help please (NOT on Crack)

[levlhed]

Without thinking or researching very much I made an offer on the auction site for what seemed like something similar to the Crack, but already built.  It was an impulse thing and I didn't really want to win it because I already had a Crack kit on order.  Well, the guy accepted the offer and I have it now.
I don't know what I'm doing.  The Crack kit was to be my first project where I would start learning more.
I've posted on head-fi and I'm being told that the thing is unsafe (on top of being unsightly).  I could really use some good advice and information here from people that I know KNOW what they are talking about.
https://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/491415/what-did-i-just-buy-6dj8-6as7-headphone-amp-on-ebay

 

[Doc B]

I am not inclined to critique someone else's product on my forum ( unless they really piss me off ;^)> ). I'm also not inclined to listen to a bunch of folks posting opinions based upon a complete lack of experience with a product, or to allow that here. All I can really say is that we do back up our own product, and that we have customers here who can give opinions about our product based upon first hand experience.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I would never, ever, ever buy a piece of home built electronics on eBay or any other site without seeing the wiring job.  For all you know there is no fuse on that thing, or maybe the builder thought it was hip to take a few wraps with each wire and not use solder. 

Take it a friend's house (maybe a so-so friend) to plug it in the first time, and use the cheapest set of headphones to test it.

 

[Dr. Toobz]

As Doc said, it's difficult (and maybe not even appropriate) to comment on something we have no hands-on experience with. Pictures only tell so much.

I will say, however, that your experience with this particular 6AS7 amp will make you appreciate your Crack amp that much more when you build it. Bottlehead's manuals are so detailed and straightforward that as long as you follow them, you will end up with a product that looks more like an amp than a bird's nest of wires. And you won't have to worry about shoddy engineering, either - if properly built, Bottlehead's stuff is about as safe as non-UL approved, homemade gear can be! No using primaries as secondaries, leaving out fuses, etc.

I suppose you could sell the 6AS7 amp on Audiogon or something if you don't want the hassle of sending it back. It sounds like, from your Head-Fi post, that it's middling at best, so I bet you'll quickly forget about it once you build the Crack, esp. if you start playing around with different tubes and capacitors, the "speedball" upgrade, etc.

 

[levlhed]

I sent it back and got a full refund from eBay.  That was a lesson.

To make up for it I just ordered an assembled Crack + Speedball

 

[Doc B]

Thanks for the order! Speedball should be packing by week's end and we should have some backordered Crack parts here soon. So we should be able to get going on your amp by next week.

 

[levlhed]

awesome.  I was assuming the speedball kit gets installed at the same time, is that correct?

 

[Doc B]

Yes, we build it with the Speedball, in one session. I do not recommend that procedure to our customers as it can be advantageous to sorting out any wiring issues if the kit is first built in its most simple form.

 

[levlhed]

Good.
And yes I am aware of the recommendations, hence my hope that you'd be installing it!

Excited to know it won't be too long at least.  I wish I'd stuck with it in the first place and built the basic kit myself, but now I've grown far too impatient due to my recent escapades..

 

[mrarroyo]

Hi levlhed, I saw what you went through at HF. Glad to see you went the crack route which by all reviews should make you very happy. One day I will build one, but first I need new glasses to avoid what happened w/ the Graham Slee Novo I attempted to build. It was not pretty ...

 

[levlhed]

Yeah, it was a lesson I guess.  My fault for not doing my typical due diligence!  I'm usually very very cautious and thorough.  Had I spent a little time communicating with that guy and insisting on more pictures I probably wouldn't have bothered.

Anxiously awaiting word on where mine is and when I might get to lay my hands on it.  I decided to have BH build it because I haven't built before.  And while I'm absolutely certain I could handle building the stock kit, I'm too impatient and I want Speedball right away too!

I'm looking fwd to getting a preview of what to expect @ CanJam on Saturday.