[UntilThen]

@UntilThen

How does the 6ew7 amp compare to the feliks audio amps?

Oh gosh, I've gone to sleep on this and didn't reply.

Elise and Euforia are the first tube amps that I fell headlong into all things tube related. With recommended tubes, those amps sound smooth and liquid providing lovely tube tone. If you love some bite, punch and slam then these amps are not the best choices. That is why owners of these amps use unrecommended tubes like KT88 and EL34. It's a miracle that OTL amps like those can use those tubes but I have personally use EL11 and EL12 spez tubes in those and they became wolf hounds instead of your homely German Sheperd.

For power, impact, slam and bite, Eric's Mini 6bx7 is pretty amazing at 3w. I kid you not. This amp drives Susvara and He6se v2 very well. This applies to the 6ew7 amp as well. If I didn't have Odyssey I would have gotten the Mini 6bx7. Odyssey is much much better and also much much more expensive.

 

[UntilThen]

It's been 2 months since I last visited this thread but it seems so long ago. I'm back to give my impressions of Eric's new prototype which he call U-amp. I will call it Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun and named after the Greek Sky deity Uranus who in Greek mythology is the father of Saturn.

Uranus is a fixed bias amp with adjustable switches for voltage. The voltage range is 5v to 50v. It will accept direct or indirect rectifier which will affect voltage. Drivers are 6EM7 / 6EA7 tubes. Amp is capable of 8w into 8 ohms and have speaker binding posts. There are no headphone output on this model so my listening session with Susvara is done via speaker taps. The trusty Yggdrasil is in attendance.

These are the power tubes I have roll in so far:- KT170, KT150, KT88, 807, 6L6, 6L6GC, 6V6G, 6F6, 350B, 6CB5 / 6DQ5, EL34, EL156. Haven't roll in a couple more like 6550, EL12 spez.

Now onto sound... obviously with so wide a range of power tubes, tone varies. General traits are muscular, clarity, amazing timbre, wide holographic soundstage, superb imaging. Liquid honey sweet treble and a midrange and midbass that will induce feet tapping easily. This amp drives Susvara with ease. I know because I have used Susvara with stereo speaker amps and this is class A tube speaker amp. Volume dial sits at just 11am and I generally listen quite loud.

Since I've post most of the power tubes in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...4-4699-kt63-kt61-6v6-etc.959519/post-17320415, I won't repeat it here.

However I will show a picture of Uranus using the lovely sounding Telefunken EL156. This is what Eric calls a 'big tube' in the company of KT170. It can take up to 800v !

With another amp coming in July 2023 (Telemachus) I am still so interested in Uranus because tonally it's addictive. Yup I spend 29th, 30th and 31st Dec 2022 tube rolling in this amp.

 

[aj-kun]

Been eyeing out this thread, looks like Eric’s amps are a good option for Aussies. Anything pair well with the hifiman headphones? Currently using an edition xs, with a topping e30>schiit magni 3, and a MacBook air which I prefer .

 

[UntilThen]

Which of his amps would represent the best value in the lineup?

I was looking at the micro chassis amps as they are more desktop friendly but if the mini chassis amps are better, I'd sacrifice the space for it.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eric-mcchanson-headphone-amp.718350/post-17173478

 

[UntilThen]

I got from Eric the Super 6BX7 amp to have another listen because I have more than 12 NOS 6BX7 still .... . from the days of Glenn Super OTL amp. It's sitting in the spare room because I just can't stop listening to Uranus !

And this is for @OctavianH who ask for comparison of Uranus with Odyssey. I will talk about it here because it won't be appropriate anywhere else.

Uranus - wider soundstage, more relax and not as in your face but oozes details and clarity. Sounded more powerful than Odyssey though specwise it's 8w and Odyssey 15w. Fixed bias (manual) and adjustable voltage allows more precise tailoring of your power tubes. I've learn from Eric how to look whether tubes are within the bounds of Uranus usage. First check the max voltage it can handle from the datasheet and the total plate dissipation. So if the max voltage is 375 and total dissipation is 25w , then dialing in 350 voltage and 60mA is ok. 350v x 60mA = 21w, within the bounds of 25w !

Odyssey - fast transients, dynamic and more full frontal. Remember you can order Odyssey to have as much manual control as you want but for my Odyssey, I did ask for one that is full auto. In hindsight, if I had to start again, definitely go fixed bias and the abilty to adjust voltage.

Both are fully capable of driving the notoriously difficult to drive Susvara easily. Both drives speakers as well. Both are old school and beautifully sounding SET amps. For headphones, you want SET and triode mode. In the world of pentodes, I would recommend both heartily. Forget commercial offerings.

