Bottlehead Mainline tube amp - Modified and Upgraded

Still for sale if ad is still here!!

Hi everyone, this ad is for a pre-built Bottlehead Mainline. This is an end game, TOTL amp. This is the 120V Mainline for use in North America (Canada & US). It is highly modified to maximize performance.


Costs of parts and sound changes as follows:
Core components in this build:
> Bottlehead Mainline - $1200 - Price of stock kit

> Mundorf Supreme coupling caps (10uF each) - $120
-- Upgraded to give a nice clear sound, neutral, open sounding - gives big soundstage depth! Very fast and dynamic capacitor.

> Mundorf Supreme Silver-In-Oil coupling cap bypass (1uF each) - $140
-- These increased the smoothness/silkyness of the entire frequency range and gave a beautiful organic and "liquid" tone.

> Hammond 157M DC high voltage choke filter - $40
-- Very slight increase in background blackness.

> TX2575 Naked Z-foil Resistors on the input path, stepped attenuators, 6C45 tube anode, and key regulation sites - $200
-- These are the best resistors that can be purchased. I had Texas Components custom make these at the precise values I was looking for. These resistors don't add or take anything away from the input signal. Give the most clear, precise, and un-colored sound possible. These are the lowest distortion resistors available today. Precision matched to 0.01% of their rated values. Incredibly low thermal drift.

> High frequency cylindrical ferrite beads placed throughout (especially on all power carrying paths) - $60
-- Further increased the blackness of the background. Increase in overall transparency of the sound.



Tubes included (All tube pins have been treated using CAIG Deoxit for better conductivity):
Power tubes:
> Stock tubes (Reflector 6C45 pair) - Came with stock kit
-- Slightly more mid-centric sound out of the three tubes. Smooth treble. My preferred tubes to use with HD800's listening to most of my music collection except for really well recorded classical, instrumental, etc. for which the EH 6C45's give a better rendering.

> Sovtek 6C45 tubes - $55
-- Most grainy treble out of the three (but this could potentially be due to these tubes having the least run-time). I did burn them in for over 100 hours when I got them. Seems to be more extended up top (treble) than the Reflector tubes, but again this may be due to the slightly less smooth treble I'm hearing with these tubes.

> Electro-Harmonix 6C45 gold-pin tubes - $100
-- Slightly less mids than the Reflector tubes. More extended up top and down below. Treble just as smooth as Reflector. I like using these tubes when listening to the best recording in my collection, especially for classical music where the extension up top and down below is a bonus.


Regulator tubes:
> Tung-sol 12AU7 tube - Came with stock kit
> Sylvania 12BH7 tube (x2) - $40 each - $80
> Ei Yugo 12BH7 tube (x2) - $20 each - $40
> Mullard 12AU7 tube (Rogers branded) - $80


Total cost that I paid: $2115 (Not including all of the shipping that it cost to get everything and the time it took to build the amp)

Your price: $1460 US (Buyer pays shipping) - Over $655 savings over the parts costs!!!

NOTE: I have feet for this amp, just haven't put them on yet

See head-fi for pictures: http://www.head-fi.org/t/792580/bottlehead-mainline-tube-amp-modified-and-upgraded

 

Bump - Price drop!

 

Beautiful amplifier you've built! Good luck with your sale

 

Superb amp, I bought one a couple months ago and can see myself happy with it for a long long time...

What amp are you upgrading to?

 

Changed amp to a Ragnarok as I wanted the speaker amp capability and the ability to run IEMs

 

Nice work mate!

 

Bump - Price drop again!