[ianmedium]

GG, I think your spot on!

I grew up in England and I don't know if it is the same in other countries but but I remember that system matching is so important and that is what I have done with my set up. The T5P's are very clear an open window on to what is being given them.

I like this in loudspeakers and headphones. What I do then is select amplification that allows that to shine but also balances it out with warmth and emotion and for me my preference is this way around rather than an analytical amp with warm speakers or headphones. Not saying my way is right and the other ways are wrong, just that it was how it was taught to me as a child learning about HiFi and I like doing it that way.

So I would rather tune in some warmth with tubes.

I think this is the most important reason the T5P's are so maligned, they are fed either inferior files, source or amp and they won't take prisoners. However, feed them a good source/amp or ideally both and they are for me the best headphones I have used in over 33 years of headphone listening as they are supremely faithful to what they are fed.

I think that is why I love Wilson speakers, they are very very similar in that respect.

So the balance for me is a warmer tube to underpin and then the more airy tube in the gain stage to give sparkle and life. But as you point out GG, with headphones that are warmer that would not be a good choice. For instance when I had the LCD's I much preferred the radiotechnique in the DL section and Lorenz or Siemens in the DF section.

 

[GermanGuy]

Quote:

Now that is beautiful! This stamp thing is gaining ground, I am trying to find out what is behind it all. I think Andy's friend is right, a duty of some sort!

i think we should start to send us tubes by just putting a stamp and an address label on the tube!
 
a long time ago there was a guy in germany (not GG) sending things like a cigarette, a piece of bread or a cleanex with a stamp and his address directly applied or written to himself by the Deutsche Post. there was a funny article about this published in a german magazine, but best of all nearly all things and even the cigarette were delivered without any damage!

 

[GermanGuy]

yes, it's always the whole chain!

 

[ianmedium]

In the old days of mail in the UK one simply folded the sheet of paper one wrote on and then addressed the blank side and sealed it with wax!

 

[GermanGuy]

btw, i can't wait to hear that you have moved back to europe because i would be really happy then if i could send you my DIY grado style headphone to get a real expert / second opinion about its sound as i like it more than both my t5p and my hd800!

 

[ianmedium]

I would love to hear it.

I have this thing about HiFi though. I try not to say one thing is better than the other (of the same price point and purpose) as for me unless there is a fundamental design flaw I love that there are different sounding things out there. It allows us to design our system to our tastes I feel and I have always felt that music should be a personal thing. I know all the artists I work with love their albums to sound a certain way but they love even more how individuals interpret their albums. They want their listeners to think and formulate their own opinions on their music.

I must admit only once have I been happy with the HD800, It was being fed a powerful DIY tube amp and it sounded very nice but other than that I have not enjoyed the way they present music, for me they are not an open window, just a glare filled one! I much prefer the HD600 over them.

 

[bmichels]

Quote:

whatever you use as df91, i think the dl92's could be classified as follows:
 
philips dl92 - warm, textured, relaxing
tung-sol mil spec dl92 - neutral, detailed, precise
tesla 1L33 - bright, analytical
 
i don't know if it is just a matter of taste that you and ianmedium prefer the philips, but at least as ianmedium uses a t5p definetely brighter sounding than my DIY grado style headphone which has a much better bass extension (i can compare this as i also have a t5p) maybe it's the combination of amp AND headphone because often i find the one step less warm sounding dl92 tube better sounding.

 
Thanks for the clarification between those 3 tubes.
 
And, right now, listening in the dark to PinkFloyd "shine on your crazy diamond", I can reconfirm that  Telefunken DF904 / Philips DL92 is definitively ( So far) my prefered combo (with my TH900).
 

 
 
But... more tests soon since I have on order: RTF DF97,  Mullard DF91 (with holes !) and  Mulard DF96 (yellow print)
 
 
 
 
Those Mullard DF91 with the holes will look very good associated with my Philips DL92 With the stamps. 

 
 
 
So I am anxiuos to test   Mullard DF91 / Philips DL92  as well as  RTF DF97 / Philips DL92  and...
 
