[lost&confused]

use a small chisel tip if you can as it's much easier better than the pensil type
think mines 1.6mm for my weller (not sure tho)
and buy some solder wicking braid to desolder if you make a mistake

https://www.youtube.com/@bottleheadaudio

And get some good wire stripper ..very important
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001HQMWNY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363876353823?hash=item54b8b8871f:g:SP8AAOSw0KtfR9h~&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4I4y6zZfeGBUu9VbYN72P5C6D2X1YWHiTNwDma/lRiOofRsicwwi4thMWk5K1MMHNPNIolF/TZhLoiAQlFQ443qwidc8etT9oBMvTEZwNHyDvaa72oXqOyBI8JFRTKCTPX1QJAK9Zi3thaLhIon9tk32VOi9iKtCneUDyDmEKxfDG+BDL4TuVFuKver7qapL0V911OXqcGDxPQV4hnbC9BA3QN5x7C/E9MhRLeXRk7Dt/7XJXv6DDZbbZ4A+xHVk/awae/K/VEqdnTBke1PTqQwIEuTisj5OtXSlOUubRZwe|tkp:BFBMkO2H_49h

 

[bpiotrow13]

and buy some solder wicking braid to desolder if you make a mistake

Thanks, already bought

 

[SHIMACM]

my old crack with the oils .. I've owned built 3 cracks over the years also had the crackatwoa
crack is a great amp with great tubes !

What reasons led you to dispose of Crackatwoa and just stick with Crack? Did you feel that Crackatwoa was not a significant upgrade over Crack?

 

[lost&confused]

I really like the non speedball with the hd600 best

With the crackatwo I didn't hear much of a change when tube rolling ( tung sol 5998 and mullard 12au7 1950's square getters) I already had these

The speedball and crackatwo are a bit too bright and thin for me when using the hd600's and missing a little tubey sound .... maybe using the hd650 I can see why ppl like the speedball upgrade better as they are not as bright.
Tho With the Normal Speedball crack I can hear a difference tube rolling.

Also I play very loud volumes and the non speedball sounds ace up high ...it sends the hd600's into overdrive

I think the bass hits harder its smoother with great detail still (sounds better up loud)

I have the hd650 but don't like them

for me non speedball with great tubes sounds the best.

 

[SHIMACM]

I really like the non speedball with the hd600 best

With the crackatwo I didn't hear much of a change when tube rolling ( tung sol 5998 and mullard 12au7 1950's square getters) I already had these

The speedball and crackatwo are a bit too bright and thin for me when using the hd600's and missing a little tubey sound .... maybe using the hd650 I can see why ppl like the speedball upgrade better as they are not as bright.
Tho With the Normal Speedball crack I can hear a difference tube rolling.

Also I play very loud volumes and the non speedball sounds ace up high ...it sends the hd600's into overdrive

I think the bass hits harder its smoother with great detail still (sounds better up loud)

I have the hd650 but don't like them

for me non speedball with great tubes sounds the best.

I really like the valve bearing Crack w/speedball with the HD650.

I never used the version without the Speedball.

Crack w/speedball sounds great with GEC 6as7g/GEC l63 tubes; WE421a/Melz 1578; TS 5998/TS 6f8g; GEC 6080/Fivre 6c5g, among others.

I seriously thought about upgrading to Crackatwoa due to the comments.

But like you said, Crackatwoa is brighter and doesn't respond much to valve bearing.

Maybe I should stay with Crack anyway.

 

[lost&confused]

i should really edit my comment on the speedball , I was going off what I remember

I've not heard the speedball in years now so its hard for me to say

You've got me buying the speedball now !

 

[pravous]

Do I sound so? I need to pause with spending for a while and I need to put together my BHC first...



It may be a good idea to think if to upgrade the BHC or to concider crackatowa. but not now.. Now my patience is exposed to long wait for BHC. I am almost ready with all tools:

That band clamp should make assembling the base pretty easy.

 

[bpiotrow13]

That band clamp should make assembling the base pretty easy.

At least I hope so

This is really a madness for me to go into DIY gear as I have no experience here, but it is very exciting as well. I thought I need to try.

If I make It I will have a nice amp

 

[GreenNeedle]

I really like the non speedball with the hd600 best

With the crackatwo I didn't hear much of a change when tube rolling ( tung sol 5998 and mullard 12au7 1950's square getters) I already had these

The speedball and crackatwo are a bit too bright and thin for me when using the hd600's and missing a little tubey sound .... maybe using the hd650 I can see why ppl like the speedball upgrade better as they are not as bright.
Tho With the Normal Speedball crack I can hear a difference tube rolling.

