[Armaegis]

  lol I can't even remember what stock Crack sounds like anymore. All my builds except the very first a couple of years ago have had the Speedball installed in the get-go. Just be aware that installing the Speedball after the fact does require some unsoldering and dismantling of a few components. Nothing too crazy, though.
 
 

 
I highly recommend reading through the speedball manual before starting the Crack build though, and make a couple small changes during the initial build:
- note of which resistors will be cut off for the upgrade and install them with a bit of extra lead spacing to they're easier to cut
- some caps will be bent into a new position, so you might as well install that way from the start
- the speedball boards mount onto some spacers, which are much easier installed at the very beginning because trying to finagle those little tiny nuts (that's what she said?) is rather tricky when you have all the other components soldered in place

 

[skeptic]

Adding to the above, and as to the output caps, I'd say mount them on 3-4" fly leads so you can easily drop in film caps at some point down the road!

 

[punit]

Bought this 6SN7 to 12AU7  adapter :
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300980566962?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 
Received it yesterday, had read a lot of comments here & on the BH forum about humming with such kind of adapters, so wasn't really expecting much. Tried it yesterday for 15 mins with the following tubes :
 

KEN-RAD BLACK GLASS 6SN7GT

Tung-Sol Black Plate FAT D Getter 6SN7 GTB
 
Sophia Electric Grade A 6SN7
 
Could not hear any hum

Yay.. This opens up a world of possibilities

Fingers Crossed that the no hum situation continues.

 

[roguegeek]

   
I highly recommend reading through the speedball manual before starting the Crack build though, and make a couple small changes during the initial build:
- note of which resistors will be cut off for the upgrade and install them with a bit of extra lead spacing to they're easier to cut
- some caps will be bent into a new position, so you might as well install that way from the start
- the speedball boards mount onto some spacers, which are much easier installed at the very beginning because trying to finagle those little tiny nuts (that's what she said?) is rather tricky when you have all the other components soldered in place

If I were to just build it out with the Speedball upgrade right away, are the instructions not linear in describing how to do this or am I going to need to connect the dots between two separate instructions?

 

[spacequeen7]

  Finally! Someone with Aune T1 and Crack. I use 6DJ8 single leg... So, what else DAC you compared with? Are you saying better DAC is the same with Aune T1? My Crack+balls will shipped to me next week. And I can't wait it anymore...

other then Aune T1 only Schiit Modi (one day) and with the right tube T1 sounds great (best three tube combo 6922 Amperex or Mullard [ Aune] +Haltron GEC/unknown 12AU7 [Crack] ) ,I already ordered some film replacements and pot  
 

  Bought this 6SN7 to 12AU7  adapter :
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300980566962?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 
Received it yesterday, had read a lot of comments here & on the BH forum about humming with such kind of adapters, so wasn't really expecting much. Tried it yesterday for 15 mins with the following tubes :
 

KEN-RAD BLACK GLASS 6SN7GT

Tung-Sol Black Plate FAT D Getter 6SN7 GTB
 
Sophia Electric Grade A 6SN7
 
Could not hear any hum

Yay.. This opens up a world of possibilities

Fingers Crossed that the no hum situation continues.

I should be getting this in few days (I have few very nice 6SN7 tubes..can't wait to try them on Crack  )
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-convert-tube-socket-12AU7-12AX7-to-6SN7-6SL7-/321333602172?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item4ad0f9a77c
 
P.S. how you like "Tung-Sol Black Plate FAT D Getter 6SN7 GTB" and what's your power tube  ?

 

[diaBoliQu3]

  other then Aune T1 only Schiit Modi (one day) and with the right tube T1 sounds great (best three tube combo 6922 Amperex or Mullard [ Aune] +Haltron GEC/unknown 12AU7 [Crack] ) ,I already ordered some film replacements and pot  
 
I should be getting this in few days (I have few very nice 6SN7 tubes..can't wait to try them on Crack  )
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-convert-tube-socket-12AU7-12AX7-to-6SN7-6SL7-/321333602172?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item4ad0f9a77c
 
P.S. how you like "Tung-Sol Black Plate FAT D Getter 6SN7 GTB" and what's your power tube  ?

So, which one you preferred? Modi or Aune T1+ Crack?

