[TonyNewman]

Hey Guys,

Back from 9 days camping holiday. Damn it was great. The best ever. Not one drop of rain.

Anyhow. I decided to kick the tube amp back into action and to give the Brimar another burn.

Usually I go for the female artists with high treble as to my ears it is the hardest to get right.

Then I thought ***** that. Let's go for deep male voices. Kicking back to some Pearl Jam right now. Deep gorgeous bass. Eddy sounds amazing. So the Brimar does a great job of this kind of music as well.

Hope you guys had a great Christmas and New Year.

The weather in New Zealand is just wonderful right now and I still have a few weeks holiday to go. ROCK.

 
Lucky bugger!! I worked right through

 
I agree - the Brimar does a very good job with male and female vocals.

 

[TonyNewman]

Quick update on the Brimars. My first batch of 4 arrived today and I rushed home during the lunch break and plugged them into my WA5. Even without any burn in whatsoever, the results are excellent.
 
This tube is very good in the WA6 and it is even better in the WA5 (as you might expect). Tighter + deeper bass, nicer vocals, better treble, bags of detail.
 
Running SERPs and Psvane T2 CV-181s in the WA5. Brimars give it a real lift over the Psvane replica 274Bs. Excellent results with the modded HE6 via the K1K output.
 
When Badas drops by to pick up the loaner Brimar rectifier I will try and arrange a listening session to get a second opinion on the WA5 with the Brimars.
 
Oddly, this is a tube that doesn't seem to need much burn in at all. It sounds excellent right from the moment it is plugged in. I did notice a moderate improvement in the WA6 over the first 50 or so hours - will be interesting if that is noticeable with the WA5 also (it should be).
 
Anyone else getting some rectifier lovin from the Brimars?

 

[Porteroso]

I will be using mine in a few days... Has anyone compared it to the better rectifiers yet? Done any a/b listening? I'm expecting to literally be blown off the planet straight up to the moon, with a nice, smooth, balanced landing.

 

[vphan]

I'm pretty new to this and thank you for educate me with this great thread.

 

[TonyNewman]

  I will be using mine in a few days... Has anyone compared it to the better rectifiers yet? Done any a/b listening? I'm expecting to literally be blown off the planet straight up to the moon, with a nice, smooth, balanced landing.

 
Best I have to a/b against is the Psvane WE274B replica - and it is a step up from that rectifier (which is very good, by the way).
 
Others have vintage WE422A and other such top tier tubes. Haven't heard much back from them yet, but hope too soon. I am very hopeful that the Brimar gets close to these legendary rectifiers.

 

[Badas]

Best I have to a/b against is the Psvane WE274B replica - and it is a step up from that rectifier (which is very good, by the way).

Others have vintage WE422A and other such top tier tubes. Haven't heard much back from them yet, but hope too soon. I am very hopeful that the Brimar gets close to these legendary rectifiers.

You forgot that you have the Mullard GZ32 which also gets rave reviews. I believe the Brimar blows it away. Which is a big achievement.

 

[TonyNewman]

You forgot that you have the Mullard GZ32 which also gets rave reviews. I believe the Brimar blows it away. Which is a big achievement.

 
I think both the Psvane WE274B replica and the Brimar both blow it away, so I don't mention it much anymore. I was heavily in lust with it for a while, then I found the replica, then you put me onto to the Brimar. I am a total tube person - going wherever I get the best satisfaction

 
 
GZ32 is still a good tube though - and it kills a lot of the new production rectifiers out there (EML mesh and Sophia Princess - I am looking at both of you overpriced hunks of junk).

 

[Dubstep Girl]

   
I think both the Psvane WE274B replica and the Brimar both blow it away, so I don't mention it much anymore. I was heavily in lust with it for a while, then I found the replica, then you put me onto to the Brimar. I am a total tube person - going wherever I get the best satisfaction

 
 
GZ32 is still a good tube though - and it kills a lot of the new production rectifiers out there (EML mesh and Sophia Princess - I am looking at both of you overpriced hunks of junk).

 
its all i use on my WA5 these days 

 

[TonyNewman]

   
its all i use on my WA5 these days 

 
GZ32 has lovely, lovely mids. Really top class in that respect, but it lacks good bass. Both the replica and the Brimar have a lot more to offer across the entire spectrum (except the mids) - and given the crazy cheap price of the Brimars at the moment they make a lot of sense.

 

[San Raal]

As an every day tube, the 5Z4G is a winner. Given the price there are enough available to run for a lifetime. The WE 422 ill squirell away for Sunday best, there is something magical about those tubes that ill write up on when I can do it justice.
 
I cant wait to try the 5Z4G with the WA5 using speakers. Time for another Vinyl dinner party and to impress with the mighty WA5

 

[magiccabbage]

Do you guys think I should skip the EML 300b mesh and just get the Elrogs? Are the EML's a big jump up from the stock 300b's maybe I should get the EML's first and the Elrogs later? 
 
Paddy

 

[isquirrel]

  Do you guys think I should skip the EML 300b mesh and just get the Elrogs? Are the EML's a big jump up from the stock 300b's maybe I should get the EML's first and the Elrogs later? 
 
Paddy

Paddy IMHO go for the Elrog's, they sound so much better than the EML Mesh plates, that's not to say the EML's sound bad if anything they are too laid back, its almost as though the music is playing slower if that makes sense. One area I thought the EML's would surpass the Elrog's is in mid range lushness but they don't in fact the Elrog's have it over the EML's for emotionally connecting you with the music.
 
During burn in the EML's have improved but at the same stage the Elrog's were much better, seriously they made my partner weep when she heard her favourite opera with them and they continue to get better.
 
I am going to sell my EML's I see no point in holding on them when I will always go for the Elrog's - EVERY-TIME
 
The Elrog's are quite clearly better made too. Pair them with a TS RP, Brimar, RCA Grey Plate Early 1940 examples with a good rectifier and you will be very happy.
 
My 2 cents.

 

[Angelbelow]

Just got my Brimars in the mail but won't be home for another 6 or 7 hours, bummer.

 

[vphan]

Does the Brimar 5Z4G required any adapter to use it with WA6SE? Thanks.

 

[TonyNewman]

Does the Brimar 5Z4G required any adapter to use it with WA6SE? Thanks.

 
It has a standard octal base - plugs right into my WA6 and WA5. If the WA6SE accepts standard octal (and it should) you are golden.