[JamieMcC]

  Posted this over at the Bottlehead forum, but figured I'd put it up here as well. Recently got my Crack with Speedball up and running - first time I've done a Bottlehead kit (can't speak highly enough of just how good these kits are in terms of instructions and guidance).
 
Really liking the sound of this amp. I also built it with the Dayton poly output caps mentioned several posts ago and used Kimber varistrand (PBJ) for the signal wire. Still need to finish the wood base, sometime.
 
Hmmm, now about all those tube rolling options... 
 

 

 
Interesting solution for mounting the Daytons. How are you liking the Beyers and HD650's with the Crack? 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

BH CRACK and C3g.THANKS! to JamieMcC and the guys from the other thread.
 

 

[diaBoliQu3]

   
Here is a option for you I contacted and checked with the seller who confirmed the four brown box's with 5814A and 12au7 marked in pen are Tung-sol JTL tubes I was thinking about snapping up all four but shipping to the UK makes them to expensive for me.
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RCA-JTL-12AU7-vacuum-tube-/301146315622?

Hi... Thank you very much. But again I missed the deal because I'm outstation travelling for four weeks and just got out from deep forest. *facepalm. Anyway, Could you give another similar deal, or any particular keyword to search because there's too many tube with different looks.
 
Just wondering if there's particular model or design that I should get or avoid or any Tung-Sol 12AU7 will do? I notice got grey and black color tubes. 

 

[JamieMcC]

  BH CRACK and C3g.THANKS! to JamieMcC and the guys from the other thread.
 

 
Wowzers that was quick you don't hang around.
 
I will be waiting ages for my pcbs with the socket mounts to turn up. Questions what are the pin connectors you have on the ends of your leads you are using to connect to the 12au7 socket? I had planned to hard wire my leads to a 12au7 socket saver as I would surly one day stick a lead in the wrong pin hole. An other question I like the little box you mounted them in do you have you a link?

 

[rovopio]

is there a reason why my geographical location is blocked from bottlehead website by it's admin?
 

Block details

1. Your IP: Loading...
2. URL: http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=442&action=show_detail
3. Your Browser: Loading...
4. Block ID: GEO02
5. Block reason: Access from your Country was disabled by the administrator.
6. Time: Loading...
7. Server ID: cp418

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 

  BH CRACK and C3g.THANKS! to JamieMcC and the guys from the other thread.
 

 
Wowzers that was quick you don't hang around.
 
I will be waiting ages for my pcbs with the socket mounts to turn up. Questions what are the pin connectors you have on the ends of your leads you are using to connect to the 12au7 socket? I had planned to hard wire my leads to a 12au7 socket saver as I would surly one day stick a lead in the wrong pin hole. An other question I like the little box you mounted them in do you have you a link?

 Sorry for the late reply! I used a 18 gauge solid copper wire at the end of the leads,you can use a socket saver or use a 9 pin socket upside down and install a 18 gauge solid copper wire i've done both in the past and they work well.The box was from a local electronics refurbish store sorry no links.How i build all my adapters/converters are all in cheapest way possible it may not be the prettiest but they work well for me one adapter/converters will work in many configurations just a matter of unplugging the leads,The PCB's works similar to mine can be configured in many ways but they are a pain in the butt to mount and they are prone to noise due to the wire leads are not soldered directly to the sockets.I build my adapter this way so i can use the C3g's with my other amp this tube are not cheap that is why i did not used a 9 pin socket at the end of the leads.

 



The adapter pictured below for Sub miniature tubes works well with the crack this one works similar to the protyping PCB's only cheaper.

 

[moriez]

I'm thinking of trying other tubes than the stock bunch and came across this new Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB. Did anyone try these yet in his Crack?  

 

[UmustBKidn]

Gee-whiz question:
 
When you guys ordered your crack, did you use the online form? Or did you just call it in?

 

[Thebb]

  Gee-whiz question:
 
When you guys ordered your crack, did you use the online form? Or did you just call it in?

Online

 

[Doc B.]

is there a reason why my geographical location is blocked from bottlehead website by it's admin?

