[DefQon]

I'm in tears.

 

[JamieMcC]

Whoohooo, just received shipping notification for me Crack.

 

[Loquah]

Happy times!

 

[Mahdi8]

is rca clear top 12au7a compatible with the crack? is it the same with normal 12au7?

 

[W0lfd0g]

12AU7A is an updated 12AU7 - Entirely compatible. 

 

[mithrandir38]

Whoohooo, just received shipping notification for me Crack.

me too, dude! arriving Monday! just need to buy a couple tools to make things go a little smoother

 

[drizek]

  LOL, this has got to be the sketchiest setup so far.  And you are telling us you got shocked?  No!, really??

Just messing with you.  I'm sure you'll enjoy the crack once you get RCAs and working headphone cables

 
Yup, just got all the parts in and got it all set up. I even closed off the front side so I won't get shocked again.
 
Whatever issues I was having before are now completely gone. I've only been listening for a few minutes, but it sounds absolutely amazing so far.

 

[JamieMcC]

While on the subject of tubes I won a assorted lot of nine tubes on ebay the other day for $10.5 amongst them were three 12au7, but only one was listed as a 12au7 type so looking forward to trying them.
 
12au7 Mullard uk made (the one you could see in the sellers pic).
 
12au7something?  Mullard with box plates, uk made
(very hard to read as most of the white print had come off I had to get the magnifying glass out)
 
12au7something? Sylvania with long black plates, again I had the magnifying glass out.
 
Other than having most of the print worn off two of the tubes they all look to be in good condition.

 

[JamieMcC]

me too, dude! arriving Monday! just need to buy a couple tools to make things go a little smoother

 
I should see mine in about 7-10 days by the time it arrives in the UK and clears customs, which is good timing as am taking the family away for a weeks holiday during the school half term.
 
I have been pondering over having a go at something like this in the pics below for the top plate.
 
I would be fine doing the swirl marks etc and a single colour but getting that blended sunburst effect would be a challenge on something the size of the Bottlehead Cracks top plate and more airbrush territory which I am hopeless at.
 
The effect is essentially ground metal plate covered with clear etch primer and adhesion promoter, then a inter clear coat to fill the grind marks smooth followed by a candy pigment based paint, colour of choice (a coloured transparent paint which allows the light to pass through it and be reflected back out by the ground metal underneath which gets the nice effects). Followed by more layers of clear coat to get the depth of shine.
 
 

 

 

 
I also have a bit of thin carbon fibre flat plate which I could cut out to match and go over the alloy top plate which might also look a bit different.
 
 
 
I tried experimenting with dying thin strips of wood the thought was to laminate them up laid vertically for a multi coloured stripped base. However I am finding it hard to get the aniline dye to penetrate the wood fully think I might have to dye them under pressure or vacuum to work and that would take a lot of messing about, so perhaps I will save it for a later follow on project and I would get to enjoy the Crack sooner.
 
On the other hand  I also like the clean finished Alder and painted top which has a nice classic look.
 
Edit
 
Thinking about it I perhaps I have been suffering from some sort of Pre-Crack builders syndrome! Something to do with the wait the symptom creep up slowly unnoticed on you during those long days and nights waiting for your crack to arrive.

 

[ngyu]

   
I should see mine in about 7-10 days by the time it arrives in the UK and clears customs, which is good timing as am taking the family away for a weeks holiday during the school half term.
 
I have been pondering over having a go at something like this in the pics below for the top plate.
 
I would be fine doing the swirl marks etc and a single colour but getting that blended sunburst effect would be a challenge on something the size of the Bottlehead Cracks top plate and more airbrush territory which I am hopeless at.
 
The effect is essentially ground metal plate covered with clear etch primer and adhesion promoter, then a inter clear coat to fill the grind marks smooth followed by a candy pigment based paint, colour of choice (a coloured transparent paint which allows the light to pass through it and be reflected back out by the ground metal underneath which gets the nice effects). Followed by more layers of clear coat to get the depth of shine.
 
 

 

 

 
I also have a bit of thin carbon fibre flat plate which I could cut out to match and go over the alloy top plate which might also look a bit different.
 
 
 
I tried experimenting with dying thin strips of wood the thought was to laminate them up laid vertically for a multi coloured stripped base. However I am finding it hard to get the aniline dye to penetrate the wood fully think I might have to dye them under pressure or vacuum to work and that would take a lot of messing about, so perhaps I will save it for a later follow on project and I would get to enjoy the Crack sooner.
 
On the other hand  I also like the clean finished Alder and painted top which has a nice classic look.
 
Edit
 
Thinking about it I perhaps I have been suffering from some sort of Pre-Crack builders syndrome! Something to do with the wait the symptom creep up slowly unnoticed on you during those long days and nights waiting for your crack to arrive.

 
nice materials, carbon fiber would be sick. i wish i had access to those kinds of materials.

 

[drizek]

I get microphonics in the right channel. Does that mean I have a bad tube?

 

[brunk]

  I get microphonics in the right channel. Does that mean I have a bad tube?

Is this while playing music, or just touching it? It does sound like a bad tube if it's just the right channel. If it's a new tube you may just need to burn it in for 100 hours or so.

 

[drizek]

Just by touching it, and it is only on the right channel.
 
I'm hearing some distortion as well during some bass notes, in both channels. (Intro by The XX causes it a lot, for example).
 
It is still new though, so I'll let it run for a day or two to see if it goes away.

 

[brunk]

  Just by touching it, and it is only on the right channel.
 
I'm hearing some distortion as well during some bass notes, in both channels. (Intro by The XX causes it a lot, for example).
 
It is still new though, so I'll let it run for a day or two to see if it goes away.

It may not be an issue if its only audible while touching it. The distortion could also be from clipping in the track, thanks to the ongoing loudness wars. Yeah, give it atleast a couple more days and see if the problem diminishes. Most tubes are going to have this issue to some degree, some worse than others. You can look into damping the tube with tube dampers, tube shields, or try reseating the tube.

 

[Jmstrmbn]

  Just by touching it, and it is only on the right channel.
 
I'm hearing some distortion as well during some bass notes, in both channels. (Intro by The XX causes it a lot, for example).
 
It is still new though, so I'll let it run for a day or two to see if it goes away.

 
I have heard that song through my system and don't get any distortion so we can rule out crappy mastering.