Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => BeePre => Topic started by: dw on February 26, 2013, 08:08:03 PM

Title: First listen.
Post by: dw on February 26, 2013, 08:08:03 PM: I'm now listening to the BeePre, late at night. It's very soft, and quite pleasant. The level is 38-70 dB SPL.
I'm playing Blue Coast Collection in DSD format through Korg/AudioGate software to emu 404 usb to
BeePre to Paramount 2A3 to vintage Klipch LaScalas. The Paramounts have the soft-start upgrade and
an L-pad on the inputs. The previous pre-amp was an extended foreplay III.

While I thought the foreplay III was excellent, I think this is a step up. The background noise is completely absent.
The voices sound even more alive. The guitar strings sound like I'm listening to my 9 year old son practice.
The background instruments sound clear, distinct, and balanced in a way I have not noticed before with this recording.
I've never enjoyed this music this much at this low a level. I can't wait to listen at louder levels.

-Dave
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Grainger49 on February 27, 2013, 02:35:14 AM: Those are some good descriptions of the BeePre. Did you try it without the attenuators or do the LaScalas require it.

Since I don't know him, is this a good thing?
Quote from: dw on February 26, 2013, 08:08:03 PM
. . . The guitar strings sound like I'm listening to my 9 year old son practice. . . .

-Dave

I'll bet you didn't know you had a noise background till it was gone. This happens to all of us. I didn't know that there was some bass missing in the Seduction till I plugged in my Eros. It takes a comparison.

Enjoy the music!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: dw on February 27, 2013, 04:38:07 AM: I have not tried it without the attenuators. I'm at about 75% on the volume pot when the music
is 70-80 dB. So, I may adjust the lpad. I think its cutting the voltage by about 3/4 or more now.
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Doc B. on February 27, 2013, 05:17:28 AM: I've been using an iPad and an iPhone for running in some new speakers and the output from either does seem relatively low.
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: dw on February 27, 2013, 05:33:06 AM: Hi Dan,

That was L-pad I was referring to ;-) The annenuator type. No iphone/ipad as a source yet.

Thanks,
Dave
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Doc B. on February 27, 2013, 06:49:35 AM: Hah! I think we have just discovered an excellent source of confusion. My bad for not reading your first post well enough.
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: jaggy on February 27, 2013, 04:54:06 PM: I finished the assembly of my BeePre this evening, completely stock. The manual and packaging were great - assembly was a breeze, with no post-assembly hardware debugging required. I still need to finish the base to match my Eros. I'll get to that eventually I suppose ;D.

The Bee is replacing an older Denon AVR that I was using as a preamp between my Eros/Squeezebox/TV and a Rotel solid state power amp. New hotness fit in my rack - barely! I actually had to remove the damping o-rings and couldn't use any damping feet. So far I've only listened to it along with the Eros. Spun on a few records, and...

...in a word, brilliant. I was expecting at least some increased detail and clearer soundstage (based on my previous Eros upgrade experience) but am still really surprised by how much my system improved. History seems to repeat itself...just like when I hooked up my Eros I once again feel the need to re-listen to most of my record collection.

Thanks for offering another great kit!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: denti alligator on February 27, 2013, 04:56:45 PM: Thanks, jaggy. You make me want this amp more and more!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: dw on February 28, 2013, 11:50:08 AM: I adjusted the L-pad on the input to my amp such that when the volume is at 100 % the sound level is 80 db SPL
nominal and about 70-95 peak to peak. When I pause the source and put my ear right next to the speaker
(still at 100 % volume) I hear no hum or static at all. I don't know that this is the best way to guage the noise floor,
but I thought it was interesting.

-dw
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 25, 2013, 03:41:35 PM: I am listening to my BeePre for the first time. Very nice! Compared to the FP III, the BeePre seems more detailed, and the music feels bigger, more alive. I thought the FP III sounded great, the BeePre is a step up! Great job Bottlehead!

The BeePre is stock for now except for some Mills resistors I had in my stock. I will roll some 300B's I have and see if that makes much of a difference. At the moment I have Psvane 300b's in the BeePre. I also have to say the vinyl coated lead rings, "the Ultimate Tube Damper" work great at reducing microphonics.

The Beequiet upgrade is next

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Paul Joppa on March 25, 2013, 04:25:17 PM: Just wait until the caps open up!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 28, 2013, 05:11:49 PM: I have about 25 hours on the BeePre now and it sounds better and better. It sounds smoother and more open as time goes on. I continue to be impressed, and this is totally stock. My BeeQuiet should be here tomorrow and it will be interesting to hear what changes it makes. I will upgrade the caps to ClarityCap MR series at that time. If anyone is interested I posted pictures of the build on my facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560114427346872.1073741825.100000449587686&type=1

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: xcortes on March 28, 2013, 07:53:21 PM: I wish I could finish debugging my SR45 and get back to the BP!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: johnsonad on March 29, 2013, 02:12:08 AM: Quote from: xcortes on March 28, 2013, 07:53:21 PM
I wish I could finish debugging my SR45 and get back to the BP!

