Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Legacy Kit Products => Smash => Topic started by: denti alligator on March 13, 2015, 06:15:33 AM

Title: upgraded Smash vs. Beepre
Post by: denti alligator on March 13, 2015, 06:15:33 AM

How does the fully upgraded Smash (with SmashQuiet and SmashUp) compare to the Beepre? Price-wise it's still a couple hundred short of the Beepre, but with upgrades it's easier to pay piece by piece instead of all at once. Are microphonics similarly a problem?

I'm using a SEX right now, and would want to switch out my Quickie that I have in front of the SEX. Extra gain/drive, plus the third input appeals to me. Eventually I'll be upgrading to the Paramounts, so that would be work well, too.

Title: Re: upgraded Smash vs. Beepre
Post by: Paul Birkeland on March 14, 2015, 09:08:38 AM

The stock BeePre has quite a bit more technology built into it compared to the stock Smash.  With both preamps fully upgraded, they have a similar level of technology, but the BeePre will sound better, perform better (lower output impedance, lower distortion, etc), and offers higher quality parts and more chassis space. 

Having said that, the fully upgraded Smash is no slouch, it's considerably easier to build in its stock form, uses tubes that are far more affordable, and allows you to better hear the sonic changes that occur with the C4S upgrades and shunt regulated power supply. 

-PB