[RestoredSparda]

How are the vcaps working for you so far? How many hours you put in them? Thanks for the pictures btw

Love em. They are the 10uf variety. They took around 150 to 200 hours before settling. Still sounds like a Mainline but there is more micro detail, sense of space, instrument separation, slightly smoother highs. Kind of like the OG mainline sound but to the next level in refinement.

Bad recordings sound bad and good recordings sound stellar.

 

[RestoredSparda]

I don't have Vcaps in my Mainline in another amp I have the Cutf 0.1cutf and they took a long time at least 300hrs

Elekit?

 

[JamieMcC]

Elekit?

Yes its a Elekit TU-8900 with the Lundahl amorphous core transformer upgrade. It can run 300B or 2A3 tubes plug and play with auto detect and biasing. Also selectable to run with or without feedback.

 

[RestoredSparda]

Yes its a Elekit TU-8900 with the Lundahl amorphous core transformer upgrade. It can run 300B or 2A3 tubes plug and play with auto detect and biasing. Also selectable to run with or without feedback.

Very nice! I recently read a build and impressions thread on SBAF on that amp. Very cool amp. Have you posted any impressions or comparisons between the Mainline and TU-8900?

 

[JamieMcC]

Very nice! I recently read a build and impressions thread on SBAF on that amp. Very cool amp. Have you posted any impressions or comparisons between the Mainline and TU-8900?

Yes Marv did a very good write up on sbaf certainly agree with his assessment of the build and sonics. He also made some comments on the headfi thread.

I don't think I've posted any comparisons myself. The TU-8900 with AM transformers is around $2500 including some medium price tubes making it just over twice the price of the Mainline so its not really a fair comparison. I've really enjoyed and appreciated listening to music with my Mainline for the last six years it's truly an amazing headphone amp. The TU-8900 has taken that enjoyment to another level plus now I can enjoy both listening to speakers and headphones from a single amp.

I think there were a couple of posters on the Elekit 300B thread who have had both Mainline and Kaiju who comment.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/elekit-300b-amp-kit.869957/

The thread encompassed both the TU-8600 and TU-8900 amps it's only 12 pages long.

 

[supermage]

Yes Marv did a very good write up on sbaf certainly agree with his assessment of the build and sonics. He also made some comments on the headfi thread.

I don't think I've posted any comparisons myself. The TU-8900 with AM transformers is around $2500 including some medium price tubes making it just over twice the price of the Mainline so its not really a fair comparison. I've really enjoyed and appreciated listening to music with my Mainline for the last six years it's truly an amazing headphone amp. The TU-8900 has taken that enjoyment to another level plus now I can enjoy both listening to speakers and headphones from a single amp.

I think there were a couple of posters on the Elekit 300B thread who have had both Mainline and Kaiju who comment.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/elekit-300b-amp-kit.869957/

The thread encompassed both the TU-8600 and TU-8900 amps it's only 12 pages long.

very nice, thinking of jumping over to DNA stratus or starlett from the mainline. Perhaps tu-8900 might be comparable?

 

[JamieMcC]

very nice, thinking of jumping over to DNA stratus or starlett from the mainline. Perhaps tu-8900 might be comparable?

I've never heard the Stratus but am well aware of its reputation.

Maven86 the sbaf reviewers last comment on the headfi thread was.

"I guess what I was trying to say in all my ranting is that I find my 8900 more emotionally engaging than my old stratus. It just does it in a different way."

Feel free to ask questions on the thread I linked a few posts up rather than head off topic here.

 

[deserat]

Just in case anybody decides to do something crazy, like me. I bought the IE 900 and have really been enjoying them on my WA-8 ( Woo Audio ) and AK USB PEE51 dongle ( Astell and Kern ). Thought I'd do something a little crazy and try plugging them into my real system. MediaCenter ( Direct with no conversions ) -> Yggy OG ( all upgrades ) -> Mainline. Honesty I was expecting alot of hiss and sadness.

I bought a 4 pin xlr to 4mm balanced adapter and jacked in. Downside, sound stage is exactly the size of my head. To me, that's a pretty big downside. I love to close my eyes and sense the environment; concert hall, garage, studio, ethereal landscape...

But. Big huge giant BUT. Detail retrieval exceeds my HD800's across the spectrum. Instrument separation and clarity in complex pieces does as well. Dynamics for days.

Not a review of the IE 900. They, are very good. More a statement of awe in regards to how good the Mainline is. High impedance into HD800 is amazing. Low impedance into IE 900 is shockingly good if not for the intimacy. Shocking enough to realize the HD800 is the weak link in a system that I'd never heard bested by anything short of the HE 1. ( I've never heard Emperyan or Utopia )

Its no wonder Bottlehead has never upgraded this amp, it is magical. ( I've upgraded the amp, Mundorf Supreme Silver in Oil, whatever tube both JamieMcC and Loquah liked ... the capacitors mattered most. ).

 

[supermage]

I've never heard the Stratus but am well aware of its reputation.

Maven86 the sbaf reviewers last comment on the headfi thread was.

"I guess what I was trying to say in all my ranting is that I find my 8900 more emotionally engaging than my old stratus. It just does it in a different way."

Feel free to ask questions on the thread I linked a few posts up rather than head off topic here.

I appreciate it

 

[smodtactical]

I am looking for a warm amp with lots of tubeyness and richness. I got a BH Crack coming but any other amps in the BH lineup that you guys think I should be looking at? Hopefully will be modding down the road as well. This is for hd800S mainly and 650 + atticus.

 

[Lickumms]

I am looking for a warm amp with lots of tubeyness and richness. I got a BH Crack coming but any other amps in the BH lineup that you guys think I should be looking at? Hopefully will be modding down the road as well. This is for hs800S mainly and 650 + atticus.

The Crack is pretty much the most tubey sound amp they have. The Mainline preforms like a Solid state with some tube flavor, not nearly as much tubeyness as the Crack.

 

[RestoredSparda]

The Crack is pretty much the most tubey sound amp they have. The Mainline preforms like a Solid state with some tube flavor, not nearly as much tubeyness as the Crack.

THIS

Also, if you are into lots of warmth and "tube sound" then I would steer clear of the Speedball upgrade for your crack, and instead invest in warm caps and tubes. The Speedball improves resolution and clarity, but you will lose a bunch of that warmth you are after.

 

[JamieMcC]

Yep non speedball Crack with 3x30uf Russian paper in oil mgbo as output caps is rather nice imho something that's pretty inexpensive to try add a teflon or for increased top end sparkle and definition or a K75 bypass for a juicy more saturated midrange texture and tone.

Preferred this to the spendy Mundorf output caps fwiw.

 

[smodtactical]

Ok sounds good.

Dna is always regarded as warm and wet sounding. I wonder if a modded bottlehead amp could produce similar tone... like maybe a modded stereomour.

 

[larcenasb]

I agree with those above. Here are the four things I'd recommend to get a more tubey sound (in order of importance):

1) Leave out the Speedball upgrade.
2) Get an old-stock U.S. RCA 6AS7G (the 6080 in comparison sounds drier and more closed in).
3) Get a 6SN7-to-12AU7 6.3V adapter along with an old-stock U.S. 6SN7GT (much more even tone with fatter mid-bass and more body to the midrange).
4) Change the electrolytic output caps to 100uF 250V film caps (Audyn Q4, Dayton, et al.)