Bottlehead Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: MagicCat on September 05, 2012, 10:57:19 AM
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Hey Guys,
My name is David and I live in Scotland. I found the Bottlehead site by pure chance, and I'm looking for a headphone amp. The idea of a kit appeals to me as an ex-military engineer (mechanical) However, I'm worried I'll screw it up! What are the kits like for a newbie to build? I have vast mechanical engineering experience, and some electrical.
Many thanks, and best wishes
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90% of our customers are first time builders. With your engineering experience I think it will be very easy for you.
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Go for it. I had no electronics background and very little soldering experience when I took the plunge on my Foreplay preamp and Paramour amps. The manuals are very detailed, and assume the builder has no experience. I've been listening to those pieces for the last 10 years, and they are awesome. I also own the headphone amp, and this kit was very simple to build. Doc and the crew have found ways to make assembly easier since those first kits, and the forum here has always helped me when I hit a snag. I'm sure more people will chime in with encouragement. Tubes rule!
Pfenning
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There are a number of Bottleheads, you become one by building, in the UK. I remember meeting 3 who live around London at the 2003 VSAC. Gaspode is from Scotland, living in Windsor.
I'll bet you do well with your first build. Look here for suggested tools:
First Project Suggested Tools (http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,173.0.html)
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I like to reply to these threads. I am Latin teacher and build these things. No technical background whatsoever. The manuals are the absolute best in hifi. Doc loves photography and it shows. You could almost build the kits from the pictures alone, the manuals are that good. The problem is never the person's ability to build the amp from the manual, it is someone who rushes and doesn't check their work before firing it up. If you pay attention and double check you can very easily do it. Trust me, you can handle it.
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I'd say the toughest part of being a first time builder would be not knowing about/using the forum.
For most bumps along the road of kit construction, we will be here to smooth things out and point you in the right direction.
-PB
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I live in Canada, and have background in automotive electrical. Everything everyone else has said is right on the money. Do like NIKE says. "Just do it./
Bernie."
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The manuals for Bottlehead kits are super. I have done Dynaco and Heathkits (yeah, I am that old) and the Bottlehead manuals are as good if not better then those.
With the manual and help here on the Forum you can do it. Go for it. The value you get from Bottlehead is unbeatable.
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Hello David,
You will find the Bottlehead kits very well thought out. Doc and the rest of the Bottlehead crew are very supportive and at this stage have seen all levels of kit builders. What you will probably find is the kits are challenging but as you go along your expertise will improve dramatically. Many of us have been in the same spot as you, feeling perhaps just a little concerned about the technical side of DIY. I've been a member and active Bottlehead for, well let's see, about 15 years. I peruse many other audio forums in search of answers to all manner of questions. Some lucid and some quite embarrassing. At first I would seek out answers through the archives in an effort to cover my inexperience. But I've learned that while checking the archives is a good first step it's always a good idea to post a question to the group as well. The folks gathered here are exceptional in their willingness to help and do so in a way that helps you feel like no question is off limits. There is humor here as well as all manner and levels of technical advise. A very enjoyable group that IMHO puts them a fair notch above many other audio forums.
It is always encouraging to read posts from members of other countries. It's fun to see the Bottlehead community grow and provides valuable perspective. So,take a step into the Bottlehead realm and trust that this experience prove valuable and fun.
The Crack headphone amp is an excellent first step and overall a relatively easy build. And if a mis-step should occur WE will gladly help.
kind regards,
John
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Go for it David! Great stuff, great documentation, great support! Try the rest, go with the best!
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I blew up all four tires on my truck by adding too much air. No wait a minute, that was Eric. Sometimes we share reality.
Still making the base for the Quickie. Maybe I should name it the long haul. Too many irons in the fire. I did complete FIVE other projects though
Either way, these kits are really impressive when it comes to instructions, so don't fret. Just do it. If you burn it up, it's really not that big of a deal to move, change your name, and start a new wife, errr life.
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Greg, you dont want my 'reality'! I good taste of that will blow more than 4 tires!
Yours, Eric
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Thanks for all your replies guys, I'm humbled. Having weighed it all up, and looked at te manual sample I'm going to give it a go! It'll probable be a Christmas gift so plenty of time to get together the suggested tools.
