[UntilThen]

 
If I want to tune the sound into more lush and warm sound yet keep all the sonic, clarity, high-speed dynamic features, which tubes I should go for? I'm going to roll some EL3N with 6080WA next week as UT recommends. @UntilThen I'm also open to other suggestions if someone has the similar experience.
 

We need a reference point, so we'll go back to stock tubes. Tung Sol 6SN7gtb re-issue and Svetlana 6H13C gives a warm and lush sound with a healthy bass quantity but is a bit recessed with details. Of course this depends on the headphones used. Just take for instance, using stock HD650 and Beyer T1 G1. Those 2 headphones are very contrasting and will sound different with stock tubes. We've not even factor in in your source, which for most people would be the DAC or some, the turntable and cartridge.
 
Replacing Svetlana 6H13C with Mullard 6080 will produce a sharper and brighter sound. You'll hear more details but you'll lose some warm and lushness. Now replace the Mullard 6080 with Chatham 6AS7G will dial back some of the lushness and warm you're seeking. 5998 isn't too warm or lush but has energy in abundance and has more lushness than the Mullard 6080. 7236 is a leaner, tighter version of 5998.
 
Finally if you replace the stock 6SN7 with EL3N or ECC31, you'll get not just a warmer and lusher tone. You'll also get a different perspective of the musicians. You're closer to them and the sound will seem to hit you like a wall of sound.
 
ExaSound E12 uses ES9018S DAC chip, so I'm not surprise, you are now wanting more warm and lushness.
 
Good luck with the tube rolling and don't tune too much. Find a compromise and be happy with it and just enjoy the music. Nothing's perfect and that applies to our ears too. 

 

[DecentLevi]

Hi again, I mentioned about GEC earlier and now I realise that Chatham 6AS7G is probably a different type altogether than the GECs. I'm actually ready to buy these holy grails soon, but of course that term depends on how well the sound sig. matches your preferences. So if anybody could help me out with some of these, that would be very helpful:
 
What are the differences in sound of the straight-form GEC 6080 and the ST / 'Coke bottle' shaped GEC 6AS7G?
 
How would you describe the various aspects of each, such as dynamics, clarity, tonality, etc.?
 
And what would be any differences in sound from the GECs to the Chatham 6AS7G and TS 7236?
 
Thanks...

 

[louisxiawei]

  Hi again, I mentioned about GEC earlier and now I realise that Chatham 6AS7G is probably a different type altogether than the GECs. I'm actually ready to buy these holy grails soon, but of course that term depends on how well the sound sig. matches your preferences. So if anybody could help me out with some of these, that would be very helpful:
 
What are the differences in sound of the straight-form GEC 6080 and the ST / 'Coke bottle' shaped GEC 6AS7G?
 
How would you describe the various aspects of each, such as dynamics, clarity, tonality, etc.?
 
And what would be any differences in sound from the GECs to the Chatham 6AS7G and TS 7236?
 
Thanks...

Edited:
 
Sorry, I mid-read your question: you are asking GEC 6080 vs GEC 6AS7G.

---

Some Chinese sellers told me curved bottom GEC 6AS7Gs sounds better in the midrange and high than straight-form version while some Uk sellers told me curved one are just different from the aesthetic aspect and the reason why is more expensive than straight-form is they are more desirable from appearance on the market. 
 
Will be good to know anyone did a comparison between two version of them in this thread.

 

[DecentLevi]

Indeed that would be helpful to know a comparison between straight / curved GEC tubes - and I'm looking forward to any more words about differences between the two, even if it's heresay. Along with any description of the sound.
 
Also @HOWIE13 did you get the chance to try your new DAC's yet?

 

[pctazhp]

  Edited:
 
Sorry, I mid-read your question: you are asking GEC 6080 vs GEC 6AS7G.

---

Some Chinese sellers told me curved bottom GEC 6AS7Gs sounds better in the midrange and high than straight-form version while some Uk sellers told me curved one are just different from the aesthetic aspect and the reason why is more expensive than straight-form is they are more desirable from appearance on the market. 
 
Will be good to know anyone did a comparison between two version of them in this thread.

This all can get a little confusing. The GEC 6AS7Gs have the coke bottle glass. I don't know if there is a straight bottom AND curved bottom version. @hypnos1 is the expert on the GEC 6AS7Gs. The GEC 6080 is a straight glass tube with straight bottom that has the same shape as all other 6080s. I'm almost certain no one on the thread has been able to do a comparison between the GEC 6AS7G and GEC 6080. 
 
