[monoethylene]

Quote:

decided to give the Sonett a go with a TWag'd T1 that should be coming in soon.  curious how they will pair.  i was going through old pages and someone said it didnt have enough power to drive them as well as he wanted.  i hope this isnt true!

As far as I can tell you the Sonett drives them pretty good..

 

[caracara08]

thanks! but i found a ZDSE i couldnt let go so i had to part with the sonett.  beautiful amp though.  i hope to have one again later. 

 

[bobeau]

Anyone rocking a metal base GZ34?  Comments on sound vs. regular small black base Mullard GZ34?  

 

[Eee Pee]

 

Anyone rocking a metal base GZ34?  Comments on sound vs. regular small black base Mullard GZ34?  

I listened to this guy quoted below, and do my best to forget that there is something 1 or 2 or 3 percent better.
 
 

 (Mullard metal base GZ34 will improves another few percents but to me, it is not worth it for the price difference)

 
So, I took that money and bought more headphones.
 
 

 
 


 

 

[bobeau]

Thanks, that's interesting.  Looking around on the web people talk about the metal base tubes as if they can move mountains.  They're actually a totally different tube, Mullard relabel (amongst others) made in Holland.
 
Also saw he mentioned this "Another note, the GZ37 is slightly better than GZ34, more airer and balanced."  I see that the market price for Mullard GZ37s are like 1/3 the cost of the metal base tubes.  Hmm...

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

Thanks, that's interesting.  Looking around on the web people talk about the metal base tubes as if they can move mountains.  They're actually a totally different tube, Mullard relabel (amongst others) made in Holland.
 
Also saw he mentioned this "Another note, the GZ37 is slightly better than GZ34, more airer and balanced."  I see that the market price for Mullard GZ37s are like 1/3 the cost of the metal base tubes.  Hmm...

 
Yes, it is.  I use the GZ37 more than the EML 5U4G when I had my WA6.  I have never tried it on the Sonett directly. 
 
 

 

[bobeau]

So I got a '55 metal base GZ34, testing it out on my Sonett and WA6SE.  Not sure if the tube is NOS but it tests strong and appears immaculate.  Price was too good, had to jump on it.
 
I can say initial impressions vs. a small black base Mullard gz34 (serrated edges, think early 70s?) are pretty dramatic.  The latter by the way is considered the bottom of the rung for the mullard gz34s (still an excellent tube tho), the big black base is the mid-tier, then the big brown base and finally the metal base.  
 
The amount of extra detail and tightness coming in for an amp that was already excels in these traits is something that might be almost too much of a good thing, a bit fatiguing after an hour or so of listening.  I hesitate to say the treble is more forward, but it certainly is a a more 'hi-fi' sound.  
 
EDIT:  I take that last comment back.  I'm pushing the listening level up a full point to 7, something about the presentation makes it easier for my ears to listen at higher volume.  After popping the mullard back in I had to immediately turn it down some.  The volume might be attenuated downward a bit, but really the sound signature is quite a bit different (ie. midbass def seems stronger w/ mullard, there might be more presence in the upper mids) so I'd need to do a proper level match to tell.
 

 

[bobeau]

Anyone ever try 6n6p in their Sonett?
 
Some comments/thread I saw on this
 
"They are a drop in replacement and do sound great!
Much better than the 6h30`s imho anyway." (http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/messages/21/212120.html)
 
"6N6P is very close to 6H30P-DR (military version from 1980-1985).
Imho, voice of 6N6P more "fat"." (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/84738-6n6p-vs-5687-a.html)
 
Another thread with more info, good history lesson on the russian supertubes: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/138426-6n6p-vs-6n6p-i.html
 
These tubes go for like $2 on eBay lol, guess I'll give it a go.

 

[Eee Pee]

Those were good reads, I read em all, thanks for the links.
 
Tough call for me, knowing Donald has specified the 6H30 tube.  There were some good comments in the last link about using the proper tube with the circuit designed particularly for that tube, and using a different tube in the same circuit.  Personally, I would ask Donald before I plug them in.
 
Either way, let us know how it goes.  

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

My only concern would be the set bias on the 6H30, the 6N6P needs about 300ma more. Don, if you're listening, any input?  

 

[jc9394]

Either I have a better version of the GZ34 or crappy version of the metal base one, the difference to me is not as big.  It is nice to see you got a great metal based GZ34, you should really try it on your new WA6SE, I think it is a much better tube than the Sophia Princess...
Quote:

I can say initial impressions vs. a small black base Mullard gz34 (serrated edges, think early 70s?) are pretty dramatic.  The latter by the way is considered the bottom of the rung for the mullard gz34s (still an excellent tube tho), the big black base is the mid-tier, then the big brown base and finally the metal base.  
 

 

[bobeau]

I got a response from Don - essentially it is not a drop in replacement having "higher plate impedance and lower transconductance", but he gave me the go-ahead to use it in the amp, with the caveat of not using one of the various bulk suppliers from Russia or whatnot due to the inconsistency of these tubes in general on section matching.  The Tube Store does section matching for $5 and total shipped for one tube to the US is $35.
 
