[UntilThen]

Hi, blue is a more relaxing light for me, more subtle with dimmed lights, I don’t regret that decision.

As for real estate size I really appreciate the size as a big guy with large hands the space around the valves etc is much appreciated, if you intend moving it around a lot there is an extra big of weight but mine is staying in one place.

Blue it is but for a minute I thought green because that stands for GO. Red means stop and yellow means go with caution. Blue I don't know what it is.

All my other 3 tube amps are big and aluminium / steel chassis, so for a change I might go with a mid size wooden chassis Ultimate which actually cost $200 more ! This is now the point of no return because Eric will start drilling in the morning. He says it's full steam ahead and a busy Wednesday at his workshop.

 

[UntilThen]

List of tubes for Ultimate

Disclaimer: The amp is bias for 12at7 and 6y6g with 6bw4 rectifier. Other tubes will run though not obtimum but that doesn't mean it won't sound good. It just means that you're feeding less voltage to the bigger power tubes, which still sound good and will prolong the life of your precious NOS tubes. In fact I will let you be the judge. 3 people have told me that EL34 sounded better than 6y6 on Ultimate. That's my opinion too.

Subject to change as I discover new tubes. Only tubes that require adapters are stated. If it is not stated, that means straight drop in.

Drivers
12AU7, 12AV7, 12AT7, 12AX7, E80CC, 5751 - all this use 12au7 to 6sn7 adapter (assuming you have 6sn7 as base sockets)
6SN7, 6SL7
6F8G (adapter)
6922, 6N23P, ECC88, E88CC, 6DJ8, 7308 - all this use ECC88 to 6SN7 adapter
WE 402A (5755 to 12ax7 adapter then 12au7 to 6sn7 adapter)
6BX7, 6BL7
6N7G, 6N7, ECC31, 6A6 (adapter)
ECC32, ECC34, ECC33, ECC35

For Ultimate with 6J5 / L63 sockets
6J5 / L63
7A4 (adapter)
VR135, CV6, 6C8C, DET20 (adapter)

Power tubes
6Y6, 6W6, 6F6, 6K6, 6V6, 6F6M1
KT63, KT66, KT77, KT88, 6550, 5881, 6L6GC, EL34
EL12, EL12N, EL12 spez (adapter)
807, EL38, EL39 (adapter)
EL84, 6P14P, 6BQ5 (adapter)
EL81 (adapter)
EL32 (adapter)
C3G (adapter)

Rectifiers
6BW4, 6V4, EZ80, EZ81

 

[mordy]

List of tubes for Ultimate

Disclaimer: The amp is bias for 12at7 and 6y6g with 6bw4 rectifier. Other tubes will run though not obtimum but that doesn't mean it won't sound good. It just means that you're feeding less voltage to the bigger power tubes, which still sound good and will prolong the life of your precious NOS tubes. In fact I will let you be the judge. 3 people have told me that EL34 sounded better than 6y6 on Ultimate. That's my opinion too.

Subject to change as I discover new tubes.

Drivers
12AU7, 12AV7, 12AT7, 12AX7, E80CC, 5751
6SN7, 6SL7, 6F8G
6922, 6N23P, ECC88, E88CC, 6DJ8, 7308
WE 402A
6BX7, 6BL7

Power tubes
6Y6, 6W6, 6F6, 6K6, 6V6
KT63, KT66, KT77, KT88, 6550, 5881, 6L6GC
EL12, EL12N, EL12 spez
807, EL38, EL39

Rectifiers
6BW4, 6V4, EZ80, EZ81

Thanks for the list!
Can you indicate which tubes need adapters? Or maybe easier those tubes that don't need adapters.
How much current can the amp handle? Is it cumulative or different for drivers and power tubes?

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks for the list!
Can you indicate which tubes need adapters? Or maybe easier those tubes that don't need adapters.
How much current can the amp handle? Is it cumulative or different for drivers and power tubes?

You're welcome !

I've amended the list to show tubes that require adapters.

I'll await Eric's answer on how much current the amp can handle, cumulative or different for drivers and power tubes.

I know that for driver + rectifier, it is 2A because he has mentioned that already.

If you need to see the list of tubes for Ultimate, just look at my signature.

 

[UntilThen]

The visit to Nick's place has shown me that there's more to headphones than just Grados with Ultimate.

I enjoy the ZMF Aeolus a lot with Ultimate. I thought it was an excellent pairing. So I have set my sight on a ZMF headphone later in the year.

 

[Deleeh]

@Deleeh, my amp will be ready by Sunday and yours is next but dependent on the Silke transformers arriving. It should be soon.

Sounds good.
Take the wooden chassi if you don't have big hands and maybe less feeling in them.
Then you would benefit from Nick's chassis.

As for the lighting, I don't know, as long as it's not annoying, it doesn't really matter, I'd say.
But of course it's also a question of cost in the end.
Especially if you take the Mundorf zeigs and improved sockets etc. the costs go up quickly but I think they are worthwhile things to invest in.

The El34 Phillips sound good, but I have also seen nice and new 6550s.

 

[UntilThen]

How much current can the amp handle? Is it cumulative or different for drivers and power tubes?

