[jonathan c]

I'm back on He1000se with TU-8200 after listening to Boston for a while. Man .... this combination is the killer. The headphone output of 8200 is really good tone. Still running Sylvania 12au7 and GL KT77. I'm just thinking of how much the NOS GEC KT77 slightly used will cost me - $450 Aussie dollars.

With the signal levels and the auto-biasing in the TU-8200, at least the KT77 life should be extended...

 

[UntilThen]

With the signal levels and the auto-biasing in the TU-8200, at least the KT77 life should be extended...

Why's that? What's so special about KT77 other than it sound super amazing. Btw 88 is my number so in theory I should love KT88 but it's not getting so much love after I use KT77.

Do you know how expensive and rare GEC KT77 is? Look at this pair on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GEC-KT7...703939?hash=item217ae45083:g:VTkAAOSw9CdfkdSo

and do you know how rare and expensive Tung Sol NOS 6550 is?
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Tung-...821811?hash=item56f02014f3:g:SMcAAOSws19f2-U0

 

[UntilThen]

There's a new TU-8800, looks similar to TU-8600 but with tubes as used in TU-8200.

Here's a glowing comments on using Susvara with Elekit TU-8600R.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/elekit-300b-amp-kit.869957/post-14049028

 

[Effusion]

Jeez, some of these NOS tubes are fetching crazy prices! The 6550s have been hard to come by for awhile now and prices have always been quite high. I have a Tung-Sol, RCA (rebranded Tung-Sol I believe), as well as GE 6550a pair. All sound great in the 8200, with my current favorite being the GE. They have many of the same characteristics as the KT88s and at times even better punch in my opinion. Unfortunately I've read that the reissued 6550s don't sound like the originals at all though, however I have yet to try one. While I don't have any NOS KT77s, others such as NOS EL34s have been really going up in price. Even the once cheap GE 6L6GCs are going for twice what they did back in 2014... just crazy! At least the 807s are still cheap!

Yeah, the TU-8800 is new kid on the block and initial impressions have been very positive! Many past/current 8200 owners have already taken the plunge and the kit is regarded as being fairly easy to build and quite fun! The one thing I really like about it is the extra ~4 watts of power you can get for speakers, which really helps compatibility and gives more headroom. It can be purchased with the new Lundahls as well!

However, the 8800 does take 12at7s and not 12au7s, for which I don't believe you really want to deviate from. While a 12au7 might run in the amp, it will probably not sound very good, or at least like it is supposed to. Also, the 8800 will take a few power tube types the 8200 does not, which is cool, however it doesn't have a Pentode mode (which is not a deal breaker). One interesting thing is many users have had issues running 807s in Triode mode on the 8800, whereas they run very nicely in the 8200 in Triode.

I was actually thinking about getting the "R" version of the 8200, in addition to my "DX" version, but I may just end up getting an 8800, running it with speakers and keeping my 8200 for headphones only, etc. as a desktop amp. The nice thing about the non-R version of the 8200 is that I don't have to open it up to switch the headphone output mode each time I go from my higher ohm headphones to my lower, and vise-versa. The big thing I like about the R version is the extra protection it has from bad tubes though, which I believe Victor has already stated isn't available as an upgrade to the non-R versions. The 8800 also has internal headphone switches, but one owner has built a nifty top adapter that appears to work great, even though Elekit advises not to do so. With all that being said, if anyone ever has the chance to compare the non-R to the R version of the 8200, I would be very interested if the headphone output is all that much different.

 

[UntilThen]

@Effusion you've covered all aspects of the TU-8800. While I'm keen on a TU-8600 with 300b tubes, I think my next upgrade will be a new TU-8800. I don't mind buying 12AT7 again for the drivers.

Enough of wishing for upgrades for now because I've just started enjoying the TU-8200 with both headphones and speakers. Now that the TU-8500 preamp/phono is coming, I'm priming my turntable ready for it. I'll leave the Rega RP8 at home for when I come home to enjoy with my main stereo. I have just pull out the Denon DP300F which is a present from my wife 5 years ago when I started in head-fi. That and the NAD d1050 dac are the 2 presents from her but of course I went on to buy other crazy stuff.

