[Hifi Boy]

Ah you mean the large ones.
 
So, while at Amtrans, I also bought Gold Lion KT88, they only had 1 last pair left.
 
Do you know how do they compare to PSvane KT88, have you had the chance to try them?

 

[Dimu]

Dimu, you seem to have upgraded your Elekit extensively. Could you let me know what else is there to be added, besides the Mundorf capacitors and Amtrans resistors and where could I get those upgrades?

 

Victor has TDK pots, they fit and are very good. Bypass caps are important too, you can get upgrade from Victor or go shopping for lower ESR ones.
 
When you install Mundorfs make sure to observe polarity. You can use an oscilloscope to figure out which end should be facing in which direction. You can look at upgrading other caps, like power caps for example. I used some automotive high temp caps in there, as well as some Silmic II.
 
Upgrade the rectifier feeding DC heaters for the driver tubes, I used 3A if I remember correctly. Then stick in a pair of E80CC.
And get good NOS output tubes like RCA 6L6GC or GE 6L6GC or Sylvania 6L6GC. Or get Cossor 807 with round plates and adapters for them. Keep away from those anode caps and wires in the adapters though as there is high voltage present there, not shielded by the amp case.
 
If you want to go really deep into this then order power transformer with bigger heater secondary and use it to run hotter tubes like KT88 for example. I am talking about real KT88 of course, made in England by GEC, or TT21 with adapters.

 
In either case keep E80CC for drivers- that makes more difference relative to any 12AU7 than any upgrade of output tubes with 12AU7.
 
Ask Victor for output transformer upgrade
 
If you want more 2nd harmonic distortion then get a TU-8500, upgrade its pot, caps, resistors and tubes and then run it at max volume. I changed negative feedback in mine by using different resistors. If you don't want more 2nd harmonic distortion then don't bother with TU-8500, unless you want the phono preamp.

 

[JK-47]

Which Mundorf caps have polarity? I thought the Silver Gold Evo Supreme caps had none...

 

[Hifi Boy]

Hi Dimu.
 
So, the things that I could get now are:
 
- TDK Pots
- Bypass caps
- Output Transformer
 
Mundorfs I already got from Victor. I got them installed at Amtrans shop here in Tokyo.
 
As for the rectifier, I'm not really sure what that is or where to get one.
 
I've heard that RCA tubes should be really good. I'm talking about the small ones that go in the front, don't know the name for that. Currently I'm using Psvane 12AU7-mk2, and also have Genalex Gold Lion 12AU7, I can't really tell there is any differece in sound. Do you think a certain type of RCA tubes would be even better than these two?
 
Regarding the large tubes, I was using Gold lion KT66 until recently, which in my opining is just amazing compared tot he stock one, but when I got my Elekit upgraded I also bought Gold Lion KT88. I'm not sure, but as far as I've heard KR Audio Tubes should be the best out there. I recently found KR Audio KT88 on this website. They are quite expensive so i'm not really looking to getting them just yet.
 
I did not see them on the official KR Audio website so I sent them a email about it and they confirmed that they are real. 

 
As for the 2nd harmonic, if that's the thing that makes the sound warm and smooth, than yes, that is what I'm looking for. But I'm not sure whether to go with TU-8500 because I'm thinging of stopping with digital upgrades after I get a new DAC and concetrate on analog upgrades. Then I'll probably get Luxman's EQ-500 and PD171A, so I don't think it would make much sense to invest in TS-8500 right now, even though i've thought about it.

 

[Dimu]

  Which Mundorf caps have polarity? I thought the Silver Gold Evo Supreme caps had none...

 
Does not matter if it is Mundorf or not. Cylindrical caps are rolled as many layers- this is how cylinders are formed. Then one lead is attached to the internal end and the other lead is attached to the external lead. Not exactly "polarity", maybe "orientation" is a better term to describe this. That external layer acts a shield for coupling electrical fields so it is best to connect it towards the end of the circuit that has lowest impedance to ground.

 

[JK-47]

Interesting, this is the first I've heard that, regarding cylinderical caps, unless the have the polarity marked on them. Why would cap makers not make this difference easy to identify?

 

[Dimu]

  Hi Dimu.
 
So, the things that I could get now are:
 
- TDK Pots
- Bypass caps
- Output Transformer
 
Mundorfs I already got from Victor. I got them installed at Amtrans shop here in Tokyo.
 
As for the rectifier, I'm not really sure what that is or where to get one.
 
I've heard that RCA tubes should be really good. I'm talking about the small ones that go in the front, don't know the name for that. Currently I'm using Psvane 12AU7-mk2, and also have Genalex Gold Lion 12AU7, I can't really tell there is any differece in sound. Do you think a certain type of RCA tubes would be even better than these two?
 
Regarding the large tubes, I was using Gold lion KT66 until recently, which in my opining is just amazing compared tot he stock one, but when I got my Elekit upgraded I also bought Gold Lion KT88. I'm not sure, but as far as I've heard KR Audio Tubes should be the best out there. I recently found KR Audio KT88 on this website. They are quite expensive so i'm not really looking to getting them just yet.

 
I did not say you can get an upgraded output transformer from Victor, I just suggested that you ask him for one
 
The "small" tubes are driver tubes and the "big" tubes are output tubes. Driver tubes pre-amplify the signal so that output tubes can operate in the optimal range and do their amplification job.
 