Also I play very loud volumes and the non speedball sounds ace up high ...it sends the hd600's into overdrive

I think the bass hits harder its smoother with great detail still (sounds better up loud)

I have the hd650 but don't like them

for me non speedball with great tubes sounds the best.

This echoes what I remember too. I listened to the crack much more when it was minus speedball and I'm not so inclined to use it since. Its just lost that "something" that was making drawing me to listen to much more music than usual.

I've been umming and ahhing about reversing the speedball for probably over a year now and apart from laziness it was reading the sheer amount of posts that are speedball positive. I think I should go with my own impressions though and your post seems to be similar to mine. I am using modded HD580s mostly so similar to your 600s. I'll have to look into what I need to replace though as I snipped the resisters and bits out to put the speedball in.

 

[lost&confused]

exactly how I felt with the speedball too
At first I didn't like it then i used the 5998 with mullard then I was like yes!
sold it after years as I wasn't using it

bought another one a year later with no speedball and loved it with my old tubes

So so that bought a crackatwo but for some reason I loved the stock...it just play excellent at high volumes my old hd600s thump with them
yeah the crackatwo is more detail darker background but when I turned it up loud it just didn't have that magic

now on my 3rd crack
yes im an odd ball

 

[Dawgfish]

I have two Cracks one with and one without Speedball. I like both of them very much. Honestly I listen to the Speedball one much more often even when listening with TS 5998s as power tubes in both. I also really enjoy the Chatham 6AS7 with both. I mostly use CBS Hytron black plate 5814s with both for input tubes.

I must caveat that I rarely listen to either my HD600 or HD6XX any more. I listen to my ZMFs mainly with them and they are both superb with ZMFs. It just matters what mood I'm in whether I listen to the tubier and more lush Crack without Speedball or the faster, more detailed Crack with Speedball. Either way both give excellent sound and both are incredible values.

 

[SHIMACM]

Can anyone else here who has or has Crackatwoa comment on how it responds to valve bearings?

 

[steve468]

Can anyone else here who has or has Crackatwoa comment on how it responds to valve bearings?

Me personally, I don't think it responds any better or worse than any other tube amp. Changing the tubes makes an audible difference (again, at least to me). I think with any tube amp it takes some experimentation to find the tubes you like; you may find that the "popular" choices aren't what you're looking for. For example, I'm not a huge fan of the vaunted 5998, because I find it too smooth. I didn't know that until I tried it, and found something missing.

Different tubes are not going to change the amp, it's a matter of dialing in or emphasising the features of the amp you like. In my opinion, of course.

As an aside, to respond to one of your earlier comments: I never had the Crack and Crackatwoa at the same time (they were separated by a long 'twoa build time for me), but I thought the upgrade was worth it. The Crackatwoa is less mid-bassy and much more even in frequency response. Some people like the Crack sound. I think you can add that magic back with tube choice.

 

[SHIMACM]

Me personally, I don't think it responds any better or worse than any other tube amp. Changing the tubes makes an audible difference (again, at least to me). I think with any tube amp it takes some experimentation to find the tubes you like; you may find that the "popular" choices aren't what you're looking for. For example, I'm not a huge fan of the vaunted 5998, because I find it too smooth. I didn't know that until I tried it, and found something missing.

Different tubes are not going to change the amp, it's a matter of dialing in or emphasising the features of the amp you like. In my opinion, of course.

As an aside, to respond to one of your earlier comments: I never had the Crack and Crackatwoa at the same time (they were separated by a long 'twoa build time for me), but I thought the upgrade was worth it. The Crackatwoa is less mid-bassy and much more even in frequency response. Some people like the Crack sound. I think you can add that magic back with tube choice.

I like a warm and lush sound well.

With the right valves, crack does it for me.

From what you said, Crackatwoa has a more neutral sound, and consequently, colder, I believe.

 

[bagwell359]

I like when amps are coherent from top to bottom. Pass SS amps with a small dose of harmonic richness is my ideal.

The BHCs with the E80CC is no X Series Pass, but to me the magic comes through without receding highs and overly warm mid bass. Its a tube alright but with some hybrid leanings (I.E. more neutral but hardly cold)