Yes it's just a little bit bigger glass bottle. Fits perfectly under the cage.
Cayin HA-3A, a Compact 6V6s Transformer-coupled Tube Amplifier
- Thread starter Andykong
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Excellent, I saw from an earlier post of yours that you have quite a few 6V6s to try out. I don't suppose you were planning on doing a shootout? Looking at what you have I assume you got them a from Langrex as it looks like almost a pair of every 6V6 they sell
.Yes you got me there. For the prices I can't resist.Excellent, I saw from an earlier post of yours that you have quite a few 6V6s to try out. I don't suppose you were planning on doing a shootout? Looking at what you have I assume you got them a from Langrex as it looks like almost a pair of every 6V6 they sell
Making a shootout for Cayin tubes is a little bit more difficult than for my Euphoria as due to the transformer coupled nature (I guess) of the Cayin you don't hear changes in resolution and staging. So tubes really only color the sound of the amp and it's harder to find real synergistic combination as the technical synergy is missing. That makes it even more subjective as describing sound already is.
I have quite a lot 12au7 and 6v6 already, so it will take a lot of time until I will find the best combinations for my taste.
12au7 seem to have more impact. 6v6 sound is more subtle than I am used to for power tubes on my Euphoria.
This overview is helpful.
I don't always have the same vintage. My 80s Mullard boxed plates sound amazing in the Cayin. So I wouldn't worry about the vintage here.
Construction is more important. I have 4 pairs of RCA 12au7 with different plate structure and they all sound different.
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Interesting. For me the power tubes make a pretty noticeable difference in sound. Especially on my Final D8000 - a bit less so on my Atrium and VC. I've tried the JJ 6v6s, Sylvania 6v6g, Mazda 6v6gt and Fivre 6v6g. My favorites for now are the Sylvania and the Fivre. Biggest surprise for me was that the Mazda don't really keep up with the resolution and space the other two can provide - but gonna give them another try soon. And with the JJ I was even questioning if I was gonna keep the amp or not.Yes you got me there. For the prices I can't resist.
Making a shootout for Cayin tubes is a little bit more difficult than for my Euphoria as due to the transformer coupled nature (I guess) of the Cayin you don't hear changes in resolution and staging. So tubes really only color the sound of the amp and it's harder to find real synergistic combination as the technical synergy is missing. That makes it even more subjective as describing sound already is.
I have quite a lot 12au7 and 6v6 already, so it will take a lot of time until I will find the best combinations for my taste.
12au7 seem to have more impact. 6v6 sound is more subtle than I am used to for power tubes on my Euphoria.
This overview is helpful.
I don't always have the same vintage. My 80s Mullard boxed plates sound amazing in the Cayin. So I wouldn't worry about the vintage here.
Construction is more important. I have 4 pairs of RCA 12au7 with different plate structure and they all sound different.
As pre tubes I'm running Philips E181CC pinched waist and I it seems to me that only with the right power tube the magic of the pre tubes really comes forward.
As of this morning I also got official confirmation from Cayin that the HA-3A can also use E80CC tubes instead of 12AU7. That's a tube I couldn't run in an amp for now so this is going to be the next tube I'm gonna try to get hold of.
Louisiana
500+ Head-Fier
Ok, so that is interesting!
I looked at the data sheets, the values are actually almost the same.
https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/093/1/12AU7A.pdf
https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/030/e/E80CC.pdf
But still wouldn't be bad if @Cayin would write something about it
Ok, so that is interesting!
I looked at the data sheets, the values are actually almost the same.
https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/093/1/12AU7A.pdf
https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/030/e/E80CC.pdf
But still wouldn't be bad if @Cayin would write something about it
Morning all, wondering what steps can be taken to lower the noise before investing in the items Zach mentioned.
This is my first tube amp and I went into it know it may not be dead silent and certainly not as quiet as my SS. Just looking for some guidance.
The noise I'm experiencing is what I believe is "typical" noise floor noise (pink noise like) at 0 volume with no music playing and increasing the volume knob does not increase it. I do hear a new noise introduced around 3 oclock, but I can barely get my dial above 8 o'clock before the music is too loud (on 6.3 and XLR).
I've seen several members suggest start with the small things:
The outlets all have 0 paint on them.
I'm renting currently so can't do any electrical work.
Tested various DACs and outlets with both worlds best cables RCA and XLR inputs.
The manual said always keep the source connected as to not damage the transformers? so not sure how to isolate between dirty power outlet or dirty signal chain.
The noise is only an issue for quiet passages, all other times it's drowned out.
Everything is connected to a single powerstrip (furman) and I've tried 2 other no name strips I have laying around.
A 4.4mm adapter is en route to determine if that brings it to an acceptable level.
Still less than 50 hours so burning everything in.
Only have 6xx and VC to test (present on both; more prominent on VC on 6.3; no XLR for 6xx to test; no 4.4 for either). Noise is worse as switched to XLR out for VC.
1) is this typically referred to as the noise floor?
2) any links to the power cable upgrades that have worked in the past?
3) any other steps to take before investing in items mentioned by Zach?
4) I tried searching this forum and seems there used to be a "new to tubes" sticky but seems to have disappeared, any helpful links for getting started?
Thanks in advance and feel free to shoot me a pm as this is more tube maintenance than ha3a specific (I think?)
This is my first tube amp and I went into it know it may not be dead silent and certainly not as quiet as my SS. Just looking for some guidance.
The noise I'm experiencing is what I believe is "typical" noise floor noise (pink noise like) at 0 volume with no music playing and increasing the volume knob does not increase it. I do hear a new noise introduced around 3 oclock, but I can barely get my dial above 8 o'clock before the music is too loud (on 6.3 and XLR).
I've seen several members suggest start with the small things:
The outlets all have 0 paint on them.
I'm renting currently so can't do any electrical work.
Tested various DACs and outlets with both worlds best cables RCA and XLR inputs.
The manual said always keep the source connected as to not damage the transformers? so not sure how to isolate between dirty power outlet or dirty signal chain.
The noise is only an issue for quiet passages, all other times it's drowned out.
Everything is connected to a single powerstrip (furman) and I've tried 2 other no name strips I have laying around.
A 4.4mm adapter is en route to determine if that brings it to an acceptable level.
Still less than 50 hours so burning everything in.
Only have 6xx and VC to test (present on both; more prominent on VC on 6.3; no XLR for 6xx to test; no 4.4 for either). Noise is worse as switched to XLR out for VC.
1) is this typically referred to as the noise floor?
2) any links to the power cable upgrades that have worked in the past?
3) any other steps to take before investing in items mentioned by Zach?
4) I tried searching this forum and seems there used to be a "new to tubes" sticky but seems to have disappeared, any helpful links for getting started?
Thanks in advance and feel free to shoot me a pm as this is more tube maintenance than ha3a specific (I think?)
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It would be really great to get an official compatible tube list from @Cayin that expands upon the original table from when the amp launched.
I only have ZMF headphones to listen, useally with warmer pads on them. Maybe a planar headphone will react differently? I guess next year I will know how the Caldera sounds on the Cayin.
No problems with the Mazda 6v6gt. Amazing neutral crisp sound, great availability, sounds european like ecc82. Lovely combination with CBS Black plates, Sylvania black plates, Mullard boxed plates, Brimar long plates. Ideally I combine a warmer tube with a more neutral tube.
I hear absolutely no technical differences when changing tubes.
Good thing all tubes sound good on the same level, even if you buy a very cheap pair of GE or Sylvania but a super expensive Mullard long Plate is not worth the price when used in the Cayin.
For the noise problem I spotted the stationary phone next to the Cayin amp. I unplugged it and the hum is gone. Well some 12au7 do hiss a little from time to time. Burn in might help but I switch tubes quite a lot, so no chance hehe.
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Comparison Video is Live:
ctaxxxx
1000+ Head-Fier
Glad you mentioned this, was going to order the Fivre 6v6G after seeing the new video. I hope to keep using the cage without having to extend it (unless absolutely necessary).Does anybody know the difference (if there is one) between the Fivre 6V6G (Coke Bottle) and the smaller Fivre 6V6GT?
Thx
Edit: Just learned from a fellow headfier, no difference technically, just different shapes.
Are these good? Does it have to be matched? These are the only ones I see located in the US. - https://www.tctubes.com/Fivre-6V6GT-gray-glass-matched-pair.aspx
Update: Found in a earlier post that the HA-3A has auto-bias, so you don't need matched tubes.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cay...r-coupled-tube-amplifier.963983/post-17138081
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Been listening to this amp for a few days now. Coming from a used Feliks Euphoria OTL tube amp (non-Anniversary) - the Cayin doesn't wow me as much as that one did right out of the box. However, the HA-3A is much less noisier than the Euforia was for me. Not sure if it's the difference between OTC and OTL, or if it was the tubes... I like the different impedance and plug options though. The cage is probably my favorite lol. I've had a few accidental close calls of almost hitting the large tubes on the Euforia.
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I'm happy to report that the HA-3A runs the E80CC beautifully. I received a pair of Valvo E80CC and they are running without issues. They stage absolutely massive. The depth perception particularly is stunning. Especially with my Atrium it's a wild ride. I know it's a cliche but I've never gotten this close to feeling like you're in the room with the band.
Thank you very much for sharing your experienceI'm happy to report that the HA-3A runs the E80CC beautifully. I received a pair of Valvo E80CC and they are running without issues. They stage absolutely massive. The depth perception particularly is stunning. Especially with my Atrium it's a wild ride. I know it's a cliche but I've never gotten this close to feeling like you're in the room with the band.
I also ordered a pair of E80CCs. I have read that all the E80CC are made by Philips/Mullard in Holland. But there is a special SQ version of the Philips branded one.
I will compare them with my ECC82 Telefunkens and ECC82 Mullards (Blackburn) as soon as they arrive
I think they were either made by a Philips in Holland or in Hungary by Tungsram. I decided to try out a pair of red lettered industrial Tungsram E80CC, they have Rhodium plated pins which is nice.
