Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Kaiju Stereo 300B amp => Topic started by: pduk on March 28, 2016, 07:55:13 AM
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I finally finished the build today (it's a public holiday here in the UK over Easter) and... it works! I had one scary moment with a blown fuse when doing the high voltage test, and it turned out I'd fitted a capacitor backwards, but no harm done.
Early days yet but I am hearing detail I've not heard before, and it feels like the band is in the room with me. Thanks very much, all at Bottlehead. I really enjoyed putting the kit together.
Paul.
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Congrats!
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Congratulations! Interesting that it sounds like you are still running the 1.5 amp fuse. Your transformer wiring will differ from the states I assume, that may have come into play.
Best,
Ed
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Hi Ed,
Actually I blew the 1.5 amp fuse during assembly due to an error but had already bought a pack of 2 amp slow blow in anticipation of any issues, having read the remarks here. The 2 amp went in once I'd put the capacitor in the right way round, so the answer is unknown. I may pick up a 1.5 again and try it at some point.
Cheers
P.
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Hi Ed,
Actually I blew the 1.5 amp fuse during assembly due to an error but had already bought a pack of 2 amp slow blow in anticipation of any issues, having read the remarks here. The 2 amp went in once I'd put the capacitor in the right way round, so the answer is unknown. I may pick up a 1.5 again and try it at some point.
Cheers
P.
Thanks for the clarification, 2 amp slo blo is what I had to use in mine as well.
Best,
ed
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Just sharing this picture that I took last night after listening to the frankly amazing new King Crimson live album. And yes, I have done lots of reading about "the blue glow". Hopefully all is well... it started a few hours after initial use. Everything sounds wonderful.
Paul.
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After a couple of weeks my Eml's still have a slight blue glow and it sounds better and better. I don't think there is any problem
Coincidently I was listening to king crimson's Zoom. Last night. Would love t find a Hi res digital version of "in the court"
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Hmmm... A couple of King Crimson fans eh? Oddly enough I was just listening to "Red" the other night. I've always liked anything with John Wetton.
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Just reporting back... I received the DC filament upgrade kit today after it spent a brief spell trapped in customs. It was a very easy hours work, the amp works fine, and is now absolutely silent. Interrestingly the blue glow I reported earlier in the 300Bs has now gone completely. Anecdotally tbe bass seems a lot better, but the CD I;m listening to right now is bass heavy so it might be coincidence.
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So in the end I got there as well - at least it looks like at the moment... :P
yippie - I just finished my first Kaiju with stock parts - have a second kit just waiting to get assembled - but for this one I will use some other caps and way more silver wiring - everything I need just arrived two days ago... Curious about the difference
After adjusting hum balance I get 7 mV on the left and 5 mV on the right channel - seems more or less okay.
I did not yet install the DC filament upgrade - looking forward to that...;o) But first I'll let it run a while and listen to some music...
I just put it in its chassis...;o) looks nice.
I am using EH 300bs, I had around anyway - got the EH 300b gold and a matched pair of PSVane mesh plate 300b N (as far as I know they do meet the standard 300b specs as well, maybe I'll try these later on beside someone tells me not to.
So far no smoke or strange sound so I go on listening...
so long and thanx for advising the crazy newbie from switzerland.
Cheers and a great weekend to everybody
Chris