 

[diaBoliQu3]

   
Although I don't own an Aune T1 like @spacequeen7 I have spent some time with the T1 and can confirm that it is a very good DAC (esp. for the price), but there are other DACs that are significantly better - they're just also significantly more expensive... You'll find that upgrading your DAC will make a difference to the sound from the Crack. The following is from the Bottlehead Discussion Thread (http://www.head-fi.org/t/683012/bottlehead-amplifier-discussion-comparison-thread-crack-sex-mainline) from my comparison reviews of the Crack, S.E.X., and Mainline. I was blown away by how good the Crack could sound with a high end DAC. Although I upgraded from an Audio-gd NFB-5.2 rather than an Aune T1, I would say they are on par (having listened to both) although the T1 is probably a little more neutral.

 

 

Holy sh!t, $1000 for Matrix X-Sabre. I will never afford that. Sad... What other DAC you have tested within $300 to below range but definitely better than Aune T1 sir?

 

[Shaldome]

Congrats on finishing the build!  Please post pics when you can.  What headphones are you listening with?

 


Here are two photos from the up and downside:





Sorry, for the bad quality of the second one, I tried to experiment with my camera on this one.

And I listen to my Beyerdynamics T1, which I bought last christmas as an upgrade from my Senheiser HD-650.

 

[Aussiejuggalo]

The tubes... they look purple!!! Good job :atsmile:

Do you guys twist all the cables or do they come like that?

 

[Shaldome]

The tubes... they look purple!!!

Good job

Do you guys twist all the cables or do they come like that?

 
You have to twist them yourself. I used a crocodile clip on one end and twisted with a plier on the other end.

 

[Aussiejuggalo]

You have to twist them yourself. I used a crocodile clip on one end and twisted with a plier on the other end.

Ah ok cool thanks

 

[dxanex]

If I were to just build it out with the Speedball upgrade right away, are the instructions not linear in describing how to do this or am I going to need to connect the dots between two separate instructions?

There will be 4 total resistors that you will NOT install that the original instructions would have you install. And as others have said you will also bend a few caps down to make room for the Speedball. Best bet is read through the speedball instructions first and write down the resistors that are no longer needed, and skip those steps during the initial build.

 

[Doc B.]

My take on this is if you have to ask how to incorporate the Speedball in the initial build, you shouldn't be trying it. We get asked about this every week. And we stand firmly on the principle that you should build the basic kit first, then add the upgrade. I suggest looking at the threads on the Bottlehead Forum regarding trouble shooting Crack builds. They often start with "I built my Crack with the Speedball and I'm getting funny readings".

In a lot of our kits you build up a certain part of the circuit and test it before going on. Building the basic Crack kit is one of those kinds of things. Once you have the basic circuit shaken out you can add the upgrade with confidence that any issues that show up are related to the new installation. That can save you from having to hear us say for the umpteenth time "remove the C4S boards, put the plate resistors in, remeasure everything and figure out what you miswired in the rest of the circuit. Then put the C4S boards back in". That's when the build can start to get messy.

 

[dsound]

Sorry, for the bad quality of the second one, I tried to experiment with my camera on this one.

And I listen to my Beyerdynamics T1, which I bought last christmas as an upgrade from my Senheiser HD-650.

 
Looks great!  I've always wanted to listen to the T1 through the Crack

.
Happy Listening!
 
(It may be a non-issue, but if you experience signal interference, you may want to consider a tighter-twist on your input-wiring.)

 

[lokesen]

I made this little write-up illustrating the process of making the Bottlehead Crack and modding it.
 
There are 5 parts, but I'm still missing one article about capacitor upgrades for now. I hope you'll find some inspiration here, if you haven't made a Bottlehead Crack yet. 
 
Cabinet and Chassis http://diy.koenigs.dk/2014/02/20/6/
Mounting the Parts http://diy.koenigs.dk/2014/02/20/mounting-the-parts/
Soldering the components http://diy.koenigs.dk/2014/02/21/soldering-the-components/ 
Speedball Upgrade - http://diy.koenigs.dk/2014/02/25/speedball-upgrade/
Capacitor Hot-Rod'ing - http://diy.koenigs.dk/2014/02/26/hot-rodding-with-film-caps/