Block details

• Your IP: Loading...
• URL: http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=442&action=show_detail
• Your Browser: Loading...
• Block ID: GEO02
• Block reason: Access from your Country was disabled by the administrator.
• Time: Loading...
• Server ID: cp418

Unfortunately certain countries have become favorite places to set up botnets from which DDoS attacks are launched. In order to keep our site protected we have been forced to block access. Believe me, I would rather not have to do this but the other choice is no one being able to get on the site because it is constantly being attacked. There is a solution - we are happy to white list your IP address to give you access to the Bottlehead site. You can PM me your IP address and I will forward it to the site admin.

 

[rovopio]

Unfortunately certain countries have become favorite places to set up botnets from which DDoS attacks are launched. In order to keep our site protected we have been forced to block access. Believe me, I would rather not have to do this but the other choice is no one being able to get on the site because it is constantly being attacked. There is a solution - we are happy to white list your IP address to give you access to the Bottlehead site. You can PM me your IP address and I will forward it to the site admin.

 
i think those countries that practice less-than-upstanding behavior are also the same countries that still uses dynamic IP adress, like mine.
i can't give you my IP address because it will change every 24 hours. Is it possible for the site admin to whitelist an ISP instead?

 

[Doc B.]

Gee-whiz question:

When you guys ordered your crack, did you use the online form? Or did you just call it in?

We're happy to take your call and answer any questions you may have about kits or delivery times. From a standpoint of accuracy it's actually best to be inputting your billing and shipping info yourself by ordering online. We go to extremes to insure the security of your information when ordering online. When you order online we never even see your credit card info, only the merchant service receives that data. I find it kind of funny that some customers still call us with the idea that their data will be protected if they give us the credit card info over the phone rather than filling in the fields on a computer screen. I mean, how do they think we get the info to the merchant service?

 

[Doc B.]

i think those countries that practice less-than-upstanding behavior are also the same countries that still uses dynamic IP adress, like mine.
i can't give you my IP address because it will change every 24 hours. Is it possible for the site admin to whitelist an ISP instead?

In conversations I have had regarding this it's not really clear if it's the "country" that is initiating the attacks (which is what we terrified Americans are taught by our government and media, because apparently we love to be terrified), or simply that it's easier to set up botnets in certain countries because there is not enough encouragement to use antivirus software to block the viruses that put your computer on a botnet. I will ask my site admin if it is possible to whitelist a provider. One suggestion - I am not knowledgeable enough to be sure this would be helpful - is maybe to use a VPN.

 

[cspirou]

Has anyone experimented with this amp with a 7236 or 6528 tube and used low impedance headphones like Grados? I am sure it's been done but it's hard to find comments from people that have done it.

 

[krikor]

   
Interesting solution for mounting the Daytons. How are you liking the Beyers and HD650's with the Crack? 

 
HD650 - I really enjoy the HD650/Crack combination. I think this is the first time I've had my HD650s properly amped and they sound fantastic. Very smooth, warm and full sound but with nicely detailed highs. Slightly darker (or veiled as some might describe it) compared to the Beyers? Yes, but much more natural and easy to listen to for long periods (too bad the comfort is not quite up to the Beyer level).
 
DT880-600 - There are things these do really well, like the clean and open top end and great soundstage which gives them more excitement than the HD650. But the bass strikes me as just a bit too lean and controlled, which has a tendency to push them towards the bright/harsh end of the spectrum. However, they sound the best I've heard them with the Crack which gives them a bit more bass and warmth (NOTE: mine are fairly new and may still need considerable break in).
 
DT990-600 - Only briefly listened to these on the Crack so far, but the bass struck me as way too emphasized. Yeah, these cans are known to have a U-shaped FR and that seems to really come through on the Crack. Bass way too in my face and top end somewhat confused compared to the DT880. On some other amps, I've actually preferred these to the DT880.
 
So far I find myself going back and forth between the HD650 and DT880 depending upon mood, music, etc. But any further listening will have to wait as I've disassembled the Crack to stain and finish the wood base.