[gibosi]

Hi Ken, when you say noise do you mean you hear it when music is not playing? You can't hear noise from the drivers when music is playing correct?

Yes, the only time I hear the noise is when there is no music playing. So for me, at least, it is very easy to ignore....

 

[Sound Trooper]

No it will be called 'TheEnd'.

Now.. that's a great name!

 

[Sound Trooper]

@Sound Infinity use the 6h13c or 6080 if you using C3g as driver. Too much gain for c3g and 6bx7 together. Agree with gibosi on this one.
My GOTL is using the same transformer as gibosi

Hi Emil, will want to hear your OTL in comparison with the EL3N as well!

 

[jekjek]

Hi Emil, will want to hear your OTL in comparison with the EL3N as well!

I will be away mid june and come back on 23 june
Let me know which driver you want to listen

 

[Sound Trooper]

Yes, the only time I hear the noise is when there is no music playing. So for me, at least, it is very easy to ignore....

I think it might be tolerable for me.

@gibosi @UntilThen , what tube combinations do you recommend for a lush and romantic sound.

 

[Sound Trooper]

I will be away mid june and come back on 23 june
Let me know which driver you want to listen

Sure, take care and have a safe trip!

 

[wazzupi]

No it will be called 'TheEnd'.

I think that's what he meant by untilnow.

 

[2359glenn]

Anyone that don't know this who have the OTl. If you leave the voltage switch in the wrong position and put a lower voltage tube in.
The low voltage power supply will current limit and the blue light in the switch will go out.
This is to save expensive tubes if left in the wrong position.

 

[UntilThen]

I am aware of that Glenn. Have experience the dim blue light before. Now I double check the switch before I power on the amp.

Anyway wish me luck as I'm about to pop the Tung Sol 12SL7gt black glass round plates together with 6 x 6BX7gt in the amp. If you don't hear from me again, you will know I have gone to the other side.

 

[2359glenn]

I am sure it will sound great cant beat BGRP as the driver.
So if we don't here from you you are in bliss.

 

[UntilThen]

Holy crap after 5 minutes warm up, it's as silent as a lamb and I'm still alive. Sounds like silence of the lamb !!! With no music playing of course.

After 2 minutes into the song, I'm in heaven. The TS 12sl7gt sounds just like the TS 12sn7gt. Both BGRP. Can't believe. !!! Furthermore I had thought that because the amplification of 6sl7 is 70, it's going to blast my eardrums. To my surprise, my volume level is the same as when using 12sn7. Same level of loudness.

Now this is the best part. The 12sn7gt cost me AU$117. The 12sl7gt cost me AU$30. Guess what I will be buying next?

 

[whirlwind]

Hello folks, how's everyone doing? Sorry for the lack of updates as I have been away for the past week. I have managed to put in the straight bottom EL3 as the power tubes and honestly, it doesn't make much of a difference for me. However the EL3s are probably noisier when I have no music playing and on 2 tube mode. With music playing, it sounds really similar to the EL3N. I have since put back the EL3Ns which came with the amp as it was not my intention to roll EL3 tubes. Seriously, this amp is already beautiful sounding as it is and it is everything which I have expected it to be. Clean, drives my Abyss Phi with authority, has plenty of resolution for critical listening and is highly musical. I stand by my comment of the EL3N sounding really like a well-resolved SS amp with a touch of warmness. I agree with Glenn's comments on the EL3N matching really well with low Z headphones, the Abyss Phi (42 ohms) and TH900 Mk2 (25 ohms) sound fantastic with the EL3N. I think now I need an OTL to match with the higher Z cans (Auteur/HD6XX) but I can't wrap my head round the many tube combinations.

Running the EL3N with the different headphones which I have was really interesting and it is very easy to tell each headphone's strength thru the EL3N:
- Best HIghs: Abyss Phi
- Best Mids: ZMF Auteur
- Best Mid bass: ZMF Auteur
- Bass (Quantity): Fostex TH900 Mk2
- Bass (Quality): Abyss Phi
- Sound stage: Abyss Phi
- Resolution: Abyss Phi

I would also try to write a longer review down the road.

Thanks for the update on the EL3 tubes.
I always have called the EL3N amp warm and dynamic, this pretty much sums it up for me.
The warmness of the EL3N tube definitely shines through, no doubt that is in this tubes DNA...but the sound is big and dynamic.
I tend to like a warm sound with my music, very easy on the ears for long periods of time.
I am guessing being transformer coupled keeps it from sounding too warm..I like the transformer coupled sound, guessing the trannies need to be top notch though.

The Abyss bass must be killer!
Thanks again for the EL3 update.

 

[Sound Trooper]

Thanks for the update on the EL3 tubes.
I always have called the EL3N amp warm and dynamic, this pretty much sums it up for me.
The warmness of the EL3N tube definitely shines through, no doubt that is in this tubes DNA...but the sound is big and dynamic.
I tend to like a warm sound with my music, very easy on the ears for long periods of time.

The Abyss bass must be killer!
Thanks again for the EL3 update.

The Abyss Phi has some of the nicest bass out there. It hits low, hard and very cleanly. By comparison, the TH900 Mk2 has more bass (quantity wise) but is a tad muddy next to the Abyss. To me, the Abyss is like a hyper car, a lot of care needs to be taken to ensure that it is performing at its best. But when it all works, its simply sublime.

 

[UntilThen]

@gibosi @UntilThen , what tube combinations do you recommend for a lush and romantic sound.

If you don't mind spending (a bit ), I would recommend Gec B36 with a pair of Gec 6as7g. Strangely both these tubes came from Stavros. The pair of Gec 6as7g has perfect readings and I've never seen a newer pair of Gec 6as7g. The Gec B36 is also NOS NIB. I have to thank Stavros again. He parted with some jewels of the Nile.

Here I have Gec B36 as driver with Gec 6080 and Gec 6as7g as power tubes. Decadent sound. Never will I run it like this again. These tubes are too precious to burn up for normal listening. For normal listening get yourself some Tung Sol 12sl7gt bgrp. I can't stop listening now. Amazing tone with 6 x GE 6BX7gt. I just bought a NOS NIB pair for AU$99.



This is my new pair of TS 12sl7gt bgrp. - 1949 and has the suffix 2C52.

 

[UntilThen]

TS 12sl7gt bgrp in the driver's seat. TS 12sn7gt bgrp on the stand. This is the beauty of Glenn's OTL. You only need one of these beauties that cost just a fraction of their very expensive 6sn7 cousin.