I instead did a little more digging and found that the Rhombus 5 designated tube is a military spec higher grade than regular OTK and can be had with a gold grid, saw one report in a Little Dot thread how this tube has better frequency extension.  Found a couple sellers in Bulgaria selling matched sets and publishing the measurements, picked up this nearly perfectly matched set
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300588842688&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1123#ht_5248wt_1082
 
Note that these 2 Bulgarian sellers seem to copy themselves w/ photos descriptions for their auctions so that seems a bit sketchy, but they're both from the same city so it might be the same seller using two different storefronts.  They both have a ton of feedback and sell primarily tubes, appear to be legit looking at their auction history, specs (unique in the listings), etc.
 
jc9394, yeah, I don't know what it is, not sure of the condition of the mullard but the metal base tube measures 52/52  (min = 40 and new = 60 on TV7).  All I can say is general impression of this tube and how people describe the improvements w/ other audio gear seems to be close to my experience.  Having about 12 hours on it now, and going back to the mullard a half dozen times, I would characterize the changes as 1) less energy in upper bass/lower mids, which in some ways reduces PRaT a bit but increases clarity/detail here, 2) less upper mids glare, but overall mids seem more forward, 3) way more treble extension, detail.  Hate to be cliche but it's the typical "veil has been lifted" sort of experience.  It's enough of a change that if I keep the Sonett (as you may know I have a maxxed WA6SE on the way) I'm going to get another couple of these as backups, although I am curious to try a big brown base mullard as well, which is supposed to be very close sonically but tipped more toward the bass.  I simply can't listen to the small base mullard, sounds too fuzzy bloated.  I probably should get it tested locally though just to make sure I don't have a weak tube.  But it did sound good to me before getting the metal base, it was just one of those things where my eyes were opened a bit wider.

 

[jc9394]

^^
 
I heard you on the difference of the tubes can makes the amp totally beast, that is why I highly recommend to replace the stock tube with Sonett with Mullard GZ34 and the DR supertube.  It really takes the Sonett to another level.

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

I'm using a brown base Phillips GZ34 MINIWATT labeled ADZAM, the internals are identical to the metal base. The difference with this tube (over the Mullard) seems incremental, not night an day, but smoother overall throughout the midrange, and a definite bump in the lowest octave. Nice.  
 
Quote:

Either I have a better version of the GZ34 or crappy version of the metal base one, the difference to me is not as big.  It is nice to see you got a great metal based GZ34, you should really try it on your new WA6SE, I think it is a much better tube than the Sophia Princess...

 

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

I have the "other" matched set on the way. Looks like the pair you purchased were a little stronger. Finger's crossed!
 
Quote:

I got a response from Don - essentially it is not a drop in replacement having "higher plate impedance and lower transconductance", but he gave me the go-ahead to use it in the amp, with the caveat of not using one of the various bulk suppliers from Russia or whatnot due to the inconsistency of these tubes in general on section matching.  The Tube Store does section matching for $5 and total shipped for one tube to the US is $35.
 
I instead did a little more digging and found that the Rhombus 5 designated tube is a military spec higher grade than regular OTK and can be had with a gold grid, saw one report in a Little Dot thread how this tube has better frequency extension.  Found a couple sellers in Bulgaria selling matched sets and publishing the measurements, picked up this nearly perfectly matched set
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300588842688&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1123#ht_5248wt_1082
 
Note that these 2 Bulgarian sellers seem to copy themselves w/ photos descriptions for their auctions so that seems a bit sketchy, but they're both from the same city so it might be the same seller using two different storefronts.  They both have a ton of feedback and sell primarily tubes, appear to be legit looking at their auction history, specs (unique in the listings), etc.
 
jc9394, yeah, I don't know what it is, not sure of the condition of the mullard but the metal base tube measures 52/52  (min = 40 and new = 60 on TV7).  All I can say is general impression of this tube and how people describe the improvements w/ other audio gear seems to be close to my experience.  Having about 12 hours on it now, and going back to the mullard a half dozen times, I would characterize the changes as 1) less energy in upper bass/lower mids, which in some ways reduces PRaT a bit but increases clarity/detail here, 2) less upper mids glare, but overall mids seem more forward, 3) way more treble extension, detail.  Hate to be cliche but it's the typical "veil has been lifted" sort of experience.  It's enough of a change that if I keep the Sonett (as you may know I have a maxxed WA6SE on the way) I'm going to get another couple of these as backups, although I am curious to try a big brown base mullard as well, which is supposed to be very close sonically but tipped more toward the bass.  I simply can't listen to the small base mullard, sounds too fuzzy bloated.  I probably should get it tested locally though just to make sure I don't have a weak tube.  But it did sound good to me before getting the metal base, it was just one of those things where my eyes were opened a bit wider.