[D P C]

Also do they do a balanced input version? And anyone in the UK got one? If so what was it like to import it

 

[Toad_of_Toad_Hall]

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[Toad_of_Toad_Hall]

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[Toad_of_Toad_Hall]

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[profanum429]

Been looking at these myself just lately and thinking is a kit for me or just buy one done? Thats the question

Get the kit! It's a good time putting it together and you get to learn some about how it works I really enjoyed doing mine.

 

[bagwell359]

Anyone here have experience rolling different bypass caps for the Crack's last power supply cap? With this extra time at home, I spent hours switching out and listening with the two bypass caps I have: Jantzen Superior Z-cap 0.68uF 800V & Audyn Tri-Reference 0.68uF 600V ($15 & $25, respectively...neither grossly expensive).

This obviously isn't ideal because it's not a blind test, and there's a good chunk of time between listening with each bypass cap. Also, I am a highly skeptical person and am constantly questioning things to make sure I'm not fooling myself. Yet, every time I switch to the Audyn Tri-Reference, I am confident there is a noticeable tone and quality shift for the better. Specifically, the Audyn allows for a larger and deeper soundscape, precise placement of instruments within that soundscape, and a delicately handled treble with no loss of tantalizing bite. So, I soak in the sonic pleasure...then my skepticism cuts in again. I proceed to unplug everything, take my amp downstairs to the garage, and switch the cap back to the Jantzen again. And again, the sound is comparatively closed in, the distinct placement of instruments not so apparent, and treble a bit screechy...or so I think.

At this point, I feel like I'm going nuts... On one hand, I feel nourished and enthralled by my music in a substantial way with the Audyn, but, on the other hand, I know that there's nothing easier than fooling oneself. Another reason to think it's placebo is that I adore the marketing of the Audyn caps. Audyn's description of their True Copper Cap on Hificollective's website states that there is "no contamination by strange mixture of various metals and fairy like oils (LOL)," and the Tri-Reference is very similar with its copper-foil construction. Conveniently, the Jantzen is "made from polypropylene film metalized with aluminum and zinc particles (from partsconnexion)," i.e. a stange mixture of various metals haha. So those descriptions could be swaying my thoughts. But, Jantzen does go so far as to describe what their cap's sound is like, saying it has "good detailing and soundstaging with natural tone reproduction," but that's what I hear with the Audyn, not the Jantzen. But that is likely my bias towards Audyn, and trusting their marketing more to begin with. Buttttt maybe marketing and truth are not always mutually exclusive! AHHHHHHHHHHfjodyasknfd456%$^#5njkfbnas###!!

If anyone has done similar tests or has other opinions, I'd love to read about them as I gather more info about this mystique of judging musical reproduction.

(For reference, my Bottlehead Crack specs can be found on my profile page: About > Audio-Related Tweaks.)

I hope all of you and your loved ones are staying safe and doing okay amid our physical social distancing. Cheers

I think I've looked at every Crack build on the net. This is one of my favs. Clean, organized, and chock full of great pieces.

 

[bagwell359]

Been looking at these myself just lately and thinking is a kit for me or just buy one done? Thats the question

Haven't built one of these, but I have built about 20 other audio kits. Very satisfying, and if you add even or two wrinkles of your own, than it's unique. Plus I'm cheap, I figure if it costs $X dollars for someone to do it, I can spend that on better pieces in the build - but that's me.

There are a few people that specialize in these, I'm sure they are very good.

 

[larcenasb]

I think I've looked at every Crack build on the net. This is one of my favs. Clean, organized, and chock full of great pieces.

Hi bagwell359,

Thanks so much, your comment means a lot. I see you have a BH Crack too...have you done any upgrades? If so, what did you choose?

 

[bagwell359]

Hi bagwell359,

Thanks so much, your comment means a lot. I see you have a BH Crack too...have you done any upgrades? If so, what did you choose?

Collecting all pieces first before I start. Hope to get going within 2 weeks, it's about 85% aftermarket parts.

I'm chasing a rare NOS tube today. I can't find any really good film 100uf caps either, so I may start w/ the stock, and change later. I actually think it's people building the crack now because a lot of the popular aftermarket film 100's are out of stock and just went out over the past 3 weeks. Good news is from prior projects I have a lot of the pieces in home already.

 

[GreenNeedle]

Finally read through this thread. That's a lot of pages lol. Just to open I was initially looking for a cheap option to let me listen to my HD580 and Sextetts from my laptop on rare occasions, but somehow ended up much higher up the chain and am here fully sold on the BH Crack. Of course being here means I want to utilise this equipment more than just here and there from my laptop.

With this in mind I want to be able to use this amp with my CD player as well.

I am currently researching affordable (yes subjective) DACs to put in between the amp and source and so far the Grace on the Drop site has favourable reviews with the Crack and the price is what I would suggest is affordable. I am looking at £100 for the DAC as being my ballpark and while the Grace is $80 which would make it about £65 if looking at exchange rates, this is the UK and in buying terms you can basically ignore the exchange rate and say £1 = $1 when buying this sort of thing. Anyway I digress. The Grace looks fine, has good reviews and is bang on budget. I can go from laptop to it via USB and voila, the original intention (PC to HD580 audio perfection) is solved.

However, now adding the CD player into the equation I hit a problem (or maybe not a problem) as it is a USB input DAC only. No optical input. My CD player is a Denon DCD-500AE. (IMO) it sounds incredibly good fed into my Stereo receiver and nearly as good plugged into my Yamaha AV.

My question(s) is/are as follows:
1 - Is the DAC onboard this CD player (Burr Brown PCM1791) good enough to plug direct into the Crack or would I be better getting an external DAC that I can plug both the laptop AND CD player into?
2 - IF we went the external DAC route with the Denon and found an alternative with Optical input, would the "pure direct" option on the CD player bypass the onboard DAC and thus put an untouched digital signal to the external DAC for it to do the conversion work?
3 - With the above in mind where the source and crack are already decided, what would you do? Go for the grace and just plug the CD directly into the Crack when wanted? (Use a source selector?) Buy a different DAC that both can plug into?

I am open to buying used so a DAC up to £150/$150 including shipping and customs is the budget.

Am I misunderstanding the CD player to DAC part?

EDIT: One more question. I don't really want to get into the debate about cables however I can understand that a poundland USB cable might have some effect on the source signal to DAC so would I need to buy something a little better? My other interconnects are Van Damme OFC with Neutrik RCAs. I made them myself.

 

[larcenasb]

Hi GreenNeedle!

First off, congrats on deciding to build a Crack! I've built three since 2010 and can sincerely say, it's a staple in my audio life. Plus, I use them with Sextetts and it achieves my favorite type of sound I've expereienced: smooth and present with plenty of lush body and a bit of lifelike bite. Here's my answers to your questions:

1) Here is a 2008(!) post of different DACs' specs (from audioholics):

"Flagship Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1792 (THD 0.0004%, SNR 129dB, Crosstalk -124dB).

Second Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1796 (THD 0.0005%, SNR 120dB, Crosstalk -119dB).

Flagship Analog Devices DACs: AD1955 (THD 0.0006%, SNR 120dB, Crosstalk -125dB).

Flagship Cirrus Logic DACs: CS4398 (THD 0.0007%, SNR 120dB).

Flagship Wolfson Microelectronics DACs: WM8741 (THD 0.001%, SNR 128dB).

Third Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1791 (THD 0.001%, SNR 113dB, Crosstalk -110dB)."

So, the PCM1791 is considered Burr-Brown's third-best back in 2008. While I suspect music through it will be enjoyable, we're 12 years moved on with advanced models for amazing prices.
2) The Pure Direct function is only to forgo any digital signal processing, such as bass/treble controls--it doesn't mean to bypass the onboard DAC. Simply using an external DAC will be what bypasses the onboard DAC--because, with the signal leaving your CD player through optical, it's still in digital form and hasn't undergone analog conversion yet. So, to send out an "untouched digital signal to the external DAC," simply use an external DAC in combination with the Pure Direct function.
3) Personally, I wouldn't want to have to unplug/replug different sources into my amp. I would buy a Schiit Modi, or something similar. That way, for $99, I'll have a source selector and will improve the sound of my CD player. If I bought the $80 Grace, my CD player will still have the ancient DAC and I'd have to tolerate unplugging/replugging things. I wouldn't buy a source selector and Grace because that would be very nearly the same price as the Modi, but the CD player won't have the improved sound. I say get the Schiit Modi, or look for second-hand DACs that have both optical and USB inputs.

