[Paladin79]

Bottle head published 4 YouTube videos this year that get into the nuances of assembly (finishing the wood base, finishing the chassis, installing components, and [my favourite as it dispels my fears of destroying circuit traces], soldering). I might try my hand at it in 2022.

An interesting video that would help most folks who may not have other specific woodworking items. My builds are a little more complex. I built a few BH devices but knew before the first kit arrived what changes I would make. In kit form everything on one top plate makes sense but it was never for me. The Doc does send out great info that makes assembly very easy, they are fun kits to mod.

 

[Orange5o]

Wow thank you so much those explanations! sounds easy enough except the whole static/earth grounding/anti static wrist cuff(?) thing. That's what originally had me the most scared and hesitant about the whole board swapping procedure.

I live in a cold dry climate so static can build up sometimes especially when running the heater constantly. Even just touching the yggy after walking across the carpet with socks on will occasionally short it out. It normally makes the inputs stop working until powering it off and back on again.

Anyway hoping that could/would not be an issue with this anti static wrist cuff?
Maybe humidify the house some first before doing the board swap?

I live in the high desert (Denver) and find myself zapping every time I get up to mess with the Lokius or change a record. I make a habit of touching something to release the charge before the components (in my case, a TV... it's the cheapest thing in the area).

Recently had my whole house humidifier serviced and now with 45% humidity inside I rarely have to now...

 

[valiant66]

Has anybody tried to pair the Aegir with LS3/5A speakers? I've always wanted a pair and the MoFi edition seems to be reasonably priced.

I have LA3/5As but I don’t have Aegir. I have used them with a Museatex STR-55, which as you might guess is a 55W amp, and they are sublime. My assumption is they would pair really well with Aegir, and that is in fact my intention once I shake the money tree hard enough (and perhaps the exchange rate improves..).
.

 

[Ableza]

There are several options available.

Static control wristbands

 

[G0rt]

Is there a good app for that?! I have looked and did not see anything. I have a useless old iPad that I would LOVE to turn into VU meters permanently....

Hmmm. I don't know of an app.

I did it when I was using Rune, splitting the feed from mplayer through alsa, and cobbling together a bunch of libraries and other open source stuff to accomplish it.

It wasn't actually hard, but it was fiddly, making everything play nice together.

I use Volumio these days, and haven't tried doing it again. Yet. It might be possible to do a Volumio plugin...

 

[vinylguy87]

Bottle head published 4 YouTube videos this year that get into the nuances of assembly (finishing the wood base, finishing the chassis, installing components, and [my favourite as it dispels my fears of destroying circuit traces], soldering). I might try my hand at it in 2022.

My Crack just shipped. Picked it up on their Black Friday sale. This will be a first kit project for me. Looking to do something a bit more interesting for the base (thinking a spalted maple), though undoubtedly nothing as beautiful as the work I’ve seen from @Paladin79 on this thread.

 

[Odin412]

Here are some great looking VU meters you can display on a PC. I don't do Apple so you will need to find your own if that is the way you roll.

http://www.vuplayer.com/other.php

Love it! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Paladin79]

My Crack just shipped. Picked it up on their Black Friday sale. This will be a first kit project for me. Looking to do something a bit more interesting for the base (thinking a spalted maple), though undoubtedly nothing as beautiful as the work I’ve seen from @Paladin79 on this thread.

You are too kind and I bet your work will be amazing. Luckily you will have the wood they supply so you can get all of your measurements. On the one I showed I used two of their wooden frames stacked together and covered their top plate with carbon fiber. After many coats of black lacquer and lots of sanding, I got the finish my son wanted. I may be using spalted maple and purpleheart for a loaner amp but that will be after the holidays. Then a final build for my son in tiger maple and a dark wood yet to be determined, I am pulling out all the stops of that one, electronic components alone may top $1,000 not including tubes.

There is plenty of info out there on upgrading a Crack if you are so inclined, I added a much larger cabinet just so I would have space for caps the size of coke cans, oh and VU meters naturally.

 

[Pondoro]

My Saga + has arrived. Reactions (text version of an unboxing video):
1) The Saga is satisfyingly heavy.
2) The plastic wrap has a lovely warning - "Tubes are indexed - don't just push like an idiot" Actually their words are more polite but the message is clear. I am familiar with tubes but I like the message.
3) The remote is very solid feeling, like a vintage Zippo lighter.
4) The volume knob turning when I push buttons on the remote is rather sensual.
5) I am listening to it through a rebuilt Magnavox tube amp. I had been using a Vali 2+, the Vali can now return to the computer/TV system, the Saga will remain here. I do not expect crazy sonic improvement, but the Saga will give me remote control, multiple inputs, and an output for a subwoofer. It sounds good. I know it needs to burn in.
6) I attempted to order a spare 6SN7 tube but apparently fat fingered and received a 6BZ7. This is my fault, not Schiit's, as I checked the original invoice and it says, "6BZ7", I should have read more carefully. I doubt it is worth shipping the 6BZ7 anywhere in an attempt to turn it into money. It will go into my tube graveyard.
7) "Saga" is easier to pronounce than "Vali", even before burn in.
8) The black finish looks very nice, despite my other Schiit components being silver.
9) No wall wart! I will not buy an aftermarket power cable, I am a denier.
10) The power switch is conveniently located on the back, right where I expected it to be.

