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-   -   Tube Possibilities (yes, that's right) (https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=24939)

prepress 02-18-2014 10:00 AM

The NOS Amperex tubes went back in late yesterday afternoon, and I spent a couple of hours listening to NPR. I try to listen normally in cases like this, not for background or critically; it's a more honest take for me. The sound didn't seem too different from that of the JJs, but things seemed a bit more forward with the Amperexes, voices in particular.

I don't think the 15 or 20 hours the Amperexes have on them already is enough of a gauge, so I'll be listening as time goes on. The Amperex tubes will stay in until at least St. Patrick's day (3/17), and by then I should have a good notion of what they are to my ears.

prepress 02-24-2014 11:11 AM

Last night NPR sounded the same as usual, but I put on a DVD I'm very familiar with, Yes Live at Montreaux. It sounded more transparent and, unfortunately, a bit bright, plus the low frequencies weren't as strong. I hope that changes. I heard something I didn't remember hearing in Heart of the Sunrise, but that wasn't the norm.

prepress 03-22-2014 06:07 AM

The Amperex tubes have now been in the line stage section for a month plus a few days. Most of that listening has been with the tuner and more to put hours on the tubes than anything else. My 301 is still out, so there's been no CD. Last week I finally put in my back-up Marantz DV8400 (a universal player, purchased as a CD player in late 2003). It also has a new WW Stratus 7 power cord, so no conclusions there. I think I should try that Yes DVD again to see if it sounds the same to me. Last night The Avengers sounded good. The Soundgarden track playing over the closing credits has some low end punch that I don't remember hearing before.

Playing records has been a treat so far. I've played only a few sides, but heard an openness that's appealing, plus (my magic bullet) details I hadn't heard (or don't recall hearing). This was especially apparent with Close to the Edge, an album I'm very familiar with. This is also through a 20-year old Aragon 47k phono preamp with the IPS power supply; this has inspired thoughts of the Parasound JC-3, not a good thing right now, but they creep in occasionally.

My overall impression is that the Amperex tubes are more open than the JJs. I'm inclined to leave the Amperex tubes in the line stage until I get my 301 back and then give those two a chance to get acquainted.

jdandy 03-22-2014 06:50 AM

Charles.......You've become a tube roller. ;)

prepress 03-22-2014 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdandy (Post 591818)
Charles.......You've become a tube roller. ;)

I guess I do have one foot in the door, as it were. Since I have a library of sorts (if you call four brands a library) at some point I could well be curious enough to put the Mullards or Gold Lions into the line stage. I did pay for them, after all.

That episode last night with the Soundgarden track suggests patience with the Amperexes is called for. Up until now I'd not thought the bass quite as strong with these tubes as with the JJs. Guess I'll give them some more time (which they'll certainly get, it looks like, since I want to hear them with the still-absent 301) and see how things go.

prepress 05-10-2014 06:52 AM

Not sure where it came from, but last night while listening to the system, there was a still small voice that said, "put the JJ tubes back in." I wasn't thinking about doing that; the thought just appeared. I've said before that the Amperexes are more open but a bit light tonally compared to the JJs. I have one pair each of Mullards and Gold Lions as well, so there's another option. It was more curiosity than dissatisfaction that led to changing the JJs out before, plus the Amperexes were twice the money.

What happened is I have a "reference" DVD, Yes Live at Montreaux, which I can use to evaluate things, and it still sounds a bit thinner than before, even with AQ King Cobra replacing the Kimber Hero ICs; the KC has a slightly fuller sound (though close), at least it did compared to the Kimber when used as a pre/power connection. And the BD player is a Pioneer Elite BDP-09, with its excellent analog section and full, rich sound. So that's not the issue.

My other "reference" BD/DVD disc is The Avengers. The Soundgarden song that plays during the closing credits sounds better now than I remember. If I put the JJs back in and don't get a consensus with these two discs, I may get confused.

prepress 05-17-2014 02:45 PM

There is a plan. I have ordered another matched pair each of Mullards and Gold Lions. Upon their arrival the Mullards, along with the pair I have already, will go in the line stage and MM phono slots, unless I decide to give deference to the more expensive GLs. I expect either to have a fuller sound than the Amperex tubes, good as they are. I guess I'm rolling now.

UPDATE 5/18: Not so sure now. The Amperexes sounded really good today with Orgelwerke: Meisterwerke zum Kennenlernen, a collection of organ works by Bach, Brahams, Pachelbel and others. I dare say things sounded as good as yesterday's organ performance during the New York Theological Seminary's graduation services, held at Riverside Church in Manhattan. I don't know if I'll change the tubes out just yet.

prepress 05-21-2014 07:24 PM

The new tubes are here. I now have two pairs each of Gold Lion B759s (not the brighter version; these are the good ones) and of Mullards. These, like everything else bought from TD, are matched pairs. I don't know if the Amperexes are matched.

I have no complaint about the Amperex sound, except that they still seem a bit light in tonality; the low end is a touch thin compared to the JJs and definitely thin compared to my old LS3 preamp, though things still sound good. I hope to decide what I want to do and swap out the Amperexes for either the Mullards or GLs, perhaps this weekend. I did think of mixing it up, GL in the line stge and Mullard in the MM stage. Not sure yet.

jdandy 05-21-2014 08:01 PM

Charles.......I am still watching this thread. Always interested in tube rolling experiences, especially in the McIntosh C2300 preamplifier. I am looking forward to reading your impressions of the newest tubes.

prepress 05-24-2014 10:01 PM

Ok, the Amperexes were removed and I put the Mullards in both the line stage and MM inputs. They have 3 hours on them (I'll stop counting once I get past 25 hours, as usual). I listened a bit to NPR, and used my usual video test discs, The Avengers BD and Yes: Live at Montreaux DVD.

Preliminary impressions out of the box: the Amperexes will not see the inside of the 2300 again, except as a last resort. Good as the Amperexes are, the Mullards, to my ears, blow them away. The Mullards have more gain, and play louder at the same volume. The sound is richer and fuller, and the low end is powerful. The Mullards are more dynamic, a bit warmer, and less "polite." They're good HT tubes, I'd say. I might even consider turning down the bass a little.

I plan to move on to see if this trend continues with LPs, LDs, and CDs next. The Mullards, like their predecessors, will get at least a month in the 2300 before any final decisions are made, but at this point I'd leave them in place.


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