[hodgjy]

How are these tubes working out for you?
Quote:

Thank you hodgjy, with your help I've learnt something new today about tubes

I've bought this Trafomatic without thinking of tube rolllng, but it must be worth at least a try.
I've ordered RFT, Telefunken, and "Reflector plant" tubes (from Ukraine)

 

[dgilz]

How are these tubes working out for you?

I'm using the Reflector pair and the telefunken for a couple days now. By the way, the Reflector came from Ukraine barely wrapped in a magazine sheet inside a soft carton box, I've seen better packaging in my eBayer life !

About the tubes, I do like them although the difference is not so important to my ears, perhaps a bit more dynamics, I'm only shure that the association with Grado PS1000 is really good, I really like it.

I've received the RFT on Saturday, and did not have time to test it for the moment. I've ordered a pair of electro harmonix gold pins as well, I.read that they are famous to be high quality tubes.

Sorry not to have much to say, perhaps when I'll switch back to the stock tubes, i will hear a real difference ?

 

[hodgjy]

Thanks for the updates.  Differences between tubes are subtle, but there.  They don't drastically change the sound of the amp.  Rather, they allow you to fine tune it to your preference.
 

 

[dgilz]

Anyway, the Trafomatic Head1 in association with the Grado PS1000 make me really happy. Yesterday night I was listening to the SACD of Coltrane + Hartmann, music was real, charming, a beautiful moment.
It seems like these two amp + cans will be able to deliver a very nice result for any music whether it is complex, instrumental or voice only, philarmonic, a single instrument (piano, cello, etc...) it always make something good if you feed it with a nice recording.

 

[hodgjy]

The Trafomatic made me believer in differences in sources.  I previously thought there was no difference at all between CD players and only subtle differences existed between external DACs.  That was the case with inferior amps.  The Trafomatic is very quality and allows me to hear those differences in sources.
 

 

[dgilz]

A little follow up of my tests of tubes.
I've tried the RFT for a little while now, and I finally prefer them to the stock tube : more musicality, more details, a bit warmer.
I've tried Electro Hamonix "gold" 6S45P bought on eBay from China, and although they don't come cheap, they are a real improvement to the richness and smoothness of the sound, I really think they are worth the try.

 

[michnix]

just got a used version of this fine looking and hopefully fine sounding amp

now all I need are some headphones...:rolleyes:

which cans would you consider the most "allround" headphones for this amp?

I won't be able to buy several 'phones to start with, so I am trying to get a good start.


got recommended the ATH-w1000X since the Head One was designed around their predecessor, the ATH-W1000. My main concern with these cans, though, is that they seem to favour acoustic, vocal oriented music. My music taste usually stretches much wider than that, from rock to electronic, classical, live, jazz, you name it.

So maybe some more versatile cans would be preferrable?

Do you have any recommendations?

The Beyer T1 are selling for a reasonable price right now, but being 600ohm headphones you'll have to crank up the volume quite a bit to get things happening, which usually results in some dynamic loss....

LCD-2s are stretching the budget quite a bit and I have never heard any planar 'phones to prepare me for what to expect with those...


any help is appreciated

thanks

dave

 

[Kees]

The Trafomatic and the T1 are a very good match actually...

 

[michnix]

thanks, that was the answer I was hoping for
Now I just have to decide between T1 and ATH-W1000X :rolleyes:

Strangely enough, the T1 seems to be sold out all over the place here... (at least in those shops with reasonable pricing) How much are those 'phones going in The Netherlands for?

greetings from Norway

dave

 

[michnix]

BTW. did anyone try HIFIMAN HE-400 cans with this amp?

 

[michnix]

no one, seems like, ah well...

had anyone the chance to compare the older version of the head one to the latest model?

 

[deanorthk]

Hi Kinda know now what amp I'll buy, now that I have my PS1000. Once I'll have the usb 5v power to counter the M2tech brightness, I'll change the HA 160 with the traformic, it just seems to be one of the perfect match, still in an affordable (kinda) price range.
 

 

[fermelom]

I have yet to find a hedphone that the Trafomatic didn't sound good with. The HD800 isn't my favorite headphone but the Trafomatic does a good job with it IMO. Yes 300 ohm setting is the right one.

Has anyone tried the HiFiMan's HE-6? I'm really interested in this headphone amp but also I know that the HE-6 are hard to drive, that why I need to know if are a good match.

 

[Skylab]

I enjoyed my time very much with the Trafomatic but it is definitely NOT up to the task of driving the HE-6.

 

[latimerfripp]

I need some recommendations for new tubes to choose.. Already tried Tesla ez81 and JJ ez81 and also  old Tungsram and dario mini watt ez80 and didn't found any difference at all..
 
thanks.