[JamieMcC]

This looks like it
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/guitare-knob-metal-chrom-gold-retro-Vintage-Style-Volume-Tone-control-/171328721794?pt=DE_TV_Video_Audio_Sonstige&hash=item27e3fcd382

 

[MoatsArt]

That's the seller! 40 mm hold version of this knob.

 

[JamieMcC]

Just joined the Sex club or should that be club Sex!

 
 
Now to have some fun hunting down a few extra goodies to go inside while waiting for arrival.

 

[Loquah]

Nice! Did you get it with the special price deal?
 
What plans do you have for upgrades?

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  Just joined the Sex club or should that be club Sex!

 
 
Now to have some fun hunting down a few extra goodies to go inside while waiting for arrival.

 
Oh, quit screwing around, Jamie.  

 

[JamieMcC]

  Nice! Did you get it with the special price deal?
 
What plans do you have for upgrades?

Hi Lachlan yes I bagged one of the ones in the special deal, I was sitting on my hands but in the end succumbed to the temptation. As for upgrades stock first then the normal suspects as per yours and Mark's, who also has had been kindly helping me with options I suspect there will be more than a few questions after I digest more of the options. A stepper for sure,  I already have a few caps and a C-3X choke that might be options depending on voltage ratings etc. I need to do some more homework first looking forward to trying out some speakers with it as well.
 
Cheers
 
Jamie

 

[JamieMcC]

   
Oh, quit screwing around, Jamie.  

 
You may laugh but I had to do some fast talking over that comment, I was grinning to myself as I wrote it on the lap top and the misses decided to look over and see what I was grinning at and saw the joining a sex club line, this was quickly followed by a grilling the Spanish inquisition would have been proud of which due to my inability to think fast enough meant I disclosed my new purchase rather sooner than intended! Where I might have just got away with saying I built it and snuck it in under the radar.

 

[Loquah]

   
You may laugh but I had to do some fast talking over that comment, I was grinning to myself as I wrote it on the lap top and the misses decided to look over and see what I was grinning at and saw the joining a sex club line, this was quickly followed by a grilling the Spanish inquisition would have been proud of which due to my inability to think fast enough meant I disclosed my new purchase rather sooner than intended! Where I might have just got away with saying I built it and snuck it in under the radar.

 
That's hilarious!! Gotta love all the different ways head-fi can get us into trouble!

 

[bigfatpaulie]

   
You may laugh but I had to do some fast talking over that comment, I was grinning to myself as I wrote it on the lap top and the misses decided to look over and see what I was grinning at and saw the joining a sex club line, this was quickly followed by a grilling the Spanish inquisition would have been proud of which due to my inability to think fast enough meant I disclosed my new purchase rather sooner than intended! Where I might have just got away with saying I built it and snuck it in under the radar.

 
Hahaha.  Don't ever change the way you are!
 
Too funny.  I am very much looking forward to your build after what you did with you Crack.  If you are getting the SEX (or is it a SEX?), I suppose that means maybe I have to get as well though....  
 
All the best!

 

[JamieMcC]

Just hooked up my Crack to a home brew passive pre which is a first for me! I am trying it out with a 36 step course and fine attenuator set up (its my poor mans version of the Submissive which was my inspiration).  Feeling quiet pleased as its all gone reasonably well it. Its not yet finished as am going to add a source and output selectors tidy up the wiring etc. But wanted to get it working and check out how its sounded prior to finalising the wiring in of the selector switches in case anything needed tweaking.
 

 

[skeptic]

Very cool Jamie!  Is this using the glassware product you linked several months back http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/a5stat.html ?  I'm still really tempted to pick one of these up to use with the wire amp i'm building, but finding an appropriate enclosure is proving to be something of a challenge. 

 

[JamieMcC]

  Very cool Jamie!  Is this using the glassware product you linked several months back http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/a5stat.html ?  I'm still really tempted to pick one of these up to use with the wire amp i'm building, but finding an appropriate enclosure is proving to be something of a challenge. 

 
Hi skeptic yes its the one from Glassware the same one in your link. I was very happy with the quality of the pcb and the switches from them its nicely screen printed and the switches have a nicer feel to them than the Valab which is a little clunky in comparison. It also comes with a little booklet with resistor values and placements and connection diagrams for adding the pcb based switches they also offer. I haven't had much chance other than for a quick listen so will not comment on sonics. However I do really like the course and fine adjustment its very nice to be able to get the volume just right.
 
I think I will look into changing the resistor values of the sic course adjustment resistors as its running a touch to loud on the minimum setting for one of my source inputs so will look into the values needed for a bit more balance and a fuller range between my different sources. I think that's called padding down but am sure if that is the right term or not? The fine values are well fine and I'm using the Metal-Film -1dB/-6dB version the booklet also gives values for the -2dB/-12dB. 

 

[JamieMcC]

Little update on the A5 attenuator passive pre amp. Sonic wise its very similar to the Valab there are some subtle differences such a shade more resolution and a shade less midrange body maybe just the result of being slightly brighter? Its hard to pin down and am unsure if this is due to the resistors or perhaps have a hunch it might be the silver plated copper solid core 26 awg hook up wire I used from nav ship (on ebay) but will try non silvered plated hook up wire later on and see if this changes.
 
While with the T1's the differences where subtle over the Valab which really I guess is to be expected.
 
As with any new toy I later tried it out in front of my Teac solid state amp in my speaker system and the difference was anything but subtle, what a result just way more  resolved and musical!

 

[Loquah]

Nice experimentation, Jamie. I'm keen to hear what the change in hook-up wire does.
 
On another note, I forgot to share here yesterday (I shared over in Bottleland) that I finally got around to Installing the 4-pin XLR in my SEX and therefore wiring for balanced output to the headphones. Because of my placement of the Teflon caps where the impedance switches go, and because I never plan to use passive loudspeakers, I hard wired for balanced operation rather than using the switches. Thanks to the gurus from the BH forum (aka Bottleland) the process was simple:
 
XLR Pin 1: Left +
XLR Pin 2: Left -
XLR Pin 3: Right +
XLR Pin 4: Right -
 
There also needs to be a 100ohm (approx.) resistor between each pin and ground (i.e. the socket ground tab, chassis, etc.)
 
All-in-all the hardest part was cutting the larger hole for the XLR socket and the sound improvement is significant with the LCD 2s - more resolving, sharper image, and possibly slightly larger stage.
 

 

[Aeolus Kratos]

I'm proud to be a Bottlehead fan

 

 

 

 
 
The new DHT SMASH preamp sounded really awesome with the S.E.X

 
 
P/S: sorry for the photo qualities, the camera of my iPod is just bad!