Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: hasafraker on December 29, 2010, 11:33:06 AM
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Well... my wife decided to encourage my hifi habit and my Crack kit showed up Christmas eve!! I have no idea where I got the patience to paint the plate and end bell and then give it two days to cure, it's been pretty cold here so the extra time couldn't hurt. Anyhow, I finished my Crack up this afternoon, all resistances check out but voltages caused me a little concern. Almost all voltages are dead on or pretty close with one exception, all the 90vdc read 75vdc. It sounds good, it's dead quiet, I won't give it a second thought if there is no reason to be worried about it. I have it sitting here right now just playing music to bread it in but what I've listened to so far it sounds awesome. I let my wife listen to something and her comment was "...wow". I tried 2 different 6080's in it and 2 different 12AU7's and measured all voltages exactly the same both times so... anything to worry about?
thanks!
H
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ok so the amp has been burning in for about 4hrs now and I have a moment to listen without the dogs wanting to go outside or my wife wanting something, spinning Mingus Ah Um... I can't get over how dark the background is, no hum at all, this amp is dead quiet, channel balance is very good. I can't get over how great this sounds, treble is excellent, crisp and well defined without being tinny or harsh. Bass, at least what there is to be had on this LP is "correct" sounding, the bass sounds deep and natural, the piano and mids are silky smooth... I'm in love. I was going to play Dark Side of the Moon next but I think I might have to bust out some Gorillaz that a buddy in the UK sent me as a gift for my birthday this year, there is definitely some bass on that one ;) meanwhile I'm going to continue to put some more hours on this amp.
As someone who has built many different kits, and a few things from scratch, this kit is the Gold Standard man let me tell you... anybody on the fence or unsure if they can assemble one of these, I can't think of a better "first kit" for anybody. The components, the instructions, you simply can't go wrong, take your time, don't rush it, and you will have a seriously fantastic sounding amp, not to mention the satisfaction of having put it together yourself.
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ok well I'm going to assume by the flood of comments on this thread that my lower than normal voltage readings are nothing to be concerned with, that and the fact that it sounds amazing. I didn't really do anything special with the finish, but just in case anybody cares to look here's a link to a few pictures of my Crack... lol that never gets old ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28861421@N02/with/4851484628/
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That is neat work. Your experience shows. Is that a Hammertite (SP?) finish on the top plate and the end bell?
I have trouble taking the time to do something like this, and oddly enough, my first Bottlehead kit, the Seduction, was the only plate I painted. An awful job. I don't show it off because there was so much dust in it. I sprayed in the middle of my garage and after I saw it, it was too late.
Your voltage is just outside the +/- 15%. But I don't know where in the circuit that is so I can't help. If you search the Crack folder for "voltage" there might be other posts that uncovered a misprint in the manual.
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Thanks Grainger :) Yeah the paint is a hammertone finish, I've used the same color on everything so all my stuff matches ;) yeah sometimes it's a real test of my patience waiting for the paint to dry hehe. I've had to buff fingerprints out of some of my earlier projects because I didn't wait long enough for it to cure and set.
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. . . I've had to buff fingerprints out of some of my earlier projects because I didn't wait long enough for it to cure and set.
That's called "a learnin' experience" here in the South. Sadly I have learned too many things this way. I have a hard head. I have let the magic smoke out of many things in lab. But I had the lab group everybody wanted to be in. We had fun, and got good marks.
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Great job, Paul. The underside looks as good as the outside - that's an achievement.
I dropped a comment on your Flickr, and linked to my Flickr page, so that you could see my Crack if you're so inclined... [snicker]
P.S. "Do you wanna see my Crack?" has become the new shocker around these parts...
-don
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hey Don nice job! I like the narrow depth of field you used on some of your pics. I should take a couple more of mine with my wife's digital camera instead of my Blackberry hehe
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Lovely Job, hope mine comes out half as well when I get it.
Quick question where did you get the "Dongle" (for want of a better word, and fits right in on this board), that turns the headphone out-put through 90 degrees?
Cheers Paul
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Hey Paul,
The right angle adapter was a bit of a chore, I refuse to believe something like that should cost $20, depending on where you are this was the one I bought and the least expensive for one of the two name brands that appear to be available.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130424177103
Hosa and Numark both make this jack, Radio Shack lists one but the locals didn't have it so I got it from the above ebay seller, after paying for it, I got it 3 days later so they're nice and fast, and it was brand new in the original packaging. :)
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It seems to me that cables coming straight up will eventually have more stress applied at the solder points within the connector. I put a pair of cup hooks under the "shelf" above my FP 2 and Seduction. The cables are hooked into them and don't flop to the side flexing the cable/solder joints.
I would like to find a manufacturer making 90 degree RCA jacks so the cables would exit Bottlehead equipment horizontally.
This is by no means a complaint of Doc's products.
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Thanks for the help
Bought this one off ebay UK for
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Grainger
Would something like these not do:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RCA-PHONO-GOLD-90-DEGREE-RIGHT-ANGLE-ADAPTER-1719-2pk-/350368807341?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors
Paul
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Paul,
Yes, but that adds another connection which may or may not have any effect. An RCA Jack, panel mounted that turns 90 degrees is what I had in mind. I haven't seen that anywhere. It would be of no use for most equipment that already has RCA jacks that exit horizontally. So without the possible big numbers to be sold there won't be many made.
