New Guy Warning!!

[ebag4]

My base is not finshed but I got the Stereomour up and running today.  All the measurements were right on with the exception of the 230VDC reading which read consistantly low across the board.  A quick call to Dan "Doc Bottlehead" and he told me they have seen this here and there and that it appears to be due to differences amoungst 12AT7 tubes, not an issue.  So I fired it up and out came music!

This is a great piece of kit, the instructions are outstanding!

A big thanks to Doc, Eileen and Paul Joppa.  Thanks to Jim Rebman and Inferno (John) for making their recommendations.

More to come as I complete the base and let the unit burn in a bit.

Best,
Ed

 

[jrebman]

Ed,

Congrats!  Can't wait until you get some time on it and can give us some more impressions.

-- Jim

 

[InfernoSTi]

Wonderful, Ed!  

I found the burn in made a difference but the overall character showed from the beginning.  I don't recall: what did you select for your various caps (stock, Mundorf silver/oil, Auricaps, etc?????).  Did you post photos yet?  You know it didn't happen if there aren't photos....

John

 

[ebag4]

Wonderful, Ed!  

I found the burn in made a difference but the overall character showed from the beginning.  I don't recall: what did you select for your various caps (stock, Mundorf silver/oil, Auricaps, etc?????).  Did you post photos yet?  You know it didn't happen if there aren't photos....

John

Thanks John.  Right now I have a pair of 2.2uF Obbligatos PIOs in the amp.  I also have a pair of large (think red bull can size) Ampohms that are currently residing in my modified T-amp that  I may switch out for the Obbligatos.  But I will probably listen to it this way for now.  

My unit is primarly stock except i am running it as a power amp and I used Azuma tube sockets.

I hope to get the base completed by this weekend.

BTW, I am pretty certain it happened, here you go!

Best,
Ed

 

[ebag4]

Someone on another forum recommended that I bolt the pillars on, I have always glued everything but in this case I thought bolting them on was a good idea so here you go!

Yes, the rear right corner brace is smaller, there is less room here due to the IEC socket.

If the amp looks a little swayback that is because I haven't installed the braces for the chassis yet.

Best,
Ed

 

[InfernoSTi]

Very nice, Ed!  I guess it DID happen after all.  Those Obbli's should be a nice fit...I have been thinking about a nice set of Mundorf Silver in Oil 2.7uF caps instead of my Auricaps just to compare. 

I like the "legs" and I bet it sounds nice without the extra switches for the inputs and without the pot.  Congrats again!

John

 

[ebag4]

Very nice, Ed!  I guess it DID happen after all.  Those Obbli's should be a nice fit...I have been thinking about a nice set of Mundorf Silver in Oil 2.7uF caps instead of my Auricaps just to compare. 

I like the "legs" and I bet it sounds nice without the extra switches for the inputs and without the pot.  Congrats again!

John

Thanks John.  I have a big pair of AmpOhms I am considering trying in this amp.  The highs are sounding a bit muted on some material to me, I am hoping that clears up with some burn in or perhaps I need to roll some tubes.  I am considering starting out with an in expensive tub like that JJ 12A7T you tried.  Any other recommendations are welcome.

Best,
Ed

 

[Grainger49]

  .  .  .   I have a big pair of AmpOhms I am considering trying in this amp.  The highs are sounding a bit muted on some material to me, I am hoping that clears up with some burn in or perhaps I need to roll some tubes.  .  .  .  

No surprises here. I'm going to suggest adding a 0.1uF (or0.22uF) @600V KK Teflon in parallel with those AmpOhm caps.  But... always a but, you have to break them in first.  The relatively painless breakin instructions I have used for years are in this thread:

Relatively Painless Capacitor Break In Instructions

Teflon caps take a long time to break in, 300-400 hours.  But you get 89-90% of the way there in 100 hours, 4 days.

 

[ebag4]

Grainger,
Thanks for verifying that what I am hearing is not unique and the tip on burn in.  I will try installing the ampohms which are already burnt in and if that doesn't bring up the highs by itself than I will try the bypass.  I have a unused solid state amp sitting here ready to burn in some caps for me!