Rectifier you can get from any electronics store or distributor. For example mouser or digikey. Notice you can't use tubes like E80CC with KT66 or KT88 because you will burn your power transformer. You would need to upgrade your power transformer if you want to use E80CC or other driver tubes with higher heater current together with high current output tubes. Which is why I would stay away from anything other than 6L6GC or 807. Rectifier is easy, power transformer not so much.
 
Also notice that when you say that you use "Genalex Gold Lion" you quite possibly likely mistaken. Most cheaper tubes are made in Russia and China. Real GEC tubes can cost $1000 for a pair of output tubes, if you can even find them. I don't understand why people buy Russian and Chinese tubes with fake labels. It's like buying fake Rolex watches- what's the point? I understand when a product is called "psvane" or "kr audio" or "svetlana" or "jj", etc. But Genalex or Mullard or Telefunken or Tung-Sol I don't get. None of those tubes were ever made in Russia, USSR or China, and for good reasons. If you want try to a proper Soviet tube try a pair of real MELZ 6SN7, they work well in TU-8200 once you get adapters.

 

[JK-47]

@Hifi Boy I would slow down with the upgrades and sit back and enjoy your amp for a while. otherwise you will never truly appreciate the money spent. Also if you keep on spending , you would probably have been better off with another higher end amp in the first place... Happy Listening !!!

 

[Dimu]

  Interesting, this is the first I've heard that, regarding cylinderical caps, unless the have the polarity marked on them. Why would cap makers not make this difference easy to identify?

Apparently they used to mark them and some still do, Mundorf does not though. Just tune oscilloscope down to max sensitivity set it to a few ms per division and then attach the cap to the probe and hold it in your hand. You'll see induced voltages on the screen, most noticeably 50/60Hz, sometimes other stuff, even into MHz range if you speed your scope up. Then flip the cap and see whether amplitude went up or down. When it is down the  ground lead of the probe is connected to your external layer. Point that towards ground or for C3/C4 point towards points 5/6 and for C9/C10 point it towards points 7/8.

 

[JK-47]

What will happen if you do not orientate the caps this way?

 

[JK-47]

Can you post a pic of your caps installed?

 

[Hifi Boy]

@DimuQuote:

I did not say you can get an upgraded output transformer from Victor, I just suggested that you ask him for one

Yeah, I think he has some, but I guess I can also get them from Amtrans  since they are 20 min from where I live.
 
Quote:

The "small" tubes are driver tubes and the "big" tubes are output tubes. Driver tubes pre-amplify the signal so that output tubes can operate in the optimal range and do their amplification job.
 
Rectifier you can get from any electronics store or distributor. For example mouser or digikey. Notice you can't use tubes like E80CC with KT66 or KT88 because you will burn your power transformer. You would need to upgrade your power transformer if you want to use E80CC or other driver tubes with higher heater current together with high current output tubes. Which is why I would stay away from anything other than 6L6GC or 807. Rectifier is easy, power transformer not so much.

Ok, got the point. Stay away from stuff I'm not too familiar with, or I'll burn my amp!
 
Quote:

Also notice that when you say that you use "Genalex Gold Lion" you quite possibly likely mistaken. Most cheaper tubes are made in Russia and China. Real GEC tubes can cost $1000 for a pair of output tubes, if you can even find them. I don't understand why people buy Russian and Chinese tubes with fake labels. It's like buying fake Rolex watches- what's the point? I understand when a product is called "psvane" or "kr audio" or "svetlana" or "jj", etc. But Genalex or Mullard or Telefunken or Tung-Sol I don't get. None of those tubes were ever made in Russia, USSR or China, and for good reasons. If you want try to a proper Soviet tube try a pair of real MELZ 6SN7, they work well in TU-8200 once you get adapters.

Honestly, I'm new to the audiophile world and especially tube stuff and Elekit is my first tube amp which I bought just a few months ago. So when I see "Genalex" written on the box, I'll call it as I see it, because I have no idea that its a "fake", as you have put it.
 
@JK-47Quote:

I would slow down with the upgrades and sit back and enjoy your amp for a while. otherwise you will never truly appreciate the money spent. Also if you keep on spending , you would probably have been better off with another higher end amp in the first place... Happy Listening !!!

JK, I completely agree with you and I certainly intend to stop... ... ...after I get a new DAC.
 
I honestly think that my current one is holding me down. 
 
I certainly would like to try some other amps, as I said previously Mass Kobo Model 394 was a beautiful holographic experience for me. Also, Eddie Current amps are something that I would like to listen to. It all depends on the sound.
 
Let me just say that I bought my Elekit the day after I heard it at the last Fujiya Avic show. It had just the kind of sound I was looking for. Big, smooth and warm. On the other hand, few months earlier I auditioned a reference class Simaudio Moon Neo 430HAD and I have to say that even though the sound was good, it was simply not what I was looking for. It was simply too neutral and non-musical for my taste, thus I opted for Elekit. Perfect for studio monitor type headphones and headphone reviews, not so much for kicking back and getting lost in the music.

 

[Dimu]

  What will happen if you do not orientate the caps this way?

Induced currents will drain into ground instead of becoming part of your signal.

 

[Dimu]

  Can you post a pic of your caps installed?

Don't want to take the case off for that. Caps are caps, installed as usual, just watch which way you rotate them before soldering.

 

[JK-47]

After talking with Victor and exchanging a few pictures, he has them orientated opposite of what you suggested...