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Mmm
see what you mean,
not me 'cause not good enough at this stuff,
but could you mount a metal box over the original cut outs, put the original RCA sockets in the side of this and just extend the cable through the pre cut holes?
Though room at the back may be tight.
Paul
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Paul,
Thanks, I have considered an arrangement like one of WardsWeb's FP 2s. This thread:
http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,1325.0.html
The inputs and outputs are on the back, the volume & selector in front. I have no tools for the woodwork or metal work he does. But for me pretty isn't necessary, the sound is everything. I'm saying I will probably move the inputs and outputs but it won't be pretty.
See my thread "Bud Tugly Seduction, Matches Bud Tugly FP 2" :
http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,313.0.html
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Know exactly what you mean my wood working and metal working skills are about zero too!
My WAD KIT6550 started out looking fairly neat inside, but changing the power supply to accomodate 2 x15uF 650V film capacitors and upgrading the other caps put paid to that, now looks like a rats nest underneath, sounds good though, had it from 2002 so must be fairly happy with it.
How come the best sounding capacitors usually tend to be the biggest, makes getting it all back in the case tricky.
Paul
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I haven't really found any right angle RCA jacks that aren't premade and then you connect regular patch cables to. If I could find some with solder tabs in them I'd be inclined to build a few sets for my gear with top mounted RCA jacks, most of my stuff has the typical rear exit connectors.
@Granger, I like the cup hooks idea I'll bet that works really well too.
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I haven't really found any right angle RCA jacks that aren't premade and then you connect regular patch cables to. If I could find some with solder tabs in them I'd be inclined to build a few sets for my gear with top mounted RCA jacks, most of my stuff has the typical rear exit connectors.
@Granger, I like the cup hooks idea I'll bet that works really well too.
I know Switchcraft still supply R/angle RCA's as do Audioquest (link) (http://www.needledoctor.com/Audioquest-RCA-90-Right-Angle-RCA-Plug) the Switchcraft are quite poor quality but I've not seen the Audioquest in the flesh.
Paul
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actually I had just found the switch craft ones, not something I've looked for before now, interesting, I might have to pick up some and see what I think. Thanks for the info Paul :)
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I haven't really found any right angle RCA jacks that aren't premade and then you connect regular patch cables to. If I could find some with solder tabs in them I'd be inclined to build a few sets for my gear with top mounted RCA jacks, most of my stuff has the typical rear exit connectors.
@Granger, I like the cup hooks idea I'll bet that works really well too.
I know Switchcraft still supply R/angle RCA's as do Audioquest (link) (http://www.needledoctor.com/Audioquest-RCA-90-Right-Angle-RCA-Plug) the Switchcraft are quite poor quality but I've not seen the Audioquest in the flesh.
Paul
Paul, I appreciate it but those are plugs, I was thinking jacks since I don't want to rewire my cables.
Actually my situation is OK for the inputs to be vertical since they come in from the back of the cabinet above my FP 2. My outputs would benefit from being horizontal because my amps are in front of my FP 2.
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How come the best sounding capacitors usually tend to be the biggest, makes getting it all back in the case tricky.
It was not always so. I'm sure I'm not the only one to mourn the passing of Black Gates. These were generally rather smaller than their film counterparts.
I unsuccessfully tried to get some BGs for my ParaSEX amps last year but they were rarer than an honest politician.
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Great Work!! I really like the ZSP-1 in your album too.
Grainger,
I know these aren't direct solder but they are decent quality:
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41IZOeeISrL._SL500_AA300_.jpg&hash=04001c24b6f24adaf7ab04da89eb3632232ef743)
http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-90-degree-adapter-female/dp/B000J38HZ8
With some unique building, you may be able to incorporate the PCB mount Cardas RCAs:
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cardas.com%2Fimages%2Foem%2FFEMALE_RCAS%2FGRFA_DBL_PRT_G.jpg&hash=3f85b4100cc3f6bef74cd0ae0c679e70807cea9d)
http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=oem&pagestring2=Female%20RCAs&pagestring=Female%20RCAs+%28closeup%29&content_id=6&part_id=159
...probably more trouble than it's worth though ;)
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The 90 degree adapter looks pretty robust. I'll have to consider them. I have a one in two out set of those from my Creek remote volume control. They feed my sub and Paramours.
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Hey HF9 thanks for the good info, those Audioquest 90's look pretty stout. The ZSP1 was an adventure in frustration for a while but it sounds really nice :)
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I think we have a batch of right angle adapters somewhere. They are not Audioquest, but they work pretty well. I'll see if I can find them.
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If Doc can't find his 90s, I can vouch for the quality of the Audioquests... they are very heavy, super construction both ends (M & F). Bought them on Amazon for $5 each... I have 4 of them.
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Ok, I swiped my wife's camera and uploaded some better pictures of my Crack. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28861421@N02/
Any luck finding those connectors Doc?