Many moons ago, when I was paying my way through grad school, I was responsible for the wine list at a very nice restaurant. Some were glad to pay for excellent wine that happened to be expensive; some could not afford that wine; and still others who could afford the expensive wine chose not to...

I guess I have been lucky. You must have tried some pretty terrible tubes.....

Ok, screwdriver out, Blu Tack in hand. Fortune favors the bold. Here we go.... Well, son of a gun, the port mod helped. It just brought everything into focus. Not sure how, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Thanks for the recommendation and encouragement.

I recently went though a similar evaluation, auditioning both the 007MK2 and 009S with my BHSE. (I did not have a chance to audition the 009.) Both are wonderful and have their merits. I ultimately chose the 007MK2 and I look forward to trying the BlueTack mod, once I get up the courage. :)

A dual Stax family - it's great that you can enjoy it together. My wife was interested enough to say, "Oh, that sounds good," and then never return. There is so much good information on these threads, some suggesting that the BHSE is not as responsive to different tubes, cables, etc., and...

Indeed, I did have a similar experience with the Carbon CC. It's a wonderful recording. :)

+1 on Tube Depot. Fantastic support.

(Very) late to help the OP but for the benefit of others: Tube Depot was fantastic to work with.

Listening to St. Vincent MassEducation via Roon/Quboz (US beta) through the BHSE / 007MK2 / Qutest. Sublime.

I was in the same boat when recently considering the Carbon v Carbon CC. Birgir described them to me as follows: "The CC will be a bit more refined, more space around the notes etc. but the difference isn’t huge." Ultimately, I chose the CC on the chance that it might sound better, but also to...

Thanks. I have not tried the mod, yet, but if I keep the 007MK2s, I plan on giving it a try.

Thank you for the friendly welcome. The Carbon CC definitely is impressive, as is the BHSE. They are similar in some ways, and different in others, but both excellent. I am leaning towards the BHSE but the Carbon CC is right there. (Admittedly, my romantic notion of glowing tubes might be...

I am a long-time lurker and wanted to thank everyone for the invaluable info and input on this thread. The estat bug has bit and I have moved from dynamics to Stax. Presently, I am experimenting with a BHSE and Carbon CC (Spritzer) along with the 007MK2 (current, non-modded) and 009S (using a...

Thank you. I was thinking along the same lines. My understanding is that the TT 2 hasn't yet reached our shores (this week, I am told) but it is on my list. Also, the Pass Labs HPA-1 might be worth trying. Still, the Studio Six is a lovely amp so I hope to find a better pairing for it, too.

Hi Currawong - Thank you for your help. I am not sure that I can accurately put into words what I am hearing, but I would generally describe it like this: when I increase the volume even modestly, things start to fall apart. (How's that for a technical description?) The soundstage becomes...