Help for building CRACK with Speedball

[i luvmusic 2]

Hi,
  I opened my email today and guess what i've got,A shipping confirmation  for my CRACK and SB.......YAY i'am soo excited.
What is the best way to approach this build?Should i build the CRACK stock form with no MOD or build the CRACK and SB at the same time?My thought is to build it stock but i would like to know if their is any extra steps to make my SB installations a little easier later.Any suggestions are welcome THANK YOU!

 

[2wo]

Let me be the first. Bone stock, then add bit by bit. You get a baseline for the sound. If you have a problem with the stock build, PB will get you going in no time.

I know you want to skip ahead but in the end, this way is more fun...John 

 

[Strikkflypilot]

Much easier to troubleshoot if You build stock first.
And You can enjoy listening to the crack while taking Your time building the speedball boards.

It is somewhat harder to solder the speedball, everything is on a smaller scale, check that all solders conduct to avoid problems like burning transistors and other annoying issues.
You won' regret it, IMHO, enjoy!

 

[i luvmusic 2]

THANK YOU! That's what i thought STOCK first.Thanks!

 

[sadkins]

After my issues with my speedball upgrade, I totally agree with building the Crack base kit first.  In retrospect, I now know that it would have been a nightmare trying to troubleshoot if I built the speedball and crack as one.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Good thing i asked first before my Crack arrived and start building the crack and speedball at the sametime,That would be a nightmare for a newbie like me.I should be receiving my Crack next week it's on it's way. ;D

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Since the site was down for few days i decided to sand and prime/spray painted the sides of the crack transformer i hope this is not a bad thing.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

    Crack Manual  page 19 this is what it reads,At the uneven end route the wires under the
terminal strip behind the nine pin socket. Attach and solder the black wire to A9. Insert the red wire end through A5 and then A4, and solder both A4 and A5.MEANING A4 and A5 IS SHORTED?THANKS!

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, as the directions specify and the photos display, A4 and A5 need to be wired together.

Painting the transformer is OK, a little bit of light sanding is also OK, but it's best to leave as much varnish on there as possible.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

  I just want to make sure B4 i screw it up and i  sanded the transformer sides a little bit  just to removed some bumpy stuff.THANK YOU!

 

[i luvmusic 2]

OMG it took me 12 hours to build the CRACK i was always checking and double checking every step but still i screwed up 3 times anyway i'am done all i have to do now is decide what finish i have to use for the base.All my resistance are all  with in the spec. and the voltage check is with in spec. so far i like what i'am hearing with this AMP and it's dead silent  too.Few more weeks it will be the Speedball going in but for now i want to enjoy the amp in stock form.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Since the crack is running a little warm would it help to run cool if i disconnect both tube heaters from the transformer and used my existing external DC Power Supply for my tube adapters?

 

[JamieMcC]

For a couple of $ you can replace the stock feet with rubber doorstops which give the Crack about a inch ground clearance which really helps with ventilation. I don't think it looks out of keeping myself but I am sure many will be repulsed by the idea.

 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

I should give that a try  once i'am done finishing the base,Thank You!

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Since the crack is running a little warm would it help to run cool if i disconnect both tube heaters from the transformer and used my existing external DC Power Supply for my tube adapters?

Is it the power transformer, or the entire Crack?

Powering the heaters externally will reduce the load on the power transformer a little bit, but I would imagine that the amp overall will run just as hot.  (Do note that the power transformer is not all that taxed by the Crack circuit).

If you're using an external DC supply for heating, a 6 to 6.3V supply at 4.5-6A is optimal.

-PB

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Just for the tube heaters i'am thinking to disconnect those heater wires from the Crack transformer to lighten the transformer load maybe it will help to run cooler.In you guys opinion thus this make sense? Thanks!

 

[Doc B]

The tubes require a specific amount of energy to operate, and no matter where it comes from they will produce the same amount of heat. Unless your heater supply is more efficient you will generate essentially the same amount of heat with an external power supply as you will by using the existing power transformer.

 

[fullheadofnothing]

Since you said you haven't finished your base, have you put the supplied feet on your base?

 

[i luvmusic 2]

These are my measurements result after my CRACK Build and i do have some concerns some are low and some are a bit high all my resistance readings are spot on except for the RCA Jacks center pin L 86.7K R 95.6K ground lug 0 and the voltage reading are as follows below.
Does the small amount of over or under voltage over/under the  specified voltage in the manual will make a deference in performance of the CRACK Amp?

Term.1=77.5V
        2=176.1V
        3=0
        4=175.9V
        5=79.5V
        6=0
        7=101.5V
        8=0
        9=104.7V
      10=0
      11=0
      12=0
      13=174.8V
      14=0
      15=195.6V
      20=0
      21=216.6V(it should be 206V)
     
      A1=78.9V(it should be 90V)
      A2=0
      A4=0
      A5=0
      A6=76 (it should be 90V)
      A7=0
      A9=0

      B1=76.5V(it should be 90V)
      B2=174.5V
      B3=101.6V
      B4=78.8V(it should be 90V)
      B5=174.5V
      B6=104.7V
      B7=0
      B8=0

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Thank you! all for the replies and yes the base feet are installed.