Thanks for now.
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If you can solder, it's a piece of cake. If you cant solder, you can practice soldering a little bit while waiting on the kit to arrive. Then it will be a piece of cake. Of course, some folks run into a snag here or there, no problem. The forum always provides help and happily so. But I mention soldering because cold solder joints seem to be one of the most common problems. If you can solder, or get some practice soldering before building the kit, I think one is far more than 1/2 way to a successful kit on the first flip of the switch.
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Thanks again.
What I've found with soldering is the little guns with a plug on the end just don't get hot enough; if you want a cheap quick soldering iron buy a gas one. To really solder you need a proper iron, with station, and if you can afford it go digital. Whenever I've had trouble with a cold joint it's been down to the iron being terrible.
What do you guys think about that?
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The gas irons are cool for portable use but I think most would agree that a station is best for the bench and working on the kits. One doesnt have to have a digital temp readout, just a decent adjustable. I have an older station with LED bar indicators and I would probably miss not having some type of temp. indication for reference but I wouldnt have to have it. Mine is not nearly as precise as a good digital temp. readout but I know the station well and it has worked perfectly for me for the past dozen years or more. The entry level Weller station (WLC 100 I think it is) does the job fine in the $40 range and I know it's a very popular recommendation for those needing a good kit for little money. You can do better as you spend more but point is, you dont have to spend a bundle. I would agree with you on the non temperature adjustable pencil irons not being a great choice. I went through a lot of those things before I finally bought a decent station, I wouldnt use one for a kit. I had a cheap gas run iron years ago and I dont think I would have built a kit with it. Not the one I had anyway. I used it for some wire soldering in the car (for car stereo) and fixing things like boat trailer wiring and things like that. But if one had a decent one and was familiar enough with it, Im sure it would work for a kit. Im no expert on any of this stuff, so just my 2 cents.
Anyway, sounds like you have some soldering under your belt which, I think, really helps. The instructions are so detailed that you dont need to be able to read a schematic (I cant) or even be able to fully understand the circuit to be able to build the kit. Some manual dexterity and soldering experience make it a bit easier to get it working on the first flip of the switch. That and something to help those of us with failing eyesight to see some of the smaller details. And again, lots of good people here to help with any problems or give tips and advice along the way. You'll do fine.
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David,
I am a physician. Never soldered anything in my life before. Discovered my love for HiFi a few months ago and found this website and forum. I practiced soldering on a cheap Mintyboost charger kit and went straight to the Crack. The manual is amazing, full of detailed instructions and pictures along with it. Get good tools and you're golden. A Weller iron, a Fluke meter and Cardas Quad eutetic solder alongwith maybe a "third hand" tool for PCB soldering if you splurge on the speedball upgrade. Also, a good wire stripper. Go through the build logs and the stickys here in the crack forum. Go through the manual thoroughly and then start building. Start a build log and let us know as you progress. The members here are amazing and literally dont rest till your cracks pumpin music(Yes, i said it). Congrats on your buy!
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I think the problem MagicCat has seen is with a cheap soldering pen. I have been using the same soldering station by Weller since about 1976 and it heats extremely fast.
A good meter and a good soldering station are two tools you should have if you intend to stay with the hobby. Recently I have seen two builders who thought they had problems that simply had a cheap meter.
But the #1 problem is always solder joints. Don't buy a $6 soldering pen (soldering iron).
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I have to slightly disagree about using an inexpensive meter and yes I swear by the Fluke 87. But the measurement errors I saw were errors of interpenetrating what the meter read, not a meter error. This takes a little practice and even the best equipment can't take you by the hand.
I remember a few years ago I was installing a large chemistry system in a new lab. I did a quick check of the power outlet, 232, close enough. When it came time to fire it up, nothing happened. When I rechecked the power, it was 232mv.
I do agree that a few extra dollars spent on a good soldering iron/station is money well spent...John
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I got into the wrong truck once, boy was that lady surprised. Quality eye wear is worth it.
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Yea right Greg, blame it on the glasses! I've done that before. 'Really ossifer, I lost my glasses at the (belch) bar, thats why I was on the wrong side of the road.. seriously dude'.
