Oh My... Oh Boy!!!

[Billyk]

I have had my crack with speedball up and running for almost two weeks now and Oh My... this is a special amp! I did my 1st upgrade today and replaced the stock 6080 and 12au7 with a grey plate RCA 6AS7 and an RCA cleartop and Oh Boy... it just got better by a good margin. It seems more refined somehow ( I am lousy at these descriptions) cleaner and more musical. Thanks to all involved that made this happen at such an available price.

I have a few dollars left for upgrades and was curious if anyone has used the PEC pot, it seems like a good fit and was hoping for an opinion. I saw it mentioned but not was was thought about it. Also I want to try the erse Pulse-X caps, I really cannot afford much more and again hope it will be a good investment. Lastly I want to try the 6sn7. There is an adapter on ebay and as long as the pins map correctly is there anything else regarding the 6sn7 I need be concerned with? I believe the transformer can handle the greater heater current. I will replace the signal wiring with some nice kapton insulated, shielded silver plated copper but that should be it for the upgrades I have planned.

I am using Sennheiser HD-595 and am planning to get some HD-600s for my upcoming b-day. (I'll be 56 I deserve them, I do, really, I do, I said to my wife).
If anyone is interested for my source I am using an AMB Labs Gamma-2 DAC fed by an iRiver HP-120 player using Rockbox firmware. The hp-120 is 24/96 capable as is the DAC, I modded the player by swapping the hard disk with a 32Gb compact flash.

So Oh Boy, Oh My, Good Golly, etc, etc, etc. This sure is FUN!!!

 

[Gauss]

Your emotions can be shared. Anyone deserves to give love to oneself, no question about that. And if it involves to put in practice do-it-yourself skills to give it a plus to autoafirmation and a conscience to saving big bucks, the experience it's three times better, who knows if still more than that. To listen something where your abilities were put at test and where you known your saving bucks it's something personal at many levels when you are self-pleasuring!

I just hope to get this thing runnning soon to really share your words! Can't wait! Just need to know what were wrong with my build, hope it's just a defective tube, can't find any errors on my built, I think there's so much ego involved lol. One day of not knowing what to do!

BTW, in which way did your tube rolling changed the way you feel now your music? I know it's more musical, but how? More spaceness? Warmer/darker sound, less sharp highs? Some of everything? Just curious as I feel like trying your chosen tubes. Which number is it a cleartop?

I'm still wishing to build a Gamma-2 but there's no "full kit 1 buy", that's a stopper for me as I'm not willing to pay so many shippings abroad, sometimes I ask myself if my iBasso D12 would be enough as DAC or if I may even try a DacMagic. I'm also using an iRiver iHP, 140 here.

P.D. I'm going-nuts / blowing-a-fuse / cracking-up by just looking at my Crack fully built at my side and don't be able to listen it!! Arrrgh!!!  ... well, confratulations!

 

[jrihs]

Happy upcomming b-day!. I have one comming to! My 52nd. I think we both deserve HD800's!
but would be very pleased with HD650's!

 

[dstrimbu]

You're addicted already, Billy.  Get used to it; it gets really bad, really quick...   Why do you think that Doc called it "Crack"???

I updated my driver tube to a vintage NOS Amperex Holland-built Bugle Boy, and my power tube to a '60s NOS Sylvania 6AS7G (because the stock 6080 was not a "Bottle" ), and I recently sprung (sprang?) for a 20' Blue Dragon Sennheiser cable from Drew at Moon Audio, for my HD-600s.  I'm feeding them FLAC from a dedicated, late model Compaq dual Atheron, running Media Monkey 3.2.x, with Dogbert's bitperfect Cmedia driver. And I'm steering it from - get this! - Apple Remote on my iPhone, using Melloware's MonkeyTunes DACP wedge ($10 USD), so I can sit at my desk, around the corner from the audio rack, and choose songs on my iPhone (and yes, I keep the volume slider at 100% in MediaMonkey all the time).

Sound card is a cheap SIIG; S/PDIF out on an AudioQuest coax, into my Musical Fidelity M1 DAC.  From the DAC, analog audio passes through a M-F X10v3 tube buffer via AudioQuest Black Mamba IIs.

From there, into my (recently, completely rebuilt) McIntosh MA6100.  "Tape out" from the Mac, via Nordost Blue Heavens, to the Crack.  I'm listening to Alicia Keys' "The Diary of Alicia Keys" as I type this... "Dragon Days" is the song... I never heard those backing vocals before... OMG.  Every time I listen, I hear more.