Answer two I think should have cleared up the CD player to DAC part.

As for the USB cable question, the best I can do without debating is to simply state that I'm not one who thinks it would improve the sound in a double-blind test. Glad to hear you built Van Damme cables with Neutrik plugs, I love DIY too of course. Cheers and enjoy your Bottlehead build!

P.S. Just to share my opinion... For me, the most important mods for the Crack, to make it its best, are the Valab 23-step attenuator, Speedball upgrade, and a 6SN7-to-12AU7 6.3V adapter with American (or British ) NOS tubes. Once I build my 4th Crack, those three will be the first upgrades I do.

 

[GreenNeedle]

Hi GreenNeedle!

First off, congrats on deciding to build a Crack! I've built three since 2010 and can sincerely say, it's a staple in my audio life. Plus, I use them with Sextetts and it achieves my favorite type of sound I've expereienced: smooth and present with plenty of lush body and a bit of lifelike bite. Here's my answers to your questions:

1) Here is a 2008(!) post of different DACs' specs (from audioholics):

"Flagship Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1792 (THD 0.0004%, SNR 129dB, Crosstalk -124dB).

Second Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1796 (THD 0.0005%, SNR 120dB, Crosstalk -119dB).

Flagship Analog Devices DACs: AD1955 (THD 0.0006%, SNR 120dB, Crosstalk -125dB).

Flagship Cirrus Logic DACs: CS4398 (THD 0.0007%, SNR 120dB).

Flagship Wolfson Microelectronics DACs: WM8741 (THD 0.001%, SNR 128dB).

Third Burr-Brown DACs: PCM1791 (THD 0.001%, SNR 113dB, Crosstalk -110dB)."

So, the PCM1791 is considered Burr-Brown's third-best back in 2008. While I suspect music through it will be enjoyable, we're 12 years moved on with advanced models for amazing prices.
2) The Pure Direct function is only to forgo any digital signal processing, such as bass/treble controls--it doesn't mean to bypass the onboard DAC. Simply using an external DAC will be what bypasses the onboard DAC--because, with the signal leaving your CD player through optical, it's still in digital form and hasn't undergone analog conversion yet. So, to send out an "untouched digital signal to the external DAC," simply use an external DAC in combination with the Pure Direct function.
3) Personally, I wouldn't want to have to unplug/replug different sources into my amp. I would buy a Schiit Modi, or something similar. That way, for $99, I'll have a source selector and will improve the sound of my CD player. If I bought the $80 Grace, my CD player will still have the ancient DAC and I'd have to tolerate unplugging/replugging things. I wouldn't buy a source selector and Grace because that would be very nearly the same price as the Modi, but the CD player won't have the improved sound. I say get the Schiit Modi, or look for second-hand DACs that have both optical and USB inputs.

Answer two I think should have cleared up the CD player to DAC part.

As for the USB cable question, the best I can do without debating is to simply state that I'm not one who thinks it would improve the sound in a double-blind test. Glad to hear you built Van Damme cables with Neutrik plugs, I love DIY too of course. Cheers and enjoy your Bottlehead build!

P.S. Just to share my opinion... For me, the most important mods for the Crack, to make it its best, are the Valab 23-step attenuator, Speedball upgrade, and a 6SN7-to-12AU7 6.3V adapter with American (or British ) NOS tubes. Once I build my 4th Crack, those three will be the first upgrades I do.

Thanks for your very detailed answers. Can I ask you to clear up a couple of further questions that have come up with another few hours of research (Lockdown is getting to me. lol) into this as well as clearing up some other bits and maybe you can also give an opinion on my understanding of this research. This is from multiple other sites. Bear with me. I'm not trying to debate what you have said, merely ask for an opinion. It may well be an "ears/taste vs specs" debate on my part vs reality that may well mean that the specs prove something is better or worse.

