[mariposastar]

I don't have another available tube and I tried rocking and re-seating the tube while listening at a low volume as well as poking the components. Unfortunately the unit just seems to be noisy. I bought it off of Amazon, so returning should be easy. I'll order another one when I get the refund. Thanks for all the help! I'll post back here when I get the new unit.

 

[AJNoMaestro]

Sorry for the ancient thread revival here, but:

I just got a V3 Bravo as my first tube amp, and am very disappointed. It does NOT sound “warm and tube-y” at all to me. It actually sounds the opposite - cold, bright, and harsh. Totally lacking in bass. I normally listen with a Schiit Fulla 2, and the difference between the two is night and day. For reference, I cannot tell a difference between the sound of the Fulla 2 and anything else I can plug headphones into, computers, receivers, iPhones, iPads... all sound pretty much the same to the Fulla 2 to me. But plug the phones into this tube amp and “oh, ick....” it’s immediately obvious how cold and harsh it sounds.

It does have the right tube installed (EH 6922) that it’s supposed to come with. And I purchased from a very popular online place *cough* so I am able to return it. But I don’t want to, as I got it to “play around with” as I enjoy soldering and such.

IS this a typical “first tube amp” impression to have? Or did I get a bonked amp? It otherwise does sound very clear and undistorted - Actually with some types of music I actually love the sound quality it produces - things like voices, pianos, more instrumental music all sound pretty great TBH, but it clearly has some sort of strong bias towards mid-high range for some reason. (And this by the way is with the 3 band EQ zero’d out, all 3 at the top.)

 

[mateusfig]

Sorry for the ancient thread revival here, but:

I just got a V3 Bravo as my first tube amp, and am very disappointed. It does NOT sound “warm and tube-y” at all to me. It actually sounds the opposite - cold, bright, and harsh. Totally lacking in bass. I normally listen with a Schiit Fulla 2, and the difference between the two is night and day. For reference, I cannot tell a difference between the sound of the Fulla 2 and anything else I can plug headphones into, computers, receivers, iPhones, iPads... all sound pretty much the same to the Fulla 2 to me. But plug the phones into this tube amp and “oh, ick....” it’s immediately obvious how cold and harsh it sounds.

It does have the right tube installed (EH 6922) that it’s supposed to come with. And I purchased from a very popular online place *cough* so I am able to return it. But I don’t want to, as I got it to “play around with” as I enjoy soldering and such.

IS this a typical “first tube amp” impression to have? Or did I get a bonked amp? It otherwise does sound very clear and undistorted - Actually with some types of music I actually love the sound quality it produces - things like voices, pianos, more instrumental music all sound pretty great TBH, but it clearly has some sort of strong bias towards mid-high range for some reason. (And this by the way is with the 3 band EQ zero’d out, all 3 at the top.)

I got same impression about this amp. I sold it because I was not happy wiht it.

 

[AJNoMaestro]

Ok thanks. I've read such good things about this little amp as an intro into "that warm tube sound" that I wanted to try it. I am just surprised at how much different it does sound, and that it doesn't sound "warm" at all. It also has a pretty decent "hiss" in the left channel but I suspect that is either from the power supply or just this particular tube. (I've ruled out interference and it does it even without any input or volume.)

 

[AJNoMaestro]

Forget everything I just said...

Following Didhefocus' first post in this thread (bypassing the EQ) I am please to report: I have discovered "that tube sound." Holy... WOW!!!
(Forgive me while I finish this eargasm...)

The EQ on this thing really does destroy the sound quality. I didn't think it would make that big of a difference, but it does. On mine it makes things very cold and lacking any warmth what so ever. No matter how I adjust it. I only soldered a temporary solution just to try it, as I didn't have any faith it would do anything. I will be making this permanent tomorrow. It's truly a "slap you in the face" difference. It was obvious as soon as I hit play. Comparing to my Fulla 2, it is now MUCH warmer and pleasing. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to go back now... lol

As for the "hiss" in the left channel, that was simply the voltage biasing which I adjusted while I was at it. It is now clean and noise free.

 

[Dongulus]

Hello. I'm dredging up this thread because I have some ideas for mods for this amp and I wanted to perform some experiments to determine how these mods affect the performance. I started with replacing the input and output caps. I measured the frequency response without first without mods to get a baseline, then with the input capacitors replaced, then with the output capacitors also replaced. The 1uF input capacitors were replaced with 3.3uF electrolytic and the output 1000uF caps were replaced with 4700uF electrolytic. My results were unexpected. In my first frequency response measurement I noticed a significant drop in the bass. I assumed this was DC blocking caps in the signal chain were reducing the bass frequencies and that replacing them with higher values would restore those frequencies. However my frequency response measurements were marginally better after I made those mods:

It didn't take much investigation to come to the conclusion that the issue was, as many have already suspected, the EQ circuit. I threw the circuit into simulation and found that it confirmed my findings. This is the frequency response for all of the EQ positions in the center:

Here are the simulated frequency response curves for varying the Bass slider:

Here are the simulated frequency response curves for varying the Mid slider:

Here are the simulated frequency response curves for varying the High slider:

These response curves look terrible. Besides the drop in the bass with the EQ sliders set to the center, it's clear that moving the slider for any of the EQ bands affects the other two.

I would prefer to keep the EQ functionality intact, but I spent some time in the simulation trying to find a way to fix it but at this point that goal seems hopeless.
As others have pointed out, the best solution is to bypass the EQ. I absolutely recommend this as the most important mod to the V3. For those who don't want to or don't have the means to to this mod, based on my simulation, these positions give the flattest response across the band:
Bass: 100% (max)
Mid: 60%
High: 50% (center)

 

[Detectit]

I received my Bravo V1 and it's a great little amp.

I ordered directly the Mosfets.... And it's indeed an improvement in the highs.

What I came across. With the original Mosfets. It took a time to shut off the blue led when the power was off..... Now with the mosfer Mod it's almost suddenly...

That's normal behavior?