[ompv62]

There are older threads about 2A3 sets and Omega speakers. I've owned the Super 3XRS for about 3 years and love them. I've been powering them with a Decware SE84CKC.

I recently took the plunge and purchased a Bottlehead Stereomour II kit. It was loads of fun to build and this was the first time I have ever attempted to build a component.

I though it was impossible to improve upon the Super3XRS / SE84 combo but the Stereomour did just that for me. There is dramatically more weight and lushness to the bass and mid bass and none of it at the expense of resolution and imaging (which is saying a lot because the Decware images so well.). Vocals are just as good as the Decware which was a shock to me. The high frequencies are smoother and lighter with a bit more shimmer. With large scale Orchestral or Rock Music with complex passages, the SE84 could get congested sounding and fatiguing. Not so with the Bottlehead. It feels like I went from 4.5 inch drivers to 8 inch drivers without a loss of detail and imaging - remarkable! There is real synergy with the Omega 4.5 inch drivers and this 2a3 set.

[FullRangeMan]

Congratulations on the good results, in my country the 2A3 is called the tube of emotion.

[ebag4]

Congrats on the nice build!   Bottleheads=great sound.  I love my Stereomour and Kaiju.

Best,
Ed

[Guy 13]

Congratulation for you new combo.
I own the Omega 7F (OBDP) and the Decware SE84C+
and I could not be happier.
Well, maybe if I build the Bottlehead 2A3,
but for now I am low on $$$ and at 68 my hands are not
what they use to be.
IHowever, I have a Bottlehead Crack headphone amplifier
with Sennheiser HD650.

Guy 13
 

[ArthurDent]

Nice work. Very nice looking system to go with the great sound.   

[mrvco]

Very nice.  These kits are intriguing.  How much soldering is involved?  I'm back to trying to improve my soldering skills to a reasonable level, but it's still slow going.

[Rkjester]

Great job on the amp build.  The 3XRS are marvels.  Enjoy!!

[ompv62]

There is a good amount of soldering. That being said, the last time I soldered anything was around 40 years ago when I was a teenager and I installed an 8-track in my first car 

I watched a few YouTube soldering videos. They give you a PDF file with precise instructions and images (70 pages worth). I took me about 12 days working a few hours a night. I got sick and tired of switching reading glasses and magnifying glasses so I just got one of these and it helped a lot.

[glynnw]

As a regular Bottlehead customer, I recommend the builder buy a good wire stripper - seriously.  Trying to strip with a razor knife or some such turns it into a tedious chore.  A good wire stripper makes it so much more fun.

[Canada Rob]

As a regular Bottlehead customer, I recommend the builder buy a good wire stripper - seriously.  Trying to strip with a razor knife or some such turns it into a tedious chore.  A good wire stripper makes it so much more fun.

Great advice glynnw.  Can you give us some examples of good wire strippers?

[Louis O]

Hi ompv62,

Thanks for posting. A great combo and beautiful build. Very well done.

Thanks again,
Louis

[mrvco]

Great advice glynnw.  Can you give us some examples of good wire strippers?

I'm considering the Irwin Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper.  I have a couple of the typical notched wire strippers, but they always seem to struggle with heavier gauge speaker wire.

edit - Does anyone here have experience with using 'hot tweezers' as an alternative to traditional wire strippers?

[fleawattaudio]

I've built two of these for others that weren't comfortable slinging the solder themselves.  If someone really wants one of these amps and the DIY aspect of it is preventing you from pulling the trigger, PM me and perhaps I can help out.  They are fantastic amplifiers.

[borism]

They are fantastic amplifiers.

+1

Great job ompv62! I also built 2 Bottlehead amplifiers - an original Stereomour 2A3 SET and the Crack OTL. They are great amplifiers and in daily use. The instructions are almost foolproof. I would not be to concerned about soldering. There are great instructional videos on the net and you can buy some cheap stuff to practice beforehand.

[glynnw]

I am using a wire stripper from harbor freight - works well, but the first one broke in a week.  I llke the kind where you put the wire end between 2 clamps on the stripper, squeeze the handles together and it is stripped .  Very easy to strip to exact lengths - leaving 1/4" stripped, 3/8' etc.

While I have no experience with this exact one, this is the type I like:

https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-VISE-GRIP-Self-Adjusting-Stripper-2078300/dp/B000OQ21CA/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1471966009&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=wire+stripper&psc=1