[UntilThen]

Thankyou,

I have half a dozen brimar 12au7 long plates so that should keep me going for a while.

Eying off a set of mullard el34's....I should probably buy the amp first

You're already equipped then with those lovely sounding Brimars !!!

Yes definitely buy the Ferrari first before you installed a super sexy after market stereo with subwoofers in it !

 

[barbz127]

A question for those of you with both the 8500 and 8200;

Do you have better or worse control over the volume with the 8500 in the chain? I feel like this is a dumb question but figured I should ask just in case.

And how do you use it? Full volume on the 8500 and use the volume control on the amp? or the other way around?

Thankyou

 

[UntilThen]

If I may answer this. I set preamp to 2 pm and then adjust volume on amp to suit. It’s all experimental but that seems to work for me. I probably could set the preamp to full volume and thereby have less play on the amp but experiment. The ELEKIT combo performed flawlessly so far. I find no fault with it.

 

[barbz127]

Dumb question sorry, the search isnt working for me.

How important it is to have matching input/power tubes?

Some amps that I have owned havent been too picky in this regards but im unsure about the 8200.

Thankyou

 

[UntilThen]

Dumb question sorry, the search isnt working for me.

How important it is to have matching input/power tubes?

Some amps that I have owned havent been too picky in this regards but im unsure about the 8200.

Thankyou

Don't think matching tubes is important but always nice to have. I buy very nice driver and power tubes. My private seller never mentioned about them being matched but they are NOS and sound lovely to me.

If possible buy a nice NOS pair. You don't need all the different type of tubes unless it's your mission to sample them all. If you just have NOS pairs of KT66 and EL34, that is more than enough. Similarly for drivers. With Brimar 12au7 long plates, you don't need more. My drivers have never been swapped out since. Those Brimars stays in the sockets.

 

[barbz127]

Thankyou - just keeping an eye out for anything special/different to grab - I found a set of GE 6L6GC's in the cupboard also so between them, the brimar long 12au7's I should be sorted.

 

[UntilThen]

Those GE 6L6GC are very good and expensive to buy now. You should just start off with those Brimars and GE. It's a very good start !

 

[barbz127]

Is it safe to run 5814wa tubes in the tu8200r (and tu8500)?

From what I can see 12AU7 draws in 150/300mA compared to the 5814A that draws in 175/350mA.

Thankyou

 

[Johnscheley]

I have a TU 8200. It was assembled by a friend. It's my headphone amplifier.
I suggest 3 simple upgrades that put this baby amplifier on the level of amplifiers that cost thousands of dollars.
1) NOS valves
2) Better coupling capacitors
3) Lundhal output transformers

The last upgrade was impressive. These transformers are very good. They make this amplifier more organic, natural and truly tube sound. Worth every dollar spent. It is worth talking to @vkun and promoting these improvements.

 

[UntilThen]

I have a TU 8200. It was assembled by a friend. It's my headphone amplifier.
I suggest 3 simple upgrades that put this baby amplifier on the level of amplifiers that cost thousands of dollars.
1) NOS valves
2) Better coupling capacitors
3) Lundhal output transformers

The last upgrade was impressive. These transformers are very good. They make this amplifier more organic, natural and truly tube sound. Worth every dollar spent. It is worth talking to @vkun and promoting these improvements.

I've had Lundahl transformer in my Glenn OTL amp. I won't be upgrading my TU-8200 because I've a custom amp being ordered with Sowter transformers and Mundorf caps and other goodies. Elekit TU-8200R is a precursor to my new SET amp call Odyssey. I use TU-8200 to burn in my NOS tubes and of course to listen to music while waiting for Odyssey - which has similar tube compliments as Elekit TU-8200.

I miss my TU-8200 and TU-8500 combo because I left it in my work accommodation while I'm now in Sydney. However I'll be returning to the Elekit combo this Sunday.

I did make some enquiries from https://tubesoundaudio.com.au/ about Lundahl transformer for TU-8200R and they don't seem to know about it even though they sell both kit and fully assembled TU-8200R and TU-8600R.

 

[GDuss]

I have a TU 8200. It was assembled by a friend. It's my headphone amplifier.
I suggest 3 simple upgrades that put this baby amplifier on the level of amplifiers that cost thousands of dollars.
1) NOS valves
2) Better coupling capacitors
3) Lundhal output transformers

The last upgrade was impressive. These transformers are very good. They make this amplifier more organic, natural and truly tube sound. Worth every dollar spent. It is worth talking to @vkun and promoting these improvements.

I will be building a TU-8200R soon, with Lundahl OPT's and Mundorf capacitors. Everything is ready to start, except the silver solder is not here yet.

Regardless of the amp and the build, working with Victor is such a pleasant experience. My first contact with him was an email I sent on a Sunday evening. He called my cell phone 20 minutes later to discuss my questions. I didn't even ask him to call me and honestly thought I would get a reply in a few days, but I had barely hit send on the email and was already on the phone with him . And every email I have sent gets a reply within 30 min. Outstanding service. If you are thinking of buying an Elekit you should definitely work with Victor (assuming you are at least in the Western hemisphere). Others in this thread have already mentioned his great service, I'm just adding to the positive feedback.

I'm sure the amp will sound great too.

 

[UntilThen]

Congrats @GDuss . I'm sure your joy with the TU-8200R will be further heightened with such customer service from Victor. He single handed make the Elekit brand better known in North America.

I've not heard my headphones with TU-8200 for a week and I'm missing it much.

 

[GDuss]

Congrats @GDuss . I'm sure your joy with the TU-8200R will be further heightened with such customer service from Victor. He single handed make the Elekit brand better known in North America.

I've not heard my headphones with TU-8200 for a week and I'm missing it much.

Thanks UT. Hopefully you get back to your Elekit soon, and in the meantime you are listening to some top-notch equipment!!!

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks UT. Hopefully you get back to your Elekit soon, and in the meantime you are listening to some top-notch equipment!!!

This Sunday. I'm just commuting between Sydney and Canberra. A tale of 2 cities. Despite all the other good sounding amp, I'm still particularly fond of the Elekit combo. Each time I change the NOS power tubes, I get a different tone... different but wonderful.

 

[Johnscheley]

I will be building a TU-8200R soon, with Lundahl OPT's and Mundorf capacitors. Everything is ready to start, except the silver solder is not here yet.

Regardless of the amp and the build, working with Victor is such a pleasant experience. My first contact with him was an email I sent on a Sunday evening. He called my cell phone 20 minutes later to discuss my questions. I didn't even ask him to call me and honestly thought I would get a reply in a few days, but I had barely hit send on the email and was already on the phone with him . And every email I have sent gets a reply within 30 min. Outstanding service. If you are thinking of buying an Elekit you should definitely work with Victor (assuming you are at least in the Western hemisphere). Others in this thread have already mentioned his great service, I'm just adding to the positive feedback.

I'm sure the amp will sound great too.

I really agree. Victor's work is outstanding.