Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: Doc B. on March 12, 2010, 07:15:44 AM
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Response has been so great to this new kit that Queen Eileen has doubled our initial order of chassis plates from the laser cutter.
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Now that, is addictive!
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And there are probably a lot of us in the wings waiting for some audio money so we can order one. Heck, I already ordered some tubes! Looking forward to buying one, I really can't wait.
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even to the point of having ordered tubes.
I've overspent my audio budget this month [by a bunch] but there are more months and fuller bank accounts coming.
in anticipation
Bryon
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:)
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veni vedi visa
I came, I saw it, I bought it.
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As I mentioned in another thread, even after we have doubled production we have only seven kits left available as of this afternoon. There will be some lag before we have a second production run complete, so order soon if you want a kit from this first run.
http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=442&action=show_detail (http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=442&action=show_detail)
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As of early this morning we have only three kits left available in the first run.
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Make that "only two kits left", now if y'all know what I mean... ;-)
/ed B in NC
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Now we're down to just one kit left from the first run.
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The first run sold out a bit after midnight. We have initiated a second production run, and it will probably ship two to three weeks after the first run. We hope to begin shipping the first run around the first or second week of April. We have been selling several kits each day and it looks like this kit will continue to move pretty quickly so I would suggest getting in on the second run early if you plan to order.
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Very glad to get the last kit! -B
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I'm looking forward ordering a Crack and building it. So it is best suited for high impedance headphones(HD600/650s). Are there any mods to make it play nice with Grados?
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I'm looking forward ordering a Crack and building it. So it is best suited for high impedance headphones(HD600/650s). Are there any mods to make it play nice with Grados?
Yes, there are ways to make this amp run well with Grados. If you increase the current in the 6080, the output impedance will decrease. Along with this, the 100uf output coupling caps would need to be at least doubled to attain acceptable low frequency response.
The upgrade path we will offer with the kit will optimize it for use with 100+ ohm headphones, as 250+uf film capacitors are pretty tough to find, expensive, and physically huge. I would mention, however, that there will be some ways to modify the upgrade package, but I can't disclose much on that until the upgrade package is complete.
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I'm looking forward ordering a Crack and building it. So it is best suited for high impedance headphones(HD600/650s). Are there any mods to make it play nice with Grados?
Yes, there are ways to make this amp run well with Grados. If you increase the current in the 6080, the output impedance will decrease. Along with this, the 100uf output coupling caps would need to be at least doubled to attain acceptable low frequency response.
The upgrade path we will offer with the kit will optimize it for use with 100+ ohm headphones, as 250+uf film capacitors are pretty tough to find, expensive, and physically huge. I would mention, however, that there will be some ways to modify the upgrade package, but I can't disclose much on that until the upgrade package is complete.
This makes me wonder about another set of cans with "low" impedance, the AKG K-701/2. I think their rated impedance is something like 62 ohms, so they're not quite as bad as the Grados. I'm still debating between these and Sennheiser HD600/650's, and placed an order for the Crack amp the day it was released, so I want to find a replacement for my Beyers that will work equally well with the Crack and S.E.X. amps. The S.E.X. will have no problem driving anything, but OTL is a different story. In the case of the AKG's, is the impedance high enough where one could simply substitute a 5998 for the 6AS7/6080 in the Crack amp and be fine? If the 6AS7 nets a Z-out of 100 or 120 ohms, I would think the 5998 would get you about a 60 or 70 ohm output impedance, right?
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For low impedance headphones, there are two considerations - how much current they need, and whether they are tolerant of the standard 120-ohm source impedance.
The AKG701 is specified at 105dB for 1 volt input - relatively insensitive. The required current for 102dB would be about 16mA peak. Its impedance (from the Stereophile review) is quite flat below 10kHz, so it will not be very sensitive to source impedance - no special precautions needed. With a low drive impedance, the inductive rise of the phones above 10kHz might drop the response a few dB at 20kHz. If they seem bright in the highest octave, a lower drive impedance might help a bit, but otherwise I'd say they are well suited for the standard source impedance.
I am working on a white paper on headphone impedance matching focussed on Bottlehead applications, but it won't say much more than what is on the head-wize site. Some good stuff there!
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I can save you the trouble, get the HD-600's. Having owned both the HD-600, and the K-701, the HD-600 is an easy choice for most listeners. The K-701 does shine pretty well on the SEX amp, but the HD-600 is still preferable IMO.
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Any estimate of when in April the Crack will start shipping?
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:)
I ordered mine tonight - did I get one first?
Bryon
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Ha! You win, damn it. :)
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Shipping of the first production run got hung up a few days this week when we got the wrong kind of hook up wire. The correct wire should be here tomorrow or Monday and the first run should begin shipping Monday. The second production run has been selling really fast and as of this morning 80% of our total production is sold. Parts for the third run have not been ordered yet, so get in on this second run soon or figure to be waiting even a few weeks more to get your kit. At the current sales pace second run kits will probably all be sold by some time next week.
