Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Little Dot MK IV Tube Rolling
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Little Dot MK IV Tube Rolling

post #1 of 43
9/20/07 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
Hey everyone, I just got my LD MKIV in the mail last week, and was wondering if anyone has any experience with tube rolling on it, as I am looking into buying more tubes. I currently have them laced with DT 880s, 600ohm. I tend to like bassy music, but I really like classical music as well.

This is my first nice headphone/amp setup, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Reply
post #2 of 43
9/20/07 at 8:06pm
You can try over here as well..

http://www.little-tube.com/forum/for...view.asp?fid=3

This amp is pretty new, and I'm not too sure of too many people having them here.
Reply
post #3 of 43
9/20/07 at 8:23pm
i'm selling some tubes that will fit the amp. see link in my sig. pm me with any questions.
Reply
post #4 of 43
9/20/07 at 9:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blegas78 View Post
Hey everyone, I just got my LD MKIV in the mail last week, and was wondering if anyone has any experience with tube rolling on it, as I am looking into buying more tubes. I currently have them laced with DT 880s, 600ohm. I tend to like bassy music, but I really like classical music as well.

This is my first nice headphone/amp setup, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

The tubes supplied with the amp are not a poor choice. You will find Mullards are a very popular tube, the MK amps require a considerable amount of break-in time and the Mullards make a great first choice. They are very sweet and rich in the midrange and smooth at the frequency extremes but roll gently off the very top and bottom in a very pleasant way.

I have played extensivly with both amps and here is a personal list in order, which holds for both amps: Keep in mind that this is personal preference, others will differ.

Tung Sol 5654 black plates from the late '50's, Western Electric WE403, WE415, Mullard M8100/CV4010, GE 5654 5 stars, they are the hand picked broadcast tube, Mullard EF95's and the RCA 5654 Commands aren't bad either provided they are matched. But for the first 200 hours, Mullards or Mullards.

Any of those tubes are fine sounding, though each different. The Tung Sols have the richness of the midrange and sweetness of the Mullards with better frequency extention a very sweet extended topend. But any final choice you make needs to be done with a fully broken in amp and as has been mentioned by Penguindude several times, the amp will point out weakness in source and cables. The amps are very revealing. And get some Caig Deoxit for the tube pins if you don't already have some.
Reply
post #5 of 43
9/30/07 at 4:44pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for your replies!

Negatron, Are any of those power tubes, or do you have any recommendations for power tubes?
Reply
post #6 of 43
9/30/07 at 9:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blegas78 View Post
Thank you for your replies!

Negatron, Are any of those power tubes, or do you have any recommendations for power tubes?
Everything I listed are my personal preference for input tubes. As for the output tubes, the 6H30Pi are unique and don't have a sub with the same pinout. You can try the 6H6Pi tubes that are used in the MKIII, they work just fine in the MKIV. It runs a bit less bias current than when in the MKIII. I very much like the sound of that tube, it is the electrical equivlant to the 5687. An added benefit is that they are only $2 each rather than the $30 that the 6H30Pi's cost. You can usually find them on Ebay for $20 or so for 10 tubes. I was able to get 3 very closly matched pairs from 10 tubes. I have a MKIV I swap those tubes back and forth in, I can't really say which is better, just different.
Reply
post #7 of 43
10/2/07 at 6:46am
The SE uses E182CC tubes right? There are some NOS mullards floating around with this designation - I assumed they would be compatible but after you last post nega im not sure? I'm pretty new to the whole tube numbering thing.
Reply
post #8 of 43
10/2/07 at 4:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conscience View Post
The SE uses E182CC tubes right? There are some NOS mullards floating around with this designation - I assumed they would be compatible but after you last post nega im not sure? I'm pretty new to the whole tube numbering thing.
The issue gets confused, There are Russian 6H6Pi (6N6Pi) being advertised on eBay and elsewhere as E182cc also as 7119, They are commonly sold as E182cc. They are not pin compatible with the 7119 Amperex or US 5687 but will fit the LD MKIII and MKIV. Little Dot has recently announced in their ads that the SE will be available as a limited run of 500 with E182cc, but I do not know if it is the Tube being sold in Asia which is the Russian 6H6Pi or the Amperex E182cc. They are electrical equivalents but not the same pin-out.

