Bottlehead Crack with Speedball Upgrade, ALPS 100K Pot and Bottlehead Power Cord

Bottlehead is an American audio brand founded in 1995 by Dan and Eileen Schmalle, and it has long been associated with the do-it-yourself tube-audio movement. Based in Washington state for much of its history, the company built its name around carefully designed kits rather than mass-market finished gear, giving it a distinctly enthusiast-led heritage.

Its core focus has been vacuum-tube audio kits and related electronics, especially headphone amplifiers, preamps, and power amplifiers, with a small catalog centered on tube circuitry and hands-on assembly. Bottlehead is not known as a broad-line brand for speakers, turntables, DACs, or cables; its identity is much more specialized and rooted in kit-based amplification.

In the market, Bottlehead sits in a niche boutique position rather than mainstream hi-fi. It has a strong reputation among DIY audiophiles for value, clever circuit design, and distinctive sound, and models such as the Crack have become especially well known in headphone circles. Since the company’s 2025 sale of its assets and branding to Middle-Aged Kids Engineering, it remains a specialist name with cult credibility rather than a conventional high-end luxury brand.