[dvb-projekt]

This is my first review here at Head-Fi. I would like to thank first the "Master Minds"

in the Modify your Woo 6. . . thread jamato8 & takezo and all the other´s, for the big INPUT of informations.


Now, here it is... The Emission Labs EML 274B rectifier

Now let´s have a closer look

A wonderful real big Monster!

Because i have decided to get one of the best sounding rectifier for my WA6, i ordered the Sophia Princess 274B, who is recommended from much people here in the community and also from Woo Audio.
I were very pleased and happy with it´s wonderful sound, like many members describes. Here some pics for comparsion between the EML and the Sophia Princess:

The first thing i noticed are the differend Mash-Plates. In the EML the plates are woven. In the Sophia it looks like stamped out holes of a massive plate. This special Mash-Plates EML describe as follow:

Why Mesh plates? When a tube is given mesh plates, something magic happens to the sound! We believe this is caused by the better damping properties of the mesh material. When using mesh tubes, you will experience a more transparent sound stage, meaning a more realistic stereo reproduction of the original sound recording. With mesh tubes you will enjoy the very best of what small triodes have to offer. Note: mesh means woven metal wire. The Chinese make a tube with punched plates, and for marketing call this "mesh". A punched plate will not have the superior resonance damping properties a wire mesh tube has.

If this is correct, i don´t know. It´s up to the Master Minds to discuss this.

Anyway, after i make the photo´s, i want to know the main thing, the sound of this magic looking tube.

I start with the new FIM K2 HD Sampler Track 2 "Zapateado", a wonderful Flamenco recording. What could i say... The Sophia has a realy good soundstage at this recording, but what i hear now is absolute outstanding.
I hear the Flamenco dancer dancing complete arround me. The EML makes a perfect 3D-Soundstage, much more to the front and back and a bit more to the left and right, comparing to the Sohpia.
The tonal playback of the EML is on the same high level as the Sophia Princess, deep bass (with a little bit more control), sweet mids and perfect hights but without this little harshness i noticed with my Sophia.
I switch to Sara K. - Water Falls - Track 11 "Blind Hearted". That fat Contarbass at the beginning... Absolute outstanding. Precise and good separated to the E-Bass. It feels, like i could count the vibrances of the strike sites of these Contrabass
(i hope this is correct in english

).
And also here a perfect 3D-Soundstage, noticeable better than the Sophia.
The real surprise for me is that over the EML i could here all of these very important micro informations, that i couldn´t hear with my Sophia.
That´s the different between a Super-Hifi and a High-End listening experience!

Conclusion:

I realy love my Spohia Princess 274B. It has a very good Soundstage and sounded over the frequencies real neutral (a bit harsh in the hights).

For me, the Emission Labs EML 274B outperform the Sophia Princess 274B in two ways:

1. The 3D-Soundstage (the best i have ever heard over a Headphone)
2. The posibillity to play all those Micro-Informations to get a real High-End listening experience

[size=small]From my side: Strongly Recommended[/size]

 

[Gradofan2]

But... are the worth $200+, compared to the Princess, at $150 - a $50 premium?

Where can you buy them - other than "TubesUSA.com?" Can you get them at a better price, than $200?

PLUS... shipping!

 

[jantze]

Whoa, thanks for the great review!

 

[jamato8]

Great, thank you for the comparison. That is very true about the mesh plate. The Sophia Princess is not a mesh plate but on the same line as the Arcturus 27 made in 1929 to around 1932 with a plate with holes. My favorite by far is the Sylvania 1929 to 1932 that is a true mesh plate (woven wire). There is a finer more 3D effect and better high frequencies with the Sylvania. The Arcturus has a slightly harsh top end and is not as refined though it is a beautiful blue balloon tube.

Looks like I will have to get a Mesh Plate. :^)

Yamato? Now I am Japanese. Well that is ok with me.

 

[dvb-projekt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif But... are the worth $200+, compared to the Princess, at $150 - a $50 premium? Where can you buy them - other than "TubesUSA.com?" Can you get them at a better price, than $200? PLUS... shipping!

You can also place an order at jacmusic.com. There is costs 128,00 EURO.
So at the moment it is about 188,00 USD.