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Glad to see I'm not the only one who has fallen foul of poor tools. I have all the tools less a Fluke and actual solder station. My Father in Law may have a Fluke, if not I'll pick up one used, and a good soldering station I'll be able to buy no problem. Can't wait for Christmas now.
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I will say this, as much as it might be tempting to wander from the original design to satisfy your creative needs, stay the course. When all is done, then additions or variance can be made.
Dr. F(name withheld by request)
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David,
I know that the Salomon soldering stations are fairly popular in the UK and I had one and liked it a lot. Alsothe Hakko fx-888 is a really nice station for not a ton of money.
Welcome aboard, and just be forewarned, the sound you'll get will be somewhat shocking in how good it is, and more importantly, this can easily turn into an addiction :-).
There are a number of bottleheads in England and Scotland here on this forum, so hopefully they'll chime in with more parts sources that will be more useful to you.
Welcome again,
Jim
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I have found the following article on meters useful and I use the multiple cheap meters approach when testing. I admit I get scared when testing amps, particularly powering up the first time.
http://www.tubelab.com/MeterUse.htm (http://www.tubelab.com/MeterUse.htm)
ray
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Thanks so much guys for all the replies. ;)
Just wondering if the Crack will be OK with my new headphones? They're Grado 225i's. I just got them in the mail today from the States, and, WOW they're amazing. Currently I'm running them just from my MacBook using lossless files. My plan is to add the Crack, and a USB DAC. Already I'm hooked though!
I used to have an amazing Hi-Fi rig that I had to sell. I felt the easiest way to get close to my music again was with a good headphone rig, and you know what? I think I'm right 8)
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David,
Actually, the Crack is not the best match for Grados as they are lower impedance cans. Crack is designed for higher impedance headphones -- say 120 ohms and greater. The s.e.x. kit is a more typical match for the grado headphones.
-- Jim
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Ah, thanks Jim. This is why forums and communities are so helpful and useful. ;)
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Oops, just the price of the S.E.X kit..... Damn. I'm sure it's worth it, but more than I was planning on spending.
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David,
Well, there are a few things you can do to the crack to get it to perform a bit better with low impedance cans -- like increasing the size of the coupling caps and a change to the charging resistors, but some folks with more experience with that should chime in as I've never done that. There are a few folks using Crack with low impedance cans, it's just mot optimum and high impedance cans will just perform much better -- think 250-600 ohms, with probably most of us using something around 300 ohms(sennheisers, beyers, etc.)
Hope this helps,
Jim
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Thanks so much guys for all the replies. ;)
Just wondering if the Crack will be OK with my new headphones? They're Grado 225i's. I just got them in the mail today from the States, and, WOW they're amazing. Currently I'm running them just from my MacBook using lossless files. My plan is to add the Crack, and a USB DAC. Already I'm hooked though!
I used to have an amazing Hi-Fi rig that I had to sell. I felt the easiest way to get close to my music again was with a good headphone rig, and you know what? I think I'm right 8)
You might start a new thread headed Crack with low impedance headphones. That would give others with the same problem a place to find the information.
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Great idea ;D
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I like to reply to these threads. I am Latin teacher and build these things. No technical background whatsoever. The manuals are the absolute best in hifi. Doc loves photography and it shows. You could almost build the kits from the pictures alone, the manuals are that good. The problem is never the person's ability to build the amp from the manual, it is someone who rushes and doesn't check their work before firing it up. If you pay attention and double check you can very easily do it. Trust me, you can handle it.
I'll second that bit about checking your work. When I built one of Pete Millett's headphone amps from scratch, after I'd made the last solder joint I didn't fire it up -- I deliberately stopped. The next day I started with the AC plug and checked _everything_ against the schematic. Every wire, every pin, every everything. Even tho I'd been very careful in assembly, I found I'd polarized both output caps backwards, and both MOSFETs were upside-down-backwards. The problem of course is that whn you finish a project you get _physically excited and impatient_, and that's really what makes the sparks fly. But since you're an engineer, I'm sure you know not to fall into that trap.
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Physics is love; engineering is marriage. --Norman Mailer