|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
71.147.47.159
Hi All,
As I've decided to place this hybrid integrated amp into my main system ( after several years of having it located in our bedroom where it saw very little use ) and now feel it's time for me to truthfully understand what's fully capable of bringing to the table?, as I've gone through the regular channels........, of lets say Joe's Tube Lores | Tubemaze | Brent Jesse's | Tubemonger | Tube World | Head Fi | AudioGon | Audio Circle | Audio Karma | older postings from the now defunct Hong Kong Tube Audio, and have gotten what appears like a very very solid recommendation from our own " TubeGuy1954 " thanks Tom, on pursuing the Voshkod " Rocket Logo " 6n23p NOS 1974 | 1975 | 1979 Gray and Silver Shield versions.
Yet trying to do my best to read between the lines on sonic differences according to said origin of say American | British | France | German | Holland | Japanese | Russian | Czechoslovakian | Slovakia made variants of the 6922 | ECC88 | E88CC types, it seems each does offer a very distinct flavor, if you'll........., it seems as usual while some favor domestic versions like Amperex " White Label " versus those produced in Holland, and others tend to gravitate towards Mullard or Telefunken or Siemens CCa types, others warn against them, and say the more industrial or military graded versions aren't as open | transparent | musical, yet as I only have the originalstock Sovtek | JJ | Tesla | Tungsram types in house, and seeming as I'm trying to achieve a great balance signature which compliments acoustic jazz recordings, and seek more of a signature based upon attack of note | timbre and tonality correctness | nimbleness | speed and offers a sense of uppermost clarity when it comes to the nature decaying abilities of cymbal | emphasis on rimshots ( as if hearing the very flesh behind each ) as well as the gentler pucking | strumming of guitar and double bass strings - note wise minus any sense of smearing or overhang.
Could someone here like Bambi B. | Eli Duttman | Sondek make the time to offer me at least 2-4 solid recommendations on which brands or makes might be capable of satisfying said requirements?, and my budget taps out about $350 | pair, so I'm not seriously looking at those CCa | 7308 types, yet am all into those labeled as slightly better versions of say the E88CC's.
Step ye forward and educate me on said matters, as it relates to the 6922 | 6dj8 tubes........., I'm all ears ( and eyes, as I'll be watching said post ) so please share your findings with a newbie as it relates to said tube variants.
TIA!.
O_o scar
Follow Ups:
Hello All,
I've meant to post a follow up awhile ago, as it relates to said tube rolling options...-...-., as I've ended up with over 33 pairs of E88CC | E188CC types, namely brands like Amperex | Brimar | GE " Smoked Glass " | JJ " " Gold Pins " | Siemens | Telefunken | Tesla | Tungsram | Valvo | Voshkod ( NOS 1969 | 1974-1975 SWG types ), which have been preserved as it's weird, but I never felt the desire to remove the stock Sovtek based ECC88's from the unit, as the overall balance upon initial listening just struck me as correct, weird eh?.
But in the end, it comes down to one very very simple question we must all ask of ourselves at the end of the day " what sounds | feels right " is more important than chasing this or that brand, as we do have to take into account any given amp was in fact voiced using certain makes to create a unique signature of its own, according to how the designer chose to have said units heard to begin with...-...-., I'm inclined to say the designer selected correctly in how this amp merely has me | my wife engaged in listening to track after track, in which said listening sessions are quite often upwards of 10-13 hours per day.
Thanks again to those of you whom came through in my time of need ( re-education ) on said matter | which brands and / or vintage were worthy of pursuit, to which I'm very very grateful.
Be well | Stay safe.
O_o scar
I use the tubes in question my phono section. After 20 years of rolling just about everything ( but the CCa) I have found that I prefer the sound of plain old 6DJ8/ ECC88 compared to the voltage uprated 6922/7308/e88cc etc. Sometimes less is more. I prefer the Telefunken ECC88 to the more expensive gold pin tubes in my stash. YMMV.
Oh, if you can find them, the Amperex pinch waist 6922 was the best ever in my phono, but it died and I have yet to find any more in this universe......
Enjoy the roll!
Edits: 07/26/21
Weird thing Mendel,
A buddy of mine from our group here, stated the exact same thing about preferring standard 6DJ8 | ECC88 types, and also has raved on and on about the Telefunken's as well...-...-, so much so, I took it upon myself to buy 3 pairs of them.
As for the Amperex Pinched Waist types, I'm very aware of them, yet in all honesty can't see spending over $600 for anybody's pair of tubes, taking into account I'm relying upon disability, and while I'd have jumped all over them during my employment days, life is such, that my priorities have changed a great deal over the course of the last 10 years, as well as the overall maturity factor, which it seems is expected.
Thanks for chiming in, as said added insight from others is always welcomed.
