[Mazuki]

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Having recently found a pair of DT880/2003-250 ohm (one of favorite headphones of memory), I am looking forward to hearing them driven by the DV337.

This is my reference setup

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Doesn't anyone use it with the Grado GS1000?

32 ohms may be too low for the 337 to drive with authority. You can try using 6336A or 6528 tubes.

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And what about the 337SE ?

The 337SE just has better components, none of the actual specs are different.

 

[pataburd]

I have had good success driving the Denon D2000/5000 with the DV337, but have felt, too, that something might be missing. The Denon can sound just a tad edgy wih the 337.

 

[pataburd]

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Originally Posted by Mazuki /img/forum/go_quote.gif RE: Darkvoice 337 with DT880/2003. "This is my reference setup."

Thanks, Mazuki! I needed that! : )

 

[Skylab]

Yes, I have admitted to myself that the 337 simply does not do all that well with low impedance headphones (let's say below 40 ohms). So Grado and Denon headphones are not a great match, while Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, and *some* AKG headphones are.

I can't speak to the K501 or 701, but the 337 does a great job with the K340. I use these frequently with the 337 - very nice combination.

The "warm and sweet" tube combo for the 337 would be Tung-Sol mesh-plate 6SJ7WGT's and RCA grey plate 6AS7G's. It's still not going to be a syrupy amp, but this will be the warmest tube combo IMO. I do prefer the 5998's even still, though - they are just beautiful sounding tubes.

 

[tomjtx]

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Originally Posted by frank99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif originally I was looking for Doge 6210 or Wooaudio 6 to be my first tube amp, to match my AKG K701 which I just bought. I listen to the female vocal most of time, after doing research on this forum, it seems these amps should give me the warm/sweet sound I am looking for. However the microsoft cashback offer on ebay made me pull the trigger on dv337, a very good deal hard to resist. Too bad I couldn't find any doge/woo amps on ebay. I hope the dv337 won't make me disappointed. But it seems dv337 may not match the K701 very well as I only find a few people using these two on this forum. Any suggestion on what tubes I should try to make dv337 sweeter? Thanks! (btw., this is my 1st post on this forum after reading great posts on this forum for about a month. I am happy with my grado sr-80 without an amp for years, after reading this forum, I feel I want more... )

I use the DV337 with 701 phones and I love this combo.
The 337 has NO problem controlling the 701 and I have never gone to even 12:00 on the volume control.

The soundstage is enormous the detail impressive and excellent dynamics and rythm.

I don't think you will have any disappointment with the 337.

Just tube roll till you find what you like best, that's part of the fun.

 

[pataburd]

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Originally Posted by alex1pdx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, my DV 337 arrived today. When I got home from school there was a missed delivery card in my mail box. There was no way I was going to wait until 5pm to pick up the parcel from the post office, so I started driving around the neighborhood looking for the mail truck. I found it after about five minutes of driving in the rain (gotta love Oregon).

Alex,
I can totally relate to your account of chasing down the mailman! LOL! Enjoy the Darkvoice! : )
PAB

 

[alex1pdx]

Thanks, Patrick. I still have to try out the red hots I got from you.

 

[pataburd]

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Originally Posted by tomjtx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use the DV337 with 701 phones and I love this combo. The 337 has NO problem controlling the 701 and I have never gone to even 12:00 on the volume control. The soundstage is enormous the detail impressive and excellent dynamics and rythm. I don't think you will have any disappointment with the 337. Just tube roll till you find what you like best, that's part of the fun.

Tom,
That's good to know. As I said, the K501--IMHO--are not a good, and are certainly not the best, match with the DV337. My hypothesis about the K701 following suit has been "destroyed," as Plato might say. : ) Although one may have argued that the excellent synergy between the DV336i and the K701 might translate to the DV337 as well.

IMM, it's the 6SJ7 vs. 6SN7 driver issue. Personally, I would rather have seen Darkvoice implement the 6SN7 into the 337. To me, the 336i is ultimately the more musical of the two amps precisely because of the 6SN7.

Once the Bada returns from modding wonderland, I'll once again realize why I like the K501 so very, very much--and most likely even more! : )

Admittedly, I am quite excited at the prospect of hearing the 337 drive the DT880/2003! (The Beyers may arrive as early as tomorrow!) I have often felt that the 337 did better with the HD600 than with either Denon, or (obviously) with the K501. It's been reported that the Darkvoice 336i was designed with Sennheisers in mind; the same might be true, at least in part, of the 337.

PAB

 

[Skylab]

Yeah, there is a reason the 6SN7 is so popular in audio applications. It sounds good. Of course, this is also why some 6SN7 variants sell for $500/pair.

 

[pataburd]

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Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, there is a reason the 6SN7 is so popular in audio applications. It sounds good. Of course, this is also why some 6SN7 variants sell for $500/pair.

In that respect, then, I can understand why Darkvoice may have gone down the 6SJ7 path, i.e. to make the 337 available/affordable to a broader cross-section of potential users.

Yes. NOS 6SN7s are getting less numerous and more expensive as we speak. Besides the Electro-Harmonix, the reissue/remanufacture of that Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB and the Shugang 6N8P there's not much else (new) on the horizon for the future.

 

[Skylab]

Right. The thing about the 6SJ7 is that it's used a lot in guitar amps, and it's very plentiful, and cheap. I don't think it's a bad sounding tube, actually - certain 6SJ7GT variants I really like the sound of in the 337, and these I paid sometimes as little as $5 each for, NOS.

On the other hand, in my SP MPX3, I use $400 worth of 6SN7-type tubes...

 

[pataburd]

The best set of tubes I ever tried in the SP MPX3 were 1x Mullard CV-181 and 2x Sylvania 6SN7W (w/the nickel bases). I like the Valvo ECC33 and the Russian 1578s in the Bada.

Besides the metal 6SJ7s, I don't find too much (on eBay) in glass envelopes other than the Philips 6SJ7WGT, an occasional Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SN7GT or VT-116A. What other variants are there (in glass)?

 

[Skylab]

There are 4 primary types of glass-envelope 6SJ7GT:

1. Tall-bottle, smooth plate, tend to be 6SJ7WGT and/or VT-116A. I have Sylvania, Raytheon, and National Union brand of these.

2. Short/Medium-bottle, ribbed-plate 6SJ7GT. I have Sylvania, Tung-Sol and RCA brands of these.

3. Tall-bottle, ribbed-plate - this is the JAN-Phillips 6SJ7WGT - this tube is unique AFAIK.

4. Tall-bottle, mesh-plate - I have Tung-Sol and RCA branded versions of this, but I am pretty sure only Tung-Sol made them in the USA. There are also Japanese versions of this type of tube.

My favorite is #4, followed by #1, then #3, then #4, but all are good, and all blow away the metal ones (except the RCA 5693).

>

 

[pataburd]

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Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are 4 primary types of glass-envelope 6SJ7GT: 1. Tall-bottle, smooth plate, tend to be 6SJ7WGT and/or VT-116A. I have Sylvania, Raytheon, and National Union brand of these. 2. Short/Medium-bottle, ribbed-plate 6SJ7GT. I have Sylvania, Tung-Sol and RCA brands of these. 3. Tall-bottle, ribbed-plate - this is the JAN-Phillips 6SJ7WGT - this tube is unique AFAIK. 4. Tall-bottle, mesh-plate - I have Tung-Sol and RCA branded versions of this, but I am pretty sure only Tung-Sol made them in the USA. There are also Japanese versions of this type of tube. My favorite is #4, followed by #1, then #3, then #4, but all are good, and all blow away the metal ones (except the RCA 5693). >

Thank you for the valuable information, Sky. : )

 

[pataburd]

Yesterday, the DT880/2003 arrived. These are some open headphones that I have owned before, been favorably impressed with, and have always wanted to get a second listen to. Next to the K501, they are perhaps my favorite (mid-fi) open headphones.

I plugged the Beyers into the 337, which was still tubed with JAN Sylvania VT-116As and GE 6080s.

The first thing that struck me--and not subtly, either--was the overall sense of DRIVE exhibited by the Darkvoice when paired with the Beyers. Bass in particular sounded very solid, full-bodied/rounded and almost "formidable." Then I noticed this drive affecting everything else: vocals, trumpets, saxophones, drum hits, cymbals, massed strings, etc. Everything acquired a breadth, a pulse and a feeling of energy that had been missing by comparison with the D5000.

Paradoxically, despite this uniform and undeniable energy boost, the presentation also came across as smoother and more effortless. I found myself upping the volume a few clicks (using the digital volume control on the Oppo) but without losing that sense of ease/control. At higher volumes things sounded even more vibrant, but more "finished" as well.

After plugging the D5000 back in, I did notice more detail resolution and refinement with the Denons, and maybe even more soundstage width, but things for the most part sounded flatter, a bit harder around the edges and strained/broken-up. Bass had no equivalent punch, sounding stifled/constrained compared to the DT880. Treble at raised volumes tended to sound sharper/harder around the edges. Vocals lacked warmth, depth and breathiness in their delivery. Everything in general sounded strained.

Returning the DT880/2003 brought back the solidity, contour, texture and realism that I'd never experienced before with the Darkvoice. Ah! So THIS is what all those crazy 337 owners had been talking about!

Well, this evening I finally joined their crazy ranks! : )

Conclusion: Darkvoice 337 + DT880/2003 = totally winning combination.

New dilemma: The D5000 require a different/more compatible amplifier. (The advice I'm getting is for solid state.) Hopefully, the modded Bada will fit the bill.