[JKDJedi]

JKDJedi you never thought about switching amplifiers? I often wonder if it is more worthwhile to buy more tubes for Darkvoice or simply to buy another OTL amplifier.

LOL, it's cheaper to collect for a single tube amplifier than a multiple one, imagine have to buy two or four of everything....that would be costly.

 

[SHIMACM]

Truth. I took that into account when I chose Darkvoice. But you never looked at Bottlehead Cacker did you? Have you ever had the opportunity to hear a better OTL? I always wondered if an Elise with Tung-Sol 6sn7GTB and RCA 6as7g would produce a better sound than a Darkvoice with a Ken Rad Vt231 and WE 421a, for example.

 

[JKDJedi]

Truth. I took that into account when I chose Darkvoice. But you never looked at Bottlehead Cacker did you? Have you ever had the opportunity to hear a better OTL? I always wondered if an Elise with Tung-Sol 6sn7GTB and RCA 6as7g would produce a better sound than a Darkvoice with a Ken Rad Vt231 and WE 421a, for example.

of course, I thought of the bottlehead crack and almost got one a few months back to build. And the mods I recently did to the Darkvoice has turned it into a new amp. As we speak a loaner amp just arrived from @Paladin79 that he built from scratch with some premium parts inside for me to test out. I'm gonna A n B it with the modded DArkvoice. So stay tuned for that comparison.

 

[SHIMACM]

of course, I thought of the bottlehead crack and almost got one a few months back to build. And the mods I recently did to the Darkvoice has turned it into a new amp. As we speak a loaner amp just arrived from @Paladin79 that he built from scratch with some premium parts inside for me to test out. I'm gonna A n B it with the modded DArkvoice. So stay tuned for that comparison.

Anxious for impressions. Are the mods on Darkvoice really worth it? A layman how could I do it?

 

[Paladin79]

of course, I thought of the bottlehead crack and almost got one a few months back to build. And the mods I recently did to the Darkvoice has turned it into a new amp. As we speak a loaner amp just arrived from @Paladin79 that he built from scratch with some premium parts inside for me to test out. I'm gonna A n B it with the modded DArkvoice. So stay tuned for that comparison.

I have heard maybe ten different OTL's myself and customized several bottlehead Cracks. I have only repaired a Darkvoice for a friend and maybe listened a half hour just to know it was working properly. That was a while back but I realized some of the things I would change on the inside were I to own one. I did like the layout overall.

 

[JKDJedi]

Anxious for impressions. Are the mods on Darkvoice really worth it? A layman how could I do it?

Well, yes. Since I had it in mind to grab the bottlehead...I took the gamble of modding the Darkvoice. And I know nothing about soldering. I do have some experience now, because of what I did to my Darkvoice, but before that I knew nothing. I just watched a lot of YouTube videos..lol. there's a lot of info some posts back on what I did and what resources I used for guidance.

 

[SHIMACM]

I have heard maybe ten different OTL's myself and customized several bottlehead Cracks. I have only repaired a Darkvoice for a friend and maybe listened a half hour just to know it was working properly. That was a while back but I realized some of the things I would change on the inside were I to own one. I did like the layout overall.

One of those more expensive OTL's with single tubes or a Darkvoice with premium tube, what would you say? Like the money from premium tubes I could buy a more expensive OTL, for example Elise or Wa2. However, I would have to feed them with simpler tubes, such as TS GTB and RCA 6as7g. In which of these two configurations would I obtain a better gain?

 

[SHIMACM]

Well, yes. Since I had it in mind to grab the bottlehead...I took the gamble of modding the Darkvoice. And I know nothing about soldering. I do have some experience now, because of what I did to my Darkvoice, but before that I knew nothing. I just watched a lot of YouTube videos..lol. there's a lot of info some posts back on what I did and what resources I used for guidance.

I will do my research work.

 

[Paladin79]

One of those more expensive OTL's with single tubes or a Darkvoice with premium tube, what would you say? Like the money from premium tubes I could buy a more expensive OTL, for example Elise or Wa2. However, I would have to feed them with simpler tubes, such as TS GTB and RCA 6as7g. In which of these two configurations would I obtain a better gain?

You mean most bang for the buck as opposed to tube gain I would think lol IMHO tubes can be limited by the circuitry around them, output caps especially, quality of wire. I believe better quality OTL's let you hear the tubes more, they open up and you hear the many differences. Personally I would always start with a very good amp and work your way up on tubes, watch for bargains, take a chance on some bulk tube buys. I have purchased tubes by the pound for a headphone rack project and I told the seller I really liked the looks of black glass tubes. I received about a dozen working black glass 6sn7's and 6SL7's for maybe a dollar each if that. I have bought old test equipment just to get the tubes, some were rated at 10,000 hours.

I am not sure I follow single tube vs premium but you may mean single tube OTL's? Most I have dealt with have at least two tubes and some have more. I believe there are some Chinese amps that are hybrids that may take a single tube but I have not dealt with many of those. I bought a four tube amp with built in DAC for $10 and repaired it, but the sound quality was not there and it would be a major rebuild to get it close to where I would listen to it lol.

One of the headphone racks I built on the left, and a highly modified Bottlehead Crack on the right. The tubes on the rack light up and they are not as fragile as you might think.

 

[JKDJedi]

So it begins... The (long time in the makings) comparison of the INCVBVS ELEGAN & DARKVOICE 336SE (Blind Tube Testing). Huge props and thanks to @Paladin79 for the loaner amp. I'm shooting from the hip as to how this will go down. I might wait till it's all said and done, or I might post day day... We'll see.

 

[Paladin79]

So it begins... The (long time in the makings) comparison of the INCVBVS ELEGAN & DARKVOICE 336SE. Huge props and thanks to @Paladin79 for the loaner amp. I'm shooting from the hip as to how this will go down. I might wait till it's all said and done, or I might post day day... We'll see.

The Incubus has a serious power transformer that was Russian military issue, you are running the same tubes I believe, please mention if they have similar gain. I never compared those two amps side by side so I am curious at the power capability of a Darkvoice. The Roman V is our U, thus the spelling on the little badge, translation is supposed to be Elegant Nightmare. Cabinet wood is tulip poplar with ebony splines.

 

[JKDJedi]

And then this drops ... @bcowen

 

[bcowen]

So it begins... The (long time in the makings) comparison of the INCVBVS ELEGAN & DARKVOICE 336SE (Blind Tube Testing). Huge props and thanks to @Paladin79 for the loaner amp. I'm shooting from the hip as to how this will go down. I might wait till it's all said and done, or I might post day day... We'll see.

So...how you gonna keep two amps and 274 new tubes separate as far as listening evaluations? I'm already in awe at the task in front of you.

 

[bcowen]

And then this drops ... @bcowen

ROFL! And look what just dropped here?

 

[JKDJedi]

Not the sexiest setup and I get the separation now. Interesting. And don't grab these generic sounding tubes. Unless your into tin cans of course.

One of those more expensive OTL's with single tubes or a Darkvoice with premium tube, what would you say? Like the money from premium tubes I could buy a more expensive OTL, for example Elise or Wa2. However, I would have to feed them with simpler tubes, such as TS GTB and RCA 6as7g. In which of these two configurations would I obtain a better gain?

I get what your saying now, most consumers just wanting to get their feet wet, like myself, into Tube amplifiers, will start out with the cheapest option they can get into.Me personally having done my research, found the Darkvoice to be that perfect introduction to the world of Tube Amplifiers. And since I already owned the Sennheiser HD6XX/650 it was a no brainer picking an OTL design.