Cayin HA-6A Class A KT88/EL34 Tube Headphone Amplifier
Mar 20, 2022 at 8:37 PM Post #991 of 1,931
Hi everyone. I’ve been trying to decide between the Felike Euforia and the Cayin, and I think I’ve made up my mind!

Can I check what are the recommended tubes to get for my 800S? I don’t mind rolling a couple of tubes to find my preferred sound. But not blindly buying every single tube out there either 😅

Also, has anyone ventured to try the IE900 out of the HA-6A?
 
Mar 21, 2022 at 8:33 AM Post #992 of 1,931
So after I decided not to sell the amp and understand how it works such beast with such headphones as the D8000 Pro, I am really enjoying this HA-6A and stopped using the Kinki THR-1

I have tried different rectifier, preamp and power valves and I think the stock valves are amazing pairing for D8000 Pro, got new EH 12au7 and there's no hiss anymore, there's a very very low hum that I can only notice if I focus on it

The Psvane KT88 MK2 gives a really accurate and tight sound but they remind me of SS too much while GL KT88 with EH 12au7 gives that very slight tubey sound and a bit of warm that really enhances the missing bass from D8000 Pro making it extremely enjoyable where everything sounds incredibly amazing

I also tried RCA Radiotron 12au7 and they give a very big soundstage bringing the midrange back while having a very controlled bass and kind of bright treble

For 22de4 rectifier I tried Sicte Pavia but I can't find much difference with the RCA, I guess these valves have a job that won't make music sound different at all

I have 2 Ruby KT88 incoming to compare with the GL's but so far, I think stock valves with this amp are already an amazing set and you pretty much don't need to buy more valves, only replacements, unless you go for NOS

Hi everyone. I’ve been trying to decide between the Felike Euforia and the Cayin, and I think I’ve made up my mind!

Can I check what are the recommended tubes to get for my 800S? I don’t mind rolling a couple of tubes to find my preferred sound. But not blindly buying every single tube out there either 😅

Also, has anyone ventured to try the IE900 out of the HA-6A?
I had the Elise and I would always choose the HA-6A

Edit: Question for tube amp experts, when I was trying to find what could make the hum I removed the 12au7 valves like Midfi Guy did and the hum was present without them, I guess it is just the output power with my sensitive HP, my connection is RCA+SE low impedance
 
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Mar 21, 2022 at 9:27 AM Post #993 of 1,931
I've placed my order for the HA-6A~ long waiting list though and expected to only receive it end-June~ Going to be a very slow couple of months!
 
Mar 24, 2022 at 2:10 PM Post #994 of 1,931
Hi everyone. I’ve been trying to decide between the Felike Euforia and the Cayin, and I think I’ve made up my mind!

Can I check what are the recommended tubes to get for my 800S? I don’t mind rolling a couple of tubes to find my preferred sound. But not blindly buying every single tube out there either 😅

Also, has anyone ventured to try the IE900 out of the HA-6A?
I had both at home for a while. The Euforia sounds a lot more like a solid state amp, but without harsh edges. The soundstage is much bigger in both width and height, and the background is definitely quieter. It’s probably more dynamic, too.

The Cayin is way more versatile, and can either sound thick and syrupy or clean like the Euforia, depending on tube rolling. I kept the Cayin because I like being able to switch sound profiles.
 
Mar 24, 2022 at 3:49 PM Post #995 of 1,931
I had both at home for a while. The Euforia sounds a lot more like a solid state amp, but without harsh edges. The soundstage is much bigger in both width and height, and the background is definitely quieter. It’s probably more dynamic, too.

The Cayin is way more versatile, and can either sound thick and syrupy or clean like the Euforia, depending on tube rolling. I kept the Cayin because I like being able to switch sound profiles.
Indeed HA6a is a supremely tweakable amp, which also is the main reason I enjoy it :)
 
Apr 8, 2022 at 1:38 PM Post #997 of 1,931
May 7, 2022 at 1:32 PM Post #999 of 1,931
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 8, 2022 at 1:34 PM Post #1,000 of 1,931
Just a straight up appreciation post. I'm recently running EL34s with TC and Susvara a lot, and I don't know if it's my maturity, listening at lower levels and taking out some of the bass, or system burnin, or both, but the level of performance I'm getting is through the roof. Both TC and Susvara sound absolutely spectacular. Bass weight (no bloat), midrange clarity and detail and smooth detailed air with big images. Awesome, I'm falling in love with HA6a all over again.
 
May 8, 2022 at 1:35 PM Post #1,001 of 1,931
Completely separate post, anyone has any experience with Mullard 12au7? Also anyone tried 12at7 or 12ax7 of any description?
 
May 8, 2022 at 1:57 PM Post #1,002 of 1,931
Also anyone tried 12at7 or 12ax7 of any description?
if your thinking of running those in the HA-6A, drop the idea, they require more plate current and have much higher gain than AU7, AT7 has 3 times AX7 has 5 times, gain aside the amp wont have the plate current to power them and the bias will be radically different.

anyone has any experience with Mullard 12au7?
given the very high price of these tubes today, no im rolling my way through a variety of other cheaper tubes before I put down that type of cash, its not exact as they will be different amps but you can check online what people say about them in general outside of the HA-6A.
 
May 8, 2022 at 1:59 PM Post #1,003 of 1,931
Just a straight up appreciation post. I'm recently running EL34s with TC and Susvara a lot, and I don't know if it's my maturity, listening at lower levels and taking out some of the bass, or system burnin, or both, but the level of performance I'm getting is through the roof. Both TC and Susvara sound absolutely spectacular. Bass weight (no bloat), midrange clarity and detail and smooth detailed air with big images. Awesome, I'm falling in love with HA6a all over again.

Interesting, I tried Susvara with EL34 on HA-6A and prefer the KT88 presentation, I didn't look at it from your perspective, especially on the low-level part. I am a loud listener. I must try the Susvara and EL34 In low-level again. Thanks for the sharing. :beerchug:
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 8, 2022 at 2:08 PM Post #1,004 of 1,931
if your thinking of running those in the HA-6A, drop the idea, they require more plate current and have much higher gain than AU7, AT7 has 3 times AX7 has 5 times, gain aside the amp wont have the plate current to power them and the bias will be radically different.


given the very high price of these tubes today, no im rolling my way through a variety of other cheaper tubes before I put down that type of cash, its not exact as they will be different amps but you can check online what people say about them in general outside of the HA-6A.
You can still import a pair from US or UK for relatively affordable price, but they are going up and its harder to find nowadays. Which 12au7s would you recommend and why? Stocks are good, can't complain, but want to see whats possible in terms of SQ.
 
May 8, 2022 at 2:13 PM Post #1,005 of 1,931
You can still import a pair from US or UK for relatively affordable price,
could you show me a example of this please, could be something I missed myself

Which 12au7s would you recommend and why?
sorry but I cant recommend anything just yet, im burning in a whole bunch of power & voltage tubes on the amp so its not being tested in a like for like comparision, where the other tubes are the same so I can hear the difference of just one tube change, in the future I will post about my impressions of all of these tubes.
 

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