[HPiper]

I own a LD MKIII and listen to it daily. I recently got to listen to the Crack at the local Seattle show and there is no doubt in my mind that the BHC is by far the better sounding amp. The bass in particular was deeper and better controlled, plus the sound was just cleaner and smoother from bottom to top. Just as a side note and to back up what Bottlehead says about their amps. I also listened to another (unnamed) amp at the same show that costs 3 times as much as the BHC and the BHC was even better sounding than that amp. I think listening via their soon to be released dac might have had something to do with the terrific sound I was hearing but it was nothing short of special in any case. I need to do some serious rearranging of my listening setup to make room for the Bottlehead but I totally am going to get one. In fact that is the only downside, the BHC plus their dac take up quite a lot of room, add my sacd player to that and we are talking a quite large and sturdy table.

 

[Lucaswonder]

  Usually i use the Senns with my Burson Conductor but i soon discovered that the Littledot MK3 for a $200.00 amp is not bad at all .

Thumbs up! For specific persons, not necessarily more expensive amps are a lot better than cheaper ones! Listen to you ears but not others words! And don't fear to speak out your feelings! 

 

[Loquah]

I have 2 sources feeding the Crack via an Asus Essence One Muses Ed. DAC - a Logitech Squeezebox Touch via coax and a Pioneer SACD player via optical.

 
Interesting. Do you have the same experience with all 3 sources? (I.e. preferring the Crack)

 

[palmfish]

With every source I have ever heard each amp with, the Crack has come across as the warmer, less detailed, meatier sounding amp to me. The Mainline, on the other hand, is leaner, more detailed and articulate.

In very general terms, what Im saying is that, to me, the Mainline is a more "solid state sounding" amp and the Crack is a more "tubey sounding" amp. Since I already have 2 very fine solid state amps, I prefer the Crack for how different it is.

I hope that explains it better...

 

[Loquah]

With every source I have ever heard each amp with, the Crack has come across as the warmer, less detailed, meatier sounding amp to me. The Mainline, on the other hand, is leaner, more detailed and articulate.

In very general terms, what Im saying is that, to me, the Mainline is a more "solid state sounding" amp and the Crack is a more "tubey sounding" amp. Since I already have 2 very fine solid state amps, I prefer the Crack for how different it is.

I hope that explains it better...

 
Yes. Perfect explanation - I completely know what you mean now! 

 

[ULUL]

With every source I have ever heard each amp with, the Crack has come across as the warmer, less detailed, meatier sounding amp to me. The Mainline, on the other hand, is leaner, more detailed and articulate.

In very general terms, what Im saying is that, to me, the Mainline is a more "solid state sounding" amp and the Crack is a more "tubey sounding" amp. Since I already have 2 very fine solid state amps, I prefer the Crack for how different it is.

I hope that explains it better...

Superb explanation. In this case, crack is actually what I would be after more than the mainline.  Is your crack upgraded with the speedball?
 
Thanks,
UL

 

[Sonido]

I've found for me the Quickie in chain provides far more warmth than Crack alone. The Mainline definitely sounds like something I would want to the technical superiorities, and just preamp it for the warmth. Hopefully, the BeePre has a similar warm signature like the Quickie. Anyone have experience with the BeePre and have compared it to Quickie?

 

[dguitarnut]

Has anyone really botched a Crack build? I have chickened out of building one.
Surely there is a ready made version of this amp somewhere. I always seem to miss out when folks turn theirs.

 

[MIKELAP]

Has anyone really botched a Crack build? I have chickened out of building one.
Surely there is a ready made version of this amp somewhere. I always seem to miss out when folks turn theirs.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649102386-bottlehead_crack_with_speedball_upgrade/

 

[PTom]

Has anyone really botched a Crack build? I have chickened out of building one.
Surely there is a ready made version of this amp somewhere. I always seem to miss out when folks turn theirs.

I'd make sure it's someone experienced who builds it for you. I think Bottlehead recommends HifiBuilderGuy. For BHC + Speedball I think it'll come to around $800 if he builds it which is basically double the price. I'm sure there must be other experienced builders who'd do it for much less though. 
 
Anyone know any experienced BHC builders in the UK? I have been approached by experienced American builders who said they'd do the BHC+speedball for $75.

 

[palmfish]

  Superb explanation. In this case, crack is actually what I would be after more than the mainline.  Is your crack upgraded with the speedball?
 
Thanks,
UL

 
No, I don't have the Speedball.

 

[palmfish]

  I've found for me the Quickie in chain provides far more warmth than Crack alone. The Mainline definitely sounds like something I would want to the technical superiorities, and just preamp it for the warmth. Hopefully, the BeePre has a similar warm signature like the Quickie. Anyone have experience with the BeePre and have compared it to Quickie?

 
You know, there is this thing called EQ... lol.

 

[Sonido]

Has anyone really botched a Crack build? I have chickened out of building one.
Surely there is a ready made version of this amp somewhere. I always seem to miss out when folks turn theirs.

Prior to the Crack I had less than 10 hours of soldering experience. I built the Crack with Speedball and the Quickie with PJCCS, and each time I didn't even do the voltage or resistance checks because I was too impatient. So far it has all worked on the first try. Knock on wood. I'm very detail oriented when it comes to this though, reading each step over and over again. I think doing that is your best bet on making a working one. I had a friend help me early on during the assembly part of the Crack before and soldering, and I realized he would skimp over details like using wrong screw lengths or wrong positioning of tube sockets. So I guess I'm just very meticulous over the details compared to others, but that has given me only succeed so far.

You know, there is this thing called EQ... lol.

The effect comes out to be very different. After all, you can't really EQ the same warmth of a tube amp into a SS amp.

 

[Loquah]

Has anyone really botched a Crack build? I have chickened out of building one.
Surely there is a ready made version of this amp somewhere. I always seem to miss out when folks turn theirs.

 
Mine's for sale at the moment in the classifieds. Even at $550 + shipping, I think it'll be cheaper than HiFiBuilder guy if his rate is $800 or so like PTom suggested. Of course I also understand if you don't want it shipped across the world, but thought I'd mention it...

 

[dguitarnut]

Thanks guys I found one because of your help.
Yeah it amazes me at the number of Audiophiles in Canada and Australia!  Seems like the best stuff is always in one of your countries!