We have this misconception when we were in Glenn's thread that the amp has a total output of 13a and as long as the sum total of driver, power tubes, rectifier does not exceed that then it is ok. Unfortunately that is not how it works. In essence the power tube has a limit and the driver tube has a limit.

Apparently you need to look at power tubes separately and driver + rectifier separately.

Here's Eric's reply...

Ultimate has two current measure..

• One is the filament current: Each power tube is supplied with a huge 2.5A (KT170 uses 1.7A but 6CB5 uses 2.5A !!!). 2Afor the rectifier and driver.
  • Ultimate was originally designed for this wonder tube 6CB5 !! Sad that this is not implemented and only U-Amp can use 6CB5.
• One is the high working voltage supply current - about 130mA for all tubes.. likely each power tube 60mA, leaving the driver 10mA.

Regarding 6CB5 tube, Thomas Mayer has a write up on it - http://vinylsavor.blogspot.com/2011/01/tube-of-month-6cb5a.html

Btw, Eric did mention that KT150 and KT170 can be use in Ultimate but I didn't include it in the List of Tubes for Ultimate because I didn't think any of us would be that crazy to use them.

 

[UntilThen]

Take the wooden chassi if you don't have big hands

I am taking the wooden chassis. Eric has started drilling.

As for the lighting, I don't know, as long as it's not annoying, it doesn't really matter, I'd say.

I went with blue because

Blue, blue, my world is blue,
Blue is my world now I'm without you.
Grey, grey, my life is grey,
Cold is my heart since you went away.
Red, red, my eyes are red,
Crying for you alone in my bed.
Green, green, my jealous heart,
I doubted you and now we're apart.

But of course it's also a question of cost in the end.
Especially if you take the Mundorf zeigs and improved sockets etc. the costs go up quickly but I think they are worthwhile things to invest in.

It is always about cost. Now my Ultimate cost $10,000 and Bcowen is paying for it.

The El34 Phillips sound good, but I have also seen nice and new 6550s.

This is a tough one. Personally I like both Philips Miniwatt EL34 metal base and Tung Sol 6550 1960s. I have both and they are only 2nd to my GEC KT88 for preciousness.

 

[bcowen]

I have 12 hours to decide if I want to go with Nick's golden chassis. Decisions, decisions.

and I have a choice of Red or Blue or Green or Yellow for LED. What will it be?

Purple. Everyone knows that purple is the best sounding color.

 

[UntilThen]

Purple. Everyone knows that purple is the best sounding color.

I'm sorry there's no purple. Besides I've purple on the Starship Enterprise already.

 

[bcowen]

Perhaps try a pair of this. It will give you an idea how EL34 sound in Ultimate.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/312626517155?

and I trust Langrex.

I have not heard the fat bottle ones you linked earlier. I had some of the skinny bottle ones, and though mine were probably of much earlier manufacture they sounded pretty dang good in a Cary amp I ran them in. In fact, I liked them better (in that amp) than GEC KT-66's. Weird, huh? Part of it may have been just the extra power you get from an EL-34 versus a KT-66, and part that the Cary amp was already on the warm side. The GEC's took it a step too far where the Russkies leaned a bit the other way.

 

[bcowen]

I am taking the wooden chassis. Eric has started drilling.



I went with blue because

Blue, blue, my world is blue,
Blue is my world now I'm without you.
Grey, grey, my life is grey,
Cold is my heart since you went away.
Red, red, my eyes are red,
Crying for you alone in my bed.
Green, green, my jealous heart,
I doubted you and now we're apart.



It is always about cost. Now my Ultimate cost $10,000 and Bcowen is paying for it.

I'm just glad you were satisfied with a stereo amp and didn't demand monoblocks.

 

[Deleeh]

Okay, you've convinced me.
El 34 Miniwatt is pure luck if they are sold below a certain price.
The 6550 Tungsols 1960 are definitely a bargain compared to that.

As for Gec I haven't seen anything even 6080 pairs that are under 300$.
At most used which is quite critical if you don't want to fall into the deadzone.

Those who have them and got them at a fair price back then can be happy.
I think that the political side also plays a role, which we have had for a little over a year.
Since then, the tube price has generally been higher.

Yesterday I saw a 6sn7 Westinghouse where I paid 35$ for the pair, now it is 80$ and it is not necessarily something special.
Really bad bad bad bad....

 

[UntilThen]

I have not heard the fat bottle ones you linked earlier. I had some of the skinny bottle ones, and though mine were probably of much earlier manufacture they sounded pretty dang good in a Cary amp I ran them in. In fact, I liked them better (in that amp) than GEC KT-66's. Weird, huh? Part of it may have been just the extra power you get from an EL-34 versus a KT-66, and part that the Cary amp was already on the warm side. The GEC's took it a step too far where the Russkies leaned a bit the other way.

I agree there with you. Those Sovtek EL34 are old stuff and dang good. It was loan to Nick by a mate call ...guess what.... Steven Valves.

 

[UntilThen]

I'm just glad you were satisfied with a stereo amp and didn't demand monoblocks.

My next amp will be monoblocks to drive Grados.