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Cool. Can't wait to get mine.
-- Jim
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We are starting to pack Crack kits today. Jo is shooting for getting as many of the first run as possible packed today, with more to follow throughout the week. We continue to sell the second run at a good pace, with less than ten kits left as of this morning.
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Nothing like getting that "UPS Quantum View" email from BH! I feel like a kid on Christmas. Looks like I'll be enjoying some Crack this weekend....
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We didn't get quite as many shipped on the first day as I had hoped, but the first dozen or so folks who ordered have kits on the way with more shipping ASAP!
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I am very excited about this kit. Looking forward for this big time!
Third Christmas of 2010 after the Quickie and another project. Wooo Hooo!
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My shipping notice was waiting in my email when I got home. UPS alleges it'll arrive Friday. Can't wait to get started!
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No "Quantum Mail" from UPS received here yet :^( IIRC, I was # 8 of the first batch of ten, ordered on March 21.
Bottlehead - Order Confirmation for Order #1269200611
Ed B , forlorn in NC...
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Hi Ed, I'm not sure where you got the impression you were #8. If we gave you that incorrect info I am sorry. Actually roger_s was #8 and your order is #27 of the first batch. Our first run is considerably more than ten units and we are working at full speed to get them all shipped as soon as possible.
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Hi Doc
Sorry about that, my bad... I misunderstood that the grand total was much larger a quantity for the first tun, I thought it was ten units (as they say, the memory is the second thing to go, and I forgot what was the first). Yeah, I read it, but it slipped away from my few remaining functional braincells.
How does one make an embarassed red-faced blushing emoticon, anyway? 8^0 I guess that will have to do for now...
D'Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/ed B in NC, no longer forlorn!
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hmmz....whats going on, was hoping to have mine this weekend since thats the weekend is really the only time i have free to build
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I'm sorry that I can't really answer your question with any clarity because I don't have a clue who you are. We appreciate it when folks sign their posts with their real names here, because it allows us to be more responsive to particular needs. We shipped the first half of the first run this week, and the balance of those first run kits will ship Monday due to a snafu with the delivery of some transformer mounting screws. If your kit was purchased in the first run, I am sorry that we didn't know ahead of time that you would liked to have had it for this weekend. Contacting us directly is usually the best way to get our attention if you have a special request.
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Sorry the weekend comment was just in the build up of all the current updates, im from over at head-fi & have been trying to follow this....I have never bought anything like this before, but just knew that the 1st date was an estimate of the 7th, then the 2nd update we got from you was on the 14th about the stranded wire, Then on the 19th i guess not so many went out. I just figured once the wire was In they would all be out. & the buildup up to the 19th i thought theyd all be out by the end of the week. Im not complaining about the long wait, I just like being informed & suppose an email would have been a more appropriate then my Post#1 on the forums over here. I also like the fact that your ensuring the right parts are going out to avoid any mixups & confusions later on! as for who i am,im pretty sure im like customer number 20, or 21 "Bottlehead - Order Confirmation for Order #1269156318"
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Im not complaining about the long wait, I just like being informed
If we are not posting enough information for you here, please call us. 360-697-1936. Eileen takes a lot of pride in her customer service. And she's pretty cool to talk to, too.
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Mine arrived safe & sound. Just when i've got a couple of back-to-back trips! Good thing I've got three other amps to tide me over while I work a bit here & there on the Crack. Thanks Doc & Eileen. Looks like another great kit.
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Actually being #27 in the queue works out well for me, as I'll be "on the road" between April 28 and May 3, so I wouldn't be around to meet the guy in the Big Brown Truck in that timeframe.
Update 2/27: I just got my "Quantum Mail" notification, so it will be arriving at my door, just as I am returning home from my brief trip to NH 8^)
BTW, if there are any Bottleheads in the NE area (including MRH) I'll most likely be at NEAR-fest at the Deefrield NH Fairgrounds on Friday, April 30th, weather permitting. This time of year, in NH, it could be a howling snowstorm, or a 75 degree sunny day. I guess I'll need to bring my parka and mukluks, , as well as shorts and t-shirt...
After reading the review, and seeing the nice finished construction photos, I'm really getting "Amped" on this project (pun definitely intended). with HD600s ready to report for duty
ed B in NC
Builder and owner of 1 pair "stock" Paramounts, 1 pair of upgraded Paramour IIs, two SEX amps (one upgraded, one bare essentials), two FPIII (one stock, one 6SN7 and step attenuator modified) , one somewhat modified FP II, one stock Seduction, and two Quickies (and coming soon, one Crack).
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Just a little update -
The first production run has shipped.
The second run is sold out and will begin packing and shipping next week.
As of yesterday we are taking orders for our third production run.
