Tube Preamp - Bottlehead Foreplay with Upgrades -

MrBuhl

In my newly beginning quest to move some hoarder gear, make the Missus a little happier, and frankly, pay for a new purchase without sleeping in the dog house next quarter - I offer up this Bottlehead Foreplay. I'm thinking $175 pickup WDC / NJ area (Dec 22nd - Jan 1st) or $195 shipped CONUS - Polkie price only please. I will include some nice tubes to get you rolling (see what I did there) as well as the stock ones it came with, (which I would not recommend). Also, I have a small swatch of Dynamat Extreme I always intended to put to use on it, but never did, I'll also include that.

I purchased as a stop-gap when I temporarily fried my Dodd MLP and a few others I have tried along the way. I have to say, its a fine and very serviceable tube preamp. It uses cheap and plentiful 12Au7's (a pair) and responds well to rolling in my experience. It already has several of the most popular upgrades for this particular unit installed including, tube preheat, cap upgrades, and the stepped attenuator upgrade. (C4s, Anticipation, and I can't remember the other). I do have the paperwork on the upgrades, and I think even the original assembly instructions as well.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was planning to change the stepped attenuator to a nice Alps pot somewhere along the way, as changing volume while running a signal results in a scratchy burst of sound between steps that I just didn't dig. Other than that, this is a surprisingly good unit and punches WAY above it's weight. For photos and my initial thoughts - here is my intro piece on the forum:

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/171091/stupid-is-as-stupid-does-a-little-bottlehead-foreplay-dodd#latest

tonyb

I'm a bit stumped, no takers yet for an entry into tubes....at this price ?

Viking64

tonyb wrote: »

I'm a bit stumped, no takers yet for an entry into tubes....at this price ?

No Schiit!

BlueMDPicker

Is your Dodd MLP still as listed in your sig ("on the bench" w/Charlie)? I'm going to contact Charlie Cocci after the holidays. Is that who is working on your pre? Thanks!

maingey

So if I have a dac it would have to out of the dac to this unit and then to my amp?

MrBuhl

Thanks all - if you can pickup, I'll throw in a free set of Monitor 4's - in the original boxes, (non-Peerless), I don't have photos, because I've never used them! (used to me, not the original owner)

MrBuhl

BlueMDPicker wrote: »

Is your Dodd MLP still as listed in your sig ("on the bench" w/Charlie)? I'm going to contact Charlie Cocci after the holidays. Is that who is working on your pre? Thanks!

Yes, still with Charlie, FWIW, I've found that he actually doesn't like working on Gary's stuff... at all. Since he made me the MFA I haven't been pushing things, because I'm not in a hurry, but I have just started the conversations again to get it going.

tonyb

MrBuhl wrote: »

Thanks all - if you can pickup, I'll throw in a free set of Monitor 4's - in the original boxes, (non-Peerless), I don't have photos, because I've never used them! (used to me, not the original owner)

Wow, even better deal. Throw in an 8 by 10 glossy of Russ and Ivan making out at the last Polkfest and you'll get some takers.

Seriously guys, this is a good way to get into tubes for not a lot of scratch.

MrBuhl

DSkip wrote: »

What tubes are you shipping with it?

Hey skip, i have the original Soviet ones that came with it, I liked RCA Cleartops, so I'll include a set of those, and I'm thinking a set of 5814a's which are also nice, as I recall they are also RCA's, but don't quote me. Who know's maybe more!

dromunds

Good lord almighty!

pitdogg2

tonyb wrote: »

Throw in an 8 by 10 glossy of Russ and Ivan making out at the last Polkfest and you'll get some takers.

Shakes head and BARF's

Oh nevermind...........

pitdogg2

DSkip wrote: »

I've met Ivan. Russ must've been drunk because Ivan is surely not Russ's type. The car doesn't tilt to one side when Ivan gets in.

Thanks Skipper's......... I think

BlueMDPicker

MrBuhl wrote: »

BlueMDPicker wrote: »

Is your Dodd MLP still as listed in your sig ("on the bench" w/Charlie)? I'm going to contact Charlie Cocci after the holidays. Is that who is working on your pre? Thanks!

Yes, still with Charlie, FWIW, I've found that he actually doesn't like working on Gary's stuff... at all. Since he made me the MFA I haven't been pushing things, because I'm not in a hurry, but I have just started the conversations again to get it going.

Good to know (since he's touted as the "go to guy" for Gary's designs). I will most likely just gut my MLP and build a grounded grid circuit in the case. Thanks!

Sorry for the detour....

Yeah, someone should grab this quick.

MrBuhl

Yea, maybe I caught him on a couple bad days, YMMV, but it was not my impression he enjoyed being the go to, despite the fact that is exactly how i found him to LOL.

lightman1

I'm sexy....

tonyb

lightman1 wrote: »

I'm sexy....

Yeah well...fat Ba stard thought he was sexy too.

lightman1

Look up, Tony......at least one person here "agrees" with my statement.

mwk455

Is this still for sale?

MrBuhl

Yes, thanks, this is still for sale.

EndersShadow

nbrowser wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

I'm sexy....

After she drinks how many beers and whatnot?

Beers take to long to have the required effect. Russ gives me shots of pure NC Mountain moonshine to speed up the process of removing their inhibitions.

ZLTFUL

EndersShadow wrote: »

nbrowser wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

I'm sexy....

After she drinks how many beers and whatnot?

Beers take to long to have the required effect. Russ gives me shots of pure NC Mountain moonshine to speed up the process of removing their inhibitions.

Freudian slip?
Dude...Dan...TMI bro...TEE EMM EYE

jazznut

If still available, interested. Can pickup in Washington D.C. area right after Xmas.

EndersShadow

ZLTFUL wrote: »

EndersShadow wrote: »

nbrowser wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

I'm sexy....

After she drinks how many beers and whatnot?

Beers take to long to have the required effect. Russ gives me shots of pure NC Mountain moonshine to speed up the process of removing their inhibitions.

Freudian slip?
Dude...Dan...TMI bro...TEE EMM EYE

StupidiPhone corrective spelling....

halo

@Clipdat

Clipdat

Went with the Schiit Saga

halo wrote: »

@Clipdat

Viking64

Clipdat wrote: »

Schiit Saga

I ate at Taco Bell once and afterwards, I had a schi....nevermind.

pumpkinman

Oops

MrBuhl

Transaction pending on this little gem.

Faustin

So glad. I have been quite tempted, but have a Quickie that is still burning in after upgrades and an Eastern Electric Minimax pre that I need to listen to more. Glad it is moving on to a new home.

MrBuhl

Back on the hot list - available if you're in need of a budget entry into toob sounds at a surprisingly high quality level.

mhardy6647

SRSLY? Gang, these are not toys (even bone stock) -- don't make me buy this.