O_o scar
Just felt the need to add a sort of follow upon this. I currently have collected a total of 21 pairs of these, thanks in part to Sondek | The Dill for educating me on which brands or vintages were worthy of pursuit.
As I've yet to listen to any of them, as I'm trying to await an incoming custom sized Sound Anchors Amp-stand of the exact dimensions of the Pathos, which is due to arrive by mid next month, before making time to sit down and do any critical listening, and decide which flavors actually suit my preferences as well as system?, to where there's very little doubt, as to which brand I'll begin to hoard as the means of having a lifetime supply.
Once again........, much thanks to all of you whom found in your hearts to see me through this, may we all just have plenty of time left upon the planet, to enjoy ourselves, our lives, as well as our shared hobby.
Until next time.
O_o - signing off.
The amp stand is a good idea. One more tweak you might consider that I am using. Four Herbies Tall Extra Firm Tenderfeet, one behind each factory foot. I also have them under my phono stage, cd player and the plinth of my turntable.
Edits: 03/06/21
Thanks Dill,
As a longtime proponent of African Blackwood going back to 2004, when I was initially turned on to Shun Mook Super Diamond Resonators | Yamamoto Sound Craft Ebony Footers, I've stayed truth, with the exception of the IsoAcoustics Orea range of footers.
Yet I've bought a set of 3, of the Clubwood MO-03. Footers to be placed underneath the Pathos on said stand:
https://www.ysureways.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=161842
Which in turn are going to be placed atop a set of these as located directly onto the outermost right | left columns running front to rear:
https://audiobastion.us/collections/products/products/x-pad-plus-speaker-spike-pads-shoes
I do pride myself as one of those cats that believes in voicing the entire system, starting at the AC Receptacles outwards ( or is that upwards? ) and isolating every component from its surroundings, doesn't go without my willing to address said matters of vibration | resonance control.
Said end of my own personal quest is definitely nearing its point of final destination.
Thanks again for your willingness to walk me through these selections.
Peace Beyond To You | Yours.
O_o scar
Sondek | The Dill,
Could both of you please provide either photos or links, to the particular Amperex types you've mentioned?, as I'm aware some have " white labels | logos " and the others have " orange labels | logos ", or even which versions, American?, or ones produced in Holland?.
This would make it much easier for me to know which ones to pursue?.
Thanks fellas.
O_o.
Here is a photo of the PQ's I have in there now. I use a Kimber Base 10ga. power cord and use solid silver interconnects & speaker cable. Silnote Apollo silver interconnects RCA, SoundSilver Clarity interconnects XLR and Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cables.
Thanks Dill,
That allows me to pursue these exact version of said Amperex, yet once again would you verify the PCC88 | 7DJ8's can be used safely in our Pathos?, as mentioned I believe?, neither Upscale Audio, nor Pathos Acoustics seem responsive when it comes to responding to emails, and there doesn't seem to be a lot out there as to others having tube rolled theirs.
Like you, I'm a proponent of pure silver IC's | AC Cords | USB cables, on the source and dac side of things, but rely upon pure copper as it relates to the power cords on either of my integrated amps, as well as speaker cables.
Thanks again for walking me through this. Much appreciated.
You are welcome, glad to help. Yes, the 7DJ8 tubes can be used in the 6DJ8/6922 positions, no problem. My MKIII has many hours with those in them. BTW: do you have a MKII or MKIII. The difference being, the MKIII has a slightly larger transformer and plastic covered binding posts. I've had both and used the 7DJ8 in both.
Thanks again for the update, and reassurance the PCC88's will work.
Actually I've had the MK lll since 2017, and recently purchased the MK ll last month, for our youngest son, whom is our only child that cares enough about owning a system, yet he refused to except the offer.
Which caused me to think, while the MK lll has remained in our bedroom since, why not put the MK ll into the main system out front, yet as I'm awaiting an incoming custom sized Sound Anchors Amp-stand for it, and only had several Tesla | Tungsram types of E88CC's laying around, where I was hoarding 4-6 pairs of each, it dawned on me there are other flavors out there, hence my post.
Once again thanks for sharing, it has indeed opened my eyes to all the possibilities just waiting to be explored.
Said Puritan Audio AC Cord I mentioned earlier:
https://gramophone.mybigcommerce.com/ppdtmc1-5m-main-lead-power-cord/
It offers a very very responsive sound, with a greater sense of silence around | between notes unlike anything I've owned prior.
I've had the MIII for about 10 years now. I am currently running a pair of Amperex PQ 6922 and are a very good performer. In my stash I also have Valvo CCa, Matsushita 7DJ8/PCC88 and electro-harmonix 6922EH.