I also have a M-F A308CD for silver discs, and a Clearaudio Concept TT (with the Concept MM cartridge) driving a Michael Yee Phononema Nova.  The Crack is my reference point; even with my well-loved Paradigm Studio/100v2s, the real truth comes thru the Crack.  The fact that my 52-year-old ears can hear the differences between interconnects is totally due to the Crack.  It's almost insane, and I love it.  I feel like I'm starting a 35+ year audio adventure, all over again, every time I put on the 'senns.  Unreal. 

Am I obsessed? Yeah, I'm addicted too, dude.  It's cool, eh?    And hey - special thanks to Grainger and Jim Rebman, I'm spending more money on audio equipment that I ever imagined! 

An impartial opinion - you cannot go wrong with the HD-600s.  Happy Birthday!  <g>

The coolest part of all of this?  I _BUILT_ this amplifier with my own two hands (Hey! That's a Ben Harper song title!)... and while I am in awe of the designers... (and I am!) - listening to something that I built, that sounds this damned good, is just amazing to me.

So, emote your heart out man - enjoy your amp. Thanks to everyone involved... Bottlehead is... special.

 

[hasafraker]

I put the Erse caps in my Crack... to say they're snug in there is an understatement but they fit... just. As far as sound goes, this is the best sounding amp I've ever heard, I've had my caps in for probably several hundred hours now and in a word I think the amp sounds very natural, no harshness of any kind, just pure bottlehead goodness.

if you'd like to see the Erse caps here you go, lots of crack pictures there, the caps will fit inside the original crack birch included in the kit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28861421@N02/5484219818/

I am currently running a Amprex 12au7 (late 60's vintage I believe) and a Tung-sol 7802, for my recent birthday I got a NuForce uDAC-2 which has turned out to be a very nice addition to my setup.

the uDAC-2 is pretty small as well, there's a picture of it on my blog page if you care to compare. http://hasafraker.com

 

[Grainger49]

Those are enormous caps!  Were you sure they would fit when putting them in?

 

[Billyk]

Yes they are bigguns! Mine arrived yesterday, I am waiting on the PEC pot and then I will be ready to open her up and start the mods. Hasafraker, your caps look great and I am going to do my best to emulate. Would you mind sharing your mounting methods?

I cannot get enough listening time. I make sure I get at least 30-45 minutes before I go up to bed. I have tried to read as I used to before I got my crack, but now it is almost imposable because I keep stopping to listen and lose my place!!

I use either my hp-120 or my laptop. I am looking into making a small box just for listening use; an intel atom based mobo as they have an on-board spdif is what I hope to use. Should make it easy to access my music, I collect live music so have about six TB currently. Still planning on using my AMB Labs Gamma 2, I think it is a nice sounding DAC and keeps to my DIY philosophy.

Gauss, I am working on my descriptive language and hope to be better able to express in words how these changes "sound" to me. Regarding the Gamma 2 DAC I know Ti (AMB) offers a purchasing service and may be able to put something together for you. I recall he put something together for another person who had the same issues as you.

I am still waiting on the 8-pin octal to 9-pin converter. I do have three 6sn7s  waiting for me to try. I was so enchanted by the "cookie" based ones posted by Natural Sound, I bought two for myself. They look so cool, I only hope the sound good too.

The wife has agreed that a pair of HD-600s would be an appropriate celebration of my 56th year... Only I have to pay for at least 60% out of my hobby budget!

 

[ironbut]

Looking good!
Where did you guys find the 100uF Erse caps?

 

[Billyk]

Ordered mine right from Erse.  http://www.erseaudio.com/  easy ordering and fast shipping too.

 

[ironbut]

thanks Billyk,

They have some pretty nice prices of most of their stuff.

 

[hasafraker]

I used 1" square sticky back zip tie mounts... jeez say that 3 times fast. You should be able to find something similar at Lowes, a local hobby store, or home improvement center. Make sure to wipe the plate with some alcohol the first time I must have had something on there that prevented one side from staying stuck, after the zip tie mounts are in place just thread some zip ties through the loop and zip your caps down

@grainger49, I measured them and knew it would be close hehe I figured if they didn't fit I'd figure something out, lucky for me I was able to tuck them in there without too much trouble, but yes, there really isn't any left over room.

 

[Beefy]

I used 1" square sticky back zip tie mounts... jeez say that 3 times fast. You should be able to find something similar at Lowes, a local hobby store, or home improvement center. Make sure to wipe the plate with some alcohol the first time I must have had something on there that prevented one side from staying stuck, after the zip tie mounts are in place just thread some zip ties through the loop and zip your caps down

Just a friendly warning, the tape on those zip tie mounts does not hold up well to heat - and the Crack top plate can get pretty toasty.

You would be well advised to frequently check that your caps are not going to suddenly fall out of the amp.....

