[Nick Dangerous]

TEAM HEAD SIX PACK - ROUND TWO

It is time for the Team Head Six Pack to make its second debut. After reading the reviews it appears that the tubes rank roughly as follows:

Results of Round One:

Sylvania blackplate 2-mica 12AU7 - Quirky and unpleasant
Arcturus greyplate 2-mica 5751 - Mostly OK
G.E. greyplate 2-mica 5963 - Decent
ITT greyplate 2-mica 7025 - Excellent and dynamic
Tung Sol greyplate 2-mica 5751 - Lush (ideal with Pink Floyd)
Sylvania blackplate 3-mica 5751 - Magical

Round Two is getting bumped up in quality. The Sylvania 12AU7 and Arcturus 5751 will be exchanged for a Raytheon 12AU7 and the famous Raytheon 5751. The THSP now has some seriously excellent toobage going on inside.

The THSP will travel roughly in a circle to minimize shipping delays. Here is the tenative order for Round Two (based upon replies, physical location, posting senority, etc):

Week 1 - Jerikl in TX <- Review posted
Week 2 - Merc in TX
Week 3 - Hardhead in IL
Week 4 - Sunshine in OH
Week 5 - ICU in MA
Week 6 - AC1 in CA
Week 7 - Braillediver in WA
Final Week - Grancasa in RI

Lextek in CT... Headless again. Poor guy!

Remember to take notes during your rolling sessions, otherwise writing a quick review will be impossible. Don't forget to sign the box and post a picture of it with your gear if possible.

Have fun! I'll update this post periodically with the THSP's whereabouts.

 

[andrzejpw]

nick: I don't have an MG head yet, but I probably will soon. I'm not sure yet. WIll there be any way to sign up mid circle?

 

[eric343]

Nick- Are you going to post pics of the THSP as it stands?

 

[jerikl]

Oh wow... already? So when is the package coming my way? And please, post pics of it as it is!

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Updated. 2 channel left Team Head and Sunshine joined.

As this thread progresses, I will keep the first post updated as to the whereabouts of the THSP.

 

[sunshine]

Cool. I'll be away on vacation for a week beginning July 13. This would mean I'll have something to do on returning, easing the vacation withdrawl syndrome.

 

[kelly]

Not to crap a thread but I just wanted to interject that I think this is one of the coolest things on HeadFi.

 

[fredpb]

I think this idea is great, but would add to my high blood pressure, so I will stick with my MG Head the way it is.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly Not to crap a thread but I just wanted to interject that I think this is one of the coolest things on HeadFi.

When that ever stop you?

But I do agree this is one of the greatest thing to happen since the Headroom loaner program.
Maybe even greater since it is entirely based on trust.

Please keep us posted.
After liking what I heard at the Headroom show I might pick one of these up to play with.

 

[Born2bwire]

I would like to sign up for this, but I'm afraid I'll like another tube more than what I have (doubt given all the raves about the Sylvania Blackplate). Only thing I don't like about my current tube is that it has a noise problem in the left channel. It's getting to the point that I might just order another one. Might see if Upscale Audio have any of the Sylvanias.

 

[ICU]

Cant wait for that cometary TSP!

Nick, aside from the gain factor of 70 for the 5751, and 20 for the 12AU7, are there any physical distinctions to tell them apart from one another, and the 12AX7....

BTW, have you heard the MG Head with 12AZ7? Or the 7AX7, which has a different plate voltage.

Thanks for the Summer THSP Tour!

 

[jerikl]

Sent off the THSP today with added class... I think

Anyway, not much time as always so I'm going to post a quick review. Hope you all can understand my non-audiophile terms

All listening from this review anyway was done with the Bjork-Debut album, tracks 3 and 5. AMC CD8b -> ASL MG Head OTL with JJ EL84's -> Sennheiser HD600's with stock cable.

--Tung-Sol 5751--
Bass is full, not too tight, but not loose either. Sounded great with what I was listening too. Bjork's voice comes above the other instruments which I liked. Instruments mesh together extremely well... very musical tube. There is a harp in track 5... plucks are well defined, but in a more... angelic way I guess you could say. Not so sure about how it handles dynamic passages... should have listened to some orchestral music.

--ITT 7025--
Sounded a lot drier than the Tung-Sol if that makes any sense. I felt that the lower octaves could get a bit muddy at times, and didn't like this. Felt that Bjork's voice was a little harsh sometimes, but it was very subtle. Instruments do not mesh together as well as the Tung-Sol. The definition to the plucks of the harp was just not there... to the point of pissing me off. On the other hand, Bjork's voice was really nice with the harp and came out on top which I enjoyed. Instruments just do not gel together though.

--Raytheon 5751--
Nice and accurate. Fair to all instruments throughout the registers. Bass is nice, midrange is nice, highs are nice. I didn't find anything exciting about this tube, but I also didn't find it to be dull. I think my current production Sovtek 5751 is pretty close to this tube in some ways. The harp plucks in track 5 are very well defined. I'd just say that the tube is "nice." I bet this tube would perform well with all types of music.

--GE 5963--
Hmm... soft sound. Bass and highs were fine but the midrange sounds recessed. Bjork's voice seemed to be hiding behind the other instruments which I did not like. Wide dynamics? No. The tube just sounded soft all the time... and no, it wasn't the volume level. I noticed the same things with my GE 5751 tube, except that I feel that the 5751 is a bit smoother than the 5963. The harp plucks are well defined here as well, but not as much so as the Raytheon 5751.

--Raytheon 12AU7--
Ahhh, the sweetness! Have you ever just downed some honey? This tube is what that's like! That's why I wrote "honeylike" on the THSP box. Vocals are incredible with this tube. Bass is nice in my opinion, but bass lovers will definitely not like this tube.
Handled the dynamic passage in track 5 with ease. Harp plucks were not as well defined as some of the others, but it was forgivable because the harp notes just flowed together so well. Very very musical tube!

--Sylvania 5751--
Now I really see why so many people like this tube! All registers are well played throughout. That resonance after the cymbals are hit lasts longer than any other tube. Plus, the attack is there as well. This tube just takes everything and does it well. Didn't feel that the midrange was as lush as the 12AU7. Very dynamic tube. Handles dynamic passages well also.

My ratings...
1) Raytheon 12AU7--honeylike, vocals are just toooo sweet not to get #1 IMO
2) Sylvania 5751--excellent tube! for all the reasons stated over and over before.
3) Tung-Sol 5751--another lush tube... I guess I just enjoy the thick sound.
4) Raytheon 5751--another great tube, nice and accurate.
5) GE 5963--it was decent... better than some others I've heard
6) ITT 7025--the harp definition is just unforgivable I guess.

hope this helps! If everyone had a Raytheon 12AU7, Sylvania 5751, and Raytheon 5751, they'd be set! Maybe a Tung-Sol 5751 too!

 

[lextek]

I just ordred the "new" version of the MG Head OTL from Tash. Count me in, again.

 

[jerikl]

lextek, you crazy!

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Hey merc! Please check in and let us know how you are doing with the THSP and that it arrived OK.