Eric McChanson Headphone Amp??

[Deleeh]

Hey, i forget and can't find the post.. you have to Russian caps in your Ultimate?

The Russian was in and was replaced with vcap CUTF,the Mundorf sgo has remained from the dualcap history.

 

[UntilThen]

Every once in a while you listen to something and you go wow. Goosebumps moment and hairs on your hand rising. This is that moment with ECC35 and KT170 in Ultimate. Susvara sound like a new headphone. So much authority, grandiose, holographic and tsunami bass. Measured at 54.1mA on the TP. Volume dial is at noon which means it's not even half max power.

 

[UntilThen]

KT150 is also amazing but after KT170, the joy is not as great. It's great that Eric will just lend me the tubes when I ask. Not just my amp builder anymore. More like a friend. I'm fortunate to know amp builders so well - Glenn, Tomas and Eric. Not so fortunate for my wallet.

Eric told me that his next goal after Albert's Ultimate is to make a Wooden chassis 300b headphone amp to be as quiet as Ultimate. I told him I have to listen to that. I'll be the judge.

KT150 measures at 58.1mA and KT170 at 54.1mA. I gave the wrong figure earlier.

 

[Deleeh]

Every once in a while you listen to something and you go wow. Goosebumps moment and hairs on your hand rising. This is that moment with ECC35 and KT170 in Ultimate. Susvara sound like a new headphone. So much authority, grandiose, holographic and tsunami bass. Measured at 54.1mA on the TP. Volume dial is at noon which means it's not even half max power.

The Kt170 looks beautiful.
It will certainly cost a little.
The Ultimate is really infinite when it comes to tubes, such beautiful and great possibilities.

Do you hear any differences between the Jensen transformer and the original?

 

[UntilThen]

Do you hear any differences between the Jensen transformer and the original?

Not noticeable difference but I am put off by the test kit. My brain tells me it is inferior. I'm sure once properly installed in Ultimate, it will be just as good. The important thing is I no longer hear flabby bass and 'off' frequencies.

 

[UntilThen]

The Ultimate is really infinite when it comes to tubes, such beautiful and great possibilities.

The possibilities are not complete until you buy this pair.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/115851473666?

Eric's generic 350b tubes from China is in my Ultimate now. Now on the same power level as KT170 but this is about 'magic'. Listening to Ailee sing 'I will always love you', I almost believe I'm a bachelor again.

 

[UntilThen]

But this afternoon, I am forgoing lunch to find out which has more horsepower - EL156 vs KT170.

 

[Deleeh]

Personally, I'm not a fan of 300b, it sounds great without a doubt.
It's just that the price is much more of a deterrent for a set.

274 or 2A3 would also be interesting, as tubes are a bit cheaper, but all in all, 300b is a bit thin on the market in terms of variety.
A lot is also new stock, instead of Nos in this range.
However, I am sure Eric will make a nice 300b Ultimate.

It's a sad thing that the Jensen is not as convincing as I had hoped.
I read somewhere that the company is supposedly no longer in business and has been bought up by Jupiter.
There could possibly be supply bottlenecks again.
Lundahl would also like to have XLR output transducers in their catalogue.

 

[UntilThen]

Personally, I'm not a fan of 300b, it sounds great without a doubt.
It's just that the price is much more of a deterrent for a set.

If that is a reference to the 350b tube then that's a mistake.

350b sound nothing like 300b. It's a beam power tube and indirectly heated like other pentodes.

I won't debate 300b tube sound. There are many fans in head-fi. 2022 and 2023 seems to be the year of 300b amps. Personally I prefer amps such as Odyssey and Ultimate that use pentodes, beam tetrodes.

 

[LoryWiv]

The possibilities are not complete until you buy this pair.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/115851473666?

Eric's generic 350b tubes from China is in my Ultimate now. Now on the same power level as KT170 but this is about 'magic'. Listening to Ailee sing 'I will always love you', I almost believe I'm a bachelor again.

If I bought this pair for GBP 2000 I would be a bachelor again!

 

[LoryWiv]

But this afternoon, I am forgoing lunch to find out which has more horsepower - EL156 vs KT170.

Matt I still have EL156 from my Euforia days so will await your findings with interest!

 

[UntilThen]

It's a sad thing that the Jensen is not as convincing as I had hoped.

I did not say that it is not as convincing as the original. I said that my brain is playing tricks with me because I'm looking at the ugly Test kit that Eric assemble. As far as sound goes, they sound the same.

You are always reading my posts wrong. Perhaps the translation is not that accurate?

 

[LoryWiv]

Not noticeable difference but I am put off by the test kit. My brain tells me it is inferior. I'm sure once properly installed in Ultimate, it will be just as good. The important thing is I no longer hear flabby bass and 'off' frequencies.

Which component of the gear resulted in the flabby bass and "off" frequencies...to be called out and avoided for sure!

 

[UntilThen]

If I bought this pair for GBP 2000 I would be a bachelor again!

Every man's wish to turn back the clock.

 

[UntilThen]

Which component of the gear resulted in the flabby bass and "off" frequencies...to be called out and avoided for sure!

The xlr input balance transformers that was originally in my Super Gold Ultimate. That was the day I broke open my Monkey Shoulder whiskey and empty the bottle in one go.