Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[nhparrot]

Originally Posted by Simonatsea

Well I finally replaced my 4.7uf Taiwanese output coupling caps in my LP-2 with the 1.5uf Audyn Copper Max caps! And wow, initial impressions are flooring me. Listening to a few pieces of music I am very familiar with and they literally sound like different recordings. I am hearing cymbals that seem to linger forever, the wood creaking on the bridge or neck of the upright bass. All instruments are much clearer and fuller, truer to their sound. The sound stage has grown the background seems blacker and the proverbial vail has been removed. Again these are inital impresions running through my Mrspeaker Alpha Dog headphones directly off the speaker taps of my 6V6 amp. More to come, stay tuned. So far its an amazing transformation of an already stunning piece of audio equipment.
🍻

Did you replace the caps in your amp as well?

[Simonatsea]

Not in my amp yet as those coupling caps are AuriXO and I believe they are of decent enough quality. I can see replacing those with True coper max's down the road though.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Simonatsea

Well I finally replaced my 4.7uf Taiwanese output coupling caps in my LP-2 with the 1.5uf Audyn Copper Max caps! And wow, initial impressions are flooring me. Listening to a few pieces of music I am very familiar with and they literally sound like different recordings. I am hearing cymbals that seem to linger forever, the wood creaking on the bridge or neck of the upright bass. All instruments are much clearer and fuller, truer to their sound. The sound stage has grown the background seems blacker and the proverbial vail has been removed. Again these are inital impresions running through my Mrspeaker Alpha Dog headphones directly off the speaker taps of my 6V6 amp. More to come, stay tuned. So far its an amazing transformation of an already stunning piece of audio equipment.
��

Pretty amazing what changing a couple of passive parts will do. My LP 27a has the Audyn poly caps. I will have to open it up and measure to see if the copper version will fit.

Simon, you may want to consider changing the coupling caps in your amp too.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Simonatsea

Not in my amp yet as those coupling caps are AuriXO and I believe they are of decent enough quality. I can see replacing those with True coper max's down the road though.

I have not used the Aura XO and they may be good but there may be better to your ears. Also, consider using a different cap than what you have in your pre amp. Mixing caps can be magical.

P.S. give the Audyn copper time to FULLY settle in before changing the caps in the amp.

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by robert_kc

I’ve acquired several new tubes to roll through my Inspire “Fire Bottle” SE Stereo Tube Amplifier HO:

Front-end

• Genalex Gold Lion E88CC/6922 (new production from Russia)
• 6N2P-EV (aka 6H2N-EB)

Power

• Tung-Sol 7581A (6L6GC variant - new production from Russia)

Before acquiring these tubes, my favorite combination with my Klipsch RF-7 (and Oppo universal player) has been:

• Substitute Amperex 6DJ8 for the 6CG7
• Substitute Groove Tube Gold Series GT6L6 GE (performance rating 5) for KT88
• Substitute 5AR4 for 5U4

My current preference depends on my mood. The 6DJ8 / GT6L6 GE combination listed above is still one of my favorites when I want a more “laid back” sound. OTOH, for a sound that is more “alive”, then the following combination works well with my RF-7’s:

• 6N2P-EV
• Gold Lion KT88
• 5AR4 (I’ve been using a vintage Mullard recently – but I’m not sure that it makes a difference vs. a modern JJ)

The Tung-Sol 7581A is a good value and sounded good with the 6DJ8, but didn’t outperform the Groove Tube Gold Series GT6L6 GE in my system.

While the Genalex Gold Lion E88CC/6922 was not my favorite with either the KT88 or 6L6GC, it sounded good with both.

Bottom line, I’ve tried many different combinations (involving, in addition to the tubes already listed, 6N1P-EB and EL34). There were some other combinations that also sounded good – again depending on my mood.

Of course, your mileage will vary depending on your speakers, and your taste.

FYI, with every combination of tubes that I’ve tried thus far, the transformers have never gotten more than slightly warm.

