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DNA Stratus 2A3 amplifier - first impressions
Jul 26, 2014 at 7:09 AM Post #1,861 of 4,463
drheadphone said:
I have a Tung Sol 5U4GB. Good musical tube with full bloom and nice intimate soundstage but kind of flat. It also sounded like the Westinghouse 5U4GB I used to have and the Sylvania 5U4GB I currently have. Hear one 5U4GB and you've heard them all.

I prefer the coke bottle version of the tube which offers more refinement and seems to produce a wider variety of sound, though 5U4G's from the 1950s and 60s do start sounding same-y. When you dig deep into the 1940s, you start uncovering gems and start noticing character traits of each brand, as you are closer the house sound of the OEM (before it became diluted in the 50s, 60s and onward). I'm getting the fullest, warmest midrange with the Raytheon and Sylvania VT244's as well as a great sense of space. The impressive depth of stage of the CKR and the stage width of the CNU/CRC's are a step up from their 1950s non military counterparts. It's almost a revelation.

I'm also expecting good things from an incoming Tung Sol VT-244, the supposed king of all 5U4s. I have a 50s Tung Sol 5U4G and strangely it sounded a lot like a 50s RCA and 50s Sylvania.

The coke bottle 5R4GY also produces a sound of their own and differences with each brand.

Oh the joys of tube rolling.
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thanks for the input - if you were to use HD800 for jazz only which rectifier would you prefer? Are the rectifiers you mentioned in the last few posts up there with the U52 for jazz and acoustic or would you choose a different rectifier? 
 
Jul 26, 2014 at 10:02 AM Post #1,862 of 4,463
magiccabbage said:
thanks for the input - if you were to use HD800 for jazz only which rectifier would you prefer? Are the rectifiers you mentioned in the last few posts up there with the U52 for jazz and acoustic or would you choose a different rectifier? 
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I like a super detailed tube for jazz. So the U52 and the HD800 are the perfect pairing. For other types of music, the Raytheon might fit better since it's a more forgiving tube.
 
Jul 26, 2014 at 12:44 PM Post #1,863 of 4,463
I'm with you, the coke bottle tubes have great highs and midrange. Were they fall short in my opinion is in the bass. I like a tight, fast, bass sound and some of the older tubes sound too round and undefined for me. The GB I'm currently using helps with that, but probably gives up some of the mid magic and soundstage. I guess everything has it's trade off.....
 
Aug 2, 2014 at 4:03 PM Post #1,865 of 4,463
Here is a cheapo rectifier that sounds nice on the Stratus:
 


 
Unbranded Japanese 5U4GB with ribbed black plates and rectanglar top mica. Decent dynamics, smooth top end and pretty snappy bass. You won't get the holography of a JAN-CKR-5U4G or a U52 but you do get a no-frills, fast, clean sound. I see a few selling for $5 a pop on eBay. It would make a nice backup or general listening tube.
 
On an another note, I just recently received a pair of J/J 2A3's. Unfortunately, results were poor on the Stratus. These J/J's produced no sound whatsoever on Stratus. Just glow. I'm clueless as to what the issue may be. A compatibility issue or just bad tubes? Luckily, the seller was nice enough to offer to re-test the tubes and an option for a refund. I'll provide an update on the test results but it's not looking good. Anyone try the J/J's on the Stratus?
 
I guess will just have to suffer through the pure audio bliss shaped by the EML meshies. :D
 
Aug 7, 2014 at 4:45 AM Post #1,866 of 4,463
santacore said:
  Am I the only one using a 5U4GB tube in the Stratus??? I think I have an RCA in there right now. I actually preferred it to some of my vintage 5U4G coke bottle style tubes.
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I have used a Japanese Raytheon 5U4GB.  I preferred it to the stock unit.  Then I got into VT-244 and U-52.  I've never compared them to the 5U4GB. On the same front, is anyone using a Mazda 6BQ7 as a driver?  I put one in a long time ago and have never actually compared it to the other 6N1P or 6BQ7s I have.  I have been too focused on rectifiers.
 
On another front, I have just ordered an Audio Note (UK) Conqueror Silver.  This is a small 300B power amp that uses a 6SN7 driver and a 5U4G.  I have a standard Conqueror at my summer place now, as i wait for delivery of the Silver.  It's very quiet.  So, this afternoon, I will hook it up to my speaker amp to headphone adapter (Blue Circle Audio) and see how it sounds on my HD650s and K-701s.
 
By the way, if you own an HD650, I can highly recommend Moon-Audio's Silver Dragon Cable.  It replaces some of the dreaminess of the HD650 with more detail and less color.  It also does not cost a mint.
 
Aug 8, 2014 at 11:41 AM Post #1,867 of 4,463
Just some tube-rolling updates:
 
- The J/J 2A3 I received turned out to be a bad pair, according to the seller. Still, the experience doesn't lend confidence to buying another pair of J/J's.
 
- Recently picked up a Tung Sol 5U4G top-getter: 

 
On the Stratus, it sounds like an RCA tube with more bass. Lots of it. I much prefer the Ken Rad's.
 
- Picked up senson's Sophia 274B, Sounds very nice on the Stratus. Generous warmth with nice top end extension. More open and spacious sounding than the vintage 5U4G's. More musical than the EML 274B, IIRC. Definitely a keeper.
 
Aug 9, 2014 at 4:21 PM Post #1,868 of 4,463
JJ power tubes have had a bad rep for a long time, with intermittent signs of brilliance. I owned a JJ KT77, but had no problems. I was one of the lucky ones.

You are a great VT-244 "scout". My new 300B uses these tubes, plus a preamp.
 
Aug 10, 2014 at 8:45 PM Post #1,870 of 4,463
Random post....
 
If I were to bring the Stratus to a meet right now, the four tubes I would bring ...
 

 
EML Mesh Plate 2A3's, Sophia Princess 274B, and 6N1P-EV Cryoset. I probably bring my HE560 as the main headphone and maybe the 2A3B as backup (for a less bright presentation). 
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Aug 11, 2014 at 5:25 PM Post #1,871 of 4,463
drheadphone said:
  Random post....
 
If I were to bring the Stratus to a meet right now, the four tubes I would bring ...
 

 
EML Mesh Plate 2A3's, Sophia Princess 274B, and 6N1P-EV Cryoset. I probably bring my HE560 as the main headphone and maybe the 2A3B as backup (for a less bright presentation). 
smily_headphones1.gif
Click to expand...

Interesting. I was just thinking the same thought over the weekend, with a different result (just different ears not a criticism): Shuguang Nature Sound 2A3s, Marconi U52 rectifier, 6N1P-EV would be my 'meet' set-up. I spent the weekend rolling tubes and listening to different combos and that is what I came up with - my inventory included EML Mesh Plate 2A3s, EML 5U4G rectifier and a cryoset 6N1P-EV. To my ears, the Shuguang Nature Sounds were fuller than the EMLs and the cryoset 6N1P was almost too smooth and full. The standard 6N1P-EV tube seemed a better balance though the cryoset 6N1P was a good match with the EML meshplates. And, I have not yet heard a better rectifier than the U52 in this amp. I probably should mention I am listening through LCD3s with fazor upgrade.
 
Aug 11, 2014 at 5:57 PM Post #1,872 of 4,463
The U52 is all kinds of awesome on the Stratus. Sounds great with even the stock 2A3B. My alternate "meet" tubes would be the U52 + 2A3B + cyroset. I could live with this set up, if all other tubes suddenly went extinct.
 
Aug 12, 2014 at 9:43 PM Post #1,873 of 4,463
Got my hands on Stratus #37, the wait was long but it was definitely worth it.

Can't wait to roll some tubes, got a used Sophia 2A3, cyroset 6N1P and some NOS RCA rectifiers. But I'll think I burn in and get myself accustomed to first based on stock tubes (which doesn't all that bad compared to Woo's stock tubes)
 
Aug 13, 2014 at 5:58 AM Post #1,875 of 4,463
post plenty of pics guys
 
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