[tdogzthmn]

I dont have a K601 but I do have a K400 and K500 and both come through blazingly clear.  You really hear how the amp controls the music.  
Quote:

So I'm just about ready to buy the Bottlehead Crack, however, a very real hesitation has gotten a hold over me. I'm nervous about shelling out $219 to be disappointed, as I've done in the past, unfortunately. I have a question WyldRage:
 
With my Shanling PH100, my AKGs get very fatiguing, very quickly -- I'm looking for a tube amp to warm things up the way my vintage Marantz 2235 receiver used to. I am under the impression that tubes offer that, but when you say the K601 sounds "bright" with the Bottlehead, I start to turn away. Bright does not mean fatiguing right?
 
And if it's not too much trouble, could you give some more impressions of the Bottlehead with the K601?
 
Examples from my experience:
 
- With the Shanling, Nirvana's rendition of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World bites its way into my eardrums, the sound is not at all engaging, and I can barely hear Krist's bass guitar, sounding very light. With the Marantz, I can bathe in the sound, searing guitars are smooth and airy, the bass is equal with the rest of the mix, and it makes me utterly happy; my sonic bliss.
 
- When listening to the end of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Henry Mancini's score sounded perfect (to me) with the Marantz, the bass came alive with power and depth I've never heard with the K601 before, the whole sound was weightier, pure, organic; all these words I read on this forum finally becoming realized. But as I've said earlier in this thread, the Marantz is broken and the Shanling sounds exactly the opposite to me; lean, fatiguing... if the mids and highs have a loudness of 8/10, then the bass has 3/10.
 
So I know the sound I want is possible with the K601, I'm in search of a headphone amp that'll achieve it, but is the Bottlehead Crack my ticket? If not, what would you recommend, based on my descriptions? Anyone's input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

After becoming addicted to my Crack, I had to get my next fix from the Seduction build. Here's some photos to enjoy

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
It features the following upgrades:
C4S Upgrade Board
Gold Obbligato Caps (0.47uf and 0.1uf)
Cardas Rhodium input and output RCAs
Slightly nicer than stock Pany and Neutrik caps in the power supply
Cardas, Kimber and Neotech Teflon wiring.
Teflon Noval Sockets and PCBs
Takman Carbon Film Resistors

 

[RedBull]

Pretty!  Where's the transformer?

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

 
Quote:

Pretty!  Where's the transformer?

It's that little box on the bottom that says Bottlehead PT-1

 

[RedBull]

Oh, you tweak it to face down, smart!

look neat.

 

[Beefy]

Quick clarification: is this the same LED as used in the Crack? HLMP-6000
 
Part numbers match obviously, but there are a lot of HLMP-6xxx in the datasheet, and I want to make sure I am looking at the right one.

 

[thewolf1976]

Crack building first steps. How can I get the tung oil to soak in on the top corners? I think a little glue overlapped. I sanded lightly to remove, but no luck. Could I wet sand or use mineral spirits to open the grain?

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

I had a little bit of the same problem with the glue. I sanded down the base using an electric sander with 220 grit and spent a little bit of extra time on the corners. That took care of most of it in my case.

 

[ironbut]

Glue on the miters is always an issue if you don't realize that when you first assemble two pieces of wood.
Of course, if you know that you can tape off the the miter before you glue it together or just be super careful to wipe any off before it dries. No matter how many times I ask carpenters (particularly with veneered wood), it usually falls on dead ears unfortunately.
 
In your case, the first thing to try is to tape off one side of the miter and take some sandpaper that's dipped in your tung oil and work on that corner till it blends in. Once you get one side done, do the other. Unfortunately, your tape won't want to stick to the fresh oil so you just have to be careful not to mess up the side that you've already done.
In extreme cases where the glue has penetrated deep into the grain and pores, the easiest way is to tape off one side at a time and use a small, ultra sharp chisel to remove the glue, then even out the top with a sanding block. Always finish with hand sanding with exactly the same grit that you used on the rest of the base. Avoid cross graining since it could end up being too dark.
As always, if you need to do serious surgery (like with a chisel), practice in an inconspicuous spot first.

 

[Armaegis]

Would it not have been easier to oil/finish the wood before glueing it together?

 

[Beefy]

Glue won't stick to oiled wood.

 

[Armaegis]

Can you just stain the outer surfaces then? or does oil not work that way?

 

[Beefy]

Oil does not work that way, it is designed to penetrate into the wood. In any case, you should *always* glue before you finish the wood, because it is easier to clean up glue mistakes while finishing, than to repair finishing mistakes if you damage it while gluing.

 

[thewolf1976]

Thanks everyone, It is looking pretty good. I think I will wet sand with a little tung oil to really even it out. Some of it is the end grain.  Got the paint on the cover, came out pretty well. I am going to let the top cure over the weekend, start assembly Monday!

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Oil does not work that way, it is designed to penetrate into the wood. In any case, you should *always* glue before you finish the wood, because it is easier to clean up glue mistakes while finishing, than to repair finishing mistakes if you damage it while gluing.

Ah, good to know. I finished before glueing... but I kinda did a sloppy job on both