[bazelio]

  Does anyone have any nice Mullard ECC35 tube lying around they want to get rid of or know where to source decent ones?
Any tips on buying ECC35? I'm not very familiar with that tube.

 
Short brown base are v good.  Mullard, Philips Miniwatt, or Adzam.  All the same.

 

[AppleheadMay]

   
Short brown base are v good.  Mullard, Philips Miniwatt, or Adzam.  All the same.

 
Thanks, will see if I can find some under the other two brands. Last time I checked I didn't find much for Mullard.

 

[AppleheadMay]

   
I'm on the Elear loaner tour over at Supe-BA.F and will certainly put them through the paces with my ZDS.  Bad news: they won't get to me until mid October.

 
Any Focal loaner programs going on in Europe?
They're located in France so I wonder why loaner programs only happen in the US, not only for Focal but any other brand as well.
I wouldn't mind to give the Focals a decent listen at home rather than a quick check in a store and put them through their paces on the Zana or BW as well.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

  I wonder if anyone here ever heard a 6SU7 clear glass instead of black glass.
I have a couple of those lying around here but never actually tried them yet.
Might do so when I have some time I'm not spending on something else.
But if anybody heard them I'd be intersted in your opinion.

Yes. I like both: I feel the clear glass is brighter and plays better with the HD650 than the black glass; the black glass is a better all rounder and goes well with anything I've tried with it. 

 

[Liu Junyuan]

   
I'm on the Elear loaner tour over at Supe-BA.F and will certainly put them through the paces with my ZDS.  Bad news: they won't get to me until mid October.

To add to this, I have a Utopia coming eventually, though it may not be for some weeks ahead. I will certainly be posting my impressions, in detail, on the pairing with the ZDS and other amps I own by comparison.  

 

[AppleheadMay]

  Yes. I like both: I feel the clear glass is brighter and plays better with the HD650 than the black glass; the black glass is a better all rounder and goes well with anything I've tried with it. 

 
Thanks for your impressions Liu, will need to try them as well, I have two of them lying around here but didn't listen yet.
 

  To add to this, I have a Utopia coming eventually, though it may not be for some weeks ahead. I will certainly be posting my impressions, in detail, on the pairing with the ZDS and other amps I own by comparison.  

 
Looking forward to hear your imperessions of the Utopia with the Zana.
I wonder how they will compare to the HD800, last I read the Utopia was a bit light in the bass region.
I'm going to write HiFloung in the UK and see if they're not willing to send me a pair of Elear. Or Utopia.
I really can't buy these blind and I'm not really up for a three day trip to the UK either.

 

[AppleheadMay]

   
I'm on the Elear loaner tour over at Supe-BA.F and will certainly put them through the paces with my ZDS.  Bad news: they won't get to me until mid October.

 
When you post your opinion will you let us know in this thread as well?
I avoid the Focal threads as it 'll porbably be very busy there and give me 50 emails a day.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

   
Thanks for your impressions Liu, will need to try them as well, I have two of them lying around here but didn't listen yet.
 
 
Looking forward to hear your imperessions of the Utopia with the Zana.
I wonder how they will compare to the HD800, last I read the Utopia was a bit light in the bass region.
I'm going to write HiFloung in the UK and see if they're not willing to send me a pair of Elear. Or Utopia.
I really can't buy these blind and I'm not really up for a three day trip to the UK either.

They will be here next Wednesday. I will be sure to post back after some time with them. I am not interested in perpetuating hype and will be duly critical if the need arises. 

 

[AppleheadMay]

  They will be here next Wednesday. I will be sure to post back after some time with them. I am not interested in perpetuating hype and will be duly critical if the need arises. 

 
 
Good to know, Thanks Liu. I kindof hope they're a hype as I'm pretty satisfied with my setup as is.
Weird they do all these loaner programs in the US and none in Europe, it's a French company and practically in my backyard. You're truly spoiled in the US!
Anyway, will be nice to hear an objective opinion. For now I heard someone claiming they're not all that strong in the bass region and then someone else claims the opposite.
And since you have the same amp as many in this thread do it will even be more interesting.

 

[siwolfman]

Wondering if anyone is using a Sophia 6SL7? Review?

 

[bazelio]

Tried it.
 
Review of it: Meh.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Tried it, love it. It's on the Zana most of the time and even ordered me two spares.

 

[siwolfman]

Tried it, love it. It's on the Zana most of the time and even ordered me two spares.

Thanks for the feedback! What did you find different about the sound? Did you buy the grade A tubes?

 

[AppleheadMay]

Thanks for the feedback! What did you find different about the sound? Did you buy the grade A tubes?

 
 
Well, it's not much feedback really and I'm not up to reviewing tubes tbh.
Driver tube rolling on an amp gives more than subtle changes but they aren't world shocking either.
From the tubes I have (main tubes are 6SU7GTY BGRP and ECC35 short brown, different versions) the Sophia is the cleanest, more modern sounding tube. See, that's why I hate putting labels on tubes and other gear: it doesn't mean the other tubes are muddy or not clean enough and it doesn't mean the Sophia is bright either. But there is a difference and I can hear it even though I can't instantly A/B the tubes and I have to turn off the amp and switch the tubes. I don't wait for cooloff however, I switch 'em hot with a glove.
 
I would choose no other than grade A for two reasons: 
1 - A Zana deserves the best. It'd be silly to spend 2.5k on an amp and then save $100 or so on a tube.
2 - How would one evaluate the SQ of a tube when not getting the best version of it?
Apart from that, if you don't like the tube it will be easier to sell grade A than lower grades I can imagine.
 
And what's more, that tube looks awesome on the ZDS with the bigger oil caps.
It's nearly as tall as the power tubes, a difference of 1.5cm I think.
 
All in all well worth a try, I'd recommend giving the Sophia at least a try to every Zana owner.

 

[siwolfman]

Well, it's not much feedback really and I'm not up to reviewing tubes tbh.
Driver tube rolling on an amp gives more than subtle changes but they aren't world shocking either.
From the tubes I have (main tubes are 6SU7GTY BGRP and ECC35 short brown, different versions) the Sophia is the cleanest, more modern sounding tube. See, that's why I hate putting labels on tubes and other gear: it doesn't mean the other tubes are muddy or not clean enough and it doesn't mean the Sophia is bright either. But there is a difference and I can hear it even though I can't instantly A/B the tubes and I have to turn off the amp and switch the tubes. I don't wait for cooloff however, I switch 'em hot with a glove.

I would choose no other than grade A for two reasons: 
1 - A Zana deserves the best. It'd be silly to spend 2.5k on an amp and then save $100 or so on a tube.
2 - How would one evaluate the SQ of a tube when not getting the best version of it?
Apart from that, if you don't like the tube it will be easier to sell grade A than lower grades I can imagine.

And what's more, that tube looks awesome on the ZDS with the bigger oil caps.
It's nearly as tall as the power tubes, a difference of 1.5cm I think.

All in all well worth a try, I'd recommend giving the Sophia at least a try to every Zana owner.

I appreciate the honest feedback. Let you know when I get mine!