[BenWaB3]

I'm getting set to go for a second replacement tube (the first was a GE 6AQ8 recommended by arcorob & I really like it). I've been looking at the Telefunken ECC85's on ebay but in slogging through this thread - I'm up to page 148 plus started reading the most recents around 275 - I come across ones with 188 or 189 being brought up by various list members. What is the difference between them & the 88? I had read the links from Salvatore on page one, so I'm not trying to just skate without doing any research on my own first. Thanks.

 

[NCSUZoSo]

This is the best sounding tube I have heard, easily beating my USA (RCA) made Amperex : http://www.ebay.com/itm/231147463405?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
It's not even a contest really and yes this has the ridges on top with the two bent plates with gold pins, so it's real.  Yes definitely not a cheap tube, but still by far the best thing I have heard, German made.
 
So far I have been testing Steve Hoffman's 24bit FLAC Sledgehammer via Vinyl.
 
Next I am going to listen to Gimme Shelter in the available DTS-HD MA Audio 2.0 (original in 24bit remixed).
 
If you can find one of those cheap, jump on it.

 

[Purpeltendire]

  Well, here goes...
 
I stumbled upon this wealth of information on Sunday (before the s-bowl).  I've had a T1 for about a year but never played with the tube.  Am hoping to get my Grado RS1i cans in the next few days and I bought some of the following...
 

 
Amperex PQ 6922 1960 matched pair D Getter 063.  I believe I've done okay.  Spent some bucks to be sure.  What kind of burn in am I looking at for both the cans and the tubes?  Hours?  Days?  Weeks?  And what kind of music should I use or does that matter?
 
Thank you all for the previous messages.  I read most of them but so much to comprehend and learn about.  BTW, my other cans are Bose QC15 and Sennheiser HD580.  

Tube burn in can be debated, general consensus is that they won't really change. Just be sure to let your tube warm up properly on the first few uses. 
As for the Grados, I have a friend who listens to several models and he religiously burns them in for a minimum of 100 hours before commenting on the sound signature. You can still listen to them during this time, but past about 150 hours the phones should have settled into their signature.
My preference for a burn-in is this: http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php 
I'd just plug the headphones directly into the computer to avoid unnecessary tube wear, and start this before leaving for work or school. When you're using them you can listen to whatever you want. 

 

[WyFi]

Is the Aune T1 not very well known or go by another name? I can't find more than one video on Youtube about it or any pictures on 500px. I found some pictures on Flickr and most articles lead me right here, which is fantastic, but little anywhere else. I will be getting mine tomorrow and will definitely be posting vidoes and pictures online showing it off. I like to research the hell out of whatever it is I am purchasing. It took me a month to finally decide on this product over just solid state usb dac/amps. 

 

[arcorob]

  I'm getting set to go for a second replacement tube (the first was a GE 6AQ8 recommended by arcorob & I really like it). I've been looking at the Telefunken ECC85's on ebay but in slogging through this thread - I'm up to page 148 plus started reading the most recents around 275 - I come across ones with 188 or 189 being brought up by various list members. What is the difference between them & the 88? I had read the links from Salvatore on page one, so I'm not trying to just skate without doing any research on my own first. Thanks.

Benwa...I received an Amperex OG PCC88 out of the blue that is STUNNING. The similar OG in the 6GM8 was muddy (to me) this one is detailed, wide soundstage, forward mids and STRONG bass without being boomy...
 
it is NOT the a-frame type...(see picture) - Ask Greengirl613 if she has another....
 

 

[Salvatore]

  it is NOT the a-frame type...(see picture)

 
Why don't you just post the factory codes?

 

[NCSUZoSo]

 
Benwa...I received an Amperex OG PCC88 out of the blue that is STUNNING. The similar OG in the 6GM8 was muddy (to me) this one is detailed, wide soundstage, forward mids and STRONG bass without being boomy...
 
it is NOT the a-frame type...(see picture) - Ask Greengirl613 if she has another....
 
 

 
Does that one have the "teacup" getter?

 

[arcorob]

   
Does that one have the "teacup" getter?

Not sure - Will check when I get home - Code says 69-15
 
MY RATINGS HAVE BEEN UPDATED
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq/3765#post_10120575

 

[teb1013]

Is the Aune T1 not very well known or go by another name? I can't find more than one video on Youtube about it or any pictures on 500px. I found some pictures on Flickr and most articles lead me right here, which is fantastic, but little anywhere else. I will be getting mine tomorrow and will definitely be posting vidoes and pictures online showing it off. I like to research the hell out of whatever it is I am purchasing. It took me a month to finally decide on this product over just solid state usb dac/amps. 

Welcome to Head-Fi and the Aune T1 community. Almost all equipment of this sort is niche. Big seller audio products like Beats or Bose are made to play from the headphone jack of an iPod, not to require a dac/amp. This site is one of the few that deals with this type of equipment and most people who are interested in audiophile headphones and associated equipment come here. Aune is one of many manufacturers that serve this community and, the number of times that these have been sold through eBay and Amazon shows that it is pretty popular in the niche of small desktop dac/amp combos (the only one I know of with a tube buffer on the dac). All of this goes to say that you have picked a well made, great sounding product that is popular in this community. Good luck, let us know how this works out for you. Which headphones do you plan to use?

 

[WyFi]

Welcome to Head-Fi and the Aune T1 community. Almost all equipment of this sort is niche. Big seller audio products like Beats or Bose are made to play from the headphone jack of an iPod, not to require a dac/amp. This site is one of the few that deals with this type of equipment and most people who are interested in audiophile headphones and associated equipment come here. Aune is one of many manufacturers that serve this community and, the number of times that these have been sold through eBay and Amazon shows that it is pretty popular in the niche of small desktop dac/amp combos (the only one I know of with a tube buffer on the dac). All of this goes to say that you have picked a well made, great sounding product that is popular in this community. Good luck, let us know how this works out for you. Which headphones do you plan to use?

I originally was looking just for gaming headphones on reddit and kept seeing Head-fi show up. I changed my headphone interest and ended up getting Sennheiser HD558. While I do understand they're not audiophile headphones, they are, hopefully, in the right direction. These blow away my previous ones, the Turtle Beach X12.

 

[copajohn]

Thanks for the heads-up on the burn in site for the headphones!  Appreciate all of the information...

 

[bbmiller]

These units are currently available with the tubes 6N11 OR 6922. If you are buying it today as I am thinking of doing which would you buy?
 
Is the cleanness of the 5 V DC USB input pretty much not affect your results because it has its own 15 V power supply yes or no? 

 

[teb1013]

I originally was looking just for gaming headphones on reddit and kept seeing Head-fi show up. I changed my headphone interest and ended up getting Sennheiser HD558. While I do understand they're not audiophile headphones, they are, hopefully, in the right direction. These blow away my previous ones, the Turtle Beach X12.

I have the 558s. Although they don't require an amp, the Aune T1 really brings them alive. I hope that you find the same.

 

[arcorob]

The aune is the baby brother...lol..i use Polk monitor 70 towers (5 way) and a powered Polk sub ... The velleman tube amp at 90wpc puts out more punch than the 170wpc Yamaha...

 

[arcorob]

   
Why don't you just post the factory codes?

Crap....I would swear I looked this morning and on the tube it say 86J2 ?86D2 ? I should have written it down...damn....That is in the embedded in the glass silvery type lettering - in orange, I see 69-15
 
Not a teacup...nice design. Smooth plates. Across top of plates is a small metal bar (rectangle) coming up from the plates is a disk with a little cut-out (sort of like a dime with chunk missing. Above that, round getter.