AudioAficionado.org  

Go Back   AudioAficionado.org > Manufacturers Forums > Inspire by Dennis Had

Inspire by Dennis Had Enjoying Vacuum Tube Audio

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #7041  
Old 09-12-2022, 10:55 PM
khashmi khashmi is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: NJ
Posts: 64
Default

RCA 807’s finally arrived today. Breaking in has started. Clean tubes, dead silent, but the only weird thing was that the top cap was hard to get flush with the top of the tube as compared to the Ferrantis where it just slid down with no issue. Here, I had push somewhat on one tube, and really really hard on the other to make the top cap sit flush. Don’t even want to know how difficult it will be to take off, but I’m not in a rush.

[IMG]RCA 807 with Amptata Adapter by Tube Dad, on Flickr[/IMG]
Reply With Quote
  #7042  
Old 09-12-2022, 11:15 PM
Isaacc7 Isaacc7 is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 296
Default

I was just reading an article talking about how the British wanted to make an equivalent to the RCA 807 and how they failed to do it. Apparently the British versions just didn't last like the RCA in RF applications. Audio is supposed to be fine. I do love my Cossor and Mullard 807 but apparently the RCA 807 can take heaps of abuse far in excess of its rating.
Reply With Quote
  #7043  
Old 09-14-2022, 07:56 PM
Isaacc7 Isaacc7 is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 296
Default

Does anyone have any experience repairing loose top caps or bases of tubes? I've got some problem 807 that I'd like to salvage.
Reply With Quote
  #7044  
Old 09-16-2022, 07:08 AM
cgn-dt-n's Avatar
cgn-dt-n cgn-dt-n is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: cgn
Posts: 129
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaacc7 View Post
Does anyone have any experience repairing loose top caps or bases of tubes? I've got some problem 807 that I'd like to salvage.
Hi Isaacc7,
I have no real experience with it, I had a loose socket on a 6J5 and soldered a wire and then glued the whole thing. not professional. But it works. in the net I have found a lot how to repair tubes with new sockets. there were some good photos. With the upper caps, however, I am not sure if this also works there.
Reply With Quote
  #7045  
Old 09-16-2022, 08:25 AM
cgn-dt-n's Avatar
cgn-dt-n cgn-dt-n is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: cgn
Posts: 129
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by C10 View Post
Might be the sensitivity makes a difference. The 301 are amazing in my system but I never gave the 01A a lot of time. Either way I'll learn something.
Hello C10,
I played different tubes in the LP 2030 and rediscovered some things.
At an audio event nearby I got a Cunningham 301 in nos/nib. This sounds almost like the 01A I usually use.
I think the spongy bass on the Phillips C509 and the other pair cunningham I bought used on Ebay from a dealer in Spain are not as good as stated in the item description. Unfortunately, I don't have a tester to check this, but it's a difference like day and night. they also play louder at the same setting on the volume control.
The 71a from Ken Rad sounds good, is a bit quieter, I have to turn up the volume knob a little further for the same volume.
The soundstage is not so wide anymore and the singer is a little more in the foreground. But I only used the tubes for 10 hours. maybe something will change.

So far, I would prefer the Sivertone 01A just ahead of the 301 and the 71a.

I'm looking forward to a UX112 I got, but I can't find the time to try it out at the moment.
Reply With Quote
  #7046  
Old 09-16-2022, 08:38 AM
cgn-dt-n's Avatar
cgn-dt-n cgn-dt-n is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: cgn
Posts: 129
Default

Hi Isaacc7,
you seem to experiment a lot with the 807.
I have no experience with it. the tube tends in sound more to a 6v6 or to a KT88.
I could buy some used RCA, but would have to get an adapter.
Do you think they are worth a try, I like a natural sound, neither an emphasis in the bass nor in the highs.

At an audio event I got a pair of Marconi 6V6G cheap. I'm looking forward to the comparison with the Fivre G and GT I have.

But the time for this is currently rare.
Reply With Quote
  #7047  
Old 09-16-2022, 12:50 PM
C10 C10 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 22
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cgn-dt-n View Post
Hello C10,
I played different tubes in the LP 2030 and rediscovered some things.
At an audio event nearby I got a Cunningham 301 in nos/nib. This sounds almost like the 01A I usually use.
I think the spongy bass on the Phillips C509 and the other pair cunningham I bought used on Ebay from a dealer in Spain are not as good as stated in the item description. Unfortunately, I don't have a tester to check this, but it's a difference like day and night. they also play louder at the same setting on the volume control.
The 71a from Ken Rad sounds good, is a bit quieter, I have to turn up the volume knob a little further for the same volume.
The soundstage is not so wide anymore and the singer is a little more in the foreground. But I only used the tubes for 10 hours. maybe something will change.

So far, I would prefer the Sivertone 01A just ahead of the 301 and the 71a.

