[cfcubed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikzen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Switched to the Grado HF-1s and this is a much better match. It fills out the bottom end nicely, with some punch and the highs sound good, if a bit grainy. This tube is a much better match for Grados. Edit: After a couple of hours, the tube sounds a bit more open. Bass is a little tighter. Highs are a bit more extended and the soundstage is much more tube-like.

Yep, IMO need to give tubes 1/2 hr at least to come into their own... E.g. I don't make judgments about them in their 1st 1/2hr.

Just a heads-up - really liking a pretty cheap miniwatt 7v tube @ 6.3v w/HF-2s. Very good match-up for me.

Note though that just got 2 of those 7dj8s yesterday & 1 has a bad right channel... Will be seeing about a replacement for it.
Update: Seller said he'd send a replacement right out to me free & to toss the bad one, looks good.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfcubed /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep, IMO need to give tubes 1/2 hr at least to come into their own... E.g. I don't make judgments about them in their 1st 1/2hr.

Seemed like it took more like 2 hours for the tube to "settle in". If this tube is really NOS it may need a few more hours to come into its own. I am assuming there must be at least a few hours of 'break in" time for a new tube.

I still think the Amperex 8416 PQ is a superior tube with a similar sound but for $10 I think this tube is a good deal.

 

[Ynis Avalach]

Did anyone who's using a 6H30P replaced more than just L1H, L2H and the trafo, maybe heatsinking ICP and ICH? Is it necessary or advised to replace D1H-D4H, since they're 1A devices? C4 are higher voltage types already.
Greetz and thanks for any help!

 

[Forte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ynis Avalach /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did anyone who's using a 6H30P replaced more than just L1H, L2H and the trafo, maybe heatsinking ICP and ICH? Is it necessary or advised to replace D1H-D4H, since they're 1A devices? C4 are higher voltage types already. Greetz and thanks for any help!

ICP is recommended to be heatsinked on all builds and ICH would probably benefit from a heatsink if changing L1H & L2H also, finding a heatsink that will fit the ICH may be difficult, there is not a lot of room back there.

The only other changes I can remember were raising C3H to 470uf and C1H/C2H to 180/220uf but these were only if the changes to L1H/L2H introduced any noise into the amp, otherwise not needed, also hard to find parts in these ratings that will fit.

 

[Ynis Avalach]

Yeah I'll see how bigger tubes will handle. For now I exchanged L1H, L2H and ICP is heatsinked. C3H is 330µ for me atm, I'll see what happens when the 6H30 arrives.
Thank you!

 

[cfcubed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trapper32 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tried quite a number of different tubes but definitely prefer one head and shoulders over the rest ... 6gu7 Raytheon ...the Japanese version... The sound is detailed yet eurphoric, wide soundstage...very addictive. Prefer it to the second place RCA 6cg7 clear top

As a couple here have lauded Raytheon 6GU7s, little heads-up on a NOS one < $10 shipped.
I really need to stop buying tubes, right after buying that one

 

[Ynis Avalach]

Now that's the sound I was searching!

Really nice tube, probably the best I bought so far, will have to listen more though. Even nicer and much more power over my HD595s. Really gets them jumpin'.
Greetz Ava
puuuh, but I just meassured, both ICH and the tube get up to almost 70°C, with an ambient of around 23°C. So I have to get a heatsink for ICH, quick.

 

[Ynis Avalach]

mmm...still rising, now at 78°C for the tube and 73°C for ICH, to what temperatures are you're 6H30 rising? Smeggy?

 

[erikzen]

Thanks to Chris I picked up a Siemens "chrome plate" ECC 82. I can see why people like this tube. It has a nice high end extension but it's very smooth. It also has a very wide soundstage.

Any way to tell the date on these things?

Was curious because it says "Made in Germany". After WWII and before the fall of the Berlin Wall, were things made in "West Germany" just labeled "Germany"? I think West Germany was just a name we used here to distinguish between East and West Germany.

