[lwrs10]

Just received my NOS GE 6AQ8 tube and it sounds great!

I am using the Aune T1 as a DAC streaming from my iPad to a vintage Marantz 2270 receiver through a pair of Linn Sara speakers.

I am not great at describing what I am hearing, but my impressions are that this tube gives a little more detail than the stock tube. The other word that comes to mind is more natural sound where the 6922 was a bit more "clinical" sounding to me. Also the mid range seems a little more present.

A big thank you to Arcorob for doing the legwork to help find some of the best sounding tubes that do not cost an arm and a leg!

 
 
Lol you mean me!
 
BTW a few more tubes will be added to the list soon.

 

[aopisa]

Sorry. I read every post From 1-200 and then skipped to 300. So, I must have missed your discovery somewhere in the gap!

 

[arcorob]

   
 
Lol you mean me!
 
BTW a few more tubes will be added to the list soon.

Stealing my thunder !!! rookie....LOL
 
Hey,..Amperex date Code - That PCC88 Orange globe I have - WONDERFUL tube...Its amperex and has the seam ...But date code matches a Mullard
 
B8J2
Blackburn
1958
October
2nd week
 
So either they use the same codes or this tube was made for Amperex by Mullard...Hmm...

 

[arcorob]

Sorry. I read every post From 1-200 and then skipped to 300. So, I must have missed your discovery somewhere in the gap!

No ...you were right...lwrs doesn't have it in his impressions list ...SO I am taking FULL CREDIT for this find...and totally pulling his leg...because he has done some awesome research on this friendly little DAC
 
My review was ...
 
~~GE Labeled SIEMENS 6AQ8 ECC85 GERMANY - cant make out date code 5.0 Stars *****/ This bad boy is amazing, Soundstage impresses you immediately as does the detail. This and my other GE labeled tube will knock your socks off. Would make anyone happy -this 6AQ8 which I think has a tad better soundstage (by a thumbnail) but also just a thumbnail less bass. . I listened to about 12 different type songs and could find no wrong EXCEPT some heavy metal tune by Nickelback and that may be the mastering, I need to check. But all other cuts, gorgeous. Vocals will make your head spin and take notice.

 

[Salvatore]

  I think we all should stop recommending any sellers in this thread  

 
I agree. We can surely tell if seller is legit or not but lets leave it there.
 

Sorry. I read every post From 1-200 and then skipped to 300. So, I must have missed your discovery somewhere in the gap!

 
Have you checked my useful info post? You can find the link either from 1) at the end of the first post of this thread or 2) in my signature. There are all the major tube reviews + lots of other useful info.

 

[bbmiller]

Are people that use tube headphone amplifiers (and not tube DACs, but solid-state ones) just as passionate as you all are in soundstage improvement?

I have been reading this thread a lot being serious about making this piece of equipment my possible first foray in audiophile level equipment. What I have seen already from equalising, the best  headset I ever owned is owning audiophile level equipment might greatly increase my enjoyment of music.

So in this regards I have more than one question about Aune T1. The first is the one that appears in bold and big type above. Secondly do you get this tremendous soundstage improvement at the expense of hearing noise in your headphones? And does the impedance of the headphones have anything to do with how quiet they are using Aune T1.

Forgive me for asking a newbie question, but would appreciate it save me that the laborious task doing many repeated searches on this discussion thread. I probably would be able to figure out much of it doing that laborious work. But as much as I have been reading his thread you all who followed it for much longer than I may have my answers at hand. So please help me out here. 

 

[gimmeshelter]

I have just purchased one of these after a long hard think about what to replace my Maverick Audio with. I was toying with the modi / magni combination and also the Fiio E09k / E17 combination. I have opted for this as I like the idea of swapping the tubes for a different sound. With the money saved I can now put that towards buying a Fiio X5 instead of the iBasso DX50 I had planned.