I have just Emailed LD for clarification. However as it stands now with the amps already out there, the Amperex 7119 and US 5687 ubes WILL NOT work in the MKIV. (More to come)
Update: LD emailed back. New SE uses a different board, they say E182cc, 5687 compatible.

Note:
The JJ ECC99 will work (not) in the MKIV as output and you may find the sound smoother than the 6H30Pi, also it is cheaper. EDIT: Error on my part The JJ is 6.3/12.6v - not heater pin compatible, requires board mod.
I'm too used to hard wired stuff and don't always think before I write.
Reply
post #9 of 43
10/2/07 at 11:21pm
Given theya re electrically equiv, are you saying its just a differnent pin order between the two seemingly different E182cc?
Reply
post #10 of 43
10/3/07 at 12:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conscience View Post
Given theya re electrically equiv, are you saying its just a differnent pin order between the two seemingly different E182cc?
Yes. The pins are connected differently. Pins 1,2,3,4 & 5 are correct. 6, 8 & 9 are not. Pin 6, normally the cathode in an E182CC is the Plate in the 6H30Pi and further, pin 8 which is the cathode in the 6H30Pi is the heater center tap in the E182CC and finally pin 9 is the Plate in the E182CC and shield in the 6H30Pi

Also they are not "seemingly different", The E182CC is real, it's parentage was the 7119 and it was designed as a computer tube. It's purpose was the inglorious task of digital switching. It is however an excellent audio tube. The other 'New' E182CC is a brilliant way to get much more money for an exceptional sounding at any price, $2 tube. (Russian 6H6Pi) Wanna' buy a $50 Rolex?
Reply
post #11 of 43
10/3/07 at 4:02am
Haha yeah I get the picture. If they were trying to make a copy of the original youd think theyd keep the pin layout tho...

So what I was actually trying to get at is that if you could fashion some kind of 'adaptor' that effectively required the pins, the tube would work just fine?
Reply
post #12 of 43
10/3/07 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conscience View Post
<snip>....So what I was actually trying to get at is that if you could fashion some kind of 'adaptor' that effectively required the pins, the tube would work just fine?
It's possible to make an adaptor, however the 6H30Pi is an highly regarded tube and if you want to hear what a 7119 sounds like use the 6H6Pi's, they are a great sounding tube, that is why people are getting away with re-branding them Mullards. The 6H6Pi is an exceptionly accurate, warm and detailed tube.

Try these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/6N6PI-6N6P-I-ECC...QQcmdZViewItem

If you have a tube tester, you will likely get a perfect matched pair on 2/3 of these and the rest won't be far apart. Just don't tell your friends what you paid for the tubes.
Reply
post #13 of 43
10/17/07 at 4:18pm
Is this as far as the Mk series tube rolling goes? 12 posts in three weeks? Or am I missing the main thread somewhere...
Reply
post #14 of 43
10/17/07 at 9:01pm
Input tubes off the top of my failing memory:

With no Jumper:EF95, 5654, 5591, 6AK5, CV4010, M8100, WE415A. WE403A, 403B
With Jumper: EF92, 6CQ6, 6CR6, CV4015, M8161

Plus their close subs, but watch bias current on the outputs. The outputs are directly coupled and run pretty high bias as it is.

There are likely 15-20 or more mfgr's among those plus the eastern equivalents.
Reply
post #15 of 43
10/18/07 at 12:18am

Excellent tube for the MkIVse

I have the MKIVse model. It is limited tube rolling compared to the MKIV standard, however, I found an excellent power tube. It is the Phillips Jan 5687WB. They are a black plate tube. They are pure sonic heaven! After a 50 hour break-in, they sounded way better than the Mullard E182CCs that came with my unit and now after several hundred hours, they sound even better. One seller on eBay is asking quite a bit for a matched set $36, but others pop up on occasion with a better price @ $19. I don't know if the MKIV standard will take these tubes, but if they do, it is well worth the money to have a set!

Dave McLaughlin
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Little Dot MK IV Tube Rolling