This has all happened in 7 weeks. We are attempting to keep the pace as fast as we can, however we are now at the point where we will need to order another production run of power transformers as well as chassis, so there may be a delay of around three or four weeks before the most recent orders made and any orders made after this post will ship. We are also experiencing strange back orders on some other parts like capacitors and resistors that are usually always in stock. We suspect that our vendors have reduced their stocks during the recession and they are now caught with their pants down as the economy has picked back up. You may see a part or two in your kit that looks a little different than the one shown in the manual as we go to secondary sources for some parts to keep the delivery as timely as possible. Not to worry, these parts of of equal or better quality.
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Yup,.. I've noticed that distributors seem to be running short on a number of items also. Also, the bigger parts houses seem to be taking a little longer to respond and ship. I figured they've been reluctant to restock and may have laid some employees off too.
Speaking of power transformers, what's the current ratings for this one?
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Speaking of power transformers, what's the current ratings for this one?
This is the PT-3, and the ratings are adequate for the products in which it is used. I discourage other uses, since the design is not as flexible as you might think from the specs.
I am hoping we can replace it with a more robust design, which can be used by experimenters for a wide variety of projects. But that requires we change the SEX amp slightly - including new output transformers. It will be a step up in sonic quality, but we have a small backlog of new products to work through first!
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Thanks Paul,
I was wondering about using tubes such as the E80CC which draws .3A in the filament? Not a good idea/OK to try for a little while or should be good to go?
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Steve,
From Doc's earlier comments about filament supply headroom, it seems that this should be fine. In fact, I have an e80cc I will be trying out. I figure if there's enough reserve for a 6sn7, then the e80cc should be fine.
HTH,
Jim
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Thanks Jim,
I must've missed that post. I've got a pair of the Tungsrams that I've never heard.
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It was somewhere in one of the first threads on the crack where he was taking about possible tube substitutions.
I have a couple of Amperex's I've never heard either. I think these are the only two companies that actually made them. If you ever see a pinch-waist Amperex, grab it, or let me know :D.
-- Jim
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We use the PT-3 up to 3.5Arms, but the filament winding gets pretty hot doing that. The materials can take the heat - we try to be pretty conservative about that - but I'm not real happy with anything over 3 amps. The 6080 is 2.5A, and a 6SN7 is 0.6, total 3.1 amps. You're probably OK there in a Crack since the high voltage does not draw the full available current.
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Crack # 27 has arrived, just as I arrived back from my all-too-quick whirlwind trip and from to NH, so the timing was perfect.
Tomorrow, it's off to the car-parts shop to pick up some rattlecans of primer and metalflake "touchup" paint . I mostly use green or red matalflake, so maybe I'll try blue for the Crack, just for variety. Just depends on if they have colors other than basic black or washed out white ;-)
stay tuned...
/ed B in NC
Builder and owner of 1 pair "stock" Paramounts, 1 pair of upgraded Paramour IIs, two SEX amps (one upgraded, one bare essentials), two FPIII (one stock, one 6SN7 and step attenuator modified) , one somewhat modified FP II, one stock Seduction, two Quickies, and one Crack, yet to be completed.
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I placed my order today #1272908708 to Plymouth, WI. I know it will be a ways out yet before you are shipping the next batch, but is there a general idea yet on when that will be? (assuming there are no other parts/supply delays) I know that there will likely be delays anyway..so I won't be surprised if ETA's are overshot.
I couldn't glean from the previous posts what/when...
Thank you!
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Yours will be from the third production run, which seems to be selling just as fast as the first two. Those parts were just recently ordered, and it typically takes about three weeks to get them in (when our suppliers are not running behind). Then of course it takes us a few days to get the parts kitted and the kits packed and shipped.
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Hi, my order is 1272851504 and I presume the wait would be 4 weeks from now plus shipping?
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Any estimate now would just be a guess and get your hopes up. Let Doc and the crew get the parts in and I am certain he will keep the board posted when they are packing.
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Grainger is right here. I am pretty much just the hand waving CEO when it comes to this stuff, and I can't really give you specific info about a specific order number because I don't have a firm ETA from my vendors concerning the parts. What I am giving is my best estimate based upon past performance (about 4 weeks), but actual dates can slip either way by a week or two, or even more. We will do our best to keep folks informed as we learn more info and build a more clear picture of the estimated ship dates.
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I understand completely!
edit:
The other burning question of course is the relationship of orders in the third run and the "tube lottery" :)
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I've almost got my Crack done (my first DIY kit). I got caught by the 14U/15U slipup (I've ended up just clipping that wire and wiring it to 22, as in the original manual, since getting to 14/15 to desolder the cap was getting a bit tricky), but other than that, things have been wonderful! (Replacing parts I broke, great instruction manual & form, :-) ).
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My first Bottlehead kit was the Seduction. It had the best layout of any kit I had ever assembled. The instructions were clear and easy to follow.
The new manuals put that very good one to shame. It would have cost more to make the manuals as Doc does in the old days than the parts cost of the kit. Computers are sometimes our friends, but don't arm them.
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I was wondering if an estimated date has been given for the shipment of the third production run?
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The key thing we are waiting for is power transformers which have an estimated arrival date of around June 3rd or 4th. So if that holds true we would begin packing and shipping around the end of the first week of June.