[zardon]

Nothing in that email claims using 4 completely different tubes from different manufacturers at the same time is perfectly fine.
 
He is basically saying that it is impossible to get four perfectly matched tubes even in the same family. Which is correct, and thats why we have self biasing. Its not there to match four different tubes from four different manufacturers, all running in the same amplifier at the same time (in either power or driver positions). otherwise there is no point hunting out old NOS tubes. we could use mixtures of anything.
 
if anyone is willing to use mullard, amperex, GEC and Tung Sol in the same amplifier in the same power or driver positions at the same time, let me know how it goes (or sounds).

 

[cacatalysis]

Nobody ever said people from Leben told me "4 completely different tubes from different manufacturers at the same time is perfectly fine".   
 
I said (not people from Leben) it because I heard this from "tubenews", who sold me his Leben.  I trust his ears for a good reason (see below).  I have NOS EL84s from amperrex, mullard and sylvania the manufactures.  I should give a try of mixing them in Leben just for my own curiosity.  By the way, following the suggestions by "tubenews", I asked Jim Nicholls to mod a magnavox console to build a head/speak amp.  My reaction is similar to "tubenews" in that I pretty much stopped lsitening to Leben as a headamp since I received my amp from Jim two weeks agao.  Before I put the Leben up for sale, I would like to listen to speakers and compared the two. 
 
I will let you know what I hear from using different EL84s in Leben.  However, what I will report is to my ears, and also please remember I have made the statement that it is OK to use different EL84s in Leben without doing it.  As you know human being can go very far in denfending their statement. 

 

[zardon]

Quote:

I will let you know what I hear from using different EL84s in Leben.  However, what I will report is to my ears, and also please remember I have made the statement that it is OK to use different EL84s in Leben without doing it.  As you know human being can go very far in denfending their statement. 

I honestly wasn't attacking you earlier, I just thought you had said that someone in Leben had confirmed it was ok to mix manufacturer tubes in the same power/driver positions. Having used balanced amplifiers for most of the last ten years, I know that mixing say Tung Sol or Amperex with Mullard would cause huge sound discrepancies between left and right channels.
 
I know the Leben CS300X isn't balanced but i dont think it would be a good idea. let me know if you try it !

 

[cacatalysis]

Take it easy.  We are talking about headphone and headphone amp for fun. 
 
I had CBS 7729/amperex EL84 d-getters in my Leben.  I just replaced the amperex EL 84 in position four (1,2,3,4 from left to right) with a sylvania 6BQ5 and the amperex in position two with a mullard EL84, so the four EL84 are Amperex, Mullard, Amperex, Sylvania.  I am listening to a violin concerto now.  Compared to the all amperex EL84 set up, the sound is a little warmer but a little fuzzier, a different sound but enjoyable to my ears.  Nothing wrong so far.
 
One time I bought a pair of amperex 12ax7 from a guitar amp guy.  I walked into his apartment and saw this amp with a telefunken 12ax7, a mullard 12ax7, an RCA 12ax7 and a sylvania 12ax7.  I was very surprised to see that, so he explained to me the guitar amp guys/gals do that all the time.  
 
As I type this, the sound of the violin is getting fuller as the amp warming up.  "Fuzzier" becomes a little more musical.  I hope no horrible thing will happen when I replace the amperex EL84 in third position with a modern EH tube.         
 

 

[zardon]

Quote:

One time I bought a pair of amperex 12ax7 from a guitar amp guy.  I walked into his apartment and saw this amp with a telefunken 12ax7, a mullard 12ax7, an RCA 12ax7 and a sylvania 12ax7.  I was very surprised to see that, so he explained to me the guitar amp guys/gals do that all the time.  
 

Yeah, i used to visit a local music shop regularly and if one tube failed on an amp, they would replace it without swapping out the others at the same time, didnt matter on the make.
 
Its very different however as a guitar only reproduces a certain range (and forced distortion can be a bonus depending on the settings). Listening to a full orchestral work on a headphone amplifier is a little different than a gibson les paul via a guitar amp.
 
still its very interesting you say its different, but not 'bad' on the leben. keep me posted.

 

[cacatalysis]

I am listening now with Amperex, Mullard, EH and Sylvania EL84.  Nothing is wrong, channel balance, tonality, image, detail etc.  Once again, a different sound but enjoyable.
 
By the way, I never said "not bad", I said "a different sound but enjoyable to my ears.  Nothing wrong so far."  
 
Give it a try yourself and let us know what you hear. 
 

 

[zardon]

I mixed a few tubes just for the hell of it. Mullard with amperex. One in each left slot then one of each in the right slots.

Actually hard to tell the difference when compared to listening to four of each el84 in a quad.... although im not sure id be happy leaving it like that

 

[cacatalysis]

I do not think there is any disagreement between our experience.  I also feel a little bit uneasy about leaving it that way forever.   I think that is just because I do not know the electronic side of things well enough to feel safe. 

 

[hcciv003]

Thanks for all great information.
For my amp, it seems piano sounds can tell the differences than string sounds when use different tubes.