SOLD: Bottlehead Mainline Headphone Amp - PRICE DROP

Selling my Bottlehead MAINLINE head amp.
Professionally Built.
Elect Tech and EE for 40 yrs+.

Worked first time. No Issues. All functions work.
Excellent shape.

Non-OTL design, will drive lo and hi impdance headphones.
I used Beyer T1’s, T90’s, DT1350, AT MSR7’s Grado 325is, Focal Clear, AKG 7xx, HD 600’s Ananda’s and many more…

Stepped attenutator, 2 RCA inputs switchable, makes for easy comparing dacs etc, Balanced and unbalanced outs, impedance switch also.

Has tweo 6C45pi’s and a Clear top RCA “CONN” labeled clear top.
I will throw in a set of new Sovtek 6C45pi’s.

Details can be found at: https://bottlehead.com/product/mainline-headphone-amplifier-kit/
Will provide build manual and schematic and biasing information.

Kit goes for $1299 unassembled. Building Fee is $800 + the price of a kit!

Selling for $950. FIRM.

Shipping is approx $40-$60 + insurance.

Thanks for looking!
Alex

Ship to USA. Paypal.


8 Likes

I notice you have both the crack and the mainline. How do they compare? Are you retaining the crack?

Hello,

Both are good amps in their own right, but the Mainline is definitley the better overall headphone amp. Of course the Mainline can be used with almost any headphone where the Crack is really only designed for high impedance cans 120 ohms is the lowest limit and things start un-raveling.

That said it has been my experience with 300/600 ohm cans like the Beyer T1’s, or Senn HD800s’ its a wonderful match for them with the crack, there is this “BH” house sound thats euphonic and very open airy and “soft” to me, classic warm tube presentation.

Whereas the Mainline has better overall control in bass and midrange, things are just so much clearer and more focused to me…Its a reference amp for me.

IMO most tubes if biased correctly and operating in their “linear” range sound very much the same. Its when designs run to the limits and beyond that we start getting distortion and some designers do this on purpose to accentuate this euphonic sound. This can be good or bad.

The 6C45pi tube was chosen for the Mainline according to Paul Birkland at BH for its exceptional linearity. One nice thing is there arent many at all other choices for tube changing…except for the 12AU7A which if changed in this design doesnt affect much at all.

So the amp is really much better than the crack as far as overall performance and versatility. Having 2 RCA inputs, switchable on the fly make comparing two sources, the OTL transformers allow for low and high impedance cans and good bass control. It has a balanced output where the crack does not. The stepped attenuator is first class compared to the cracks simple low cost potentiometer.

That said the Mainline is head and shoulders above the Crack and I probably will keep it for now.
(the crack that is…). Mainline is still FOR SALE.

Hope this helps!
Alex

2 Likes

Price bump Price reduced to $950.