[Mr.Sneis]

Bob, I use HD600's or ATH-AD2000's these days. They both sound great!

The tube game is a sellers market; when you want to buy a nice tube it will end up costing you and then because you are an average person and not a tube store with a tube tester you take a good hit on re-sale. The few times I sprang for $$$ tubes I usually ended up regretting it later.

 

[BobG55]

Bob, I use HD600's or ATH-AD2000's these days. They both sound great!

The tube game is a sellers market; when you want to buy a nice tube it will end up costing you and then because you are an average person and not a tube store with a tube tester you take a good hit on re-sale. The few times I sprang for $$$ tubes I usually ended up regretting it later.

Good advice.  $pend & learn, right ?  Thanks, one more time. 

 
 
BTW, the ZDS & HD600 sound like they truly were made for each other.  I know Graig had the HD600 & the RS1 when he designed the ZD. It turned out pretty good & then some.

 

[AppleheadMay]

6SL7s cost multiples now of what they costed when I had my first Zana.
I bought some pretty nice tubes back then for about 50$ that easily cost anywhere from 150-300$ now.
 
I'm not buying any tubes anymore. I think I got 5 pairs of power tubes, 5 pairs of rectifiers and 4 or 5 tubes of each of the 6SL7s I like: ECC35, 6SU7GTY and Sophia. I'm ready for the Apocalypse. ;P 

 

[BobG55]

  6SL7s cost multiples now of what they costed when I had my first Zana.
I bought some pretty nice tubes back then for about 50$ that easily cost anywhere from 150-300$ now.
 
I'm not buying any tubes anymore. I think I got 5 pairs of power tubes, 5 pairs of rectifiers and 4 or 5 tubes of each of the 6SL7s I like: ECC35, 6SU7GTY and Sophia. I'm ready for the Apocalypse. ;P 

I'm not far behind (I just went insane) : (2) ECC35, (3) 6SL7, (1) 6SU7GTY & a Sophia on the way. 
 
I've already experienced the Apocalypse ... in my bank account.  Also, my wife doesn't know > if she finds out = It's the obituaries for me. 

 

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
I'm not far behind (I just went insane) : (2) ECC35, (3) 6SL7, (1) 6SU7GTY & a Sophia on the way. 
 
I've already experienced the Apocalypse ... in my bank account.  Also, my wife doesn't know > if she finds out = It's the obituaries for me. 

 

 
 
We'll light a tube for you! 

 

[Liu Junyuan]

I do not want to start another tube craze, but I am wondering why very little mention of RCA 5691. That tube is incredible with brighter phones and was my top pick for HD800 when I had it, better than the ECC35.

I also went crazy buying tubes for this amp. I have like five of the aforementioned RCAs, two of which are NIB, three 6SU7GTY (sold two to AppleheadMay black glass and another clear glass, two ECC35, and one Sophia.

 

[vc1187]

I do not want to start another tube craze, but I am wondering why very little mention of RCA 5691. That tube is incredible with brighter phones and was my top pick for HD800 when I had it, better than the ECC35.

I also went crazy buying tubes for this amp. I have like five of the aforementioned RCAs, two of which are NIB, three 6SU7GTY (sold two to AppleheadMay black glass and another clear glass, two ECC35, and one Sophia.

Agreed, also my top pick for the ZD and HD800.

 

[BobG55]

I do not want to start another tube craze, but I am wondering why very little mention of RCA 5691. That tube is incredible with brighter phones and was my top pick for HD800 when I had it, better than the ECC35.

I also went crazy buying tubes for this amp. I have like five of the aforementioned RCAs, two of which are NIB, three 6SU7GTY (sold two to AppleheadMay black glass and another clear glass, two ECC35, and one Sophia.

See answer below

 

I do not want to start another tube craze, but I am wondering why very little mention of RCA 5691. That tube is incredible with brighter phones and was my top pick for HD800 when I had it, better than the ECC35.

