEX-76733.html)
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Thanks PB,
They were hiding in with the bakelite listings, not the connex listings :-). I see they're made by CMC, so they can probably be had from VT4C -- which means thy'll typically get here much faster. ;-)
Now back to regularly scheduled program...
-- Jim
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Yeah, isn't it funny how quickly things come from VT4C? The store format is funky, but he has some good stuff!
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So the big question is....Now that you have done it, was working with the coax worth it? ( I have some, and have a Prebee coming) I have some silver wire, that I would normally use to wire inputs (shielded), But I would consider the coax.
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was working with the coax worth it?
We'll never know, I gues. I'm sure the Pre would sound fine with either cable. What I do know is that replacing CAT5 interconnects with 85259 ones was a move in the right direction. The CAT5 ones didn't sound bad, I lived with them for many years. And the change wasn't huge. The effect was positive but small. In the BeePre case the lengths are so short that the effect is probably even less. It took me maybe a couple of extra hours to wire the inputs. Hopefully this weekend I'll do the outputs. Worth it? Hard to measure.
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Xavier,
I haven't been on line much because I'm contracting for K-C in Loudon TN.
The Belden 89259 is a newer version of 9259 I have been using for 20 years. Great stuff but a booger to work with. It is the best RG-59 I have ever found. I have a number of cables made from it. Low capacitance, stranded center conductor, easy to bend (compared with a solid conductor). Not to mention it really sounds good, great soundstage.
I see that you are taking your time and doing it your way.
Congratulations!
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That coax looks intriguing. It seems like a nice thing to have around for interconnects and projects like this. I found it on Markertek and Mouser and the smallest I'm finding is a 500 foot box. Is there anywhere that would have it in smaller packages or even by the foot?
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Maxwell,
Right in your own backyard:
http://www.rawcable.com
A division of bluejeanscables.com, and much cheaper than Mouser, etc. and yes, you can buy by the foot.
-- Jim
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The 157M chokes fit perfectly!
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Thanks Jim. I should have thought to just call Blue Jean's and ask nicely.
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The 157M chokes fit perfectly!
Interesting! After the noise in my Eros with the choke under the hood I'm apprehensive of putting them that close to signal wire under chassis. Please keep us posted if you end up with noise. This is the one mod I'm going to hold off on.
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Hi Xavier,
Will you have to do anything to the base to accommodate the 157M's under the chassis plate? From the photo, I can't tell if the chokes go that far outboard.
thanks!
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Hammond chokes in place. They fit and there's no need to modify the base.
BeeQuiet switches also in place.
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Hi Xavier,
Awesome - thanks for the follow-up and the picture!
Best,
david
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One output channel wiring. A single 89259 feeds all four outputs. No piggibacking here!
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I have to ask, since it is dual mono, has anyone been tempted to put in two IEC connectors so you can use 2 Botthlehead power cords?
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One output channel wiring. A single 89259 feeds all four outputs. No piggibacking here!
I think it might sound better with four runs per channel, you should give it a shot!
(Just joking)
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Grainger, not me. I haven't even tried the bh power cords yet.
Paul, look at this other pic showing the output wiring of both channels.
Done with the PITA input and output wiring. Next is the beeQuiet and then the actual preamp power and signal circuits. I'm getting there!
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Xavier,
Jamb nuts! I hadn't thought of that! I have my gold RCA jacks on my equipment backing off all the time. I need to get a set of nuts and double nut them.
By the way, beautiful, careful work there.
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Grainger,
These are the Neutrik rca jacks that BH uses in the tube repro and now in the BP. They require larger holes than regular rca jacks but are now and, as you suggest, stay in place forever.
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BeeQuiet in place!
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looks like the business end of the Hadron!
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Home stretch!
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Looking good!
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Made in Mexico Mills cathode resistors:
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Xavier,
Jamb nuts! I hadn't thought of that! I have my gold RCA jacks on my equipment backing off all the time. I need to get a set of nuts and double nut them.
By the way, beautiful, careful work there.
You'll need to remove the jack hot wire to add a nut and then resolder. May I suggest that a couple of drops of Epoxy on the RCA jack nuts and top plate will securely keep the nuts from backing off. Loctite and CA won't work as they can form an isolation barrier between the jack and the ground solder lug. (Don't ask how I know this .....)
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Auricap xo output caps, the last non stock item to be installed!
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Done!
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Congrats!
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Thanks buddie.
Incredible how productive a "labor day" can be!
After maybe 5 or 6 hours only it's starting to smooth. The beast is amazing. My only thought of describing the sound vs the FP3 is a more natural sound. That damn cathode follower does add distortion. Maybe not much and not noticeable clearly until it's out of the circuit. And I guess the linearity of the dht tube is playing a part too. Damn, the best system in the world just got better!
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Glad to hear it. There's something very cool about a 300B just loafing. Labor Day in Toluca meant a rehearsal of Mozart's Requiem -- a good day! I just installed the C4S in one of the S.E.X amp kits, which is a nice step forward. I'm a big fan of the stock sound but I now appreciate the increased attention to detail from the C4S.
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About 10hrs. The caps are sounding nastier. Not only harsh but muffled as well. Interesting this burn in process!
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Hi there Xavier, I assume you didn't end up with any noise coming from the 157M chokes? How's everything sounding? :)
Also, what model Elma switch is that? I haven't seen that one before with the PCB. I usually use the 04-1264 but that one is only 2 poles. Ah, nevermind, I discovered it is a Goldpoint model.