 

[teb1013]

bbmiller I find that the soundstage is greatly effected by the tube being used, also the headphones. With my Sennheiser HD558s (open phones with good soundstage) The Voskhod tube is very forward and has a more limited soundstage than the 6922 EH which came with my T1. My favorite tube, the Amperex 7308, has a great soundstage. A lot depends on what you like and synergy with your system. I don't have appreciable background noise on my unit. I have no experience with tube amps, you would have to check threads on these for comments on soundstage and noise.

 

[arcorob]

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A DEBATE - JUST AN OBSERVATION / QUESTION
 
Can you really hear what is known as soundstage via headphones or are people confusing that with separation ? The truest definition of soundstage in audiophile terms is (simplified)
 
~~Definition: Soundstage is the ability to visualize the placement of musical instruments and vocalists in a music recording. A good soundstage also allows the listener to perceive the size and space of the performance venue in which the recording was made
 
That sound and space not only includes left, right and middle but also depth and position. I have never heard the latter in any pair of headphones. Excellent width, sonically accurate but not a true 3D representation one can achieve with speakers.
 
I am no expert and certainly have never owned a pair of headphones above a few hundred dollars....but it sort of makes me wonder...anyway..thanks for listening

 

[NCSUZoSo]

Guys I picked up a pack of four of the headphone PCB coupling caps (47uF 50V) and these are very nice SILMIC II (RSW Golds):  http://www.ebay.com/itm/350858832618?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
So I have 2 extras if someone wants to buy the 2 for say $10 shipped.  (I paid $19.99 shipped for four, so you aren't paying any more than I did)
 
These are miniatures, so you shouldn't have to bend the leads and hang them over the board like most 50V replacement caps.
 
 

 

[aopisa]

Have you checked my useful info post? You can find the link either from 1) at the end of the first post of this thread or 2) in my signature. There are all the major tube reviews + lots of other useful info.

Yes, I did when I first started reading this thread, but I think it's time to go back and go over it again.

Thanks.

 

[Purpeltendire]

  WARNING: THIS IS NOT A DEBATE - JUST AN OBSERVATION / QUESTION
 
Can you really hear what is known as soundstage via headphones or are people confusing that with separation ? The truest definition of soundstage in audiophile terms is (simplified)
 
~~Definition: Soundstage is the ability to visualize the placement of musical instruments and vocalists in a music recording. A good soundstage also allows the listener to perceive the size and space of the performance venue in which the recording was made
 
That sound and space not only includes left, right and middle but also depth and position. I have never heard the latter in any pair of headphones. Excellent width, sonically accurate but not a true 3D representation one can achieve with speakers.
 
I am no expert and certainly have never owned a pair of headphones above a few hundred dollars....but it sort of makes me wonder...anyway..thanks for listening

 
I've always felt that separation is part of a soundstage, personally. You can have a deep but not wide soundstage, and it can be more difficult to separate instruments than in one that is wider rather than deeper. In that regard, it's similar to judging distances with your eye. Place two objects at a medium distance from you in a straight line. If they're close enough together, they appear to be at the same spot, or if they're farther apart you can spot both objects.
 
But yes, I do think that you can hear the differences between soundstages, or at least of the sonic imaging of a track. 

 

[WyFi]

After using my T1 for about 4 straight hours the transformer stopped buzzing. It is silent now. I started listening to the Pentatonix with the unit and my HD558's through Spotify and was amazed to hear vocals that I didn't hear before from them on YouTube. It's a low bass sound from Avi's voice.

 

[arcorob]

So not sure which tube I like the best
 
PCC88 Amperex Orange Globe
6GM8 Mullard Germany
6DJ8 GE USA smokey joe
6AQ8 GE by Siemens
 
not a terrible problem to have but will have to do some real comparative testing this weekend.

 

[NCSUZoSo]

So any takers on the two extra 47uF Gold ELNA SILMIC IIs shown above?  $10 shipped.