I do know what DACs do, just that I am kind of an analog guy and not really gone into depth before on how they sound different to each other.

r.e. the DAC. I understand what you are saying r.e. old tech but then there is the whole "TDA1541 lovers" aspect of an ancient DAC plus there is the old vinyl vs digital debate which counters (rightly or wrongly) that suggestion. I do prefer the sound of vinyl (maybe placebo) and I also prefer to put my music through my mid 70s Trio (Kenwood) Stereo Receiver than I do through my late noughties Yamaha RX-v361 AVR. In terms of vinyl this is a necessity because the AV doesn't have a phono stage but if I put the Denon CD player via analog into the Trio then it sounds much better (to me) than putting it into the AV whether using analog or Digital (Optical or Coaxial.)

I also have a Pioneer DV696-AV player which is a bit of an all rounder that plays DVDs or CDs but it also plays SACD. From what I can gather this has a PCM1742KEG/2K DAC in it? I only have 1 SACD so that is a moot point really but I originally bought the Denon because I didn't like the sound of music from the Pioneer through either the Stereo receiver or the AVR. The Denon solved this. The one SACD I have came in a deluxe edition I have and thus along with the "standard" CD version of the same album. The standard version through the Denon sounds as good if not better than the SACD version from the Pioneer through either receiver. The Standard version sounds pants through the pioneer.

I am assuming from what you say r.e. external DACs is that if I am plugging my sources via digital into the Yamaha that it is the Yamaha DACs that are being used and not the source equipments? And thus the same would happen if plugging digital into a dedicated DAC? In theory at the moment the Yamaha is doing what an external DAC would be doing?

So I'm not dismissing at all that tech has moved on, nor that the DACs in both of these units are outdated, just that to my ears the Denon sounds very good through my setup which is limited by budget but way above most people's setups, i.e. soundbars or DVD players with little surrounds etc. I'm a min wage earner so I get what I can and keep hold of it unless it stops working

I guess the above is all very subjective in terms of listening but a whitewash on paper looking at specs.

I already have a source selector which is actually a speaker selector used in reverse so that I could hook up both receivers to the same front speakers rather than connecting / disconnecting speaker wires.

In terms of the Modi. There is so much info out there about equivalent DACS and I can see there is a lot of love for the Schiit setup. Also I don;t know how much Modi has improved from v1 to v3. There are a lot of conflicting opinions out there and so I kind of ended up at Topping D30 vs the Grace SDAC. The Topping has the optical inputs so would remove the need for a source selector. It also has independent power rather than being powered by my laptop. Any other options? DAC-01A?

The Modi3 is hard to get at the mo. SchiitUK dealer has no date on when they will get more, US means heavy customs on top, Used prices are high too at the mo because of availablility. Ther is a used Modi3 on ebayUK at the moment. 1 day left and is already at £99 ($122) It will probably end up in the £150 region!!!! D30 I can get for £80 delivered. Grace about the same.

As for the BH Crack. I am just looking at buying the stock + speedball. Tube rolling is not really my thing in terms of trying loads out. As you can tell I research like mad (autism. lol) so will spend hours finding out what within budget I can do and sticking with that option once bought, other than replacing when a tube wears out. I did read an article somewhere that weighed up value for money on tubes but for some reason I can't find it which is a pity because it detailed a $30 tube that gave value for money. We'll see. A week ago I was looking for an all in one amp/DAC for £100 max. lol. Finances aren't infinte though and while I am still working who knows what is going to happen in terms of consumer confidence in the next year or 2 so can't empty my limited bank funds into this obsession. I'll probably just use the stock tubes for a while after I build it.

 

[larcenasb]

Thanks for your very detailed answers. Can I ask you to clear up a couple of further questions that have come up with another few hours of research...

