[magiccabbage]

   
Man oh man!!  You don't even have your Stratus and I feel like you've done more tube rolling than me 

 
 
I'm really looking forward to you getting yours because I think you will be a real asset to the Stratus community.  It arrives next month, right?

Well, I received an email from Donald a few days ago in which he explained about a delay on the chassis. He said it should arrive around the second week of September. When that happens he will let me know how much more I will wait.
 
I don't mind waiting, I know it will be worth it when it arrives.  
 
I will roll lots of tubes on the stratus but most of the rolling will be done after I get the Schiit Yggy. Hopefully they will match up well

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  Well, I received an email from Donald a few days ago in which he explained about a delay on the chassis. He said it should arrive around the second week of September. When that happens he will let me know how much more I will wait.
 
I don't mind waiting, I know it will be worth it when it arrives.  
 
I will roll lots of tubes on the stratus but most of the rolling will be done after I get the Schiit Yggy. Hopefully they will match up well

 
HD800 + Stratus + Ygg.  Sounds like someone is making a play for an end game system!
 
Did you see the new supposed price of the Ygg that was "leaked"?

 

[magiccabbage]

   
HD800 + Stratus + Ygg.  Sounds like someone is making a play for an end game system!
 
Did you see the new supposed price of the Ygg that was "leaked"?

I did - 2.3K. But the stratus deserves something like it. If it gets the thumbs up from a few different sources I will buy it. I think it will look good under the stratus they are around the same dimensions in width. 
 
 
Has anyone here tried the KR audio 2A3? I haven't heard much about them. 
 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  I did - 2.3K. But the stratus deserves something like it. If it gets the thumbs up from a few different sources I will buy it. I think it will look good under the stratus they are around the same dimensions in width. 
 
 
Has anyone here tried the KR audio 2A3? I haven't heard much about them. 
 

 
I agree - It deserves a good source.  The source makes a big difference with the Stratus and HD800's: I went a little nuts on mine  

 
Do you know which tubes you are going to start with?

 

[magiccabbage]

   
I agree - It deserves a good source.  The source makes a big difference with the Stratus and HD800's: I went a little nuts on mine  

 
Do you know which tubes you are going to start with?

yea - EML 5U4G / Sophia 2A3. Dunno about the driver yet. I'm thinking of getting these from Donald instead of the stock tubes. 
I will eventually get the U52. I really want that tube! 
 
Oh you have a Lampi - nice. I'd say its sweet enough. What DAC did you have before?

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  yea - EML 5U4G / Sophia 2A3. Dunno about the driver yet. I'm thinking of getting these from Donald instead of the stock tubes. 
I will eventually get the U52. I really want that tube! 
 
Oh you have a Lampi - nice. I'd say its sweet enough. What DAC did you have before?

 
Tell me about wanting a U52...  If I could find one!!
 
I'm selling the Lampi.  I am flip flopping between a Bricasti M1 and an MSB Analog as my next DAC.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
Tell me about wanting a U52...  If I could find one!!
 
I'm selling the Lampi.  I am flip flopping between a Bricasti M1 and an MSB Analog as my next DAC.

Jesus Christ no fooling around with you. Those are the big boys. That Bricasti is supposed to be really good. You hear about that Berkeley alpha DAC? 

 

[magiccabbage]

Do you have a speaker set up as well?

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  Jesus Christ no fooling around with you. Those are the big boys. That Bricasti is supposed to be really good. You hear about that Berkeley alpha DAC? 

 
Yeah.  I auditioned their new Reference DAC. A dealer here had the first one in Canada (I felt so special when they called me up to hear it).  At 16k I wasn't thrilled to be honest.  It is really detailed like the like older Alpha so I guess that's the Berkeley house sound.  It's a little like the dCS Debussy but less extreme.  The dCS is so detailed I found it fatiguing.  The Berkeley was similar but less so.  The other thing I didn't like about it is it doesn't do DSD (which I personally don't care about) but to put out a DAC in this day and age that doesn't have it is strange...  And then to add on the "software conversion" for it on the computer side just sounds chintzy.  I didn't listen to any DSD stuff on it, just RedBook so it may very well be a great DSD DAC but I have my doubts.  Further more to make you have to buy the external Alpha to use USB is a bit much making the DAC $18CAD...  Yikes.
 
I guess it just wasn't for me.