 

[mugdecoffee]

So snagged the Raytheon 6GU7 that was linked to above and have honestly not been too impressed. It's pretty laid back and seems not too lively. There doesn't seem to be much "air" in the upper registers though it does have a pretty decent soundstage. I find the bass especially lacking. Overall just flat and uninteresting. It's a NOS tube and its only been running for a few hours so I'll give it some more time.

The 6N1P I've been using though sounds excellent with my HF2s. Though at first it seemed a little sluggish, I've either grown into it or its improved. The bass is fantastic: plenty of it and all around. It's more forward sounding than the 6GU7 and with not as good soundstage or instrument separation but everything sounds much more alive. Definitely a fun tube and perfect for lower volume listening with the solid bass. I've had these for a while but I remember them being only a couple dollars each.

 

[Trapper32]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mugdecoffee /img/forum/go_quote.gif So snagged the Raytheon 6GU7 that was linked to above and have honestly not been too impressed. It's pretty laid back and seems not too lively. There doesn't seem to be much "air" in the upper registers though it does have a pretty decent soundstage. I find the bass especially lacking. Overall just flat and uninteresting. It's a NOS tube and its only been running for a few hours so I'll give it some more time. The 6N1P I've been using though sounds excellent with my HF2s. Though at first it seemed a little sluggish, I've either grown into it or its improved. The bass is fantastic: plenty of it and all around. It's more forward sounding than the 6GU7 and with not as good soundstage or instrument separation but everything sounds much more alive. Definitely a fun tube and perfect for lower volume listening with the solid bass. I've had these for a while but I remember them being only a couple dollars each.

That pic on eBay isn't that great but it doesn't look like the tubes I was referring to. Was it made in Japan or US if you know....The plates on mine are only half the height of the tube and are made in Japan. I snagged a 7730 on eBay and while its a nice tube, i think the 6GU7 is better.

 

[mugdecoffee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trapper32 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That pic on eBay isn't that great but it doesn't look like the tubes I was referring to. Was it made in Japan or US if you know....The plates on mine are only half the height of the tube and are made in Japan. I snagged a 7730 on eBay and while its a nice tube, i think the 6GU7 is better.

The ebay picture is a bit misleading. The one I have was also made in Japan and its plates are as you described. Perhaps they just aren't a good match with grados or it could be personal taste. I'll try the tube again in a few days and see if it grows on me.

 

[stringgz301]

Some earlier posts in this thread had positive reviews of the Tungsram ECC82. I just picked one up from Skylab and I've got to say it sounds spectacular with my 325is's. I'd been using a CBS 7730 which sounded very good, especially for guitars, but as I A/B'ed the CTH+7730 against the Audiotailor Jade I just got from Skylab (and will be reviewing separately), I felt the CTH just didn't have the firm bass and overall sense of controlled power I was hearing in the Jade. Enter the Tungsram. The expression "fist in a velvet glove" comes to mind. Very musical yet powerful at the same time, without any harshness. All the instruments are very well-defined and clearly positioned. Everything from The Mountaingoats to Kings of Leon is getting a re-listen and I keep finding myself with my eyes closed and a smile on my face. This is a keeper.

 

[TimJo]

I love reading how folks keep finding good matches between a particular tube and a particular model of headphone. That's one of the great features about rolling tubes on the CTH, in that with patience, you can find really good combination's which compliment the audio signature of a given set of headphones. Based on my experience, you can even find tubes well suited for particular styles of music as well, be it rock, acoustic, jazz, etc... This is certainly one of the funnest amps to play around with.

 

[mugdecoffee]

I've been meaning to build a balanced amp and have been thinking about adding a second CTH board to my current one to balance everything but this really ruins a lot of the CTH magic, being the small size, low cost, and ability to roll a single tube. Espsecially balanced volume controls seem pricey. Instead, would it be possible to duplicated the diamond buffers but make them inverting to form the negative outputs? This would avoid most of the downsides to a full balanced amp while still getting the balanced output. The buffers look simple enough to knock out on protoboard if the could be inverting.