|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
72.9.11.43
Well, after aclimating myself with the sound of my new Hagerman Cornet II, it was time for a bit of rolling. The original tubes included a NOS Ken Rad 5Y3GT rectifier, a NOS RCA 12AU7 input and two new Groove Tube 12AX7-M Mullard replicas in the gain stage. First, on recommendation of the Cornet II's builder (thanks again Al), I substituted a NOS RCA 5814 for the 12AU7.
Nice!The top end opened noticeably and detail and resolution improved. The mids and bass were not seemingly affected, good or bad. This is good since the mids and bass were the strong points to begin with.
Next, on recommendation of another inmate, out came the Ken Rad rectifier and in went a NOS Sylvania 5Y3G.Cowabunga Buffalo Bob! Talk about slam and dynamics, particularly, again, on top.
Percussion on Chuck Mangione's "Feel So Good" on MFSL literally jumped off the Maggie 1.6s! So I think the rectifier and input tubes are set.
Once I get used to this sound, the GTs will be swapped, probably at first by a matched pair of the new Tung-Sols.
This is fun, folks.
Henry
Follow Ups:
because in general the 5Y3's are cheaper than the 5ar4's.
I purchased a used Coronet, and it came with a metal based Valvo GZ34. I didn't realize at the time it was such a high dollar tube, but I prefer a GE 5 star 6087 anyway.
And didn't like it. It turned the presentation quite dark. Slammin' bass but no sparkle.I have a 5Z4 coming. It has an indirectly heated cathode like a GZ34 for a slow warm up but the voltage drop and current capability of a 5Y3.
I have some vintage Sprauge Vitamin Q and Russian K40 oil caps coming also...
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
Try the 6106! It has the bass slam of the GZ34 and the sparkle of a very good 5Y3. Only complaint I have is that it takes 45 seconds to get the high voltage from it (from Red to green of the LED indicator), otherwise it sounds perfect on my Cornet II in my system.Currently using TD 124 MKII and SME 3012 with the original (Sugano) Koetsu Rosewood. Try it, you might like it.
IIRC most US made versions of the 5Z4 are a metal tube?Brimar made a glass 5Z4 which look to be very much like a GZ32.
Then there is a 5Z4p which would be a Chinese equivalent of the GZ-32 and is not a half-bad tube, I have used one in my tube line stage is sounds about the same as the Mullard GZ-32 I paid big $$ for.
I have a 5Z4GT (glass? I hope so!) coming from ESRC. $5 was not much to gamble I suppose...Thanks for the tip on the Chinese version! Anything Mullard is expensive now!
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
have you tried that?
My 5Y3 stock is mostly from an old TV repair shop I bought out in the late '80s. Lots of GE and Tung-Sol with Sylvania, RCA and Ken-Rad thrown in.Telefunken, Mullard, Brimar, Valvo, Mazda and Siemens all were absent in that buy. Luckily some stuff hasn't hit the rare and pricey yet.
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
for the Cornet2 you only need that one ax7 ... Amperex rules.
~Slainte, Pardner
The OMalley
...Lots of European 12**7 types. Those were acquired the hard way. I paid up to $15 for some of those (Actually more for some really old Telefunken smooth plates from Andy but that is a long story).I haven't gotten to Amperex yet. I currently have a really sweet pair of old Mullard ECC83s in there as well as a super tough, mil spec, 12AU7 equivalent (RCA command series 5814).
I love a set of nice Bugle Boy 12AX7s in my ARC phono section.
I need to put some hrs on the Cornet2 yet as I just installed Auricaps in it last night. In a few days I will really be going willy-nilly with the tube rolling.
I use Amperex 12AU7's in the front end of my amps tho. Sweet tubes. I just switched my Heathkit W5-Ms back over to GEC KT66s and GZ34 rectifiers today.
Nothing like a new component to inspire a fella to re-do the whole system. Ahhh, audiophilia...
there are five or six amps and pres waiting to be built from that pile. ;-)
~Slainte, Pardner
The OMalley
I have half a dozen tube caddy's stocked like that one, and more in the shed.I am sick I tell ya...
It helped to be bitten by the tube bug 20 years ago, things were better then...
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
.
I have a remarkably similar tube compliment going on.Bogen labeled 1950's Mullard 12AX7s, an RCA 5814 and an RCA 5Y3G.
I installed Auricaps for interstage coupling in mine last night...
I am really pleased with it!
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
before it falls. And it looks heavy enough to drag whatever is plugged into it down as well. Oh for shite! It will fall onto the tubes in that amp below.
...this is a bit less precarious.I may just have to raid the local hardware store in the morning and see about building a rack.
and an overall pic of my gear. messy messy messy...
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
It looks infinitly adjustable.
~Slainte,
The OMalley
I had that in mind!Sawdust and metal shavings HERE I COME!
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
unless you weight the bottom shelves with bags of cement ... no foolin'.
But I need at least 3 shelves about 30" wide for the rest of the stuff.I went for 15 years with a self contained TT, CD player, full function preamp and pair of mono-block amps. Two shelves was plenty.
In the last year I have acquired a headphone amp, DAC, a lab grade regulated power supply for the DAC (and the T-Amp when I use it), a step up transformer and now a separate phono stage.
I outgrew me little table a while ago. Time to fix that I guess.
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
...Bad...
--
Al G
Born To Tinker!
Wouldn't want it falling on my toes--that's for damn sure.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: