Cayin HA-3A, a Compact 6V6s Transformer-coupled Tube Amplifier

[DrDen]

I don‘t know whether these are some kind of PSVANEs. Have never tried them.
BTB call these „ECC82 Performance S4A 12AU7“ on their website.
All i can say is that the sound is great.
Have tried to take a close picture.
Maybe someone can compare with their PSVANEs.

Just of curiosity, have you noticed these 5814A labeled tubes are not the same as those on the advertising picture? I supposed they are Chinese new production because of wrong lettering on Russian (audioa instead of audio) and “golden” pins.
I believe some tube experts could identify your tubes by the black plates. I’ve never heard of any 5814A new production tube.

 

[Honeypot]

10m's night

 

[Gold Fox]

I supposed they are Chinese new production because of wrong lettering on Russian (audioa instead of audio) and “golden” pins.
I believe some tube experts could identify your tubes by the black plates. I’ve never heard of any 5814A new production tube.

I was curious too, I did a quick search on Chinese search engines to see if I could dig up anything about it... and to my surprise, I found absolutely nothing.

Then I checked a few second-hand marketplaces. Normally, if something is made here in China, you’ll find at least a few units floating around, like 'factory samples', 'test batches', 'leaked Odin cable', real, counterfeit, something, anything. But with the S4A 5814A? Nothing. Not a trace.

I’m starting to doubt whether they’re actually made in China. And even if they are, it seems they were produced under a strictly complied no-leak policy and 100% exported.

10m's night

Now I really believe you’ve stored enough tubes to warm entire town.

 

[DrDen]

I was curious too, I did a quick search on Chinese search engines to see if I could dig up anything about it... and to my surprise, I found absolutely nothing.

Then I checked a few second-hand marketplaces. Normally, if something is made here in China, you’ll find at least a few units floating around, like 'factory samples', 'test batches', 'leaked Odin cable', real, counterfeit, something, anything. But with the S4A 5814A? Nothing. Not a trace.

I’m starting to doubt whether they’re actually made in China. And even if they are, it seems they were produced under a strictly complied no-leak policy and 100% exported.

Most likely these are rebranded NOS.

 

[UseThe4s]

Hi everyone,

just as an interesting fact, I'm on my third pair of Toshiba 25AX4GTs. And all three are different.

The only difference between the two Matsuda/Mazda is in the labeling, their internal structure is identical.

I have the one in the middle in my HA-3A...

 

[Sean_MR]

Hi everyone,

just as an interesting fact, I'm on my third pair of Toshiba 25AX4GTs. And all three are different.

The only difference between the two Matsuda/Mazda is in the labeling, their internal structure is identical.

Wow! Where are you finding these all?

 

[erisza]

@Sean_MR

They come directly from Japan through private import. I have 8 pieces in my collection. I would say I'll sell it to you, but it's already expensive due to shipping and EU customs, VAT, etc. Another shipment and customs to the USA would make it very expensive… That's why I recommend that you get it from Japan.
(Note: If anyone within the EU is interested, please contact me via private message.)

@Everyone

This is one of the most magical combinations for me: Toshiba 25AX4GT + Mazda 6189 silver triple mica + Bendix 5992

Beautiful high and mid range, incredible detail, good space, and very quiet. The bass isn't the best, but it's enough. Perhaps the dynamics could be better, but the charm of the highs and mids makes up for it IMO.

 

[Renexx]

I always been a fan of the early Mazda variants. Particularly because of their lowbass focus, while the rest of the FR is absolutely neutral.

Luckily I got my hands on an unobtanium pair of early 50s Mazda welded plates with bent D getter. I don't dare to make sonical comparisons yet. Been experimenting with different power supply and cables rather than tubes in the last month's.

In general an upgraded power supply seems improve the sound of HA-3A much more than a pair of tubes can. Im still shocked how much dirty power holds back the sound quality of our DACs and amplifiers. Snake oil is terrible once it becomes reality.

 

[UseThe4s]

I always been a fan of the early Mazda variants. Particularly because of their lowbass focus, while the rest of the FR is absolutely neutral.


Luckily I got my hands on an unobtanium pair of early 50s Mazda welded plates with bent D getter. I don't dare to make sonical comparisons yet. Been experimenting with different power supply and cables rather than tubes in the last month's.


