[roguegeek]

Just installed the Speedball because... why not? Installation was only slightly harder than the standard Crack due to the limited room you have, but it was still relatively easy. What didn't work was the bottom mounting stand on the main motherboard. Where as the top one actually had a longer screw to screw into, the bottom one was flushed with the bolt. Needed to find another screw. Checked the original instructions to make sure I installed it properly to begin with and it seems like I did. Looks like a misstep somewhere.
 
As for the sound, I haven't tried it enough yet for any initial impressions.

 

[MoatsArt]

Moving back to Crack...
 
Can someone in Australia or NZ please let me know if they have an unbuilt Crack + SB kit for sale?  Will pay about $300.00 shipping.

 

[Aeolus Kratos]

Moving back to Crack...


 


Can someone in Australia or NZ please let me know if they have an unbuilt Crack + SB kit for sale?  Will pay about $300.00 shipping.

 


Welcome back, Nathan. I've truly been enjoying your wonderful GEC Brown base

 

[MoatsArt]

You don't want to sell it back to me :wink_face:

Seriously, I am after a nice power tube:

Tung 7236
Tung Sol/Chatham 5998
GEC 6AS7G

Single or pair is fine and happy with NOS or used.

Thanks!

 

[grrraymond]

Thanks for the DAC recommendations, chaps. I'll keep an eye out on eBay. 

 

[Feynman]

Are your Bottlehead Crack completely silent? That is no kind of background noise at all? Because I have been struggling with a slight background hum ever since I built the amp back in 2011. This week I went over the solder joints and reheated the ones that looked a bit iffy and the background noise was lowered but if I concentrate I can still here it when there is no music playing.   
So there is a very low background noise.

 

[JamieMcC]

  Are your Bottlehead Crack completely silent? That is no kind of background noise at all? Because I have been struggling with a slight background hum ever since I built the amp back in 2011. This week I went over the solder joints and reheated the ones that looked a bit iffy and the background noise was lowered but if I concentrate I can still here it when there is no music playing.   
So there is a very low background noise.

I can say with confidence mine is completely silent with the HD 650 and Beyer T1. All the noises I have chased down so far have been from external influences.
 
Post a pick of your Cracks wiring here or on the bottlehead forum (most probably better) it could be something as easy as slightly bending a cable which is picking up some interference into a better position.  

 

[Feynman]

 
I can say with confidence mine is completely silent with the HD 650 and Beyer T1. All the noises I have chased down so far have been from external influences.
 
Post a pick of your Cracks wiring here or on the bottlehead forum (most probably better) it could be something as easy as slightly bending a cable which is picking up some interference into a better position.  

Okay! I better figure out what is wrong because I am planning to buy a set of HD800 and I don't want to plug them into something which is not working 100%. Right now I'm using HD650's! 
 
Thanks, I've attached a picture below.
 
 

 

[MoatsArt]

Have you tried different tubes?

 

[JamieMcC]

Little story, I woke up this morning and had a bit of a panic. My Cracks by the side of the bed and I left it running all night for the first time (burning in some caps). The alarm on my phone woke me and I reached over to press a button which will snooze it. Then suddenly as I was coming round noticed a horrible low level and buzzing crackling sound from the Crack I'm now wide awake and quickly switched off the Crack,  now I am confused as the sound has not stopped a moments bewilderment then its relief to realise the noise is coming from my phone which is right next to the Crack. Unknowingly when going for the snooze I turned on the radio feature it has which wasn't tuned into a station. 

 

[Feynman]

Have you tried different tubes?

Yepp! Thing is that the tubes that came with the Crack originally are/were broken so using the introduced some horrible hum and crackling noises in the left channel. Bought two other tubes which work good except for the slight background hum. 

 

[MoatsArt]

:bigsmile_face:

You crack me up Jamie

 

[JamieMcC]

  Okay! I better figure out what is wrong because I am planning to buy a set of HD800 and I don't want to plug them into something which is not working 100%. Right now I'm using HD650's! 
 
Thanks, I've attached a picture below.

 
The only thing that stands out to me with my limited knowledge is the braiding of the rca input wires could be a bit tighter and I have seen some builds use shielded wiring. 
 
Have you tried the Crack with a different source like a cd player or phono to see the noise is still present?

 

[uelover]

My Crack + Speedball kit was shipped with 2 missing resistors. Been trying to get Bottlehead ship me those 2 missing resistors. Not sure how long it will take for them to ship out the 2 resistors to me, not to mention the additional wait due to shipping time.
 
Communication with them hasn't been good.

 

[MattTCG]

Not to bash anyone but this seems to be happening too often IMO. If you going to sell a build it yourself kit, then you're should make darn sure that you include all the parts. Nothing would be more frustrating than missing one piece to complete your amp, that you've waited 4-6 weeks for, and not having everything in the box to finish. 
 
I'm seeing this issue come up often lately and in fairness it needs to be addressed.