 

[hasafraker]

Beefy you are correct! which is why I went from a single 3/4" zip tie mount to a pair of 1" per cap. Then the side that didn't stick, probably because of oil on my finger or something similar, I used Gorilla Glue to ensure that they remain in place. Not sure if you're familiar with this stuff but they're not going anywhere

I also have a set of 19" rack mount ears for a switch that are made of aluminum that are essentially an L bracket that I plan to bolt into the chassis to hold them in place/catch them in the event that they should for some reason come loose.

Since affixing the 1" mounts I've probably got a couple hundred hours on the amp and I check them once or twice a week and neither side is showing any signs of coming loose.

 

[Billyk]

My adapter came in today, I tested the mapping of the pins just to be sure, looked good and so I fired it up. Works great! I am using an RCA 6SN7 and it sounds really good. Still trying to discern the differences in the sound and describe them! I think I like this combo though, the bass seems more defined. Got some listening ahead, that's for sure.
Definitely not the best photo but here it is with the RCA 6AS& & 6SN7 and my little friend holding a clear top 12au7.

 

[Grainger49]

Billy,

I think the adapters are a great way to go for experimentation.  If you don't mind, how much did he charge?

BTW, the finish on your base really shows off the grain in the wood.  That can't be the stock alder wood can it?

And finally, what is the little man doing to the clear top?

 

[Billyk]

It is very well made, good grip to the pins, phenolic base. It cost $13.50 plus $1.00 shipping. A bargain I'd say. here is the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320659633166&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

That is the stock base! I am very pleased, took very little work. Used minwax golden pecan and wipe on poly finish just some steel wool between coats and put on four coats.

That's my little Terrapin buddy, a gift from the wife 'cause I listen to so much Grateful Dead. He is hugging it cause, well I just did not have a place to put it and came in to find him holding it! I suspect my wife was cleaning my space again!!


Edit: I don't know, but i think that the adapter may be imparting a wee bit of hum. There is some hum, unaffected by volume control position, with shorted inputs. I tried two NOS 6SN7 and one new one with the same result and also swapped out the 6AS7 with the original 6080. Hmmm... Maybe a poorly routed heater wire? Will investigate further, but have to say I really like what I hear other than the hum.

 

[jrihs]

Thanks for the link. I ordered one.

 

[Billyk]

Well, I finally ot around to doing some work on it. I installed a PEC pot and upgraded some of the wiring. I used some kapton insulated shielded twisted pair 26ga silver plated copper. Nice wire, hard to work with! I redid most of the rest of the signal wiring with this fancy long grain ultra pure blah blah blah copper wire. I was going to put the erse caps in to but was rather intimidated by the process of getting those very large things installed!! Oh and I have what I think are "my" tubes; a nice NOS RCA 6as7G and a chrome top Sylvania 6SN7GT. So what I hev left in my planes are the Erse caps, bypassing the 3rd power supply cap with a 2.2 Russian PIO and maybe a .10 teflon (if it makes a difference), changing the 9 pin to an 8 and then finishing up the rest of the signal wiring.

I still cannot get over the sweet noise this thing makes and it just seems to keep getting better too. The new tubes pushed it up a notch, now the wiring and pot upgrade, a whole 'nother notch. Oh Wow!!!

 

[hopeful]

So does this mean the hum you were hearing is now gone, but you're still able to use the 8pin adapter?  Do you know what resolved the issue?  I'm definitely tempted to pick up an adapter for purposes of experimentation - although my ultimate plan is still to drop in a nos rca blackplate 12bh7 up front after I've got my speedball completed.

Putting in the mounts for the output caps isn't as bad as it seems.  Based on Beefy's extremely helpful and detailed advice on this topic over on head-fi (where I post as "skeptic" for reference), I put in fly leads and zip tie mounts before starting work on the speedball kit.  After ensuring that I had adequate clearance for my film caps, I went ahead and stuck the mounts down and then just drilled through the center hole, adhesive layer and all, from the bottom side of the amp (with a 3mm bit).  Buy an extra drill bit if you do it this way because the adhesive will effectively ruin it, but the drilling is quite easy if you do it slowly.  Per Beefy's recommendation, 4-40 1/4 inch screws, nuts and washers are a perfect fit.

If it is of any interest to you, here's a cell phone picture I snapped of my kit right after I put the mounts in: http://assets.head-fi.org/5/57/57d42dd3_Crackampwithziptiemounts.jpg

 

[Billyk]

Hey hopeful, thanks for the insights into mounting the caps I am sure it will help!

As for the hum, after letting it warm up overnight, there is definitely just the tiniest bit. A good bit diminished from the last set of tubes I was using. Even with the hum those tubes sounded great though. I'll switch to a 5814a later this weekend, that should tell me if I am getting the hum i hear from the adapter, which is what I think. Regardless it is well worth the $14.00 to play with the 6sn7 variety of tubes.