 

[UntilThen]

So Eric wants me to compare the Super Mini 6BX7 vs Uranus running genuine Tung Sol 6550. I stole the 6550 from Jimi Hendricks.

Super Mini 6BX7 - 3w power output. Can drive speakers !
Uranus - 8w can drive speakers of course.

Listening with Susvara now.

 

[Nada]

....... Both are fully capable of driving the notoriously difficult to drive Susvara easily. Both drives speakers as well.

You are having fun Great looking amps and incredible headphones but

The sensitivity of the Susvaras, measured between 300Hz and 3kHz with a 1mW signal, is 80.6dB. Compare this ..... 100dB for a set of typical headphones. https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...fiman-susvara-headphones&catid=263&Itemid=203

Susvaras are only 80dB for 1mW! So if you want headroom for clean transients at 110dB to be perfectionistic you need 1W. Yep 1000mW. Using a speaker amp starts to make sense for the Susvaras.

Back in the usual world eg the Focal Clear only need 20mW to do 110dB. But more importantly, at 85dB normal listening levels only 0.063mW of power is needed - thats 63microwatts.

Nelson Pass is famous for talking about the critical first watt for speakers. For most of us with headphones it's not the first watt that matters, its the first milli-watt!

Whats even more important is the noise level. Just 50microvolts of hum could be an audible issue.

So using a speaker amp isnt a great match for most headphones.

Does Eric McChanson make a Headphone Amp that can swing a max of just 100mW into 90ohm loads and more importantly has a noise floor in the microvolt range for hum free listening eg -60dB noise floor?

Flea watt antique tubes that do say 300mW max output would be plenty.

 

[UntilThen]

Does Eric McChanson make a Headphone Amp that can swing a max of just 100mW into 90ohm loads and more importantly has a noise floor in the microvolt range for hum free listening eg -60dB noise floor?

He does. @Zachik had him make a Micro specifically to drive Grados. He has yet to show his 7th wonders. Eric started in the 60s making tube speaker amps. He is starting to cater to headphone lovers.

There are other small Eric's amps which I show earlier in this thread. Super Micro and Super Mini... have a look backwards.

I'm using this Super Mini 6BX7 with Grado GH1 and absolutely dead silent without music. This rocks harder than Jimi Hendricks and is more refined than Mozart.

 

[Zachik]

Does Eric McChanson make a Headphone Amp that can swing a max of just 100mW into 90ohm loads and more importantly has a noise floor in the microvolt range for hum free listening eg -60dB noise floor?

He does. @Zachik had him make a Micro specifically to drive Grados. He has yet to show his 7th wonders. Eric started in the 60s making tube speaker amps. He is starting to cater to headphone lovers.

Actually, the amp Eric designed for me was optimized for IEMs. Super low noise floor was my #1 requirement. Eric nailed it!!!
This amp is the quietest tube amp I have ever heard. Highly recommended!

 

[aj-kun]

Saw a mcchanson time amp on stereo net, anyone tried that with headphones at all?

 

[Dogmatrix]

Saw a mcchanson time amp on stereo net, anyone tried that with headphones at all?

I commissioned Eric to build a headphone specific version of
1 x Eric McChanson 10W 6AS7 Triode Parallel pEar Amp Tube Valve integrated NEW
that he often lists on EBay almost two years ago
Still one of my favorite things
Currently running GEC 6as7g with Realistic lifetime (made in Japan) 6ea7 and gz34 it is very quiet with just a hint of background with my Focal Clear but total silence with HE500 and Senn HD800

 

[hikaru12]

So Eric wants me to compare the Super Mini 6BX7 vs Uranus running genuine Tung Sol 6550. I stole the 6550 from Jimi Hendricks.

Super Mini 6BX7 - 3w power output. Can drive speakers !
Uranus - 8w can drive speakers of course.

Listening with Susvara now.

This should be an interesting comparison. I’ve found that I enjoy the Super Mini more with headphones than I do with my speakers. At least with my tube tastes it makes my speakers sound too sleepy even though they’re 97W sensitive. They sound way more open and clean with a good SS amp that’s at least 30W.

 

[UntilThen]

The return of Destiny.

 

[UntilThen]

 

[jonathan c]

So Eric wants me to compare the Super Mini 6BX7 vs Uranus running genuine Tung Sol 6550. I stole the 6550 from Jimi Hendricks.^^

Super Mini 6BX7 - 3w power output. Can drive speakers !
Uranus - 8w can drive speakers of course.

Listening with Susvara now.

^^ while running all along the watchtower?