You really should just give up on the SR45 and get back to the BeePre. I'll give your SR45's a good home ;)
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: johnsonad on March 29, 2013, 03:07:55 AM: Quote from: debk on March 28, 2013, 05:11:49 PM
I have about 25 hours on the BeePre now and it sounds better and better. It sounds smoother and more open as time goes on. I continue to be impressed, and this is totally stock. My BeeQuiet should be here tomorrow and it will be interesting to hear what changes it makes. I will upgrade the caps to ClarityCap MR series at that time. If anyone is interested I posted pictures of the build on my facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560114427346872.1073741825.100000449587686&type=1

Deb

Deb, I'm unable to view your link.
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 03:15:48 AM: Should work now didn't know I had to make it public

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: johnsonad on March 29, 2013, 03:37:14 AM: It looks great! I like the color effect with the dampeners. :)

Aaron
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 04:00:52 AM: Thanks
When I install the Bee Quiet I will change the knobs also

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: KevO on March 29, 2013, 08:39:08 AM: Deb,

Let us know how you get the Clarity MR's to fit.

I have the same caps and haven't figured out how to get them to fit.

-Kevin
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 09:14:19 AM: Do you have the 400V version or the 630V version. The 400V are smaller but I am still unsure how I will get them to fit.

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: KevO on March 29, 2013, 09:45:40 AM: Deb,

I bought the 400volt. Just shorter, same diameter as 630 volt. I could have picked something smaller.... Wanted to hear the MR's though.

I will post if I come up with a good idea for fixing them in place. Maybe some JB Weld and a piece of PVC to make a 'cradle'.

I am not adding Bee Quiet, but have a tall stepped attenuator in the way.

-Kevin
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Paul Birkeland on March 29, 2013, 09:53:09 AM: I think the V-cap OIMP will fit reasonably well in the allotted space. When I can snag a BeePre for my system, I will pick up a pair and post results.

-PB
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 10:28:16 AM: I have the 400v as well, not sure how I will fit them.

I have the 630V version in my Paramounts and they as very transparent. I like them a lot

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Grainger49 on March 29, 2013, 11:07:27 AM: Aaron,

It opens for me. It is Deb's trademark purple base and copper hammertone Rustoleum top plate. Nice work! Very tidy!

What's the new board?
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: 2wo on March 29, 2013, 01:25:17 PM: It won't open for me. I don't have a Facebook account, maybe that's it...John
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 02:27:18 PM: For those who can't open the Facebook page

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi284.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll38%2Fdebk3141%2Fd4c2d715-1bb3-4a01-9320-ff5e0e0fd1e1.jpg&hash=77702720a9f33305a6969d52f0f8d39c34e5978c)
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 29, 2013, 02:28:19 PM: (https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi284.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll38%2Fdebk3141%2F26a1a609-ba8c-4704-8107-ecf4a54a85d1.jpg&hash=4fe19b116b0dd6a2390b6cf97c07f1bc222a30ff)
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 31, 2013, 09:04:15 AM: Installed the BeeQuiet and upgraded the caps to ClarityCap MR 10uf 400V. Pictures below
I am sure it is a combination of both upgrades, but WOW does it sound great. Clarity, and detail is vastly improved from the stock configuration, very immersive sound stage, and the caps have not had any time to open up yet. I am impressed, it blows my Extended Foreplay III out of the water.
Bottlehead, what an incredible preamp you came up with, I couldn't be happier!!!!

Thanks
Debra

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi284.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll38%2Fdebk3141%2F22c67608-21e6-4e74-898a-dfff397fe083.jpg&hash=3315e855cfccb1f1fc6c77d459014ed4799da796)

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi284.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll38%2Fdebk3141%2F21146b0b-64d9-43fb-8f62-6285fa332e93.jpg&hash=691e644d6d62768b3c4626225c4ff06dab337fcb)
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: tsingle999 on March 31, 2013, 09:55:48 AM: Wow that is audio porn! Great knobs! It's obvious from your experience that I have to get one!
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: johnsonad on March 31, 2013, 09:57:16 AM: Damm those are big Deb!!! How did you strap them down??
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: KevO on March 31, 2013, 11:47:26 AM: Looks great. You work fast!

How did you strap in those Clarity MRs?

-Kevin
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on March 31, 2013, 12:43:31 PM: I just used the cable ties as a sling to support the caps and let them hang. I had to put two cable ties togehter to make them long enough. Neither cap is touching the heatsinks. A simple solution that works so far.

Deb
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: Frihed89 on April 06, 2013, 04:56:59 AM: Humm. I just looked at the cheaper ASC cans, They are about the same size as th big blue ones, and lot cheaper. I just wonder whether/where they might fit?
Title: Re: First listen.
Post by: debk on April 13, 2013, 01:11:44 AM: My Beepre sounds better and better all the time. I have about 30 hours on the ClarityCaps and it is sounding very smooth.
I continue to be impressed with the sound quality from the BeePre. I thought my FP III sounded great, and it did, but this is whole other ballgame!

Deb