EML 5U4G Mesh Plate VS. NOS Tubes VS. Sophia Princess 274B Mesh Plate WA22 - Page 5

Rank most often combo I use right now with PERFECT CD and HD650:

1. 6FG7/6FQ7 + GZ34 / 6F8G + GZ34
2. 6FG7/6FQ7 + EML
3. 6FG7/6FQ7 + 5AS4
4. Brimar + GZ34 / KR VT-231 + GZ34
5. 6F8G + EML
6. 6F8G + 5AS4
7. Brimar + EML / KR VT-231 + EML
8. KR VT-231 + 5AS4
9. Brimar + 5AS4 (being too warm)
10. Sylvina + 5AS4 painfully warm and slow

For HD800 user, I recomend 6FG7/6FQ7 + EML or 6F8G + GZ34 or Brimar + GZ34

As HD650 user, even I have bass problem with EML, you HD800 user...... go figure

Got 5Z3 Fivre Italy made in the mail off ebay. The tube was glued between glass and base, not even straight!! with gule all over the place. I shook the tube, sounds like everything is lose in side.

I had the guts to plug it in WA22. Shoot! It sounds wonderful and has dead silent background......

So I left Positive feedback to the seller........

Well, somebody have to do the job. One more tube confirmed sound good with WA22, 5Z3. But you need adapter for this kind. I did not compare to EML yet, because My CD stuck in the Meridian. I have to open the CD player up now.

I don't blame you. EML does look lovely.

Took me long enough to open the CDP and get the CD out. Everything works fine now.

I got one 5Z3 Fivre made in Italy, and one GZ32 made in France. Both are very cheap odd ball tubes. Let's find out what's going on with those tubes.

G08
UK made Mazda 6FQ7
GEC 6AS7G brown base
WA22
ELF super Helix XLR
HD650

As I said I got those odd ball tubes off ebay for really cheap. I did not expect any good to start with. 5Z3 Fivre Italy made arrive in rough shape, I can tell seller tried to glue the glass back to base once and did really messy job. Things are lose inside. The Mazda GZ32 made in France in other hand very clean and nice. There is no noise by shake the tube. The glass is kind short and fat, weird looking. looks like a over weight 6SN7 type.

Both tubes are dead silent. Before this I put in Mullard 5AS4and listened one CD for compairsion.

GZ32, very nice start! I mean very very nice. Smooth lush mid range is kind forward, but does not affect soundstage. For just soundstage EML is still the king here. But as I can tell you now I don't really miss anything without EML. The high is open and expansive, not harsh at all. The sound projection is large, alone with powerful but clean mid and lower bass, that give listener a larger and more powerfull imaging. Check back to Mullard 5AS4, that I notice the mid range with vocal has little plastic sound to it, I never noticed before. With 5AS4 sound congested as well. The strings have very romantic, quick, clean tone to it. vocals have full tube magic to them as well.

Now drop in the rough looking 5Z3. Well 5Z3 and GZ32 sound very close, even the tone and sound signature. The difference is 5Z3 have smoother connections between high, mid and bass. Also the bass hit just hair harder. What supprise! They are really wothy a try.

Next I will have them against GZ34 and EML.

Ok here is the real deal, EML 5U4G VS.......

EML is some how keep getting better. Sound louder than 5AS4 at same setting. 5AS4 is so fired from the job. As for soundstage and openess, EML is still the king here. Effortlessly reproduce music, beautiful imaging, smooth, and engaging. When EML pair with UK made Mazda 6GQ7, the impact problem is cured to a point I don't really have too much to bitch about. For now I finnally enjoy EML. It has been a long way I come this far. As WA22 at this piont is not your average Joe WA22 anymore, it is a music machine, will invite you to music haven and lost in space.