1) Yes, there are of course exceptions. I myself prefer my older AudioQuest DragonFly v1.0 to both the v1.5 and Red. And I generally prefer vinyl over digital copies I've heard (though there are again exceptions, such as the DTS track on the Nirvana Unplugged DVD). Most people, in my experience, can tell the difference in tone and lack of compression of vinyl (vs digital) pretty reliably--I think placebo is more likely with USB cables ;P. The difference between your vintage Kenwood and modern Yammie receivers I think has more to do with the quality of vintage receivers (less-compromised designs, serious power transformers, and quality analog stages) vs modern AV receivers (generally, low-effort designs and low-grade components) than it has to do with what source is being plugged into it. If a signal is decent enough, like with your ancient DAC, then the drastic quality difference of the receivers will have more of a say in how good the system sounds. Same goes with the better Denon CD player (vs the Pio)--the unit itself is of such a quality that the inferior disc format doesn't matter as much anymore. Though this is a classic science mishap of having two independent variables. There should only be one independent variable (disc format) while everything else remains the same in order to see the real differences between the formats.

Other comparisons mentioned are also unfair. For example, vinyl may be older, but we have to remember that the trend for digital formats, in the beginning, was mostly convenience over quality. Vinyl is analog whereas digital formats started with pretty heavy compression. Digital has offered uncompressed options as we've moved along but it's not as if vinyl to CD to mp3 to SACD to Blu-ray audio was intended as being a linear increase in sound quality. This graph looks more like a valley. Whereas DACs are intended to be a linear increase in sound quality (in terms of improving THD, SNR, and crosstalk). The exceptions are not so much to do with what era a particular piece is from, but the implementation, engineering, and circuit design being so good that it may lead that component to having a lovers' club or cult following. For me, the DragonFly 1.0 is one such exception because even though the Red clearly has less distortion, the sound is presented in a way that doesn't cater to the sounds I prefer. The Red, in my system, is clearer but more closed in, prone to glare, and constricted.

My point is, for similar money to the Grace, you can get an optical/USB DAC that does more for the money (source selection, CD player sound upgrade). Now, if your CD player's DAC was one of those pieces that had a cult following--that was designed in such a way that the sound presentation was a standout and outweighed its inferior specs--then I'd make the case to get the Grace and a source selector. But, as it stands, you're already planning on spending $80 for a DAC, and it makes more sense to me to utilize a modern DAC for both your sources for around the same amount of money.

2) What you say here is correct... "I am assuming from what you say r.e. external DACs is that if I am plugging my sources via digital into the Yamaha that it is the Yamaha DACs that are being used and not the source equipments?" The source won't convert from digital to analog then back to digital when it leaves optically. The optical output bypasses the source DAC entirely. And yep, the Yammie is doing what the external DAC would be doing.

3) I totally understand wanting to be frugal in this hobby; I try my best to as well. My point still stands though that you're already spending around $100 for a DAC, and in my opinion, spending a little more money for a multi-input DAC likely will give you more satisfaction, given your setup. But if you already have a source selector that can work for you, and you do enjoy the Denon's DAC... then you just need to decide if $20 more is worth it or not for the simplicity of one DAC and to see if the Denon's sound quality can improve. Previously, I didn't know you had a source selector... Your decision rests on spending or not spending $20.

4) The Topping D30 has a nice following too. There's also the SMSL M100 for $80. Obviously, more research will yield a mind-numbing number of results. I think you can save time and trust the many positive reviews for the D30, Modi, or M100.

5) Yeah, tube rolling can be daunting, but I went down that path...and I think researching a bit and trying out just a couple 6SN7 tubes is entirely worthwhile. To me, the sound is satisfyingly bigger, reaches deeper into bass frequencies, and sounds more true-to-life. Just know it's an option, and perhaps in the future you'll be interested in exploring it.

Decisions, decisions! Don't go too mad, but I hope you'll be mad about your system and enjoy it for years to come. Take care.

 

[GreenNeedle]

1) Yes, there are of course exceptions. I myself prefer my older AudioQuest DragonFly v1.0 to both the v1.5 and Red. And I generally prefer vinyl over digital copies I've heard (though there are again exceptions, such as the DTS track on the Nirvana Unplugged DVD). Most people, in my experience, can tell the difference in tone and lack of compression of vinyl (vs digital) pretty reliably--I think placebo is more likely with USB cables ;P. The difference between your vintage Kenwood and modern Yammie receivers I think has more to do with the quality of vintage receivers (less-compromised designs, serious power transformers, and quality analog stages) vs modern AV receivers (generally, low-effort designs and low-grade components) than it has to do with what source is being plugged into it. If a signal is decent enough, like with your ancient DAC, then the drastic quality difference of the receivers will have more of a say in how good the system sounds. Same goes with the better Denon CD player (vs the Pio)--the unit itself is of such a quality that the inferior disc format doesn't matter as much anymore. Though this is a classic science mishap of having two independent variables. There should only be one independent variable (disc format) while everything else remains the same in order to see the real differences between the formats.

