[Canadian411]

Sorry in advance but I didn't read all the 25 previous pages, my question is Can I purchase built/assembled amp ? instead of soldering myself ?
 
Thanks,

 

[JK-47]

Contact Victor at vk music. He did offer prebuilt units, not sure if he still does.

 

[LingLing1337]

Ebay seller atop auction informed me the psvane kt88 I bought from him have a 1 year warranty, hopefully I will have a new pair soon

 

[Jtyoung]

anyone used the 8200 with iems? around 16 ohms - wondering how they pair...

 

[vkung]

it works well with low impedance caps

 

[thebigcanman]

Just received my amp. 
 
After initial testing with GL KT88 and EH 12AU7 (both new/modern) i prefer the sound in ultralinear mode wiht my HD800. 
 
What is the consensus on the best way to set this amp up? Triode w. some decent tubes? 

 

[Effusion]

Congrats on the purchase!  Although I have not spent a lot of time with the TU-8200 and the HD800s, it sounds absolutely amazing with my HD650s, and I think you'll find that both the musicality and the sheer versatility of this amp put it up against units costing twice or more as much.
 
I pretty much use the amp in Triode mode, which tends to give me a bit more bloom and fullness, but the Ultra Linear mode is also quite good, giving a bit more detail and speed.  If we took a poll, I believe it would be pretty close between the two, but to my knowledge, most are running Ultra-Linear with amazing results.  If you're planning on running speakers at all, Ultra-Linear will also give you a few more watts to play with.
 
As far as tubes go, the possibilities with this amplifier are almost endless and there are very good options, both new stock and especially old stock.  In the new stock realm, Psvane are highly regarded, while other, cheaper versions, can sometimes seem a bit too solid state and laking the tonality/delivery achieved through their NOS counterparts.
 
As far as NOS options, there are a ton of different paths, so it really has to do with what type of music you listen to most as well as what you're missing or wanting out of the marriage between the amp and your cans.  Many have enjoyed the airiness and mid-range magic of the old-stock EL-34s, while the 6550s and KT-88s give more punch/drive and slam.  A nice in-between I've found is the old stock KT-66s, that supply a great tonality with a natural presentation and great sound-stage, with a bit more weight than the EL-34s.  However, these versions, especially if they are NOS, are not cheap and can be hard to find.  A cheaper option, to get your feet wet with old stock, are the GE 6L6GCs or the SED Winged "C" EL34s and 6550s.  If you don't mind running adapters, I've really enjoyed many of the old stock 807s.  They tend to give me a well balanced sound, sort of in-between the KT-88, KT-66, and the 6L6GC, plus they can generally be had cheap; I tend to prefer the smoked glass militarized versions over the plain RCA.
 
When considering 12au7s, there are so many that it is probably best to just try a few.  Many like the Amperex options, while I've found some of the Brimars and CBS black plates to be quite nice as well, with a bit more speed/detail than the Mullards, but still with a nice and lush sound.  The Telefunkens aren't cheap, but provide a ton of detail.  Some of the equivalents, including many of the militarized versions, may also provide a tighter sound with extra mid-range detail.
 
There is a ton of information within this thread concerning different combinations and impressions, but please not hesitate to ask us questions.  I think you'll find that this amplifier is very receptive to tube rolling.
 
Congrats again and welcome to the club!

 

[JK-47]

Good to hear from you again effusion, it's been a while

 

[thebigcanman]

  Congrats on the purchase!  Although I have not spent a lot of time with the TU-8200 and the HD800s, it sounds absolutely amazing with my HD650s, and I think you'll find that both the musicality and the sheer versatility of this amp put it up against units costing twice or more as much.
 
I pretty much use the amp in Triode mode, which tends to give me a bit more bloom and fullness, but the Ultra Linear mode is also quite good, giving a bit more detail and speed.  If we took a poll, I believe it would be pretty close between the two, but to my knowledge, most are running Ultra-Linear with amazing results.  If you're planning on running speakers at all, Ultra-Linear will also give you a few more watts to play with.
 
As far as tubes go, the possibilities with this amplifier are almost endless and there are very good options, both new stock and especially old stock.  In the new stock realm, Psvane are highly regarded, while other, cheaper versions, can sometimes seem a bit too solid state and laking the tonality/delivery achieved through their NOS counterparts.
 
