Thanks for all the orders!

[igotyofire]

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

[Doc B.]

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.

[igotyofire]

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"

[Doc B.]

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.

[roger_s]

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. 

[Dyna Saur]

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).  

[Doc B.]

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.

[ironbut]

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?

[Paul Joppa]

...
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!

[ironbut]

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?

[Jim R.]

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

[ironbut]

Thanks Jim,
I must've missed that post. I've got a pair of the Tungsrams that I've never heard.

[Jim R.]

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 .

-- Jim

[Paul Joppa]

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.

[Dyna Saur]

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.