Other comparisons mentioned are also unfair. For example, vinyl may be older, but we have to remember that the trend for digital formats, in the beginning, was mostly convenience over quality. Vinyl is analog whereas digital formats started with pretty heavy compression. Digital has offered uncompressed options as we've moved along but it's not as if vinyl to CD to mp3 to SACD to Blu-ray audio was intended as being a linear increase in sound quality. This graph looks more like a valley. Whereas DACs are intended to be a linear increase in sound quality (in terms of improving THD, SNR, and crosstalk). The exceptions are not so much to do with what era a particular piece is from, but the implementation, engineering, and circuit design being so good that it may lead that component to having a lovers' club or cult following. For me, the DragonFly 1.0 is one such exception because even though the Red clearly has less distortion, the sound is presented in a way that doesn't cater to the sounds I prefer. The Red, in my system, is clearer but more closed in, prone to glare, and constricted.

My point is, for similar money to the Grace, you can get an optical/USB DAC that does more for the money (source selection, CD player sound upgrade). Now, if your CD player's DAC was one of those pieces that had a cult following--that was designed in such a way that the sound presentation was a standout and outweighed its inferior specs--then I'd make the case to get the Grace and a source selector. But, as it stands, you're already planning on spending $80 for a DAC, and it makes more sense to me to utilize a modern DAC for both your sources for around the same amount of money.

2) What you say here is correct... "I am assuming from what you say r.e. external DACs is that if I am plugging my sources via digital into the Yamaha that it is the Yamaha DACs that are being used and not the source equipments?" The source won't convert from digital to analog then back to digital when it leaves optically. The optical output bypasses the source DAC entirely. And yep, the Yammie is doing what the external DAC would be doing.

3) I totally understand wanting to be frugal in this hobby; I try my best to as well. My point still stands though that you're already spending around $100 for a DAC, and in my opinion, spending a little more money for a multi-input DAC likely will give you more satisfaction, given your setup. But if you already have a source selector that can work for you, and you do enjoy the Denon's DAC... then you just need to decide if $20 more is worth it or not for the simplicity of one DAC and to see if the Denon's sound quality can improve. Previously, I didn't know you had a source selector... Your decision rests on spending or not spending $20.

4) The Topping D30 has a nice following too. There's also the SMSL M100 for $80. Obviously, more research will yield a mind-numbing number of results. I think you can save time and trust the many positive reviews for the D30, Modi, or M100.

5) Yeah, tube rolling can be daunting, but I went down that path...and I think researching a bit and trying out just a couple 6SN7 tubes is entirely worthwhile. To me, the sound is satisfyingly bigger, reaches deeper into bass frequencies, and sounds more true-to-life. Just know it's an option, and perhaps in the future you'll be interested in exploring it.

Decisions, decisions! Don't go too mad, but I hope you'll be mad about your system and enjoy it for years to come. Take care.

Again thanks for the detailed answer and humouring my questioning nature.

1 and 2 are put to bed there. Just for interest. The Yamaha uses the AK4588VQ DAC. No idea which of these 3 DACs (PCM1791, AK4588, PCM1742) "should" sound better but as stated. The 1791 is the one I prefer of the 3. The Denon sounds better analog into the Yamaha (thus using the Denon DAC) than it does through digital (using the Yamaha DAC)...to my ears anyway. The Pioneer is the opposite as it sounds better digital (using the Yamaha DAC) than analog (using the Pioneer DAC.)

I appreciate what you say that this may not solely be down to the DAC itself and the engineering of each unit has a part to play in how that DAC sounds. I also appreciate that compared to many people on this or other forums all of these pieces of equipment are relatively budget/entry level.