As far as NOS options, there are a ton of different paths, so it really has to do with what type of music you listen to most as well as what you're missing or wanting out of the marriage between the amp and your cans.  Many have enjoyed the airiness and mid-range magic of the old-stock EL-34s, while the 6550s and KT-88s give more punch/drive and slam.  A nice in-between I've found is the old stock KT-66s, that supply a great tonality with a natural presentation and great sound-stage, with a bit more weight than the EL-34s.  However, these versions, especially if they are NOS, are not cheap and can be hard to find.  A cheaper option, to get your feet wet with old stock, are the GE 6L6GCs or the SED Winged "C" EL34s and 6550s.  If you don't mind running adapters, I've really enjoyed many of the old stock 807s.  They tend to give me a well balanced sound, sort of in-between the KT-88, KT-66, and the 6L6GC, plus they can generally be had cheap; I tend to prefer the smoked glass militarized versions over the plain RCA.
 
When considering 12au7s, there are so many that it is probably best to just try a few.  Many like the Amperex options, while I've found some of the Brimars and CBS black plates to be quite nice as well, with a bit more speed/detail than the Mullards, but still with a nice and lush sound.  The Telefunkens aren't cheap, but provide a ton of detail.  Some of the equivalents, including many of the militarized versions, may also provide a tighter sound with extra mid-range detail.
 
There is a ton of information within this thread concerning different combinations and impressions, but please not hesitate to ask us questions.  I think you'll find that this amplifier is very receptive to tube rolling.
 
Congrats again and welcome to the club!

 
Thanks for the response! 
 
I have no idea where to start with the tubes. I've been offered a pair of NOS mullards 12AU7s which I might check out. But I'm always weary of buying NOS tubes because it's too difficult to tell if they have been tested and in working condition etc. 
 
At the moment with the KT-88 and EH 12AU7 the sound is just a touch veiled. Ideally I'd like to open the sound up a little bit. I DO like the KT88 tubes. I'm tempted to seek out some Winged Cs, but I'm getting bass and slam out of the HD800s in a way that I have never heard before. 

 

[Effusion]

You're very welcome, I hope it helps!
 
As far as the Mullard 12au7s, the vast majority I have tried all tend to be a bit laid-back in their presentation, but with a lush mid-range.  Therefore, you may not find them suiting to your tastes.  Many of the Amperex 12au7s are more forward and a bit brighter; plus there tends to be quite a few available.  There are differences between the orange globe (or red) and the Bugle Boys, but at this moment I can't really comment on them.  Others have also had good results with the Amperex.
 
Another option is the Psvane 12au7 mark 2 I believe, which many have liked in the past.  They aren't cheap, but should hold up better than the KT-88s over time and still allow a bit of magic from a NOS power tube pair.  A cheap option, if just to get an idea, are the RCA clear top 12au7, which are forward and have nice impact, but lack a little detail, sound-stage, and bloom.  The CBS black plates, if you can find them, also provide a nice forward and engaging sound.
 
Then there are the variants, for which there are a ton for the 12au7.  In general, the militarized versions tend to be a bit more detailed and forward, if not just a bit more solid-state sounding.
 
As far as KT-88s go, NOS are VERY expensive and rare, but there are a few good new stock options out there.  I've enjoyed my McIntosh pair quite a bit, plus many have liked the Penta Labs versions.  Psvane also has a highly regarded KT-88 option, however a few have had their tubes die within a few months.  I've also tried a pair of blue JJ KT-88s that were nice, but a bit shallow.  The original "Gold Lion" KT-88s are probably the most expensive/rarest tube this amplifier can take and unfortunately, not many other NOS options exist.  You may find that you enjoy the 6550 type as much as the KT-88, but these two are rare and can be expensive; the RCA are very similar to the Tung-sol, but the Sylvanias and GE are different altogether.
 
Glad to hear that the HD800 is fairing well with this amplifier.  I believe another owner, or two, use HD800s as well and have enjoyed the combo immensely.

 

[Effusion]

  Good to hear from you again effusion, it's been a while

Hi JK, thanks!  It has been a while, I've been super busy lately.
 
I have also finally finished the major overhaul of the TU-8200 case that I was telling you about back in October, so I'll try to get my notes together and share a few pics of the case soon.
 
Hope all is well in the new year!

 

[Greg70]

   
Thanks for the response! 
 
I have no idea where to start with the tubes. I've been offered a pair of NOS mullards 12AU7s which I might check out. But I'm always weary of buying NOS tubes because it's too difficult to tell if they have been tested and in working condition etc. 
 
At the moment with the KT-88 and EH 12AU7 the sound is just a touch veiled. Ideally I'd like to open the sound up a little bit. I DO like the KT88 tubes. I'm tempted to seek out some Winged Cs, but I'm getting bass and slam out of the HD800s in a way that I have never heard before. 

If it's the high end you find veiled, NOS Tesla 12AU7s ares the best I've found.
Very detailed like an Amperex but with a tad less mids and a bit brighter and very detailed top end.

 

[Jtyoung]

recently received my 8200 - nice to join the club!

I opted for the Mundorf EVO Supreme silver gold coupling caps, and the AMRG components upgrade (popular upgrade in Japan I understand). All was organised (and built) by Victor - I received the amp ready to go with 4hrs on the clock. Those who know Victor Im sure will agree that he is extremely helpful in this somewhat small community of ours. Build is perfect and its a fine looking amp.

My impressions are new - only after a few hours of my listening - Ill post more as i spend more glorious time with it. Im using it with custom iems, JH Roxannes, (perhaps a bit overkill) but this wonderful amp makes these iems really come to life - id say to their maximum potential! Im not a headphone guy, prefer the iem world - triple fi's, westone 4's, westone es5, roxannes. Nor have i tested with speakers yet. My source is Calyx-M and over the years ive gone through iphones, ibasso 50 and 90 and now the wonderful calyxm. Files are mostly 16/44.1 flac, some 24/96 flac and above, and some 320 mp3's (many genres).

Ok - the sound. In a word - Stunning!! The best way i can describe it is akin to a headphone or source-device upgrade - it is simply amazing. Ive never experienced such a jump in sound with just a new amp! Many more details are revealed, fuller extension in both directions, improved layering, texture, imaging, realism, etc. Ive never heard a piano sound that good before...The details in the bass line of Daft Punks "Lose Yourself to Dance" really start to come through - closest to the way it shines when played through an AK240 player. Everything just sounds more "real", more beautiful.  I was a bit on the fence before i took the plunge but i need not have worried!  (This is my 2nd tube amp, the 1st being the elekit TU882).  Both are great amps, but the 8200 is just amazingly better - a lot more quiet through iems  - all in all, glorious. And all this with a fresh amp and fresh tubes.
 
I opted for JJ 12au7's, and reissued mullard el34's, and also TAD 6l6gc's. So far i think i prefer the mullards, but a bit more bass would be nice. It may come through after more time - im enjoying the tube option experimentation thing. Considering kt-66's or maybe 88's but im keen to keep the tube sound also.

 
 

 

[JK-47]

Welcome @Jtyoung,
 
Looking forward to your impressions with iems, I think you're the first to use them with the TU-8200 in this thread

 

[thebigcanman]

  recently received my 8200 - nice to join the club!

I opted for the Mundorf EVO Supreme silver gold coupling caps, and the AMRG components upgrade (popular upgrade in Japan I understand). All was organised (and built) by Victor - I received the amp ready to go with 4hrs on the clock. Those who know Victor Im sure will agree that he is extremely helpful in this somewhat small community of ours. Build is perfect and its a fine looking amp.

My impressions are new - only after a few hours of my listening - Ill post more as i spend more glorious time with it. Im using it with custom iems, JH Roxannes, (perhaps a bit overkill) but this wonderful amp makes these iems really come to life - id say to their maximum potential! Im not a headphone guy, prefer the iem world - triple fi's, westone 4's, westone es5, roxannes. Nor have i tested with speakers yet. My source is Calyx-M and over the years ive gone through iphones, ibasso 50 and 90 and now the wonderful calyxm. Files are mostly 16/44.1 flac, some 24/96 flac and above, and some 320 mp3's (many genres).

Ok - the sound. In a word - Stunning!! The best way i can describe it is akin to a headphone or source-device upgrade - it is simply amazing. Ive never experienced such a jump in sound with just a new amp! Many more details are revealed, fuller extension in both directions, improved layering, texture, imaging, realism, etc. Ive never heard a piano sound that good before...The details in the bass line of Daft Punks "Lose Yourself to Dance" really start to come through - closest to the way it shines when played through an AK240 player. Everything just sounds more "real", more beautiful.  I was a bit on the fence before i took the plunge but i need not have worried!  (This is my 2nd tube amp, the 1st being the elekit TU882).  Both are great amps, but the 8200 is just amazingly better - a lot more quiet through iems  - all in all, glorious. And all this with a fresh amp and fresh tubes.
 
I opted for JJ 12au7's, and reissued mullard el34's, and also TAD 6l6gc's. So far i think i prefer the mullards, but a bit more bass would be nice. It may come through after more time - im enjoying the tube option experimentation thing. Considering kt-66's or maybe 88's but im keen to keep the tube sound also.

 
 

Are you running in triode? From what I can gather, running it in UL will typically result in an increase in bass (though probably at a cost somewhere else)
 
 
What is a good price to pay for Amperex 12AU7?