I'm looking forward to a UX112 I got, but I can't find the time to try it out at the moment.
Played around a bit and could not detect conclusive differences between the 301 and 0a1 that came with the amp, so I put the Cunningham 301 back in because I think the globes looks cooler.

Last edited by C10; 09-16-2022 at 01:19 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7048  
Old 09-16-2022, 08:32 PM
Isaacc7 Isaacc7 is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 296
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cgn-dt-n View Post
Hi Isaacc7,
I have no real experience with it, I had a loose socket on a 6J5 and soldered a wire and then glued the whole thing. not professional. But it works. in the net I have found a lot how to repair tubes with new sockets. there were some good photos. With the upper caps, however, I am not sure if this also works there.
I found a page that walks through each step of repairing the top contact.

https://k9uw.weebly.com/repairing-a-loose-grid-cap.html

I'll get a soldering iron one of these days and fix those tubes. I also have a few tubes that seem like they could benefit from resoldering the pins themselves. I'll give that a try too. For now I have plenty to listen to so there's no rush.
Reply With Quote
  #7049  
Old 09-16-2022, 08:50 PM
Isaacc7 Isaacc7 is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 296
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cgn-dt-n View Post
Hi Isaacc7,
you seem to experiment a lot with the 807.
I have no experience with it. the tube tends in sound more to a 6v6 or to a KT88.
I could buy some used RCA, but would have to get an adapter.
Do you think they are worth a try, I like a natural sound, neither an emphasis in the bass nor in the highs.

At an audio event I got a pair of Marconi 6V6G cheap. I'm looking forward to the comparison with the Fivre G and GT I have.

But the time for this is currently rare.
In theory, the 807 and 6bg6 tubes should essentially be the same as 6l6gb. The 807 can actually be driven harder but I don't think that's an issue for these amps. If you didn't want to use an adapter you could buy RCA, GE, Sylvania, etc. 6l6gb and should have basically the same sound. On the other hand, once you've bought the adapters you can try all of those different manufacturers at a lower cost since the 807 are inevitably less. That is especially true if you want to try marques like Mullard or GEC. If you want American tubes, the 6bg6 are mostly the same as the 807 but even less expensive. You can actually get 6l6gc Sylvania tubes in 6bg6ga bottles at a fraction of the price.

I have GEC (branded Cossor), Mazda, Mullard, and Fivre 807 tubes. All of them can sound great, especially those Cossor tubes. Should you try them? That depends doesn't it? I think it's safe to say they sound different than the KT88 and 6v6. On the other hand, you can get great sound from any particular tube type in these amps. I love trying different tubes and different tube combinations and so the 807 has proven to be a relatively inexpensive way to try a lot of different brands.

If you like the 6l6 sound then I think the 807 are a fairly cheap way of trying many different companies' offerings. Likewise if you just want to try some new tubes the 807 are fairly inexpensive. If you are in the states I think the 6bg6 tubes are the best deals going and are another option.
Reply With Quote
  #7050  
Old 09-16-2022, 09:05 PM
Isaacc7 Isaacc7 is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 296
Default

My current tube lineup has an expensive input tube and cheap output tubes. The black glass round plate Tungsol 6sn7 has a well deserved reputation for sound quality. A supreme all rounder, it does everything very well. Unfortunately that reputation has made them crazily expensive. Of course that is why God invented 12v tubes lol.

So I have that tube but the 12sn7 version (using an outboard power supply for the heater) driving a pair of Ge 6bg6ga. There are two types of those, these are the ones with the smaller plates. This makes for a thicker, richer sound than I was getting from my Cossor 807/Sylvania 12sn7 mix. It reminds me a lot of the sound I have heard in systems using the McIntosh MC240 but with better bass. Earlier I had been using a brown base Sylvania 6sn7wGT with a short bottle. It is clearer and has a more extended top end but the upwards tilt made it sound lean and lacking bass. I anticipate I will get a better result with the 14af7 and the "bad boy" Sylvania 12sn7 than with the 6sn7wgt. For now I will enjoy this combo until the urge strikes me for a different flavor.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Audioaficionado.org tested by Norton Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:06 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.10
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
©Copyright 2009-2023 AudioAficionado.org.Privately owned, All Rights Reserved.
Audio Aficionado Sponsors
AudioAficionado Subscriber
AudioAficionado Subscriber
Inspire By Dennis Had
Inspire By Dennis Had
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Wyred4Sound
Wyred4Sound
Dragonfire Acoustics
Dragonfire Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
Esoteric
Esoteric
AC Infinity
AC Infinity
JL Audio
JL Audio
Add Powr
Add Powr
Accuphase - Soulution
Accuphase - Soulution
Audio by E
Audio by E
Canton
Canton
Bryston
Bryston
WireWorld Cables
WireWorld Cables
Stillpoints
Stillpoints
Bricasti Design
Bricasti Design
Furutech
Furutech
Shunyata Research
Shunyata Research
Legend Audio & Video
Legend Audio & Video