Mainlining - the Bottlehead way

ALL212
ALL212 Posts: 1,577
in Headphones
It's a start... There are about 1000 wires to add to this.

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Aaron
Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    Can't wait to see this develop!
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
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    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    Looks like a fun project.
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    edited May 2016
    That black plate looks nice.......except for those stinkin' white tube sockets ;)

    One of these days, you should take the fleet of BH gear you have and give us a nice shot down the line.

    This kit is an expensive SOB!
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    I think this fits what you've got going on with Bottlehead stuff lol....

    down_the_rabbit_hole.gif
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    edited May 2016
    mrbiron wrote: »
    That black plate looks nice.......except for those stinkin' white tube sockets ;)

    One of these days, you should take the fleet of BH gear you have and give us a nice shot down the line.

    This kit is an expensive SOB!

    Doc ran a sale on these so I got a bit of a discount.

    Ya... Don't want no stinkin' white sockets but I've got enough invested already so I'm sticking with them.

    I'll take some pics of my Bottlehead family and post them. I think this is kit #9. (#9...#9...#9...#9...)

    I just saw Alice fall past me! Could be I have an addiction...?

    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Update....found some wires, they don't make any difference so I almost just left them out.

    sdrxci9nlh7c.jpg
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Is everything stock in this photo or have you already started changing out parts?
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    STOCK?!!!! We don' need no stinkin' stock!

    The choke - top left - replaces a resistor on the power supply board.
    The three electrolytic caps are tipped with film caps under the board.
    The last cap is 100% film - the three black Solens total out to about 90uf.
    Mogami wire (green and blue stuff).

    The rest won't be changed much. It's all very good stuff. Some wire upgrades is about it.
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    cf5bkkqpxdcf.gif
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    :D

    Moved some stuff - new "rig" in the dinning room. Bottlehead Stereomour and Crack with a Sansui TU-9500 tuner and Squeezebox Duet feeding it. The third "input" of the Stereomour I turned into a common output - tape out kind a thing so I can run a headphone amp off of it. JBL L19 speakers.
    jnkujwvm7hks.jpg

    And you should always have a backup system ready to go.
    j5ly5nqhofpf.jpg


    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    A little delay in the build as I had a part with a missing lug. The switch came in yesterday and build continues. This really needs a warning label at this stage:
    NO COFFEE!! Shakin' and bakin' doesn't go well here.

    Fine and course volume controls completed. About 20 pages more to go.

    irlpfmh2drjp.jpg


    f644ul6dmgn2.jpg
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Those pots look like a pain in the pooter to solder up. Then I realized, you haven't done the tube sockets yet. Odd that the socket wiring is that late in the build when soldering real estate is at a premium.

    Mo picz peas.
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    At your command...SIR!

    Impedance switching is done.

    wj23pzr7eap6.jpg

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    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    Wow! Amazing work.
    b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
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    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    That mug......"worlds okayest dad" is priceless.
    Looks great! Now finish the damn thing! You're almost as bad as i am/was.....Almost!
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    I have triplet 21 year old boys/men. The eldest (by about 5 minutes) has a sense of humor way too much like mine. That mug was last years Fathers Day gift...

    Output wiring is next, then on to heater. After that is the tubes. Tubes go last on this kit as most of the wiring is on circuit board. But there are some tiny little bastage components around the tube pins in there also.

    Thanks for the kind words. I'd guess another week or two before it gets power. But one clean weekend day and I'll have a heck of a chunk done.
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Output wiring:

    rrurn9cy942s.jpg
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    On hold again - ran out of wire the correct gauge. But here's the progress. Big blue caps are the 10uf Clarity Cap MR series. Those are stacked on top of the PS caps.

    5lfn43rgitto.jpg
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Progress made - next step is mounting the boards. If all checks out ok could be done tomorrow.

    ln9jbhm9h2zw.jpg

    Tiny stuff - headache!
    bc42lw8c2rwk.jpg


    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    ^^^^
    I love to hear this one day! Nice work Aaron.

    Tell me again what Cans will you be using?
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Sennheiser HD650's and MrSpeaker Alpha Prime's.

    I've got a technical difficulty right now but it's together. One side isn't quite right but the BH crew is walking me through it.
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Teaser - still t'shooting but here's the final sans Bottlehead badge.

    5t6x4b6rg6r7.jpg

    Under the hood:
    rpod4pu3ahhz.jpg

    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    looking good, I remember you having those cans now :) have you ever tried 1 of Audeze headphones? like the LCD-2 or LCD-X? or a Mr.Speakers Ether?

    that new amplifier should open a lot of options for you! Enjoy!
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Never tried Audeze but they are supposed to be great. Talked to a guy who compared Alpha's to Ether's and said the sound signature is almost exactly the same. Can't justify the cost of the Ether even if I could sell the Alpha's.

    Found a wire shorting a couple of socket pins - still broke but at least now I know what happened. Just waiting on BH tech support for advice on the next step.
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    Couple of transistor replacements and I've got sound! Still have a wire crossed as when I switch to low impedance I drop the left channel but that's a wire move somewhere.
    ummm.....this thing kicks Crack's A$$! And I didn't think that was possible! Dead quiet, soundstage is great, placement of vocals and instruments is jaw dropping. Bass is tight, treble is dead on - not harsh or overdone at all.

    B)
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,496
    edited July 2016
    ALL212 wrote: »
    Couple of transistor replacements and I've got sound! Still have a wire crossed as when I switch to low impedance I drop the left channel but that's a wire move somewhere.

    Kewl! Congrats! However these errors will require your future work to be supervised and signed off... ;)


    eyeball.gif
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,281
    edited July 2016
    ALL212 wrote: »
    Couple of transistor replacements and I've got sound! Still have a wire crossed as when I switch to low impedance I drop the left channel but that's a wire move somewhere.
    ummm.....this thing kicks Crack's A$$! And I didn't think that was possible! Dead quiet, soundstage is great, placement of vocals and instruments is jaw dropping. Bass is tight, treble is dead on - not harsh or overdone at all.

    B)

    Enabler/pusher(message from the PLM)...congrats...enjoy
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,281
    [quote="SCompRacer;2245755eyeball.gif[/quote]

    Nice link ;)

    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,496
    txcoastal1 wrote: »

    Nice link ;)

    Thanks! Here is another one diy'ers can experience with crossed wires.... : 0

    bbqd.gif
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,577
    I think I like the eyeball best! Crossed wire is fixed. Only thing left to do is move the stop washers for one of the volume controls and that just might wait.

    I do need supervision!
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
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