[OutdoorXplorer]

Some says that K701/K702 works the best with SS Amp and I found it to be otherwise. I dug out the my AD797 OPAMP Emmeline XP-7 with DPS and listening through the K702. I found it too bright for my liking and although it has the transparency and clear mids resembles the combination of Amperex 7316 and Tung Sols 5687 in my Raptor. I still find tube amp is a better combination if you get the right tubes to go along with the cans that your are pairing with.

 

[HeadLover]

So
What is the BEST tubes for this amp, using it with the HD650 and wanting a lot of deep bass with good impact and a good sound overall ?

And more important, can you please provide me some links where I can buy it?

Thank you!

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

Your may wanna try some 12BH7A or NOS Mullard 12AU7/ECC82 to begin with. It can be easily found on eBay.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadLover /img/forum/go_quote.gif So What is the BEST tubes for this amp, using it with the HD650 and wanting a lot of deep bass with good impact and a good sound overall ? And more important, can you please provide me some links where I can buy it? Thank you!

Mullard 12AU7 in the rear socket and Sylvania gold brand (gold pins) GB-5687 for the 2 front sockets. The Mullard im having luck with is a (14mm) ribbed plate tube with a halo getter. As for the 12BH7 I would stay away from RCA as it is too warm for the 650, I have a Tungsol that works nicely, tons of bass weight but not snappy like the Mullard. Read the earlier posts on how to indentify a true Tungsol 12BH7 as Tungsol rebranded some RCA's at one point, it should have smooth, wide rounded plate with 3 horizontal ridges and if it looks flat and has a ladder pattern on it then it not really a Tungsol.

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

I am thinking of getting a pair Arcturus 7044 or Amperex 7199 to pair with the RCA 12BH7A which is about to reach me soon. Wonder how it gonna sound ....?

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am thinking of getting a pair Arcturus 7044 or Amperex 7199 to pair with the RCA 12BH7A which is about to reach me soon. Wonder how it gonna sound ....?

Im very curious myself how it will do with your 702's. I hope you end up liking it.

It may be a match with Grados too.

 

[rapzoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadLover /img/forum/go_quote.gif So What is the BEST tubes for this amp, using it with the HD650 and wanting a lot of deep bass with good impact and a good sound overall ? And more important, can you please provide me some links where I can buy it? Thank you!

X3 on the Mullard 12AU7. It should provide what you are looking for with the HD650. I have not had the pleasure of hearing the Slyvania GB 5687 so I would have to defer to Olblueyze on that one. However, I think that the Tug-Sol 5687s match nicely with the Mullard and the HD650.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapzoo /img/forum/go_quote.gif X3 on the Mullard 12AU7. It should provide what you are looking for with the HD650. I have not had the pleasure of hearing the Slyvania GB 5687 so I would have to defer to Olblueyze on that one. However, I think that the Tug-Sol 5687s match nicely with the Mullard and the HD650.

Tungsols are nice too, but if I was put on a desert island with only one tube set it would include the GB-5687.

 

[raffy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mullard 12AU7 in the rear socket and Sylvania gold brand (gold pins) GB-5687 for the 2 front sockets. The Mullard im having luck with is a (14mm) ribbed plate tube with a halo getter. As for the 12BH7 I would stay away from RCA as it is too warm for the 650, I have a Tungsol that works nicely, tons of bass weight but not snappy like the Mullard. Read the earlier posts on how to indentify a true Tungsol 12BH7 as Tungsol rebranded some RCA's at one point, it should have smooth, wide rounded plate with 3 horizontal ridges and if it looks flat and has a ladder pattern on it then it not really a Tungsol.

I have the same Mullard and I'm amazed on how this tube smoothens up the upper frequencies without sounding veil or rolled off at all. I'm using a HD600 right now but I have a HD650 coming in a few days. A few people and myself tried the HD650/Mullard combo at the Tampa meet and it was quite synergistic, a good improvement over the HD600. It felt like a nice rich, "luxurious" version of the 600s

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am thinking of getting a pair Arcturus 7044 or Amperex 7199 to pair with the RCA 12BH7A which is about to reach me soon. Wonder how it gonna sound ....?