 

[dvb-projekt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yamato? Now I am Japanese. Well that is ok with me.

Ups... Sorry John

 

[Skylab]

Very interesting tube, and great review. But I'm curious - how would this compare to a NOS 5U4G, which are easy to get for $10-15 and sound excellent?

 

[Gradofan2]

Wouldn't we all like to know if a $10-15 tube could sound even 90%+ as good!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very interesting tube, and great review. But I'm curious - how would this compare to a NOS 5U4G, which are easy to get for $10-15 and sound excellent?

I can't imagine how they could be on a comparable level.

I have a NOS 5U4G and it sounds very nice with my maxed WA6 with psudo-dual PS, but the highs were a little harsher than my NOS Amperex Bugle Boy GZ34 or my 1955 Metal base GZ34.

I used a 5U4G that came with the WA6 ($30 upgrade) for a week or two after I got WA6. Then I bought the Bugle Boy which was much smoother and deeper and stuck with that for a while when listening, and used the 5U4G for the first 600 hours of burn-in. Later on I didn't find the metal base 1955 GZ34 to sound much better than the Bugle Boy, and decided to save wear and tear on the rare metal base. I bought a second Sovtek NOS 5U4G and it sounded about the same after I had about 50 hours on it, so I put the Bugle Boy back in.

I recently pulled out the oldest of the two 5U4G a couple of weeks ago, to try it out again since I passed the 1000 hours burn-in period on the Woo maxed, but it still has the same issue with not being as smooth (or being more harsh - is glass half full or half empty). In addition to not being quite as smooth, the 5U4G can make the treble sound a little "plasticky" with my Grado RS-1. That's just not worth the slight boost in treble volume that the tube gives me. And, I tried all my listed rectifiers with 4 different pairs of 6DE7 (RCA, Sylvania, GE and Raytheon). The rectifiers make a bigger difference in the sound than the driver tubes!

My next rectifier was going to be the Sophia Princess, but now I have to decide about the the EML instead. Hrumph!

 

[jamato8]

EML is out of the tubes for two weeks.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif EML is out of the tubes for two weeks.

That figures

Peete.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a NOS 5U4G and it sounds very nice with my maxed WA6 with psudo-dual PS, but the highs were a little harsher than my NOS Amperex Bugle Boy GZ34 or my 1955 Metal base GZ34.

"NOS 5U4G" doesn't really tell you much. Which one?

The good 5U4G's are never harsh, and something like RCA coke-bottle top-getter 5U4G sounds far preferable to solid-plate Sophia 274B IME. As far as mesh 274B's, they'll work for low-power applications, but they have far lower current rating than solid-plates, so don't buy them for your 300B amps, for example.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif "NOS 5U4G" doesn't really tell you much. Which one? The good 5U4G's are never harsh, and something like RCA coke-bottle top-getter 5U4G sounds far preferable to solid-plate Sophia 274B IME. As far as mesh 274B's, they'll work for low-power applications, but they have far lower current rating than solid-plates, so don't buy them for your 300B amps, for example.

He said he is talking about the $10-15 NOS 5U4G. I have one that Jack added as a $30 upgrade, and one that was $15 on eBay.

Are there better ones for $10-15 that are "The good 5U4G" ??

 

[jamato8]

Sure but we aren't talking about a 300B amp here. The Woo 6 draws around 80mA or a little less and with a voltage of around 200, either the Princess perforated plate or the EML 274B mesh plate, which can handle almost twice as much current as the Princess, will be very comfortable.

I have an RCA coke bottle 5U4G and it isn't as good as the Sophia Princess. I will be very curious to hear the EML mesh plate. I just picked up four NOS 1931 Cunningham 27 mesh plates. I got two Tungsol mesh plate 27's also with the engraved (heat stamped) bases. I have seen very few of these. I suspect they are late 1920's. Love those mesh plates.

 

[dvb-projekt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sure but we aren't talking about a 300B amp here. The Woo 6 draws around 80mA or a little less and with a voltage of around 200, either the Princess perforated plate or the EML 274B mesh plate, which can handle almost twice as much current as the Princess, will be very comfortable.

For those who had a 300B Amp, Emission Labs had also a 5U4G Mash Tube !