In general an upgraded power supply seems improve the sound of HA-3A much more than a pair of tubes can. Im still shocked how much dirty power holds back the sound quality of our DACs and amplifiers. Snake oil is terrible once it becomes reality.

What AC filter and AC cables did you end up with...?

 

[Renexx]

What AC filter and AC cables did you end up with...?

I guess i will keep this isolating transformer: https://audes.de/audes-st-500-power-conditioner.html Power cables are not final yet.

I tested different power conditioners with similar sonical results at the same price point. Applying the power cables in phase was annoying for me. My DAC seems to sound completly different if you switch the power cord 180*. You could measure the compensating current of your devices with a Volt meter and mark your power cables accordingly. But a symmetric isolating transformer gets rid of that phase problem completely, while also removing power noise completly without any sound shaping filter needed. Plug and play.

Generally the more money you spent, the more "out of head" holographic staging capabilities you will recieve. But that can become too much aswell, the music can feel too stretched out in space. That seems to be true for power conditioners and cables. Inakusik AC4500 expands the staging and resolves more than AC3502. In the long term I didnt like that as much.
Good power cables add more micro- and macrodetails to the sound aswell. You can also shape the fundamental sound of your chain by choosing brighter, neutral or warmer power cables. If you really enjoy your chain then you can improve the performance dramatically with a clean power supply. Sadly that comes at the cost of a better amplifier. Once you heard how your system sounds without power noise, you cant unhear that veil again.

https://acrylteller.com/p/symphonic...MI3YzQl8XHjAMVkpeDBx0htwY6EAQYASABEgLRrfD_BwE
I use this interconnection cable for my Euforia OTL. This is the most uncolored interconnection copper cable i could find. It also adds a nice lowbass grunt. So with clean power supply my OTL is nimble and punches quite hard. No more typical OTL downsides at all. Euforia is so "solid state like" that its pleasant to use my DAC in NOS mode now.

 

[timbrehead]

I guess i will keep this isolating transformer: https://audes.de/audes-st-500-power-conditioner.html Power cables are not final yet.

I tested different power conditioners with similar sonical results at the same price point. Applying the power cables in phase was annoying for me. My DAC seems to sound completly different if you switch the power cord 180*. You could measure the compensating current of your devices with a Volt meter and mark your power cables accordingly. But a symmetric isolating transformer gets rid of that phase problem completely, while also removing power noise completly without any sound shaping filter needed. Plug and play.

Generally the more money you spent, the more "out of head" holographic staging capabilities you will recieve. But that can become too much aswell, the music can feel too stretched out in space. That seems to be true for power conditioners and cables. Inakusik AC4500 expands the staging and resolves more than AC3502. In the long term I didnt like that as much.
Good power cables add more micro- and macrodetails to the sound aswell. You can also shape the fundamental sound of your chain by choosing brighter, neutral or warmer power cables. If you really enjoy your chain then you can improve the performance dramatically with a clean power supply. Sadly that comes at the cost of a better amplifier. Once you heard how your system sounds without power noise, you cant unhear that veil again.

https://acrylteller.com/p/symphonic...MI3YzQl8XHjAMVkpeDBx0htwY6EAQYASABEgLRrfD_BwE
I use this interconnection cable for my Euforia OTL. This is the most uncolored interconnection copper cable i could find. It also adds a nice lowbass grunt. So with clean power supply my OTL is nimble and punches quite hard. No more typical OTL downsides at all. Euforia is so "solid state like" that its pleasant to use my DAC in NOS mode now.

I don't have time to share a lot of detail here now. I've been deeply into 2 channel audio for close to 50 years. Now lack of cash flow due to age led me into headfi a couple years ago so this experience has been gained in 2 channel and now is now benefiting headfi.

When you listen to audio, to music, what are you listening to? You are listening to the electricity that comes out of a wall socket and eventually reaches your ears (and hopefully heart) as sound waves after passing through a series of modulations provided by the components in your audio system. GIGO. The cleaner the electricity you begin with is and the closer to a pure sine wave (rather than a stepped approximation provided by cheap power conditioning gear) the "cleaner" the end product will be. Think beer: pure high quality water to begin with? Think wine: the best contaminant free grape juice to begin with?

