Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: sladef34 on February 06, 2012, 07:29:41 PM

Title: First listen
Post by: sladef34 on February 06, 2012, 07:29:41 PM

After frying one of my LEDs, the Queen/Bottlehead was nice enough to send me a replacement.

Everything checked out so I fired it her up and plugged in my new (to me) cans.

It's after midnight and I'm still listening.  The sound is so engaging I can't stop.
Ottmar Liebert, Ray Charles, U2, Willie Nelson, and now some Yo Yo Ma.

I now know what people mean when they say "black background".  There have been a couple of occasions tonight
when small sounds were staged such that I turned my head to see if it was a live sound in my room.

This is my first piece of tube gear - I can't believe I have been missing out on this all these years.

And to think I built/wired this thing up myself.

I'm astounded by the sound I am hearing.  Thank you Bottlehead folks for a fun and fantastic sounding amp.

I'll follow up with pictures of the completed Crack tomorrow.  Too busy listening right now...   :-)

Slade

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: Laudanum on February 07, 2012, 01:48:00 AM

Welcome to the glowing side :-)

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: ELBEBE1000 on February 07, 2012, 02:03:29 AM

Another victim.... lololo...

but happy as I am.

Welcome to the fantastic tube world.

Yashin

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: Grainger49 on February 07, 2012, 02:11:24 AM

I like the glow, the warmth and the life like portrayal of spatial effects that tubes bring to the table. 

We haven't come up with a 12 step program yet but I'm pretty sure it will include tube rolling for a couple of months.  There is already such a thread for the Crack.  There will be lots of suggestions there.

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: lior.amsalem on February 07, 2012, 06:46:57 AM

remind me myself just a few weeks ago!
Welcome! pictures please!

LA

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: BNAL on February 07, 2012, 07:45:34 AM

Yes welcome.

You think that it is just fun and sounds good. You tell yourself that I'll listen to a little Crack. That's all, what

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: sladef34 on February 07, 2012, 04:48:48 PM

Here is a picture of my completed Crack amplifier.
Ebony stain, gloss finish, mirror polished top plate.

I have since added spiked feet at each corner.

First addition is going to be a right angle connector to get some strain relief on my headphone cable.

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi888.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac89%2FCombatYoga%2FAmp2.jpg&hash=48f28c2a206eb2f70089c94136d6dccc232a6a84)

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: BNAL on February 07, 2012, 05:04:35 PM

It look great.

Title: Re: First listen
Post by: Laudanum on February 08, 2012, 03:01:55 AM

I made a relatively short cable (maybe 4 feet) with a Right angle TRS plug on one end and a TRS inline jack on the other.   I use this rather than a right angle jack or adapter right at the amp mainly because I have one headphone that has a right angle plug already and 2 of my others have coiled cables.  So the cable gives me some more slack for the coiled cords and keeps the coils away from the amp and table edges so they dont snag,  and also takes the strain off of the phones with straight plugs.  But it's a good, general alternative.   I used a Neutrik right angle plug and a Switchcraft inline jack and Canare twisted pair (L-2T2S) cable.  Nothing fancy but good quality plugs and cable, and you can always use "boutique" connectors and cable if desired.  I cant hear a difference with phones directly plugged in or through the cable.  A Quad cable could be used instead with a couple different wiring configurations.  But since I cant hear a difference with the cable I built, I havent bothered experimenting.
Anyway, just thought I would throw it out there as an option.

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi130.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp243%2FBlueThomas%2FBottlehead%2FTRSplug2jack.jpg&hash=8eb6384c4f02003666c597d0b66e27c289fa16fb)