Thanks again for the burn in procedure.

Best,
Ed

 

[Grainger49]

Ed,

If the AmpOhms are burned in then you can clip them in with jumpers, you ought to have a dozen, just to check easily and quickly.

 

[ebag4]

Ed,

If the AmpOhms are burned in then you can clip them in with jumpers, you ought to have a dozen, just to check easily and quickly.

Hi Grainger,
I should have been more clear.  The Ampohms are 2.2uF caps that are about the size of a red bull can.  I would install these in place of the 2.2 uF Obbligatos that I am currently using.

Best,
Ed 

 

[ebag4]

Hey guys, I have made some progress on my build.  I have also ordered a JJ ECC81 Gold pin matched triode tube and a pair of Mundorf .1 uF caps for the coupling cap position.

Here are some pics of the build, now I need to take it apart and put a finish on it.

Best,
Ed

 

[InfernoSTi]

Ed,

That cover is really looking good.  Very creative and excellent craftsmanship. I like the clever use of the BH logo to cover the volume pot hole, too!  I can't tell what the little wood part is on the left covering the selector switch hole (old eyes).

This is really coming together.  I noticed a pretty big performance swing or two during burn in...more than I had found with the SPUD project.  It really settled down for me after about 120 hours and is even smoother after about 250 hours (YMMV).

Thank you for posting photos of the progress as you go!

John

 

[ebag4]

Thanks John.  I started applying the finish today, it shuld really bring out the character in the wood.  The lttle block was something I was experimenting with, I am trying to figure a way to engrave or apply the words "Bottlehead Stereomour" on it but I don't think my woodburning skills are up to the task. 

With regard to the sound it is really starting to smooth out today, much better with a little over 60 hrs on it.

I'll post again once it is complete.

Best,
Ed

 

[InfernoSTi]

That makes sense on the piece of wood.  How about the piece of wood but with a pilot light so you can tell from a glance it is powered on? 

Enjoy the music....

John

 

[ebag4]

Hey guys, the amp is complete!  I have about 90 hours on it now and it is really coming into it's own, it is really sounding fantastic!  I have swapped out the stock 12A7T with a JJ E81CC gold pin, that made an improvement but I really think the hours are starting to add up and the amp is setteling in.  I have some Mundoerf Silver/Oil .1 uF on the way that I will be switching into the coupling position. 

Here are a few pics of the amp and system:

Please excuse the mess and unfinished acoustic treatment projects.

Best,
Ed

 

[InfernoSTi]

Gorgeous!  And  like those speakers. And the Dodd Audio.  And the curved diffusion wall.  And the gnome....

 

[ebag4]

Gorgeous!  And  like those speakers. And the Dodd Audio.  And the curved diffusion wall.  And the gnome....

Thanks John.  The speakers are GR Research V1's, full OB.  Each speaker has 2 12" servo woofers and a servo amp for 200 Hz and down.  The Stereomour is hi-passed at about 140 Hz feeding the coax.  3.5 watts is PLENTY of power for these speakers!

That's not just any gnome, that is a University of Louisville Cardinals gnome!!

Best,
Ed

 

[InfernoSTi]

It's funny, I have a set of Danny Ritchey designed (box) speakers that I use with a P-P Jolida on my HT set up (two channel old school).  I don't care what folks may say, I love Danny's taste in crossovers and speakers. I guess it just works for me.

And it's even funnier that I have been in a gnome war for about 8 years with a former co-worker and we are still at it even both having moved to different cities.  No lawn or office is safe between the two of us!

John

 

[ebag4]

Guess I haven't heard what folks say but the V1 is my third (second actually, my first was a hybrid of Danny's OB MTM and an Augie for bass duty) speaker build designed by Danny.  The second was a pair of his N3s for my sister, excellent speakers.  I really enjoy the speakers I have heard that were designed by Danny, the V1s are outstanding and incredibly dynamic which is a great segway to my next point regarding the Stereomour.....low level dynamics!  I have never heard an amp sound this good at low levels.  You still get the entire sound spectrum even when you are playing at levels less than 60dB, incredilble!!

Best,
Ed