I’m going to stop tube rolling for a while, before I wear out the tube sockets …

Interesting how each particular context seems to change our predilections with essentially the same gear. In my case, after significant tube-rolling, nothing beats [Russian 6p3s-e with the gold grid=>Super Radiotron 6SN7=>274-B], or, [Gold Lion KT88=>Super Radiotron 6SN7=>274-B].

Funny that I do not see any 6V6 coming close (RCA GT or G ST), even using the 5U4G equivalent (5Z3 w/adapter) or any other combination of rectifier ...

[robert_kc]

Originally Posted by Musica Amantem

Interesting how each particular context seems to change our predilections with essentially the same gear. In my case, after significant tube-rolling, nothing beats [Russian 6p3s-e with the gold grid=>Super Radiotron 6SN7=>274-B], or, [Gold Lion KT88=>Super Radiotron 6SN7=>274-B].

Funny that I do not see any 6V6 coming close (RCA GT or G ST), even using the 5U4G equivalent (5Z3 w/adapter) or any other combination of rectifier ...

My amp came with a big-bottle Shuguang 5U4 that looks great. However I prefer the sound with a 5AR4/GZ34. Unfortunately the 5AR4 doesn’t look as good. Does anyone make a big-bottle 5AR4? Which 274B are you using? I’ve never owned a 274B. I wonder if the Psvane HiFi Series 274B is essentially the same as the big-bottle Shuguang 5U4?

I’ve never tried the Russian equivalent to the 6L6GC – i.e., the 6P3S-E. I like the aesthetics of the new-production big-bottle Tung-Sol 6L6G, but I prefer the sound of the Groove Tube Gold Series GT6L6 GE. (I’ve also tried McIntosh branded GE 6L6GCs, plus a KT66.) Which other 6L6GC's have you tried?

Bottom line – unfortunately - in my system the best sounding rectifier and power tubes are not the best looking.

Apparently your amp has a socket for the larger octal base front end tubes like 6SN7? Mine has the socket for the miniature 9 pin tubes. I think it’s interesting that the inexpensive Russian 6N2P-EV sounds great, and provides just a bit more oomph – so that’s what’s plugged into the amp today.

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by robert_kc

My amp came with a big-bottle Shuguang 5U4 that looks great. However I prefer the sound with a 5AR4/GZ34. Unfortunately the 5AR4 doesn’t look as good. Does anyone make a big-bottle 5AR4? Which 274B are you using? I’ve never owned a 274B. I wonder if the Psvane HiFi Series 274B is essentially the same as the big-bottle Shuguang 5U4?

I’ve never tried the Russian equivalent to the 6L6GC – i.e., the 6P3S-E. I like the aesthetics of the new-production big-bottle Tung-Sol 6L6G, but I prefer the sound of the Groove Tube Gold Series GT6L6 GE. (I’ve also tried McIntosh branded GE 6L6GCs, plus a KT66.) Which other 6L6GC's have you tried?

Bottom line – unfortunately - in my system the best sounding rectifier and power tubes are not the best looking.

Apparently your amp has a socket for the larger octal base front end tubes like 6SN7? Mine has the socket for the miniature 9 pin tubes. I think it’s interesting that the inexpensive Russian 6N2P-EV sounds great, and provides just a bit more oomph – so that’s what’s plugged into the amp today.

My Sophia Electric 274-B (Mesh Plate) is this one:

http://www.sophiaelectric.com/pages/se/274b.htm (sorry, I've tried to avoid a live link but have not succeeded)

Yes, my amp's chassis has all octal sockets and the 27a preamp has all 4-Pin sockets. I was able to get a couple of 5Z3's (5U4G equivalent) which are 4-Pin, so I use an adapter for those. Yet, the 5Z3's are not doing it for me.

My 5AR4 is a Westinghouse-branded Amperex Holland, and it is fine, I just prefer the 274-B.