So anyhoo the DP300F is like new still and I brought it to Sydney HiFi for a cartridge replacement. I was debating better Audio Technica AT440MLa Cartridge, Denon DL-103 Moving Coil Cartridge or Ortofon 2M Blue Moving Magnet Cartridge.

In the end I chose Ortofon 2M Blue Moving Magnet Cartridge. So it's vinyl and Tidal HiFi for my accomodation away from home.

 

[UntilThen]

New 2M Blue cartridge on my TT sounding so clear through TU-8200 and Hekse. No pops and crackers because my LP is very new. Dark side of the moon.

 

[UntilThen]

Just came back from the local meet where I brought my TU-8200 and everyone loves it and want to buy it from me. I tried many headphones with it. Meze Empyrean, HD800s, ZMF Verite Open, Dan Clark Ether 2, ZMF Auteur. All sounded great!

 

[dawktah2]

My chain: Synology NAS > TT2 > TU-8200

 

[jonathan c]

Here it is: TU-8200R + Woo-WA3...first up on deck DT880 250ohm chrome...

 

[UntilThen]

My chain: Synology NAS > TT2 > TU-8200

Gorgeous. What power tubes are you using? Great nice blueish glow. Well how about some impressions of that setup?

Here it is: TU-8200R + Woo-WA3...first up on deck DT880 250ohm chrome...

Too early to comment on the TU-8200 in the chain? The first day I heard mine, I sat up but then my unit is used and have been burn in for at least 50 hours. The owner probably didn't put in more than 100 hours.

 

[jonathan c]

Gorgeous. What power tubes are you using? Great nice blueish glow. Well how about some impressions of that setup?



Too early to comment on the TU-8200 in the chain? The first day I heard mine, I sat up but then my unit is used and have been burn in for at least 50 hours. The owner probably didn't put in more than 100 hours.

I will definitely update you. In the meantime, I switched the DT880s out and the Audeze LCD-X in. I will let the system run a few hours (CD repeat) then . I especially want to see how the Elekit does with low impedance headphones - I have quite a few...

 

[UntilThen]

I will definitely update you. In the meantime, I switched the DT880s out and the Audeze LCD-X in. I will let the system run a few hours (CD repeat) then . I especially want to see how the Elekit does with low impedance headphones - I have quite a few...

Speaking about the LCD-X, I sold it last night at 10:30 pm when 2 friends came over deciding whether to buy the LCD-3f or the LCD-X. In the end one of them decide on the LCD-X. For me it's a tough choice. I like both but I like the He1000se the most so I was willing to let one of the Audeze go. Someday the LCD-3f will be replaced by the LCD-4.

Clearing my gear in preparation to buy a Mogwai Se. TU-8200 and TU-8500 will remain. The latter is not even here yet.

 

[UntilThen]

Jonathan, your new TU-8200 will change in tone over time... your tubes are also new and amp new. You're some burning in to do but at least you can hear for yourself how the sound evolve over a period of time. It's an exciting experience you get to sample only once. Once burn in, you can't unburn it lol.

 

[dawktah2]

Gorgeous. What power tubes are you using? Great nice blueish glow. Well how about some impressions of that setup?

They are Sophia Electric EL34 grade A matched pair. Warm mid bass. The harmonics tubes add life to transparent sound you can get out of the TT2. Makes voices sound more real to my ears.
I also upgraded my caps to the Mundorf. I have NOS RCA 12AU7

My plan is to replace the TU-8200 in the cabinet with the Woo 3ES in the future. I don't think I'll ever sell it.

 

[UntilThen]

They are Sophia Electric EL34 grade A matched pair. Warm mid bass. The harmonics tubes add life to transparent sound you can get out of the TT2. Makes voices sound more real to my ears.
I also upgraded my caps to the Mundorf.

The bold part reflects my thinking exactly. I heard Susvara with TT2 and M Scalar at the shop. Wasn't really impressed by transparent tone. When Auris Nirvana was added to that mix, then I start to see why Susvara is so good.

Most people will love 2nd harmonic distortions from tubes. It adds to musical notes several layers of microscopic bubbles that enrich the texture of the soundscape with organic and analogue bloom. It's no wonder after all these years I'm still in love with tube amps.