Crack - specific headphone kit?

Doc B. · 75468

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Offline Doc B.

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Reply #30 on: February 11, 2014, 01:32:26 PM
OK we crunched some numbers today and the project looks viable. We need a few more parts to build a production prototype and I want to try a couple of refinements to the damping materials I chose. Here's a little teaser of the prototype kit cable.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2014, 03:13:07 PM by Doc B. »

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
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Bottlehead Corp.

Offline mcandmar

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Reply #31 on: February 11, 2014, 02:49:38 PM
Very nice, can i ask what cable you are using or is that a trade secret?

My condolences to whoever has to solder those 3.5mm sockets, i smell lots of burnt fingertips in your future :)


M.McCandless

Offline btrancho

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Reply #32 on: February 11, 2014, 03:05:22 PM
Quote from: mcandmar on February 11, 2014, 02:49:38 PM

My condolences to whoever has to solder those 3.5mm sockets, i smell lots of burnt fingertips in your future :)

I'm guessing that the headphone Doc has chosen already has a 3.5mm socket - I doubt that the kit will involve drilling for and then wiring up a socket, though I might well be wrong.  We'll know soon enough.  Soldering a 3.5 plug is not at all difficult, even for my past-their-prime eyes and fingers.  I am curious about the cabling, though.  I've done a whole bunch of custom headphone cables and am curious to see Doc's approach to enhancing the high end.

I'm most definitely in for a pre-order when they become available.

Bob Trancho

Offline Doc B.

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Reply #33 on: February 11, 2014, 03:34:19 PM
Guys, remember that I am a pragmatist. The cable was chosen based upon my previous experiences with what works to open up the top end. There is no magic 11 strand overhand braiding for transparency sublimation or boson enhanced silver flakes for reduced time dilation or imperial yak hair lining for lower uncertainty factor. It's just high quality commercially available cable that got the cans to sound the way I wanted for this particular application.

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

Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #34 on: February 11, 2014, 03:45:58 PM
I think some magic may have been imparted when I sneezed on the wire?

Paul "PB" Birkeland

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Offline Mike B

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Reply #35 on: February 11, 2014, 04:28:11 PM
Most assuredly. 

Especially if you had the H1N1 flu virus.  Which is so strong it recrystallizes the copper molecule to a more transparent phase.

Far away from the bleeding edge

Offline Guy 13

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Reply #36 on: February 11, 2014, 04:32:41 PM
Hi Doc and all.
Don't count me in (For now) but I am curious to see what you will come up with.

Guy 13

Rega P3/Exact MM / Rega Apollo / Decware SE84C+ / Bottlehead Crack / Sennheiser HD650 / Grace Mondo RIT/ Omega 7F OB dipole / Double Eminence 12" Acoustinator OB dipole.

Offline btrancho

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Reply #37 on: February 12, 2014, 02:42:49 AM
Quote from: Doc B. on February 11, 2014, 03:34:19 PM
... There is no magic 11 strand overhand braiding for transparency sublimation or boson enhanced silver flakes for reduced time dilation or imperial yak hair lining for lower uncertainty factor. It's just high quality commercially available cable that got the cans to sound the way I wanted for this particular application.

No speculation involved here, just a curiosity as to what you will be using.  Certainly, at the price point mentioned before, no one would expect esoteric materials and being a DIY kit, we'd hardly expect you to have people braiding 4 wire litz configurations. I'm happy to just sit back and wait for you to announce availability at some point.

Bob Trancho

Offline mahdi8

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Reply #38 on: February 13, 2014, 02:21:22 AM
Hi Doc,

Really interested in purchasing the pre-order but the international shipping really kills the deal. Is there any possibility to have some kind of economic shipping to Australia to sweeten the deal?


Offline gh0st

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Reply #39 on: February 13, 2014, 03:39:38 AM
maybe a dumb question... is there resistance in the cable to increase the load impedance as seen by the Crack, so it operates in it's butterzone?

Dom V

Offline Doc B.

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Reply #40 on: February 13, 2014, 04:51:42 AM
Yes the cable has some resistance. We tried several configurations before we settled on the method used.

Not sure what to say about shipping. We have found usps priority to be the least expensive method and that is what the shopping cart charges when you order. Perhaps if you arrange a group buy with fellow Aussies you could reduce the shipping cost.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
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Bottlehead Corp.

Offline Doc B.

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Reply #41 on: February 13, 2014, 05:14:44 AM
I should ask what the shipping charge was that you saw. If it is not the correct rate for USPS priority we will fix it.

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

Offline mahdi8

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Reply #42 on: February 13, 2014, 09:45:20 AM
Shipping cost to Australia was quoted as $52 and for 2 headphone it was $104


Offline mcandmar

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Reply #43 on: February 13, 2014, 09:51:17 AM
I had the same issue ordering the quickie, shipping to Ireland was $42 but when i added another item (PJCCS) the shipping cost doubled to $84. In that instance i just called Eileen and she sorted it out for me.

M.McCandless

Offline spaniard02

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Reply #44 on: February 13, 2014, 10:38:36 AM
Quote from: Doc B. on February 13, 2014, 04:51:42 AM
Yes the cable has some resistance. We tried several configurations before we settled on the method used.
Doc, with the current product page description, people might think you're talking strictly about a materials choice (e.g. copper vs. silver) for sound tweaking.  I personally think you'd avoid a lot of confusion from BH fans / potential buyers if you put this information right into your product page directly after mentioning that they're low-impedance, 40ohm headphones.  Anybody that's ever read up on the Crack is under the impression that the lowest possible hp impedance they should consider is 150-200ohms, and without a little bit more info, it just doesn't gel with the guidelines BH has given in the past.  Knowing that the 8323 retails for $20, I was scratching my head when I read the email & product page this morning - comes off the wrong way, sorta.

Otherwise, now knowing that the cable is what brings it together, sounds like a pretty killer concept - hope I have the chance to hear it sometime soon.


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