So of the 3 my taste / hearing ranks them 1791 > AK4588 > PCM1742.

3. I need to be very frugal, not just in this hobby. I am a min wage earner with a wife and 3 kids in a country that is very expensive to live in. lol. Add on top that the current economic situation may well have effects for the next few years. If I spend money on things, they have to be keepers or hold their resale value. My nature is quite investigative anyway so I would probably still research like mad even if money were no object.

On the subject of the Denon. Would it be worth looking for a DAC that had analog inputs as well so I can decide whether the Denon sounds better with its onboard vs the external DAC? I assume from the above if I exit the Denon via analog into a DAC then the DAC does nothing other than pass the signal through to the amp it is connected to?

4) I will look into the M100. The D30 does look favourite at the moment.

5) I get what you;re saying here. barring some bad luck I will have years to buy a tube here and there. A slower "try tubes out" than most but still. Can you give a basic description what difference replacing the big tube with another small tube makes? I know this depends on what tube is used but in general.

And for 5) No worries there. I have always been proud of my setup. At each stage of progression it has improved. Within budget each upgrade has been very satisfactory and while the Yammie wouldn't get too many people in this hobby excited, it does its job very well. For films, TV, youtube etc it sounds exceptional and is very versatile. It plays music very well for people who aren't looking for perfection. After all we live in an age where people seem happy to listen to compressed music through the tinpot speaker of their phone, through a cheap bass overloaded bluetooth speaker etc. I think most people nod to humour me when I'm detailing the musical failings/limitations of parts of my equipment. I can't afford true audiophile setup from source to end but I do want to try and get as close as I can within a tight budget. For me the music is the key part. I'm not particularly bothered if everything else doesn't sound that good as long as the music does. For the rest of the household they wouldn't really notice the difference.

I splurge on audio equipment, then am dormant for a while. I suppose spread out I would average £300 to £400 a year on equipment but that includes audio, multimedia and audio. I'm looking here to get a separate headphone setup to keep for the next decade with minimal spend on top once it's done. Then I can enjoy that setup while the wife and/or kids are enjoying some other aspect of the "family" entertainment setup.

I am thinking of buying the crack kit this week. No idea about lead time or when it will arrive. Should be fun when it does though.

 

[larcenasb]

Again thanks for the detailed answer and humouring my questioning nature.

1 and 2 are put to bed there.

3. I need to be very frugal, not just in this hobby. I am a min wage earner with a wife and 3 kids in a country that is very expensive to live in. lol. Add on top that the current economic situation may well have effects for the next few years. If I spend money on things, they have to be keepers or hold their resale value. My nature is quite investigative anyway so I would probably still research like mad even if money were no object.

On the subject of the Denon. Would it be worth looking for a DAC that had analog inputs as well so I can decide whether the Denon sounds better with its onboard vs the external DAC? I assume from the above if I exit the Denon via analog into a DAC then the DAC does nothing other than pass the signal through to the amp it is connected to?

4) I will look into the M100. The D30 does look favourite at the moment.

5) I get what you;re saying here. barring some bad luck I will have years to buy a tube here and there. A slower "try tubes out" than most but still. Can you give a basic description what difference replacing the big tube with another small tube makes? I know this depends on what tube is used but in general.

And for 5) No worries there. I have always been proud of my setup. At each stage of progression it has improved. Within budget each upgrade has been very satisfactory and while the Yammie wouldn't get too many people in this hobby excited, it does its job very well. For films, TV, youtube etc it sounds exceptional and is very versatile. It plays music very well for people who aren't looking for perfection. After all we live in an age where people seem happy to listen to compressed music through the tinpot speaker of their phone, through a cheap bass overloaded bluetooth speaker etc. I think most people nod to humour me when I'm detailing the musical failings/limitations of parts of my equipment. I can't afford true audiophile setup from source to end but I do want to try and get as close as I can within a tight budget. For me the music is the key part. I'm not particularly bothered if everything else doesn't sound that good as long as the music does. For the rest of the household they wouldn't really notice the difference.