I will give a last chance to the Tung-sol ken rad dl92 by testing them associated with the  Mullards DF91
 
but as for the Mulard DF96 (yellow printing)... I have no Idea with what Power stage tube to test them ? Any one tested the Mulard DF96 already ?  
 

 

[smial1966]

The HD800 is undoubtedly a very unique headphone in that it strips bare recordings to reveal musical sub-textures and recording nuances that are not ordinarily unmasked by less transparent cans. Apparently brilliant in the right setting, in my experience the HD800 has always sounded somewhat bright and artificial to my analogue ears.

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[bmichels]

Seen On RedWineAudio Facebook :
" [size=12.727272033691406px]Coming soon - RWAK120-B... that's right, a RWAK120-S modification with added 4-pin, true balanced line out jack!"[/size]

 
OK... no real interest when associated with the TU-05, but... this upgrade race makes thing obsolete very very fast !  So,  I believe I will wait a little more for the successor of the AK120 (Bigger screen, 1200/1500$...) and kept enjoying my RWAK100 in the mean time...

 

[ianmedium]

The HD800 is undoubtedly a very unique headphone in that it strips bare recordings to reveal musical sub-textures and recording nuances that are not ordinarily unmasked by less transparent cans. Apparently brilliant in the right setting, in my experience the HD800 has always sounded somewhat bright and artificial to my analogue ears.

Cheers,
Andy.

Thats exactly my findings Andy. I think it perfect for the studio but like so many studio monitor headphones I have used I would not want to use them for pleasure!

 

[bmichels]

very nice Album...
 

 

[ianmedium]

Seen On RedWineAudio Facebook :
" [size=12.727272033691406px]Coming soon - RWAK120-B... that's right, a RWAK120-S modification with added 4-pin, true balanced line out jack!"[/size]




OK... no real interest when associated with the TU-05, but... this upgrade race makes thing obsolete very very fast !  So,  I believe I will wait a little more for the successor of the AK120 (Bigger screen, 1200/1500$...) and kept enjoying my RWAK100 in the mean time...

You know, I think one can wait and wait. If you wait for the successor of the 120 and year down the road there will be another successor! I just feel at some point one has to jump in, thats what I did and I am absolutely sure something will come along in six months and best it but that is life.

For me the main reason was higher resolution playback both in 24/176,192 and DSD. Funny thing is the music I am enjoying the most on the 120 is CD. The other fascinating thing with the 120 is that I find FLAC to be as acceptable as wav, my previous preference so I now I am converting my files to FLAC as it means I can get more music on the player and I can enjoy album art once more!

 

[bmichels]

Ian, you are right, something better will always be coming "soon "...
 
Different subjet:  DAMPING TECHNIQUES:
 
A month ago,there was a lot of talk here about damping techniques and sonic improvement associated:  Damping cones, heavy Wood Plate, heavy door stopper, block of concrete....  and now nobody talk about them any more !!
 
--> Have you abandoned those torture devices or are you still using them ?  If they are still used, could you please tell me each of you what solution you have ended with and the level of sonic improvement provided.
 
Indeed, so far I still use my TU-O5 in his leather case because I really like the look and protection that the leather case provide and the convenience of the front pocket for my RWAL100... but I hope I am not missing a Gigantic sonic improvement by doing so  ! 

 

[ianmedium]

I was in mid stream with experimenting with supports and such and then my amp had to go back as you know. Once it is back here I will continue. I have a thick piece of plywood I purchased the day my amp broke so I have not tried it yet. My idea is attach oak feet to the plywood with blu-tac. This will give a little elastomer type isolation. This will then rest on the slab of granite I have. The amp will rest on three large Oak feet which will directly rest on the plywood. Lots of different materials to take away stray vibrations from the Amp.


I would imagine Andy's fancy isolation devices have arrived by now, hopefully he will chime in with his thoughts on them!

Like the tube rolling the sonic improvements are small but worthwhile if you can be bothered. I would not say one is losing out too much by not doing them but it is fun and in my case cheap so why not try!

 

[GermanGuy]

instead of breakfast i had some tube salad this morning:
 

 
to also enjoy tube salad 'to go' i now use the box my t5p was delivered with as lunch box: