[Effusion]

catcherfly,
 
Congrats on the new venture and keep us all up to date on how it progresses.  I really like your cabinets for single drivers, which is where I'll probably be going in the near future with the Elekit.  Very cool!
 
As far as tube recommendations, it really depends on where you would like to go, compared to what you have already tried.  I really like the vintage KT66s, but they can be pricey.  Another good option, at least to get a sense, is also the 807s.  They aren't as popular, so prices on vintage pairs are much less, but they sound pretty darn good for the money.  I would say that my favorite pair, smoked-glass JAN Hytrons are between the sound of a 6L6GC and a KT66; they have great tone, resolution and slam, but are just a bit more confined and with less air and finesse than the KT66.  Still very nice indeed, especially for the price, but you'll have to also purchase a pair of adapters in order to use them (just make sure the top pin connection is fairly tight before trying them, I've found that a few of the European 807 variants tend to have smaller top pins, etc.).
 
LingLing1337,
 
Sorry to hear about the Psvane tube fail... I'm glad that the amplifier appears to be okay though.  I've also had tubes end their life in my other amps before and they generally behave exactly the way you described above.  Shame that it happened to a Psvane tube, as they are generally regarded as being much better quality than other Chinese offerings.  I've read a ton of threads were those using the Shuguang Treasure Tubes as well as many using the new issue Genalex KT88s have had tube failures within 2 to 4 hundred hours of use.  Not cool when you spend so much on a pair.  Most of the time it appears to happen in guitar amps within a fairly short amount of use, since they just eat up tubes and really put them through the grind.
 
I really hope you are able to exchange/return the tube that failed and recoup the majority of the cost of the initial pair.  I've always found it interesting that some of the newer production, especially the cheaper ones from China/Russia, have such large fail rates after just a few hundred hours, while the shear amount of vintage tubes I own and put a ton of time on have lasted so much longer without issue.  I think it really comes down to both the materials, but also mainly the manufacturing processes at these plants.  As someone else mentioned, it is wise to buy newer production from shops here in the US that do extensive burn-in and matching prior to sale.  The one shop here locally told me that they have always had huge issues with quality control from both Chinese and Russian plants and when they purchase a pair they are almost never close or matched in output directly from the factory, even though they factory is selling them as perfectly matched "factory" pairs... crazy.  There are several vendors here in the US that take quite a bit of time to try to curb this, if for just a few extra bucks per pair.
 
Let us know how it all pans out and I wish you the best of luck moving forward.

 

[catcherfly]

catcherfly,

Congrats on the new venture and keep us all up to date on how it progresses.  I really like your cabinets for single drivers, which is where I'll probably be going in the near future with the Elekit.  Very cool!

As far as tube recommendations, it really depends on where you would like to go, compared to what you have already tried.  I really like the vintage KT66s, but they can be pricey.  Another good option, at least to get a sense, is also the 807s.  They aren't as popular, so prices on vintage pairs are much less, but they sound pretty darn good for the money.  I would say that my favorite pair, smoked-glass JAN Hytrons are between the sound of a 6L6GC and a KT66; they have great tone, resolution and slam, but are just a bit more confined and with less air and finesse than the KT66.  Still very nice indeed, especially for the price, but you'll have to also purchase a pair of adapters in order to use them (just make sure the top pin connection is fairly tight before trying them, I've found that a few of the European 807 variants tend to have smaller top pins, etc.).

LingLing1337,

Sorry to hear about the Psvane tube fail... I'm glad that the amplifier appears to be okay though.  I've also had tubes end their life in my other amps before and they generally behave exactly the way you described above.  Shame that it happened to a Psvane tube, as they are generally regarded as being much better quality than other Chinese offerings.  I've read a ton of threads were those using the Shuguang Treasure Tubes as well as many using the new issue Genalex KT88s have had tube failures within 2 to 4 hundred hours of use.  Not cool when you spend so much on a pair.  Most of the time it appears to happen in guitar amps within a fairly short amount of use, since they just eat up tubes and really put them through the grind.

I really hope you are able to exchange/return the tube that failed and recoup the majority of the cost of the initial pair.  I've always found it interesting that some of the newer production, especially the cheaper ones from China/Russia, have such large fail rates after just a few hundred hours, while the shear amount of vintage tubes I own and put a ton of time on have lasted so much longer without issue.  I think it really comes down to both the materials, but also mainly the manufacturing processes at these plants.  As someone else mentioned, it is wise to buy newer production from shops here in the US that do extensive burn-in and matching prior to sale.  The one shop here locally told me that they have always had huge issues with quality control from both Chinese and Russian plants and when they purchase a pair they are almost never close or matched in output directly from the factory, even though they factory is selling them as perfectly matched "factory" pairs... crazy.  There are several vendors here in the US that take quite a bit of time to try to curb this, if for just a few extra bucks per pair.

Let us know how it all pans out and I wish you the best of luck moving forward.

Effusion, thanks so much for the tube suggestions, I really appreciate it!

 

[Effusion]

You're very welcome and I'm glad to help, or at least try to.
 
All in all, it really depends on what you want to ultimately get out of the Elekit; this amplifier is so versatile when it comes to tube-rolling, the options are almost endless.  While trying a bunch of different types will give you the best overall depiction of the different sound signatures that can be had, this can be quite costly and quickly, so if you really don't mind shelling out the extra coin up front for some of the more expensive types, rather than going through all the bases first, than you might be best off with a vintage pair of KT88s, KT66s, and/or EL34s.  I've found that these are the ones that have given me the most enjoyable sound signature out of all the types I've tried, but they're not cheap.  That's not to say that the other, cheaper, variants are horrible or anything at all, as it really depends on the entirety of the system, for which every one is different.  I personally enjoy having quite a few different options and I'm consistently swapping them out depending on my mood and/or different genres of music I want to listen to.  It is also good to have a cheaper pair that you enjoy, so you don't have to log so many hours on your favorites.
 
Is there anything that your setup seems to be lacking with your current pair of tubes?  Any preferences in the styles/genres of music you enjoy the most?  Both of these questions can help narrow down the massive amount of possible variants to try and with this particular amplifier that is probably an understatement.

 

[JK-47]

Just got back home from 3 weeks away at work. Time to roll some newly acquired tubes...
 
First up the Blue labeled Philips 6189W's: I bought a sleeve of 5 for a reasonable price. All 5 tested strong and were closely matched as per the JAN 6189 requirements. Tested using reference 320kbps MP3's, and 24/96 vinyl rips that I'm very familiar with. Nice and neutral, tight, accurate, detailed, and refined. After 3-4 hours, they were very impressive, they are very transparent and don't add any color to the sound at all from what I can tell. I will definitely have to listen to these more...
 
Up next the Green labeled Philips 5814A's: I also bought a sleeve of 5 for a little less than the Blue's. Very similar characteristics to their Blue Brother, with a touch more warmth. The bass and lower mids are slightly more pronounced at the cost of a tiny bit of detail. Another excellent value in my book...
 
I'll be putting in the Amperex 7316's a little later for a comparison.
 
On another note I have a Schiit Gungnir Muliti bit DAC and Mojnir 2 amp (yay!!! more tubes to roll !!!), but the Wyrd arrived a day early. So I tried it with my TEAC UD-301 DAC, and I do have to say it made a difference. The background was blacker, and softer background sounds/voices/instruments were more detailed and easier to make out. Overall a small level of refinement was added to the sound. I would definitely consider adding this to any DAC for a small performance boost, and if you don't like it, return it within 15 days for almost all your money back.
 
Also, my TEAC has been listed in the classifieds...
 
Update: After listening to the Amperex 7316's... The 2 sets of Philips can't quite reach the same level's of detail and magic. The 7316's have a detailed majestic mid-range (I would call it sweet, and liquid), and extend to both ends of the frequency range effortlessly. If I had to rate the 7316, it would be a 9.5/10, the Philips Blue & Green would be a solid 8/10. The Philips are an excellent value at $9-$11 per tube. I will continue to listen to the Blue's for at least another 50-75hrs... I'll post an update in the near future.

 

[JK-47]

Yesterday my Schiit Gungnir Multi bit arrived, along with the Sennheiser HD650. This DAC is the real deal, extremely nice detail and smoothness. It pairs with the Elekit extremely well, and so do the HD650's

.
 
More impressions to come as the DAC continues to burn in.

 

[Effusion]

Thanks for the update JK and congrats on the new gear!
 
I was able to try out a bunch of Schiit gear about a month ago and I was really impressed by the build quality to price ratio as well as the sound quality out of most of it.  Those 6189Ws and 5814A are very nice as well; let us know how they ultimately end up stacking up against your other types/variants.
 
I'm glad you're enjoying the HD650s with the Elekit.  I've found that they pair up nicely to this amplifier and even better than much more expensive amplifiers.  Great combo to be had all around.
 
I finally got around to modding my pair of HD650s and I can't tell you how much of an improvement it has made to the overall sound quality.  The mod I did, for the most part, can be found below and I highly recommend it:
 
http://apuresound.com/hdsennmod.html
 
I did remove the foam discs from the back side of each driver as shown, however I cut a hole in the each of the foam inserts, then left them in each cup.  I simply used a quarter to cut the hole around and then put the foam inserts back in each cup.  To me, removing the foam insert completely changed too much of the sound signature of the 650's, which made them a bit too bright for my tastes.  The small quarter sized hole in the center of the inserts gives me just enough clarity and resolution, without loosing too much of the original charm of the 650s.
 
To me this mod removes the small amount of "veil" that the 650s are known for, thereby improving the clarity, resolution, and voicing across the entire spectrum.  I highly recommend this mod and if you are careful, it is actually reversible.  I don't think I'll ever want to go back and I've been using a pair of unmodified 650s for about the last nine years or so.  Impressive!
 
Keep us up to date on how things progress! 

 

 

[JK-47]

The 6189W's have been in for 70hrs+ of play time, and they're a solid performing, reasonably priced option.
 
Effusion,
 
Thanks for the tips on the HD650's. I have a set of inner foam's on the way. I'm waiting for them before I try the qurater mod, I'm sensitive to treble. So I want an extra set on hand before I jump in. It might be a bit harder to replace the little foam piece's on the back. I'll try the quarter mod first and then see what happens.

 

[Effusion]

Thanks for the update, I actually have a pair somewhere and I remember them being a nice option for pretty cheap.  That is if the ones you are referring to are similar to those below:
 
http://www.dougstubes.com/jan-philips-6189w.html
 
I recently auditioned a fully modded pair of HD650s, pretty much the same mod I ended up doing, and they really blew me away.  I've used the 650s almost exclusively for the past 6-7 years, so it was a welcomed change.  The pair I auditioned also had a thin layer of dense foam like material, I believe from a roll of carpet/rug mat.  The full mod does brighten them up a bit, which isn't much of an issue since my system definitely isn't bright.  The guy with the modded pair said the extra mat material helps smooth out the highs a bit more than without; I think I may be trying it soon, if just to see if I like the difference.
 
I found that the foam on the back of the drivers can be a little hard to get out at first.  For some reason there was a bit of glue attaching the foam to the each of the outside studs, which caused difficulties for me when removing.  I don't really see any glue in the pictures of mod, which is noticeable a couple of places on mine, so I'm not really sure why my pair had it.  Not very much at all, but enough to really stick to the outside of the foam and causing it to tare a bit upon removal.  It would have worked perfect if I could steam the foam to loosen the glue, but I was never going to try it, as it was attached to the driver after all... oh well, in the end I was able to get it to break away and I've got to say they sound really good overall!
 
Anyway, I really enjoy the 650's with this amp and find that it drives them as well, if not better at times, than many amps costing much more.  I find that the 650s have great scalability, so they can really help bring out the small nuances between gear/tubes/cables.  I would also have to say that this mod only increased it's ability to do so.
 
Let me know how the new foam inserts turn out and if you have any questions regarding the mod or my time with the 650s and the Elekit.  

 

 

[JK-47]

Effusion,
 
Yes, those Philips tubes at Doug's are the same.
 
I can't wait to get home and try the HD650 mods...
 
Sorry for the long delay in replying, but I have been busy lately... I stopped in Tyll's of Innerfidelity on September 2nd, and checked out his "BIG Sound 2015" rooom full of All-Star gear. Wow !!! There's a video there (I was the first "victim"),and my own write up of the experience  should be posted by the end of the week. Then on the 3rd it was off to work, 3 flights to get there. Have been working 13-14hrs a day since...

 

[Hyperslow]

Just joined head-fi so I could let you know how much I appreciate all of the last years posts on this thread. I just finished building Victor's dx version of the 8200 and couldn't be happier. The pics I have seen of your amps just made me jealous too...so I indulged and powder coated the main chassis cover.

I haven't finished burning in the stock 6l6GC tubes yet but my head is spinning with my options. They are just now starting to settle in after a hundred hours or so I'm going to have to jump in soon :wink_face:

Just a quick note about cans - I bought a pair of B&O H6 awhile back for portable use - I think they are 30ohm - and this amp drives them with ease.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks - I've subscribed to this thread so I'll post a bit more after I've had a bit more experience with this amp, maybe I'll post a pic when headfi gives me permission.

 

[JK-47]

Welcome to the discussion Hyperslow

 
 
Oh, Effusion,
 
I did the HD650 mods at work and I'm enjoying them via a Geek Out V2 balanced output, awesome mods!!! Adds another level of clarity, very very nice. I can't wait to get home and try them with the Elekit !!!

 

[lucidreamer]

Just joined head-fi so I could let you know how much I appreciate all of the last years posts on this thread.....

 
Thanks Hyperslow and welcome to join the "Elekit TU-8200 DX Club"! Please share your modding and tube-rolling experiences with us and let us know if you have something to discuss with us.

 

[Effusion]

Welcome to the club and Head-Fi Hyperslow!
 
I'm glad you're enjoying the Elekit and it sounds like your build went well.  Probably your best option initially is to get a good sense of the stock tubes and then let us all know what you think your system is missing.  I think you'll find that the tube options for this amp are quite extensive and I only hope we might be able to steer you in at least a starting direction.  I'd like to see your pictures of the powder coated chassis, that is once the site lets you.  I've recently bit the mod/upgrade bug myself; in the meantime, let us know how things continue to go and if you have any questions.  I agree, you made the right choice!
 
JK-47,
 
I'm glad to hear that the mod for the 650s went well and that your initial impressions are similar to mine.  I've spent quite a bit of time with the Elekit and a pair of un-modded 650s and to me, there is no going back, really that much better.  If they seem just a bit too hot or bright with certain combinations or tracks, the additional carpet mat foam mod may help tame the highs a bit.  I really don't find them too bright at all myself, but my system is warmer.  I may try this mod soon, as it is reversible, if just to see.  Let me know what you think of the Elekit through your newly modded pair!

 

[JK-47]

Effusion,
 
It will be a couple of weeks till I get back home to let them loose on the Elekit, but they sound very nice as is. Not bright, more focused, revealing even more fine detail. My Dad just did the dampening mod, and will do the coin mod later. He likes to make small changes and listen for a few days at least, I tend to jump right in.
 
I'll be going to RMAF this year, for the first time. I can squeeze it in before I go back to work

 

[vkung]

see you in the show