The Valvo tubes are the best sounding, but not by much. The Amperex & Matsushita are a close second. I do not like the electro-harmonix Russian. Based on your listening requirements, I think the Matsushita 7DJ8/PCC88 would fit the bill. I would suggest a Platinum matched pair from Upscale. Also, if you haven't already the amp performs better with an upgraded, aftermarket power cord.
The Dill............, now we're talking, someone whom actually owns one of these integrated amps, much thanks for sharing your response | recommendations, as I've wanted so badly to add the Valvo's to my extremely short list of options, seeming as how I've loved their 12A_7 types in other integrated's I've owned........, as for the Amperex PQ 6922's in question, are you talking " White " or " Orange " Text | Logos?, domestic?, or Holland?.
And I've been reading upon your recommended Matsushita 7DJ8 | PCC88, as well as the Tungsram versions, yet seemingly the staff at Upscale Audio aren't as responsive in responding to emails, or even advising what type of preamp tubes, can be used or not?, so by you stating this in itself is a major blessing.
On the power cord thing, while I've owned ( and sold ) a few like the Harmonic Technologies Pro AC-11+ | Acoustic Zen Satori | Shunyata Research Vemon - Taipan Alpha - Copperhead | Synergistic Research Black 12 and 10AWG as well as their earlier Master Couplers | Oyaide Black Mamba Sigma V-2, and am very very very very happy in rotating between 2 less then $250 AC cords which seemingly are neutral in a great way, as to work between the 3 integrated amps I rotate through, in the Puritan Audio DPMD ( or something to that effect?, as the cord is located on the amp in the bedroom, so I can't recall the exact model ) cord from England, along with the ready built Viborg AC Cord ( $92 | 1.5m on Amazon ) as I type this, and couldn't be happier.
The weird thing is of late, I've come across say $125 - $315 IC's, which to my ears ( senses ) clearly better ones I've owned in the past which cost better $600 - $1.200, and even weirder......., they're out of counties like England and Argentina, whom would've thunk is was possible as far as 10-18 years ago, much like amps and speakers of late, man oh man I'm enjoying the shite out of the cheap little Triangle Borea BR02's, more than I've with other less responsive Mini-Monitors of which cost upwards of $2.700 like my Herbert P3ESR's which run for cover " much like the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz " when the music becomes complex, talk about Ssssssslllllllllllllloooooooooooowwwwwwwww!, anything other then a girl with guitar or even a simply acoustic jazz trio, throws them outta whack.
Oooooo, where were we?, talking tubes, once again " your advise has proven most insightful | greatly appreciated " I owe yah one.
Thanks.
O_o scar
So, what didn't you like about the JJ's? What are they not doing you wish they would? I've mentioned before that I've shelved my precious Tele's because the JJ's are so very close to the sound of the Tele 6922 in my CAT that I'm preserving my Teles and burning the JJs instead.
For acoustic jazz, some late '60s dimple-disc, Amperex 6DJ8's might lite your fire. I'm somewhat dubious the 7308 (of any manufacture) would do it for you, but then maybe I've misinterpreted your goal. When people tell me they want something to accommodate acoustic jazz, I think that means a very natural mid-range and holographic imaging.
I have no experience with your amp, so it's difficult to make a solid recommendation.
Tell you what, drop me a PM and we can go off line and cover this in more depth. There are SO MANY alternatives. Would like to get a bit more of what it is you're looking to achieve.
My apologies Sondek,
I forgot to respond to your question regarding the JJ's, as the Sovtec E88CC's are still installed as stock, I haven't gotten around to placing the JJ's | Tungsram's | Tesla's in yet, as I'm the sort that like to find a bunch of different flavors, go through them provided that they don't exceed my $350 pair set limit, as I'm a believer in setting priorities like shelter | lights and gas | eating as necessities, Hi-Fi as much as it brings me joy, has to at times take a backseat, in other words " no $500, no $700 per pairs allowed beyond my dreams ", yet funny thing is, the Telefunken Ulm are actually on my list.
And while I've a pair of Amperex 6922 | ECC88 Orange Globe NOS 1967, which came in earlier, after researching the various vintages or coloring label wise, as well as sonic differences between the domestic and Holland made versions, it seems these are looked upon as a good starting place.
Once again, if you've time?, by all means give me a call whenever you've a moment, as I generally go to bed around 3:30AM, feel free to call anytime you've settled in?, and have time?.
Until then......., peace young man.
Sondek,
Thanks for responding, as I went back over the course of the last 3 nights finding your post on these. You're correct in stating I want a more holographic sound, and said naturalness in the mid-band areas, yet with more of a sense of neutrality above all else, as overly warm or laid-back signatures do very little besides have me as the wife to bring me a pillow " as I refer to this type of coloration as nap time alertness time ".
PM to follow........, and thanks again.
O_o.
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: