[HOWIE13]

  Any ideas on how to get rid or minimize the shining of the blue light?
 
I've tried filling that hole with tiny spongy things, but it still shines out of the bottom.
 
I can't really complain, it's a pretty decent $60 tube amp.  Just want to get rid of that damn light!
 
*tried searching thread, but didn't find anything, might have been using the wrong search terms?*

Using a tube socket saver will get rid of most of the glare. You just need to check that the sound quality won't be adversly affected.

 

[ostewart]

Use heatshrink and nail polish. Heatshrink to cover most of it, then the tip you can paint with nail polish

 

[UmustBKidn]

  Any ideas on how to get rid or minimize the shining of the blue light?
 
I've tried filling that hole with tiny spongy things, but it still shines out of the bottom.
 
I can't really complain, it's a pretty decent $60 tube amp.  Just want to get rid of that damn light!
 
*tried searching thread, but didn't find anything, might have been using the wrong search terms?*

 
I'd put a little piece of black electrical tape over that small spot. Cheap and it won't short any tube pins.
Or try the socket protector.

 

[DefQon]

  Any ideas on how to get rid or minimize the shining of the blue light?
 
I've tried filling that hole with tiny spongy things, but it still shines out of the bottom.
 
I can't really complain, it's a pretty decent $60 tube amp.  Just want to get rid of that damn light!
 
*tried searching thread, but didn't find anything, might have been using the wrong search terms?*

From rockgrotto:
 
http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/thread/5297
 
In short. If you don't want the BLUE LED, just short it.

 

[money4me247]

  I'm no longer interested in listening to the attitude, and the misinformation. Welcome to my blocked list.

lol. that's totally chill. My posts were all very polite and courteous suggestions and I kept a pretty open tolerant attitude towards different opinions. If you can't handle a nice discussion with someone who has a differing perspective without resorting to insults and blocking people... I am not sure how to respond. Calling someone ignorant because their opinion is different from yours is quite immature.
 
Not to be rude, but I find it interesting that you are saying so much about the HD650 when you have never even owned/demoed them, your headphone collection consists of sub-$100 cans, and you have never owned a pair of entry high-fi headphones near the sound quality level of the HD650. Also, interesting that you are suggesting that yoyo711 needs to spend more money on equipment when it doesn't look like you even have any experience of audio equipment outside of the entry-level budget sub-$100 gear. ...so I guess I am curious where you are getting all your opinions/suggestions from. It is generally frowned upon here on these forums for people to be throwing out suggestions and advice if your opinions are not based on any personal experience and you are just parroting what you've read elsewhere...
 
@yoyo711, Just a quick recap: the HD650 does require an amp. An underpowered HD650 would sound worse than your HD555. If you do not want to use an amp, UmustBKidn is right, you should look at another pair of low impedance headphones. However, a decent amp can be easily be obtained within your budget of $130. There are many people who here who believe that high impedance headphones sound better with tube amps, but it's really just a matter of personal preference. An dac is not necessary, but it can change/improve the sound. Note just $40 greater than your $130 budget, Aune T1 tube dac/amp combo can adequately power the HD650 and give you that "tubey" sound. If you have the HD650 properly powered and are still unhappy with the sound, you need to switch to a different pair of headphones. The fundamental sound signature and sound quality of a pair of headphones does not change that dramatically through upgrading external equipment. There is nothing that beats personal experience, so if you have the chance, you should really go & try out different gear/headphones to see what your ears prefer. From what you've said, I think that the AKG K701/K702/Q701 would suit what you are looking for  good luck & I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[razor5cl]

^^^^this. An amp within your price range is totally possible, and if you don't like the sound then, get a new pair of cans.

 

[ostewart]

Amps that yoyo711 should look at are either the Bravo Audio Ocean (tube), XDuoo TA-02 (will be getting one shortly, super powerful, tube) or JDS Labs O2 (neutral solid state)

 

[arcorob]

Just wanted to pass this along..Bought a new 12AU7 for my Bravo V2...(I have at least a dozen for a variety of amps) but this one is killer in the V2
 
~~Amperex Bugle Boy 12au7/ECC82 short plates O-getter tube
 
From top to bottom, one of the best I have heard in this amp. I have a long plate Mullard in my Velleman K4040 Power amp so trust me when I say, I have been through ALOT of ECC82's
 
This is what I bought (I know the seller too...small world, guy works one building away from me..lol..save on shipping)
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171230190142?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

[ostewart]

Bravo have sent me a new Ocean because of the problems I was having. I have 2 Mullard tubes, one has no writing on it, the other looks well used but was very cheap and tested good. Will be trying them out

 

[UmustBKidn]

  Just wanted to pass this along..Bought a new 12AU7 for my Bravo V2...(I have at least a dozen for a variety of amps) but this one is killer in the V2
 
~~Amperex Bugle Boy 12au7/ECC82 short plates O-getter tube
 
From top to bottom, one of the best I have heard in this amp. I have a long plate Mullard in my Velleman K4040 Power amp so trust me when I say, I have been through ALOT of ECC82's
 
This is what I bought (I know the seller too...small world, guy works one building away from me..lol..save on shipping)
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171230190142?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 
I have an Amperex Mullard in my collection, it also sounds wonderful. Definitely one of the better choices out there.

 

[UmustBKidn]

  Bravo have sent me a new Ocean because of the problems I was having. I have 2 Mullard tubes, one has no writing on it, the other looks well used but was very cheap and tested good. Will be trying them out

 
Really? Grats bro. I don't hear many tales of customer service from this company, so it's good to hear of one success story.
 
In my experience, the only cheesy sounding Mullards are the IEC, and Webcor rebranded models. They aren't really anything special, definitely not worth spending more than $10 bucks on. Personally I think the long black plate American tubes sound better. The 50's vintage Mullards are tops IMO. That also includes the Heath rebranded Mullards from the 50's - they seem to have retained the Mullard quality. I haven't tried the Daystrom rebranded tubes yet - I keep meaning to buy one, if I can find one for a decent price. They seem to have been made in the right date range.
 
I recently ran across a black glass Tung-Sol tube on ebay, and am waiting delivery. Really curious to hear how it sounds, these are supposed to be the best American 12AU7 tubes ever.

 

[terance]

I've been using mostly old RCA tubes, but I just put in an old GE tube that I got cheap on an ebay lot and it's pretty fantastic.
 
Does anyone know anything about the gold lion reissue tubes?  I've been eyeing them for a while, but it's hard to spend $40 on a tube when you can spend a few days combing through ebay auctions to find some treasures.

 

[DefQon]

  I've been using mostly old RCA tubes, but I just put in an old GE tube that I got cheap on an ebay lot and it's pretty fantastic.
 
Does anyone know anything about the gold lion reissue tubes?  I've been eyeing them for a while, but it's hard to spend $40 on a tube when you can spend a few days combing through ebay auctions to find some treasures.

RCA and GE are generally regarded as "bottom of the chain" brand/lineup of tubes regardless of tube type. Some RCA's and GE do sound ok to good but it stops there.
 
I've had direct experience with NOS Genalex ECC82 Gold Lions with gold pins from late 50's and they are very good (they had to be for the $460 I paid for). I also have 6BQ5 Gold Lion reissues, the reissues are just as good as the NOS for the money it is at. 
 
Personally I'd stick with less expensive variants to get your feet wet with different tube sound from various brands, I don't care what some people say (a small group), spending big money on tubes for an amp such as this is just plain stupid and not worth it when you can invest that money into a much better amp. 

 

[terance]

  RCA and GE are generally regarded as "bottom of the chain" brand/lineup of tubes regardless of tube type. Some RCA's and GE do sound ok to good but it stops there.
 
I've had direct experience with NOS Genalex ECC82 Gold Lions with gold pins from late 50's and they are very good (they had to be for the $460 I paid for). I also have 6BQ5 Gold Lion reissues, the reissues are just as good as the NOS for the money it is at. 
 
Personally I'd stick with less expensive variants to get your feet wet with different tube sound from various brands, I don't care what some people say (a small group), spending big money on tubes for an amp such as this is just plain stupid and not worth it when you can invest that money into a much better amp. 

Yeah, the tube lot I got on ebay was 10 bucks for 6-7 tubes, so it was a pretty decent deal.
 
The reissues are something like 20-40 bucks depending on if they have gold pins or not, may have to check those out.
 
I personally don't see myself spending more money than I already have on tubes (I was more interested in the gold loins for my vinyl pre amp/amp), seeing as my bravo is connected to a $15 dac I bought on ebay.
 
It is fun buying tubes though!

 

[HOWIE13]

  I've been using mostly old RCA tubes, but I just put in an old GE tube that I got cheap on an ebay lot and it's pretty fantastic.
 
Does anyone know anything about the gold lion reissue tubes?  I've been eyeing them for a while, but it's hard to spend $40 on a tube when you can spend a few days combing through ebay auctions to find some treasures.

The new Gold Lion E88CC sounds very good with the V3. Richer bass and better defined treble than the stock EH 6922 tube.  
I can't personally vouch for the ECC82's though.