I splurge on audio equipment, then am dormant for a while. I suppose spread out I would average £300 to £400 a year on equipment but that includes audio, multimedia and audio. I'm looking here to get a separate headphone setup to keep for the next decade with minimal spend on top once it's done. Then I can enjoy that setup while the wife and/or kids are enjoying some other aspect of the "family" entertainment setup.

I am thinking of buying the crack kit this week. No idea about lead time or when it will arrive. Should be fun when it does though.

3) Yeah, as I mentioned earlier, I've been listening with a Bottlehead Crack since 2010 and am supremely happy with my setup. Plus, you also have K240 Sextetts that I imagine you enjoy...well, the combo of Sextett+Crack is again my favorite I've encountered so far. When I "upgraded" to the Beyer DT 1990, I still preferred the Sextett...the Beyer sounded harsh and the mids were nowhere near as present or lifelike, they were scooped out unforgivably (after hearing the Sextett, many owners often won't compromise on mids). As for the resale value, stock Cracks tend to sell for around $600 on eBay. I was pm'd here on head-fi by someone offering $1000 for my build! That made me really proud. My advice to you is to really take your time with the build--when people see the guts of the amp, it should inspire confidence and, hopefully, awe.

A DAC with analog inputs isn't common. You can do research here to try and find some models, but I've only seen in it very expensive receiver-sized type DACs which prioritize features/options. Emotiva had one but it was still around $350. I think the best way to test your Denon CD player's DAC would be to simply connect it to your amp directly via RCAs (Denon -> RCAs -> Bottlehead Crack), listen to music critically; then add your new DAC to the chain (Denon -> optical cable -> DAC -> RCAs -> Bottlehead Crack), listen to the same music critically. Then go back and forth comparing. And yes, if you did get a DAC that has analog inputs, the Denon's signal would bypass the new DAC circuit (since there is no digital signal for it to convert), and it would just be sent out analog the same as how it entered...unless it's some strange model that I'm not aware of.

4) The Topping seems like a smart buy. It's all-metal with sturdy toggle switches and has fantastic reviews.

5) I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you said "replacing the big tube with another small tube." What I meant was the opposite. The stock driver/input tube is a small tube (12AU7) and some listeners opt to buy a 6SN7-to-12AU7 (6.3V) adapter to use the bigger (6SN7) tube. In general, a 6SN7 will make the presentation sound bigger, bass will reach deeper, voices will have more body, and there will be an overall sense of lushness to the sound. Lots of people though, including Doc of Bottlehead, prefer a good NOS 12AU7 (Mullard, Telefunken, Brimar, Amperex, et al.). So, it's all just options as you search for the presentation you like. Supposedly, many audio engineers in the 50s were upset about the advent of the 12AU7, saying it was clearly inferior to the octal predecessor, but was cheaper to make. To really simplify, some say the 12AU7 has a cleaner more solid-state like sound in general, and the 6SN7 has more character and bloom giving it the quintessential tube sound. It's nice the Crack allows for sooo many options to finetune your sound.

And yeah, same here, my setup is the culmination of a lot of research and small, informed steps. I like finding great values most of all and being happy with what I do have, as the quote in my sig alludes to.

6) Well, I think the Bottlehead Crack and AKG K240 Sextetts will likely offer you plenty of satisfaction for a long, long time. Lol, it's nice that I have those two pieces as part of my main setup, so it should inspire a bit of confidence in you that it's worth it.

7) Yeah, have fun with the build! But if I may elaborate on what I meant about really taking your time with the build... I don't know how much soldering experience you have, but I'll say just in case: Try to make the wiring decent at the very least, without overlong wires or messy routing (that will really help with resale value). And remember to make a good mechanical connection before soldering. I've seen so many builds where people put solder on a wire lead, heat up the joint, then move the wire to the joint... It's best to not rely on the solder to make the connection, it should just be bolstering an already-made connection. I like to make a nice curved hook with the wire lead, secure it on the intended joint and either use helping hands to hold the other end of the wire to pull it taut, or even use pliers to pinch the hook and make it tightly fit around the wire/socket tab...then solder. The solder shouldn't be a bridge, it should be a straitjacket. Hope this helps! Take care!