Crack;Bottlehead OTL - Page 88

Quote:

Originally Posted by lextek 

I start my weekend mornings with Crack, coffee and jazz.

Tubes are the way to start the day!

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeptic 

tkd 2511 pots, available at parts connexion, are quite nice and a drop in substitute for stock.  I've been very pleased with mine.  

I'll second that. I don't like how they do their shipping calculations but I like the part.

Hello, I would like to ask, what DAC is good for CRACK.

Second question, if I use also studio monitors, and switching between headphones and monitors (on night to headphones, to not disturb neightboars),

what DAC should I use for this purpose. It needs to have 2 sets of DAC out, right? One I connect directly to studio monitors, and one, I connect to CRACK.

Right now I have NFB11.32, which is DAC/preamp + headphones amplifier, and I'm looking at back plate, and there is only one set of DAC out. So, in this case, it's not possible to use connected it to monitors and CRACK at once?

Now question, what do you see as better combination:

300$ standalone DAC + CRACK

or

NFB10.32 with balanced output

I've also been spending some quality time with my crack and HD800's this weekend, and I am loving a new tube complement I just picked up from the fs forum!  In addition to a host of other highly regarded 6as7's/5998's/6080's etc., neogeo333 had, and may yet have, a few rare GEC 6as7g's for sale - a tube I have always wanted to try based on skylab's highly favorable reviews.  

In any event, I bought one, along with a spare 5998, and my initial impression is that I am really going to enjoy the GEC tube.  The gain on my crack has always been a little bit high for my HD800's when running 5998's (which have been my favorites to date nonetheless).  It seems like the GEC tube is just as refined as a 5998, but with a lower gain that works really really well in my configuration.  (Thought I'd mention this here, sooner rather than later, in case any others on team-crack are looking for modestly priced, high quality, well cared-for 6as7's - which sadly seem to be harder and harder to find in recent years).  

It should be lots of fun comparing my various 5998's with the GEC over the coming weeks.  I'm pretty well settled on a 1959 TS 12bh7 as my favorite tube in the A socket.  Also thinking it may finally be time to try a pair of obbligato's in place of the axon's I'm using as output caps.  The joy of experimenting with this outstanding little amp really is endless!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrax 

 

Right now I have NFB11.32, which is DAC/preamp + headphones amplifier, and I'm looking at back plate, and there is only one set of DAC out. So, in this case, it's not possible to use connected it to monitors and CRACK at once?

 

Now question, what do you see as better combination:

300$ standalone DAC + CRACK

or

NFB10.32 with balanced output

You could make or buy a source distribution box, or even just do a split cable. 

As a better combination - I prefer a separate dac + crack, than an all in one - gives more options for upgrades down the line. I really like the Yulong D100 with my crack - which does have balanced line outs (depending on your monitors, you could use XLR cables from there) as well as a set of standard stereo audio outs. It's a bit more than $300 though - unless you find used. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by liamstrain 

 

You could make or buy a source distribution box, or even just do a split cable. 

 

As a better combination - I prefer a separate dac + crack, than an all in one - gives more options for upgrades down the line. I really like the Yulong D100 with my crack - which does have balanced line outs (depending on your monitors, you could use XLR cables from there) as well as a set of standard stereo audio outs. It's a bit more than $300 though - unless you find used. 

Can you please give example of such distribution box, or split cable (some pictures)... from what I've read, I cannot imagine it, what it is.

Thank you, yes my monitors have also XLR inputs, so balanced DAC is not a problem.

Crack on other side, don't have balanced output for headphones, just normal one?

So Yulong D100 + crack, will make better sound for headphones for a bit higher price than NFB10.32?

What about sound to monitors... will Yulong D100 alone (I assume it's only DAC, not preamp) will make better sound on monitors, than NFB10.32?

As I've have NFB11.32 now, I've tried fixed and variable output to my Monitors, and I assume, that fixed is just DAC, but variable is also DAC + preamp (or only DAC + volume control, with no amping?). Because I've had feeling, that variable made slightly better sound then fixed on active monitors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrax 

So Yulong D100 + crack, will make better sound for headphones for a bit higher price than NFB10.32?

What about sound to monitors... will Yulong D100 alone (I assume it's only DAC, not preamp) will make better sound on monitors, than NFB10.32?

 

This is going to boil down to personal preferences Warrax.  If you are using high impedance headphones, you will *probably* really enjoy the crack, paired with any decent quality dac.  As you can tell from this thread, many head-fiers really like this amp a lot.  That said, some people have different preferences and might prefer the nfb10.

As one of many possible alternatives to the yulong, keces also makes some very nice budget dacs you might take a look at.  They measure well and have generally received positive reviews (see, e.g., http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0808/keces_da151.htm).  I've had my Keces 131 for several years now, and it is a very solid little unit.  

Hi everybody.  Just finished my first Crack build and plugged in my DT880/600's. 

Holy SH*T does this thing sound good. 

Looks good. Enjoy! What's the pretty KT88 piece next to it?

Does anyone have a spare (unused preferred) alder base they didn't use from their kit? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishsammy 

Hi everybody.  Just finished my first Crack build and plugged in my DT880/600's. 

 

Holy SH*T does this thing sound good. 

 

What's that for color of wood? I've always seen CRACK as bright brown wooden color. This is looking really really awesome with this darker wood color. Do they ship such wooden pieces now, or it is made by you?

They ship wood pieces unfinished, and you can stain them (or not stain them at all) whatever color you want.  Most that I've seen are unstained or stained some shade of brown.  But you do see dark/black ones occasionally like this one.  

That's the cool thing - each one that has anything done to it is really pretty unique.  You can also paint the top plate as well.  

Here's mine:

Quote:

Originally Posted by captouch 

They ship wood pieces unfinished, and you can stain them (or not stain them at all) whatever color you want.  Most that I've seen are unstained or stained some shade of brown.  But you do see dark/black ones occasionally like this one.  

If you look on the Bottlehead site, you'll see all manner of base modifications and colours. I stained mine a dark blue and painted the top plate with the hammered copper paint. There's probably a picture of it in this thread somewhere.