[pdrm360]

  Can anyone send me the PDF of the Crack manual? I'm helping another Head-Fier get ready for a customised build and need to know the various capacitor locations and sizes.

PM sent

 

[Doc B.]

Thank you for taking care of Loquah!

 

[prtuc2]

Right now a new challenge has came up, on the manual it said:
 
Clip the fuse into the fuse cover and insert the cover into the power entry module
 
Assuming the silver/white tube is the fuse? I can't fit it into the power entry module without damaging it.  Any picture or video instructions will be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks for any input.

 

[Shaldome]

  Right now a new challenge has came up, on the manual it said:
 
Clip the fuse into the fuse cover and insert the cover into the power entry module
 
Assuming the silver/white tube is the fuse? I can't fit it into the power entry module without damaging it.  Any picture or video instructions will be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks for any input.

Are you trying to put the fuse directly into the socket? You have to "clip" the fuse to the the plastic piece you pulled out of the power module.
After that you can put it back it with the fuse in place.

 

[prtuc2]

Yes, got that working and new problem arises DIY is always a fun being you learn from your mistakes.  Right channel of my headphone just start hearing crackling sound then the channel seems to be gone.  I re-test the headphone on my speaker amp it is still working, but need some inputs on the possible mishaps on my part.  I did noticed plugging the RCA cable into the white RCA jack was a hard to put in.
 
Once again appreciate any inputs.

 

[ffivaz]

  Yes, got that working and new problem arises DIY is always a fun being you learn from your mistakes.  Right channel of my headphone just start hearing crackling sound then the channel seems to be gone.  I re-test the headphone on my speaker amp it is still working, but need some inputs on the possible mishaps on my part.  I did noticed plugging the RCA cable into the white RCA jack was a hard to put in.
 
Once again appreciate any inputs.

 
You would receive better inputs if you posted your problems on the Bottlehead forum. Back there, you would be asked if your resistance checks and voltage checks were fine. Were they ? If the noise is only in one channel, then you have a cold solder joint in the signal path of this channel, or sometimes (but it's a rare sometimes) a bad tube. You could try the chopstick test : the test for the hardcore diy guys. Take a wooden stick (wooden, nothing else) and try to poke different connections inside your crack to find the one that makes the most noise in your headphone. There, you will find your cold solder joint or bad component.
 
Good luck!

 

[Loquah]

   
You would receive better inputs if you posted your problems on the Bottlehead forum. Back there, you would be asked if your resistance checks and voltage checks were fine. Were they ? If the noise is only in one channel, then you have a cold solder joint in the signal path of this channel, or sometimes (but it's a rare sometimes) a bad tube. You could try the chopstick test : the test for the hardcore diy guys. Take a wooden stick (wooden, nothing else) and try to poke different connections inside your crack to find the one that makes the most noise in your headphone. There, you will find your cold solder joint or bad component.
 
Good luck!

+1 The Bottlehead forum is definitely the best place to problem solve

 

[UmustBKidn]

  Thank you for this information, I guess that leaves me with the choice between Valhalla and the BH, the Valhalla just seem like the safer way to go DYI wise :\ 
I am looking for something that will really brings out the bass capabilities of the HD650.. I heard them with Naim DAC-V1 it was freaking amazing, only if I was richer
 
Since the Naim is a SS do you think it will be hard to find a Tube amp with same sound signature bass wise? 

 
No idea, not even going to attempt to speculate.
 
The Schiit Valhalla would be a fine choice if you don't care to attempt a Crack build, or don't care to pay someone else to build one for you. I have great respect for all Schiit gear. After a year of reading this website (yeah, it took that long), I decided on buying and building a Crack when time and finances permit, and because soldering doesn't scare me (and saving a few bucks appeals to me). It helps that I have already accumulated a crapton of 12AU7 tubes for my cheap hybrid amps

But if I were in the position of not wanting (or being able) to solder up a kit, then the Valhalla would be an obvious choice, for this price range.

 

[Swolern]

Just finished Crack build.
 
Have a problem with low volume output.
 
 
Edit:
Haha. Figured it out!!!
 
SOUNDS AMAZING!!!!!! 

 

 

[skeptic]

Hey swolern - it sounds like something isn't quite right with your setup at present, notwithstanding that the voltages are checking out.  My crack gets very loud with my hd800's without turning the pot very far at all - and unless my memory is failing me, the same held true before I upgraded my pot.  Several members in this thread have reported using inline attenuators, inserted between their rca's and crack input jacks, in order to reduce volume and provide more of a range of motion on their pots.  The amp also should have a dead black background, although some 6as7/6080's are better than others in this regard.
 
Do you have a different source - ordinary CD player or something you can try with the amp just to eliminate the possibility that this has something to do with software or the rca/lineout on your essence one?

 

[Swolern]

  Hey swolern - it sounds like something isn't quite right with your setup at present, notwithstanding that the voltages are checking out.  My crack gets very loud with my hd800's without turning the pot very far at all - and unless my memory is failing me, the same held true before I upgraded my pot.  Several members in this thread have reported using inline attenuators, inserted between their rca's and crack input jacks, in order to reduce volume and provide more of a range of motion on their pots.  The amp also should have a dead black background, although some 6as7/6080's are better than others in this regard.
 
Do you have a different source - ordinary CD player or something you can try with the amp just to eliminate the possibility that this has something to do with software or the rca/lineout on your essence one?

Ya my volume problem was pretty dumb. I didnt know my E1 had a different volume adjustment for the RCA line out as i have never used it before, it was set to about 25%. Whats weird is after i turned up the RCA output volume the background noise is gone also.

 

[skeptic]

Nice!  Glad to hear you got it sorted out!

 

[Swolern]

Thanks Skeptic.
 
What are you guys experience with the Speedball. I bought it with my Crack, but I wanted to try out the Crack without the Speedball first. How much better does it get? It sounds so good already!!!!

 

[JamieMcC]

  Thanks Skeptic.
 
What are you guys experience with the Speedball. I bought it with my Crack, but I wanted to try out the Crack without the Speedball first. How much better does it get? It sounds so good already!!!!

 
It does exactly what it say on the Bottlehead product page
 
" The most immediate thing you will notice is a better sense of clarity. Things get tighter and quicker, bass and midrange get cleaner and more dynamic sounding, and the background gets more quiet. As with all of our upgrade kits, the improvement is easily heard"
 

 

 

[Swolern]

   
It does exactly what it say on the Bottlehead product page
 
" The most immediate thing you will notice is a better sense of clarity. Things get tighter and quicker, bass and midrange get cleaner and more dynamic sounding, and the background gets more quiet. As with all of our upgrade kits, the improvement is easily heard"
 

 

I always trust "real people's" experience here on Headfi, more than a product page. If thats what you heard, thanks for your feedback.