[drheadphone]

does anyone own the w3000anv ? how does that sound on the stratus compared to the hd800, i listen to mostly vocals and some jazz considering getting one of the two

The W3000Anv sounds sublime on the Stratus with upgraded 2A3 tubes. A pair of Sophia Princess or old stock Sylvania will do nicely. If you have $1K lying around, a pair of RCA monoplates will give you the warmest, juiciest mids for jazz vocals.

Also recommend the HE500 for jazz vocals. Mids are even warmer than the W3000 and the soundstage is wider and cleaner sounding . Plus it sounds great with almost any tube including stock.

The HD800 is also perfectly fine with jazz vocals. It's just you'll hear a different presentation of the singer. Less upfront compared to the W3000 or HE500.

Edited to add: The HD650 also has those warm, intimate mids you'd want for jazz vocals.

 

[Donald North]

For rectifier tubes, the U52 is possible consideration.

 

[drheadphone]

Quote:

Are those the dual flat plates?

 
I believe so with coiled spring tops! Woooo! Ahhhh!

 
 
The Sylvie's are sweet with the Senn HD800/HD650. Detail is highly vivid especially right-from-center. Very linear, smooth, forward midrange and extending highs without any harshness. (I find the Sophia's slightly harsh and U-shaped by comparison.) Then there's the presence! I have never heard such an intimate soundstage with great dimension, where you can hear not only the instruments but the players breathing and struggling to play their instruments. It's almost distracting. Truly revealing and engaging stuff. A must hear for detail lovers!

If I were to play a matching game with the handful of 2A3's and headphones I own, it would go as follows:

HD800 - Sylvania, Sophia Princess Meshplate
HD650 - Sylvania, RCA monoplate, Sophia Princess Mesh, RCA VT-95
LCD2.1 - RCA monoplate, EML Mesh
LCD3 - EML Mesh
HE500 - EML Mesh, any tube
AH-D7000 - Any tube
W3000ANV - RCA monoplate, Sylvania

A pair of Ken Rad's incoming...

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

 
I believe so with coiled spring tops! Woooo! Ahhhh!

 
 
The Sylvie's are sweet with the Senn HD800/HD650. Detail is highly vivid especially right-from-center. Very linear, smooth, forward midrange and extending highs without any harshness. (I find the Sophia's slightly harsh and U-shaped by comparison.) Then there's the presence! I have never heard such an intimate soundstage with great dimension, where you can hear not only the instruments but the players breathing and struggling to play their instruments. It's almost distracting. Truly revealing and engaging stuff. A must hear for detail lovers!

If I were to play a matching game with the handful of 2A3's and headphones I own, it would go as follows:

HD800 - Sylvania, Sophia Princess Meshplate
HD650 - Sylvania, RCA monoplate, Sophia Princess Mesh, RCA VT-95
LCD2.1 - RCA monoplate, EML Mesh
LCD3 - EML Mesh
HE500 - EML Mesh, any tube
AH-D7000 - Any tube
W3000ANV - RCA monoplate, Sylvania

A pair of Ken Rad's incoming...

 
nice tubes....
 

 

[Solude]

Quote:

HD800 - Sylvania, Sophia Princess Meshplate
HD650 - Sylvania, RCA monoplate, Sophia Princess Mesh, RCA VT-95
LCD2.1 - RCA monoplate, EML Mesh
LCD3 - EML Mesh
HE500 - EML Mesh, any tube
AH-D7000 - Any tube
W3000ANV - RCA monoplate, Sylvania

A pair of Ken Rad's incoming...

 
This why I am out of the tube game  If ever win the lotto... I'll revisit

 

[third_eye]

Quote:

 
I believe so with coiled spring tops! Woooo! Ahhhh!

 
 
The Sylvie's are sweet with the Senn HD800/HD650. Detail is highly vivid especially right-from-center. Very linear, smooth, forward midrange and extending highs without any harshness. (I find the Sophia's slightly harsh and U-shaped by comparison.) Then there's the presence! I have never heard such an intimate soundstage with great dimension, where you can hear not only the instruments but the players breathing and struggling to play their instruments. It's almost distracting. Truly revealing and engaging stuff. A must hear for detail lovers!

If I were to play a matching game with the handful of 2A3's and headphones I own, it would go as follows:

HD800 - Sylvania, Sophia Princess Meshplate
HD650 - Sylvania, RCA monoplate, Sophia Princess Mesh, RCA VT-95
LCD2.1 - RCA monoplate, EML Mesh
LCD3 - EML Mesh
HE500 - EML Mesh, any tube
AH-D7000 - Any tube
W3000ANV - RCA monoplate, Sylvania

A pair of Ken Rad's incoming...

 
Very helpful! Sounds like I need to hear these Sylvania's! 

 

[drheadphone]

The Sylvies are very resolving. I am noticing on older jazz music that imperfections in the recording are very clearly revealed, especially up top. It's surprisingly also very light sounding. Not enough bass for the LCD's. A rectifier tube with a solid bottom end might help balance the sound a bit. The RCA 5U4G does a nice job. I'm looking at a Raytheon 5U4G right now.

I like the Sylvies so much I'm getting a second set. But this time with "clothesline" top plates. I doubt it will be much different but we'll see.

 

[fejnomit]

Quote:

Quote:

Are those the dual flat plates?

 
I believe so with coiled spring tops! Woooo! Ahhhh!

 
Actually those are not dual flat plates - those are regular s-plates.  Here's what dual flat plates look like:
 

 
And a variation on that theme known as the dual box plate:
 

 
The above are Raytheons, below are Ken-Rads.
 
These are two of my favorites, btw. The Ken-Rads have great slam and extension while the Raytheons have incredible finesse rivaling the single plates.
 
Just to clear things up.

 

[drheadphone]

Drool.... That's some nice tube porn!
 
Thanks for clarifying, fejnomit. I don't think I've ever seen NOS dual flat-plate 2A3's before or even Raytheon 2A3's before, in my albeit short 2A3 hunt. I now have tube envy!
 
I do have some dual box-plate 2A3 Ken Rad's with a Ken Rad rectifier...
 

 
So smooth sounding!
 
... and that bottom end! So deep and punchy. My D7000's sound like bass monsters! Ken Rads = The hip hop tube??
 
Also, I got some better matching Sylvania 2A3's today. Much better bass response. The LCD3's sound fantastic with them. Very even-sounding and not as top-heavy compared to my previous pair of Sylvies. What a great sounding tube that doesn't cost an arm or a leg!

 

[drheadphone]

More tube porn...



 
Also, a third set of Sylvania 2A3's arrived today. I probably won't end up using it. PM me if you're interested in this pair.

 

[longbowbbs]

drheadphone, thanks for the daily fix!

 

[Eee Pee]

Indeed! Thanks for sharing. You test my will to resist all too often, but I don't mind really.

 

[ChrisB7605]

Can someone PM me or reply to this thread if they know where to obtain a matched pair of RCA mono-plates?

 

[drheadphone]

Here's a pair re-branded National Union:
 
http://www.natubes.com/index.php?page=product&do=browse&catid=88

 

[Solude]

http://www.audiotubes.com/audtube.htm