I also went crazy buying tubes for this amp. I have like five of the aforementioned RCAs, two of which are NIB, three 6SU7GTY (sold two to AppleheadMay black glass and another clear glass, two ECC35, and one Sophia.

Agreed, also my top pick for the ZD and HD800.

I tried getting an RCA 5691.  There were two sites that had it listed but when I contacted them I was told by both that they were out of stock.
 
I saw three on eBay & they were more expensive than the other tubes I'd already bought.  So, no disrespect towards the 5691 at all just couldn't find one at reasonable price.  And now, sadly, I've reached/ exceeded my spending limit way beyond the boundary of reason.

 

[BobG55]

 

 
I'm not far behind (I just went insane) : (2) ECC35, (3) 6SL7, (1) 6SU7GTY & a Sophia on the way. 
 
I've already experienced the Apocalypse ... in my bank account.  Also, my wife doesn't know > if she finds out = It's the obituaries for me. 

 

 
 
We'll light a tube for you! 

Wow.  What are friends for.  I'm touched & speechless. 

 

[AppleheadMay]

I do not want to start another tube craze, but I am wondering why very little mention of RCA 5691. That tube is incredible with brighter phones and was my top pick for HD800 when I had it, better than the ECC35.

I also went crazy buying tubes for this amp. I have like five of the aforementioned RCAs, two of which are NIB, three 6SU7GTY (sold two to AppleheadMay black glass and another clear glass, two ECC35, and one Sophia.

And I was thinkg I was done with buying tubes ...

 

[Liu Junyuan]

And I was thinkg I was done with buying tubes ...

I really did not intend that. You have a nice stable already. If you do want to try one, I have been considering selling up to two, so I would sell to you. But really that is not my intention to cause you anxiety to buy more stuff. I do think they are worth a listen at some point if you have some brighter headphones. Also, the layering and body they add to the sound (without sacrificing resolution) really consorts well with the likes of the already slightly airy HD800/Utopia.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I really did not intend that. You have a nice stable already. If you do want to try one, I have been considering selling up to two, so I would sell to you. But really that is not my intention to cause you anxiety to buy more stuff. I do think they are worth a listen at some point if you have some brighter headphones. Also, the layering and body they add to the sound (without sacrificing resolution) really consorts well with the likes of the already slightly airy HD800/Utopia.

 
 
No worries, I really don't mind discovering some more tubes.
I'll send you a PM.
 
How are you liking the Utopia so far?

 

[Liu Junyuan]

No worries, I really don't mind discovering some more tubes.
I'll send you a PM.

How are you liking the Utopia so far?

I think it pairs extremely well with the ZDS, which adds some euphony and body while maintaining good speed, not getting in the way of its extraordinary transient response, and not compromising its superior resolution to even the HD800. The HD800 scales more to the ZDS, going from intolerable on lesser gear to unbelievably good, where the Utopia sounds great on lesser gear. From some testimony of others on the pairing, Utopia and ZDS have excellent synergy. I am listening to 6SU7GTY RBP as I type and am quite awed with the overall coherence, engagement, resolution, and musicality of the experience.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I think it pairs extremely well with the ZDS, which adds some euphony and body while maintaining good speed, not getting in the way of its extraordinary transient response, and not compromising its superior resolution to even the HD800. The HD800 scales more to the ZDS, going from intolerable on lesser gear to unbelievably good, where the Utopia sounds great on lesser gear. From some testimony of others on the pairing, Utopia and ZDS have excellent synergy. I am listening to 6SU7GTY RBP as I type and am quite awed with the overall coherence, engagement, resolution, and musicality of the experience.

 
I definitely need to audition the Utopia as well as the Elear.
Just need to find the time and a dealer that that has them on demo.

 

[BobG55]

Got the Sophia vacuum tube today & it is excellent.  It's simply incredible how great a $300 headphone, the HD600, can sound w/ this amplifier & a tube like the Sophia.  I never could have imagined this happening.