I’m of the belief that a good tube role can create synergy with any headphone. I have sort of the same issue with the VC, I find it needs tubes that are not so rich and thick to sound their best. VO was a lot less picky about tube rolls. I always figured it had something to do with the closed...

I appreciate the help. Mine were listed as new and tested, though I don’t have my own tester to verify. That’s something I’d love, but my wallet and storage space really needs like a year-long break from tubes and tube accessories! Tube prices have gone nuts, imagine what it’s been like in...

Hmm indeed. It must just be a matter of burn in...maybe? I can't imagine they're fakes or anything, they look legit. I'll keep persevering with them, I want to hear what you guys hear from them.

So I managed to get my hands on a quad of 6S5S aand...I hate these! They're so bright and thin, like I'm listening to music in a sterile clean room where everyone has to wear hazmat suits. They're not harsh at all, but it just doesn't sound that real to me. I much prefer the sound of 6C8C and...

Is it? I get stressed by some stupid dollars sitting around doing nothing, and much prefer the peace of mind of turning those useless dollars into piles of electronics :)

I have a mk 1. I don’t think anyone’s ever had a mk1 side-by-side with a mk2, but the company line seems to be that the mk2 plays better with more sensitive headphones, with very little change in sound. I have no noise problems with Caldera whatsoever, even that’s insensitive enough to block...

Good food and drink is only for a little bit. Good headphones are forever! I always try to sell my wife on the cost per hour of enjoyment, that way they do sound cheap. (Also I can never tell her how much I actually spend on audio.)

Just got a pair from Bay Bloor Radio for $549 - listed at $649 on their website ;) Sometimes it pays to go to the sleepy old brick and mortars.

I've had Susvara for about 2 weeks now after pining for many, many years. I don't know if I could add anything that hasn't already been said in this thread. But I will say, one thing that I was not expecting was how well Susvara does with metal - the more aggressive, nasty and speedy, the...

I’m aware I’m in the minority in that assessment. It could also be my inability to properly describe what I’m hearing. But cymbals go shtshhh instead of ting.

On the one tube it says H4E, which I read as an OEM tube from either August 1944 or 1959 - apparently RCA just arbitrarily started repeating date codes after 15 years. ‘Cause why not? The other in the pair is all rubbed off.

Hah! I didn’t notice. And you gots to be careful with tubes, maybe there was a 6NS7 that’s been lost to time.

The difference to my ears is probably not as great as you might expect. I personally prefer the Sylvanias for their more even, neutral and natural sound. The RCA are a touch more "fun" sounding, with more present mid-bass (again, small differences). But I thought the treble with the RCAs was a...

I was...am a thick pad devotee from the moment they got put on the Caldera, about a month after the Caldera themselves arrived. But the thing is, the Caldera have continued to evolve in their sound, and interestingly I only notice the changes when I put on the stock pads. Now, even with the...

Depending on what genres you listen to, there might not currently be an upgrade. Different sound, sure. Had the Utopia OG - maybe more detailed and impactful, but REALLY small soundstage, like sitting 50 rows back in an outdoor venue. Also slightly plasticky sounding. I recently had HE1000se -...

Lucky! It was that blasted HD800S that first jump started my crazy obsession! I mean, I was into headphones before, but that cold rainy March 2016 that I stumbled upon it at my local shop hit a nerve. Made me see the light. Showed me what was possible. I’m not the same person I was! But it’s...

Good point. I have been mostly using my 300b amp so far, so haven’t done too much rolling for synergy yet. I bet the Russians would be too bright, but a lot a times you just gotta roll ‘em in and see what happens. I bet a rectifier change would help too. I’ve basically got a RFT foil getter in...

Bit off topic...maybe not really... I recently got myself a Susvara, and was very curious about whether the Pendant could do it justice. With my normal tube roll, Tungsram WPFG and G-73R, it really didn't sound like it had enough juice, sounding thin and wheezy. So just now I've put in my...

Wow, that’s a very generous asking price for an endgame setup. Someone could buy that package and be set for life. Hopefully you find your endgame with the Aegis…if endgame is what you want!

I remember reading somewhere (so it must be true) that production of metal cans pretty much ceased sometime in the early 50s, because the glass envelopes were cheaper to make. All the later production cans were just old stock relabeled to clear out. In any case there are real advantages to the...

Thanks for the VERY thorough post! I haven’t tried the Mullard white prints yet, but from memory they are quite similar to the GEC. And I did manage to grab a quad of 6S5S, so I’m definitely excited about those. But the GECs just have a way of waking up my so-called “sleepy” planars. I had...

So I've recently found myself in possession of a Susvara, and so far I've really been digging GEC CV6 with them. I tried Mullard Red Prints and Brimar 6J5 as well, but surprisingly I found the warmer tubes to be too smooth with the brighter Susvara. Boy, I hope I'm not becoming one of those...

Candians are the worst! Don’t trust ‘em! (I’m Canadian) …I’ve used CAM a ton and if he has good feedback there it’s probably not a problem.

Hmm…my personal MAXIMUM TUBINESS!! roll might be WE300b and Brimars? I have old 6J5 in particular. But I haven’t actually tried that combo yet, so I’ll have to soon. A lot of internet people say RCA smoked glass 6SN7 are the tubeyist, but I just never caught on with them in the Cayin. My...