The 274-a (4 Pin) and 274-B (Octal) are different specs than the 5U4G although these usually are interchangeable, as the 5Z4, another good rectifier for the non-KT88 output tubes I have (6V6 GT, 6V6 G ST, 6P3S-E/6L6 GC)

I wonder how you like the KT66 and what brand is it. I've had no other 6L6 so far. If the Gold Lion KT66 sounds more extended and with even more body than the 6P3S-E, without masking micro-detail, I'm all for it. We'll see.

[nhparrot]

Originally Posted by robert_kc

Bottom line – unfortunately - in my system the best sounding rectifier and power tubes are not the best looking.

I have tried SED Winged "C" 6L6GC's in my amp and prefer them over the Tung-Sol 6L6G. In my system my favorite power tube is the 6V6 (I have GE Radiotron 6V6G, Hytron 6V6GT, Pope 6V6GT, Visseaux 6V6GT and Bendix 5992 to pick from). I have also tried Gold Lion KT77's and KT88's in my amp.

The Sophia Electric 274B looks stunning but is more like a 5U4G with a vdrop of 44 than a 5AR4/GZ34 which has a vdrop of 17. I find the Sophia Elctric 274B presents a wide holographic image/soundstage but also has a bit of a midbass hump.

Closer to the 5AR4/GZ34 would be a 5Z4GY/CV1863 which is an indirectly heated 20 vdrop rectifier. I have a Brimar which is a coke bottle type. They can be found on the auction site from a seller in England.

Most recently I have been using in my amp a Zalytron labelled Tung-Sol 6SL7GT driver, a made in Holland Zalytron 5Y3GT rectifier, and a pair of Visseaux 6V6GT; although tonite I rolled in a pair of 1940's GE Radiotron 6V6G's.

Glenn

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

I have tried SED Winged "C" 6L6GC's in my amp and prefer them over the Tung-Sol 6L6G. In my system my favorite power tube is the 6V6 (I have GE Radiotron 6V6G, Hytron 6V6GT, Pope 6V6GT, Visseaux 6V6GT and Bendix 5992 to pick from). I have also tried Gold Lion KT77's and KT88's in my amp.

The Sophia Electric 274B looks stunning but is more like a 5U4G with a vdrop of 44 than a 5AR4/GZ34 which has a vdrop of 17. I find the Sophia Elctric 274B presents a wide holographic image/soundstage but also has a bit of a midbass hump.

Closer to the 5AR4/GZ34 would be a 5Z4GY/CV1863 which is an indirectly heated 20 vdrop rectifier. I have a Brimar which is a coke bottle type. They can be found on the auction site from a seller in England.

Most recently I have been using in my amp a Zalytron labelled Tung-Sol 6SL7GT driver, a made in Holland Zalytron 5Y3GT rectifier, and a pair of Visseaux 6V6GT; although tonite I rolled in a pair of 1940's GE Radiotron 6V6G's.

Glenn

I agree with your expected scenario confirmation, especially on KT88's with 5AR4 and 5U4G with 6V6/6L6. Yet, as much as I've been trying to replicate those results, the 274-B beats both combinations in those three different output tube families. Close second performers are the 5Z4 and the 5AR4 (the latter only with KT88's).

As I said before, RCA 6V6 GT and G ST's, although quite accurate and detailed, sound anemic and body-less in my system, to my ears, no matter what the rectifier. The sound is good, mind you, but not even close to the other combos I've listed before.

Do you have a Sub Woofer or Mid Woofers which may have something to do with the "hump" you notice at mid-bass frequencies? Have you changed your cross-over settings? I do not experience that in my case, so I was wondering.

I know I may be the only one experiencing this, but that is what my setup shows. Interesting the 5Y3 effect on your 6L6's. I should follow suit and try my 80's with the Russian 6P3S-E. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[nhparrot]

Originally Posted by Musica Amantem

Do you have a Sub Woofer or Mid Woofers which may have something to do with the "hump" you notice at mid-bass frequencies? Have you changed your cross-over settings? I do not experience that in my case, so I was wondering.

I will have to check to see if it is a result of my subwoofer or my main speakers and not the tube in my system.