I have the 6080 version and it mates great with EL3N drivers. Unfortunately, I've almost entirely given up tube rolling so I can't provide an informed comparison of the 6080 to my Chatham 6AS7Gs which I haven't listened to in a long time. I will say that my 5998s seem to pair better with my Sylvania 6SN7-GTW drivers than with the EL3Ns. I prefer the EL3N/GEC6080 combo, but for the last few days I've been listening to Sylvania/5998 combo and it is quite wonderful. For me, both combos really get it "right" and represent the summit (a word from the earlier days of the other thread) of Elise performance for me. The EL3N/6080 combo is just a little more "organic" than the Sylvania/5998 combo.
 
As @UntilThen has wisely pointed out, so much depends on source, headphone and preference. 
 
Edit:  I guess I should point out that the GEC 6AS7Gs are almost impossible to find at this point, and equally impossible to pay for if they are found.

 

[louisxiawei]

  This all can get a little confusing. The GEC 6AS7Gs have the coke bottle glass. I don't know if there is a straight bottom AND curved bottom version. @hypnos1 is the expert on the GEC 6AS7Gs. The GEC 6080 is a straight glass tube with straight bottom that has the same shape as all other 6080s. I'm almost certain no one on the thread has been able to do a comparison between the GEC 6AS7G and GEC 6080. 
 
I have the 6080 version and it mates great with EL3N drivers. Unfortunately, I've almost entirely given up tube rolling so I can't provide an informed comparison of the 6080 to my Chatham 6AS7Gs which I haven't listened to in a long time. I will say that my 5998s seem to pair better with my Sylvania 6SN7-GTW drivers than with the EL3Ns. I prefer the EL3N/GEC6080 combo, but for the last few days I've been listening to Sylvania/5998 combo and it is quite wonderful. For me, both combos really get it "right" and represent the summit (a word from the earlier days of the other thread) of Elise performance for me. The EL3N/6080 combo is just a little more "organic" than the Sylvania/5998 combo.
 
As @UntilThen has wisely pointed out, so much depends on source, headphone and preference. 
 
Edit:  I guess I should point out that the GEC 6AS7Gs are almost impossible to find at this point, and equally impossible to pay for if they are found.

 
Sorry for the confusing @pctazhp. I was referring to the bottom type as pictures shown below. Impossible to find GEC 6AS7G? Nah. Difficult to find them? Also no. Difficult to find a curved bottom with good price, yes!
 
Personally, I can accept a curved pair of GEC 6AS7G at £400. The maximum limit I can handle. If I spend my money on tubes over the value of the Elise, I might just think to purchase a better amp to deserve those tubes. 

 

 

[pctazhp]

Having finally suffered from total and complete brain meltdown from trying to distinguish and describe various tube combinations or individual tubes, but being someone who values precision in language and one who believes words matter, I have developed new nomenclature. If a particular tube or combo is described as "sounding good" it means it sounds good. If it is described as "sounding not so good" it means it sounds not so good.
 
I will accept in advance your congratulations and gratitude for this contribution 

 

[Oskari]

Gee THANKS cf...I still get REAL upset - must mean I'm still just a Spring chicken, eh?! :wink_face: :confused_face_2: ...

(Sorry. )

 

[UntilThen]

^^ that's really funny.
 

 

[UntilThen]

OMG @HeatFan12 finally came back !!! I've been wanting to sell you Elise for one whole year. 

 
It ain't too late.... 

 

[UntilThen]

  If a particular tube or combo is described as "sounding good" it means it sounds good. If it is described as "sounding not so good" it means it sounds not so good.
 

Pct, you forgot what Shakespeare said...
 
There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
 
William Shakespeare.

 

[pctazhp]

  Pct, you forgot what Shakespeare said...
 
There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
 
William Shakespeare.

I've even forgotten who William Shakespeare is. Did he write:
 

 

[UntilThen]

  I've even forgotten who William Shakespeare is. Did he write:
 

I've just listened to this with one of my vintage Valvo C3G and 5998 tubes. How do you unlisten something? My tubes and I demand back 2 mins of our time.

 

[UntilThen]

Now this is a real song. Billy narrated over 100 headline events in machine gun rapid fire speed.
 

 
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio 
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television 
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe 

Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom 
Brando, The King And I, and The Catcher In The Rye 
Eisenhower, Vaccine, England's got a new queen 
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye 
 
World events flash before my eyes.

 

[UntilThen]

I can't resist this so I bought it. Slotted graphite plates Bendix don't come by easily. Now I'll have to pair it with something else until another one comes along. Or use it in my Darkvoice 336se.