End of short story: I am listening to a Bluetti battery back up system. It has its own onboard high quality inverter taking wall electricity and regenerating it into a completely noise free perfect analog sine wave and storing it in a battery system that I then use to supply all my electronics, audio, computer, monitor, back up drives, etc. A dealer I discussed this with summed up what I heard very nicely: It sounded so "clean" after all the fuzz I didn't know was there was gone. Improved everything, I was forced into this because I am fortunate to live in an off the grid community (I haven't seen an electricity or water bill in 12 years). But since all our electricity comes from solar and wind which generate direct current, it has to go through an inverter to change it into alternating current. We as a community can't afford really good inverters and my neighbors aren't into audio so it was up to me to solve the problem for my own house. This, over years in a series of steps, something to mitigate dirty electricity at the point of entry into the house, the Bluetti battery system with its own high quality inverter, an audiophile power conditioner and exotic costly power cords and interconnects I already had. Since then, over the last 6-7 years I have not felt the need to make many additional upgrades to my gear. Suddenly the system I had, became a much better, more satisfying system simply my changing the electricity I was feeding it. I began having trouble listining to my system because the music kept distracting me. Best audio issue I ever had.

This is already more than I intended. I could go on into more detail about the electricity itself and how it affects each of the three factors that elicit an emotional response to sound waves, music. Another time perhaps. I am sure my HA 3A, 3 months old and still with stock tubes sounds different than siimlar others simply due to the electricity I am feeding it. Now, I brace myself to leap into the tube rolling rabbit hole . . . thanks to this thread !

 

[Renexx]

Since then, over the last 6-7 years I have not felt the need to make many additional upgrades to my gear. Suddenly the system I had, became a much better, more satisfying system simply my changing the electricity I was feeding it. I began having trouble listining to my system because the music kept distracting me. Best audio issue I ever had.

Thats the same impression I have. I really do enjoy my audio devices because i chose them to synergize with my headphone collection. Trying more expensive amplifiers told me that more expensive is not always better for your personal preferences. Upgrading the power supply will push your beloved ha-3a into new heavens but keeping its unique sonical traits that you enjoy for so long already.
For example Violectric V281 vs Niimbus i found the biggest difference was the absolute black background of Niimbus. The tonal difference and synergy to my headphones was in favor of V281 for my personal taste. So I think i achieved similar technicalities but with V281s headphone synergy and relaxed tonal balance.

For everyone that feels Ha-3a is too slow, mellow or sounds fuzzy. Try a clean power supply. Different power conditioners or transformers might result in a different sonical outcome depending on your local power pollution. What works for me doesn't need to work for everyone.

 

[betula]

Different power conditioners or transformers might result in a different sonical outcome depending on your local power pollution. What works for me doesn't need to work for everyone.

Just what I was going to add.
The result of power conditioning very much depends on how 'dirty' or 'clean' the power is at someone's home. Also, some of these power cleaning/filtering tools might change the sound in an unfavorable way; reducing dynamic range or smoothing out things too much. They can be useful, but whether they are necessary and/or beneficial will very much depend on individual factors.

 

[mudguardiain]

Just what I was going to add.
The result of power conditioning very much depends on how 'dirty' or 'clean' the power is at someone's home. Also, some of these power cleaning/filtering tools might change the sound in an unfavorable way; reducing dynamic range or smoothing out things too much. They can be useful, but whether they are necessary and/or beneficial will very much depend on individual factors.

I use Puritan products, I added a dedicated earth using their ground master connected to my PSM136, definitely a good improvement. Tends to bring improvements that are difficult to achieve in other ways.

 

[erisza]

Well, all that glitters is not gold. The last combination was quite a disappointment for me: Mazda silver plate 12AU7WA + Swedish 5S2D.

On paper, this should have been great. But even though they are both among the best in their category, IMO they can't work together. The result is a clean, detailed sound that is dry and lacks life. Dynamics are also lacking. It's like I'm not even listening to a tube amplifier. Once again, it turned out that synergy is more important than individual participants…

Today I put in one of my new treasures. (I managed to get a few rarities )

The Tungsram Austria ECC82 (long welded grey plate with foil disc getter, 1959) already works well with 5S2D. Great bass and high range, good details, great dynamics and musicality. This is one of the best combinations I have found so far.

I'm still testing a bit, but the following candidate is ready: Tungsram Tilburg Holland ECC82 (black welded plate with foil disc getter)...