Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: QueenBottlehead on September 18, 2012, 04:34:52 PM
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This is an awesome video about soldering up a Crack kit -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5rWCEux_BI&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5rWCEux_BI&feature=player_embedded)
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Wow, Tyll did a whole video on building the Crack, that's awesome. InnerFidelity is a great site.
Cheers,
Shawn
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That should be a Must See video for all new builders.
Thanks for linking it.
Did he break in the tubes first?
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That should be a Must See video for all new builders.
Thanks for linking it.
Did he break in the tubes first?
I ran it in for about 30 hours before listening. Hope that was enough.
Here's a link to the InnerFidelity article: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/marvelously-addictive-bottlehead-crack
Big thanks to all here for supporting this product and the DIY activity as a whole. Great stuff!
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Tyll,
I think it is great that you took all that time to both build the kit and do the comparison. Not to mention that the video will be a great help our newbies (to kits). I started on kits in 1965. What a piece of crap that was!
Breaking it in for 30 hours will get you a goodly percentage of break in. Paul Joppa and Dan suggest that most will happen by 100 hours. Of course the tubes used also have a lot to do with the sound character as well. Since the driver tubes were not the same you couldn't have just swapped the tubes to keep that on a level keel.
Sorry, I'm an engineer so I wonder about one to one comparisons. It is a sickness but I haven't found a treatment.
Again, I am happy to have this link on the site for guys who don't know how to solder. That, and your advice, will be a boon to Bottlehead.
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Thanks so much Tyll! The video is awesome, as is the article. Your dedication to and support of all things headphones is truly admirable. I will link to the article on our Crack product page.
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Thanks Doc. See you at RMAF!
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Unfortunately I won't be at RMAF. I have taken a year's hiatus from trade shows to concentrate on using our own facility for demos and events. We even have a brewery next door now.
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Unfortunately I won't be at RMAF. I have taken a year's hiatus from trade shows to concentrate on using our own facility for demos and events. We even have a brewery next door now.
Ooooo!!! Maybe I need to come visit then!
Sorry, I though I saw you on the exhibitor list. You'll be missed.
I had a friend staying here as I built the amp. He's in Seattle and noted your address. If you see JJ sometime soon tell him I said "Hi!"
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Tyll,
Really nice article -- thanks for the video too -- I hope I can use this to get a couple buddies of mine to cross the line into DIY audio.
Next you need to try the S.e.x. 2.1 with some HiFiMAN HE-400/500s. :-)
Can't wait for the follow-up after some tweaks, tube rolling and the speedball.
-- Jim
P.S. -- Doc, sorry you won't be at the show this year -- thattakes away a goodly part of why I would want to go.
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Sorry guys, between dealing with my mom's estate and getting all these new products online there's just too much going on this year. Maybe the next one.
Truth be told our analysis indicates that we get much more sales traffic from great reviews like Tyll's than we do from doing the shows. As fun as they are socially, they require a somewhat disproportionate outlay of funds for exposure to a relatively small audience. Plus I can't haul my big dog system around - but it sounds really good here at Bottleheadquarters these days and we love visitors. In fact we've had quite a few folks stop by for a listen in the past couple of weeks.
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FWIW Doc, I had the same impression of the efficacy of trade shows while at HeadRoom. We ended up going to one or two big ones about every third year. Shows also make it easy for us press folks to meet vendors and get excited about product, so there's that. But I understand your predicament well.
Maybe I'll convince myself a motorcycle ride to Seattle for a visit will be worth while at some point. My inner motorcyclist is half way there.
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Ahh, a visit would be most exceptional. We could sample some Tape Project tapes, a few headphone rigs, some fine PNW microbrew and there's even an organic distillery across the parking lot.
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Oh my...I'm swooning now.
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great, I love the color resistor chart at the end...John
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We even have a brewery next door now.
Do they have a website url that you can share? I'm as big an ale aficionado as I am a music aficionado. I cant count how many times I've enjoyed a local craft brew while beautiful music pours from my bottlehead gear. A combination I highly recommend.
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That would be me!
I'm this close to ordering a Crack and Speedball combo.
I'm creating a list of tube suppliers and pouring thru this forum for recommendations on tubes and combination sets. I have a long history with hi-end audio and tubes so it's like going home again. Only this time the interwebs makes doing the research WAY easier.
The one tube circuit type I have not tried, yet is OTL and the crack is the PRIME opportunity to delve into this for the obvious reasons.
I look forward to my hands on here in the near future.
JJ
Unfortunately I won't be at RMAF. I have taken a year's hiatus from trade shows to concentrate on using our own facility for demos and events. We even have a brewery next door now.
Ooooo!!! Maybe I need to come visit then!
Sorry, I though I saw you on the exhibitor list. You'll be missed.
I had a friend staying here as I built the amp. He's in Seattle and noted your address. If you see JJ sometime soon tell him I said "Hi!"
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Please do come by for a visit some time!
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Thanks to this video and review from Innerfidelity, I dicided to get a first time DIY project and got a CRACK amp. Now that I have finished the soldering and check-up, i ended with a great amp, great experience and I
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https://youtu.be/-d31eTmqeEk
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Good luck with your Putt, and enjoy your retirement!