 

[budx3385]

Here's a suggestion for you fellow Stratus tweakers:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tweaks-audio-horizons-new-patent-pending-fuse-platinum-reference-2014-09-08-accessories-95670-gold-river-ca
 
This fuse produced a noteable increase in clarity on my Stratus. 
 
Yes, I did try Supreme and Synergetics fuses. As you can read in the threads that Google pulls up, others also compared the erstwhile champion, the Audio Magic fuse. They don't do what this one does. 
 
Happy Listening!

 

[budx3385]

Lately I’ve been playing a rectifier-headphone matching game on the Stratus. I think I've settled on some preferred rectifiers for each of my headphones. Of course, lots depends on the 2A3 tube, the source (mine: OR5->PWD2, Oppo 105), and personal taste. So take the impressions with a grain of salt. Also, large photos alert!

D7000+RCA 5R4GY – The RCA does the best job tightening the 7000’s beefy low end and keeping the soundstage extra-wide


HE560+Sophia 274B – A very linear-sounding combo with high-level detail top to bottom. The Sophia’s slightly rounded highs goes some ways to reduce the headphone’s tilted top end. Second Pick: JAN CKR (Ken Rad)


LCDX+JAN-CKR(Ken Rad) – This combo is buttery smooth with depth for days. Many goosebump inducing moments caused by the CKR’s life-like detail. Second pick: The Philips 5R4GYS has great top&bottom extension while still spotlighting the LCD’s midrange. A poor man’s EML 5U4G.


W3000ANV+Brimar 5R4GY - Gorgeous midrange and mucho romance with this combo with nice extended top. Second pick: Raytheon VT-244 – similar to the Brimar with noticeable roll off at the top.


HD800+Raytheon VT-244 with “H” shaped micas (which actually look closer to doggie bone shaped). The Raytheon helps boost the midrange where 800’s sorely need it, IMO. Resolution and soundstage is on same level of the Ken Rads. The Rays noticeably have less bass and more mids. Second Pick: U52 (for good recordings). Third Pick: Sophia 274B (for less than good recordings)


HD650+U52 - The U52 extracts top-end detail like no other and does the best to liven up the 650 while keeping its romantic characteristics.

 
 
A great big THANK YOU to Frihed89 and Froger and especially to drheadphone. My Ken-Rad CKR rectifier arrived yesterday, and it really is a "revelation", as you said.
 
I am now using the CKR with the 2A3C-Ts and a Pearl Gold plus for my HD800s, just as Froger is. Donald installed the PS upgrade in my Stratus, and with this tube combination classical voice now is just 2D4!
 
I second Frihed's BRAVO for being a great "tube scout," drheadphone. I have bookmarked your recommendations here.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
 
A great big THANK YOU to Frihed89 and Froger and especially to drheadphone. My Ken-Rad CKR rectifier arrived yesterday, and it really is a "revelation", as you said.
 
I am now using the CKR with the 2A3C-Ts and a Pearl Gold plus for my HD800s, just as Froger is. Donald installed the PS upgrade in my Stratus, and with this tube combination classical voice now is just 2D4!
 
I second Frihed's BRAVO for being a /great "tube scout," drheadphone. I have bookmarked your recommendations here.

what does it sound like since the upgrade? And congrats! 

 

[Sorrodje]

   
On the Stratus, I run the HD800 on high impedance mode (IEC) and SE mode and get the same volume (5.5) as going balanced.

 
 

   
I run the HD800's balanced and I am always between 0.1 and 1 on the volume dial.  No joke.  I find it plenty loud.

 
 
Very different experiences there

. Considering the Sonett is far less powerful than the Stratus and my average listening lever is between 4 and 5  ( 6 and 7 for classical)  in low gain, I guess i'm more in the Bigfatpaulie camp...

 

[magiccabbage]

So no one has tried the KR 2a3? 

 

[drheadphone]

have you heard these? I presume they are not the same.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Pair-Golden-Dragon-2A3-Premium-audio-triode-tube-valve-/390551073457

Here is the Shuguang double-plate 2A3 for auction on Ebay, which I am purely speculating is the same as the Golden Dragon double-plate 2A3 I recently acquired. Very solid midcentric sound and good synergy with the HD800. Sounds great with other headphones but a little less bass and flatter soundstage compared to the 2A3B.