 

[Paladin79]

My Saga + has arrived. Reactions (text version of an unboxing video):
1) The Saga is satisfyingly heavy.
2) The plastic wrap has a lovely warning - "Tubes are indexed - don't just push like an idiot" Actually their words are more polite but the message is clear. I am familiar with tubes but I like the message.
3) The remote is very solid feeling, like a vintage Zippo lighter.
4) The volume knob turning when I push buttons on the remote is rather sensual.
5) I am listening to it through a rebuilt Magnavox tube amp. I had been using a Vali 2+, the Vali can now return to the computer/TV system, the Saga will remain here. I do not expect crazy sonic improvement, but the Saga will give me remote control, multiple inputs, and an output for a subwoofer. It sounds good. I know it needs to burn in.
6) I attempted to order a spare 6SN7 tube but apparently fat fingered and received a 6BZ7. This is my fault, not Schiit's, as I checked the original invoice and it says, "6BZ7", I should have read more carefully. I doubt it is worth shipping the 6BZ7 anywhere in an attempt to turn it into money. It will go into my tube graveyard.
7) "Saga" is easier to pronounce than "Vali", even before burn in.
8) The black finish looks very nice, despite my other Schiit components being silver.

Since you are not far away, if you want a couple 6sn7's to try out I can look around my shop after the holidays. I plan on shipping Finnegan to @bcowen to babysit so my tubes should be safe. A couple air holes in the box and off he goes.

 

[Pondoro]

Since you are not far away, if you want a couple 6sn7's to try out I can look around my shop after the holidays.

And I sometimes pass through Bloomington. I have like 23 nieces in rural Indiana (only three or four nephews). I take them to Bloomington for the hip food and coffee shops, one has turned 21, I could actually take her to a microbrewery. Do you have a schematic for an add-on VU meter? I have zero use for one but I love the look of a bouncing meter.

 

[Paladin79]

And I sometimes pass through Bloomington. I have like 23 nieces in rural Indiana (only three or four nephews). I take them to Bloomington for the hip food and coffee shops, one has turned 21, I could actually take her to a microbrewery. Do you have a schematic for an add-on VU meter? I have zero use for one but I love the look of a bouncing meter.

No schematic really needed, These come with a PC board that is well labeled, you just have to know how to rig up some form of DC supply and I can walk you through that if need be. With a bit of notice I can show you how to quickly set one up with Schiit gear and let you hear a couple of my creations if you have time. Oh and nieces are always welcome, my wife rarely sells pottery and she has been known to make gifts of it to those who like her work.

 

[vinylguy87]

You are too kind and I bet your work will be amazing. Luckily you will have the wood they supply so you can get all of your measurements. On the one I showed I used two of their wooden frames stacked together and covered their top plate with carbon fiber. After many coats of black lacquer and lots of sanding, I got the finish my son wanted. I may be using spalted maple and purpleheart for a loaner amp but that will be after the holidays. Then a final build for my son in tiger maple and a dark wood yet to be determined, I am pulling out all the stops of that one, electronic components alone may top $1,000 not including tubes.

There is plenty of info out there on upgrading a Crack if you are so inclined, I added a much larger cabinet just so I would have space for caps the size of coke cans, oh and VU meters naturally.

I may someday chase some mods, but I’m not particularly electrically inclined, so to speak. I can follow directions, but anything outside of that and I’m in over my head. I suspect the standard Crack, with possible Speedball eventually will keep me happy for a while. And out of trouble too…

 

[Paladin79]

I may someday chase some mods, but I’m not particularly electrically inclined, so to speak. I can follow directions, but anything outside of that and I’m in over my head. I suspect the standard Crack, with possible Speedball eventually will keep me happy for a while. And out of trouble too…

Fortunately you will gain some valuable experience building the Crack, in the event you ever want to mod it. Plenty of folks have left them stock.

 

[tincanear]

My Saga + has arrived. Reactions (text version of an unboxing video):
1) The Saga is satisfyingly heavy.
2) The plastic wrap has a lovely warning - "Tubes are indexed - don't just push like an idiot" Actually their words are more polite but the message is clear. I am familiar with tubes but I like the message.
3) The remote is very solid feeling, like a vintage Zippo lighter.
4) The volume knob turning when I push buttons on the remote is rather sensual.
5) I am listening to it through a rebuilt Magnavox tube amp. I had been using a Vali 2+, the Vali can now return to the computer/TV system, the Saga will remain here. I do not expect crazy sonic improvement, but the Saga will give me remote control, multiple inputs, and an output for a subwoofer. It sounds good. I know it needs to burn in.
6) I attempted to order a spare 6SN7 tube but apparently fat fingered and received a 6BZ7. This is my fault, not Schiit's, as I checked the original invoice and it says, "6BZ7", I should have read more carefully. I doubt it is worth shipping the 6BZ7 anywhere in an attempt to turn it into money. It will go into my tube graveyard.
7) "Saga" is easier to pronounce than "Vali", even before burn in.
8) The black finish looks very nice, despite my other Schiit components being silver.
9) No wall wart! I will not buy an aftermarket power cable, I am a denier.
10) The power switch is conveniently located on the back, right where I expected it to be.

6BZ7 will work in Vali 2+ so not a total loss.

I have, at least technically, aftermarket power cables (2 and 3 foot "computer power cables" from monoprice to reduce cable-clutter / increase clearance to analog interconnects, some cost less than $2 each on sale)