Progress Report

Paul Birkeland · 9522

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Offline Paul Birkeland

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on: June 26, 2013, 02:59:50 PM
We have made some headway on the manual today, completing the photography for hardware mounting, input selection, and attenuator wiring (this is roughly a little more than the entire Submissive manual).

Josh is going to work on editing and layout tomorrow, and we shall resume the photography and writing thereafter.

-PB

(PS - check out the updated product shot with the final label overlay)
« Last Edit: June 26, 2013, 05:07:34 PM by Doc B. »

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline 2wo

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Reply #1 on: June 26, 2013, 06:08:20 PM
That looks very nice indeed. If it were mine I would blue or blacken the transformer cover...John

John Scanlon


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #2 on: June 26, 2013, 06:14:38 PM
I'm having a hard time not snagging a panel and sending it to be anodized blue  8)

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline keto

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Reply #3 on: June 26, 2013, 06:20:28 PM
Looks great! And with those phone jacks in the front right corner (neutrik?) being switchable to RCA or balanced output, it also looks like an amazing option for a super-drive preamp. Congrats!

Tom Jones


Offline HF9

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Reply #4 on: June 27, 2013, 04:55:36 AM
It's looking great, keep up the good work :)

My DIY Audio Electronics Blog: DIYAudioBlog.com


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #5 on: June 27, 2013, 05:42:07 AM
Looks great! And with those phone jacks in the front right corner (neutrik?) being switchable to RCA or balanced output, it also looks like an amazing option for a super-drive preamp. Congrats!

After nearly 20 years at this I am no longer dismayed when users post that they want to use our amp as a preamp, preamp as a headphone amp, a preamp in front of an integrated amp, etc. However I will point out that for about the same price the BeePre is the better preamp and the Mainline is the better headphone amp.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline HF9

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Reply #6 on: June 27, 2013, 06:31:49 AM
That overlay would look great in brown with cream letters, or perhaps copper with brown letters, give it a nice vintage patina. I don't suppose you guys are offering different options for extra $$?
« Last Edit: June 27, 2013, 06:33:23 AM by HF9 »

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Offline denti alligator

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Reply #7 on: June 27, 2013, 06:36:25 AM
Some day, I'd love one of these...

"I'm searching for my mainline ...  I couldn't hit it sidewise...

Uuh, just like sister ray says."

- Sam

Rega P3-24 (w/AT 150MLX) w/Groovetracer upgrades / Eros II / FLAC >J.River >DSD256 >Gustard X20 / Moreplay > Stereomour II / Klipsch Forte II w/Crites upgrades / C4S S.E.X. 2.0 +Nickel MQ Iron / Speedball Crack / Sennheiser HD600 w/Cardas cable


Offline fullheadofnothing

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Reply #8 on: June 27, 2013, 09:33:47 AM
Some day, I'd love one of these...

"I'm searching for my mainline ...  I couldn't hit it sidewise...

Uuh, just like sister ray says."
First thing I listened to on that amp.

Joshua Harris

I Write the Manuals That Make The Whole World Sing
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Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #9 on: June 27, 2013, 01:42:06 PM
That overlay would look great in brown with cream letters, or perhaps copper with brown letters, give it a nice vintage patina. I don't suppose you guys are offering different options for extra $$?

While it may be possible to nab a different overlay, it could end up being very expensive and taking an unusual amount of time (when white isn't one of the colors, the lead time for material acquisition gets really high).

While the brown might be possible, I'm not sure how great a copper colored plastic would look.

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #10 on: June 27, 2013, 02:08:54 PM
One could possibly spray the stock overlay with a thin coat of paint and fill the lettering in by hand. Unfortunately at the current pace of one or two new product releases per month we don't have much time available to handle custom orders.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline dubiousmike

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Reply #11 on: June 27, 2013, 07:01:39 PM
Thanks for the update and photo!  The production version looks amazing and no doubt sounds even better.  Really excited to be a part of the first wave this time around!

Mike M.


Offline grufti

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Reply #12 on: June 27, 2013, 07:07:14 PM
Was "Mainline" always intended as a VU reference? I'm surprised that I needed to be reminded.



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #13 on: July 11, 2013, 11:44:50 AM
As of today, the manual is very close to being completed in draft form.  Josh and I will still need to get together to gather the voltages and resistances, as well as to retake one photo that isn't quite correct (my fault, not his).

As we speak, the majority of the parts for the Mainline are either being manufactured or shipped to us, with our custom switches, graphic overlays, and power transformers being the bits that may take a little extra time getting here.

We look forward to shipping the first group of Mainlines shortly!

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #14 on: July 15, 2013, 02:14:32 PM
While Josh is busy at home working on the manual, I worked about 2/3 of the way through the packing preparations for the Mainline.  This actually included kitting nearly an entire kit, so the first mainline kit is basically primed and ready to go!

We will be receiving the majority of the missing parts tomorrow for the rest of the first run, and beyond that kit shipping will come down to just 3 parts that are either in production or in transit to us already.

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man