Arcturus in the early days made their own tubes and made good tubes. They went out of the tube making business and a company used the name to rebrand. The rebrands were often rejects and much of the later Arcturus branded tubes are junk. The 1920's through the 1930's was the high point for them.

 

[raffy]

Ok, today's tube on duty is a Amperex 12AU7 Bugle boy from the 1960s. I noticed this tube has great dynamics and slam, and has a more upfront presentation than the Mullards. More treble energy too but not excessive.

It also seems like everyday since I got the new PS, the sound keeps on improving. Dynamics and low frequency slam are the most improved areas. Either my ear is getting better at listening or my amp is indeed improving.....

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

Great to hear that you are enjoy the amp with some tubes rolling here and there. Most of you guys are pair the Raptor with Senns but not many with AKGs I believe. Want to hear from those with K701/K702...

Quote:

Originally Posted by raffy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, today's tube on duty is a Amperex 12AU7 Bugle boy from the 1960s. I noticed this tube has great dynamics and slam, and has a more upfront presentation than the Mullards. More treble energy too but not excessive. It also seems like everyday since I got the new PS, the sound keeps on improving. Dynamics and low frequency slam are the most improved areas. Either my ear is getting better at listening or my amp is indeed improving.....

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great to hear that you are enjoy the amp with some tubes rolling here and there. Most of you guys are pair the Raptor with Senns but not many with AKGs I believe. Want to hear from those with K701/K702...

I think what is going to happen is you will be one of the leading experts on Raptor tube rolling on the AKG's because its an older model and even when it was the rage not much was written about Tube rolling, and with the AKG's? I would love to hear how that goes for you. I have idea's about what would sound good with that combination but that doesnt mean much, I definitely want to hear a comparison between the Mullard and the RCA I sent you through those cans.

Hey Raffy I guess it was worth the upgrade huh? More reason to go back and re listen to some of your tubes, gotta love that.

 

[HeadLover]

BTW
How powerful is this amp ?
Can it bring really high volume to the HD650 and yet have much more left to spear?
And will it with the right tubes, give a very powerful BASS ?

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadLover /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW How powerful is this amp ? Can it bring really high volume to the HD650 and yet have much more left to spear? And will it with the right tubes, give a very powerful BASS ?

Mine is the nerwer version that Raffy just upgraded too and it has TOO MUCH power with the 650 to the point where I cant use enough of the volume knob. This is also due to the high output on my dac. So the answer on the power question is a HUGE YES. As far as bass on this amp, Rays in house sound if you will, is slightly warm and plenty of bass. Being this model can be rolled with different tubes the answer to your second question is you can have whatever bass signature you want. I put the RCA 12BH7A in with the stock driver tubes and it pretty much had too much bass but was alot of fun. I replaced the stock 5687's with Tungsols and it had WAY TOO MUCH bass with my 650's (No fun at all). Other tubes will give you a nice bass with less than ideal bass weight with a nice snappy impact. Some will give you crap loads of bass weight (12BH7A) but wont be snappy or crisp enough in the bass department but will be fun as hell to listen too. The best combination of Weight and impact (And I am talking by a long way IMO) is the Mullard I use. The Mullard is a Rock N Roll tube. Weight and Impact are matched with the Mullard and are also putting out the correct levels of both as far as im concerned. That RCA with too much bass weight for the 650, I sent it to OutdoorExplorer because he is using the AKG K702 on his Raptor and that headphone is pretty much the oppisite of the 650 in the bass department. It has too little impact but is not totaly lacking in impact but to me it has no bass weight at all, so Im hoping that tube works well for him cause it has what the 701 lacks. Same for the Mullard, it covers the only achillies heel , IMO, for the 650 and Im talking very slight here but if I had to nit pick, the 650 has lack of crisp, snappy impact and the Mullard puts it right where it needs to be, Bullseye!