[OctavianH]

My apologies, I will try to clarify: JCAT is a PCI express USB card for PC. Sbooster is a Linear Power Supply. M-Scaler is an upscaler for the Chord DACs which are compatible with it (Qutest, TT2 and Dave as far as I know). I hope now it is clear or at least understandable.

 

[Preachy1]

Yes, better. thanks. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic; sorry if my comment came out that way!!!

 

[OctavianH]

No problem, I had a long fight with the "gremlins" and sound quality when using the source as a PC. In my opinion, a setup like the one described solves the problem and might be one of the best. For me, used to work on a PC more than 10 hours per day, such a setup is the most comfortable one and the ability to search and organize everything, or customize the player in the way I like (I use Foobar2000) is important to me. But yes, a normal desktop PC without these "tweaks" is much worse than a dedicated music server like many form users are using.

 

[hypnos1]

No problem, I had a long fight with the "gremlins" and sound quality when using the source as a PC. In my opinion, a setup like the one described solves the problem and might be one of the best. For me, used to work on a PC more than 10 hours per day, such a setup is the most comfortable one and the ability to search and organize everything, or customize the player in the way I like (I use Foobar2000) is important to me. But yes, a normal desktop PC without these "tweaks" is much worse than a dedicated music server like many form users are using.

Hi OH...computer/laptop sure is a very versatile and convenient vehicle for handling one's music collection. But to get top class audio performance out of them does indeed demand a great deal of (often quite expensive) 'tweaking' to get anywhere near a (good quality) dedicated music player. And so as always, one has to make some difficult choices sometimes lol ...CJ

 

[LoryWiv]

My apologies, I will try to clarify: JCAT is a PCI express USB card for PC. Sbooster is a Linear Power Supply. M-Scaler is an upscaler for the Chord DACs which are compatible with it (Qutest, TT2 and Dave as far as I know). I hope now it is clear or at least understandable.

Do you find the Jcat USB board to produce better results than using a DDC such as the Singxer SU-1 which I have found to improve things greatly and allows me to use a 2s connection to my DAC?

 

[OctavianH]

Do you find the Jcat USB board to produce better results than using a DDC such as the Singxer SU-1 which I have found to improve things greatly and allows me to use a 2s connection to my DAC?

Honestly I have no idea, I never heard the Singxer SU-1 but I read about it and it has a very good reputation. I can only say that the JCAT externally powered (with a linear power supply providing clean 5V DC) > ISO Regen > iFi iUSB3.0+ iGalvanic3.0 (at least to my ears). I never tried the JCAT powered by the PC PSU even if it has such an option. My idea was to separate PC / audio as much as possible and bought directly a Sbooster to power it. I think also a network streamer might work very well... however I cannot renounce of my PC so I have to stick to my solution which was not cheap but sounds very good to me.

 

[hypnos1]

Wanted to share my impressions of the new production Tung Sol 6SN7GTB. I was unsatisfied with the stock Elise Psvane 6S7N "UK" driver, tried Philips EL32's, 1960's Foton 6H8C's, and the highly recommended 1948 JAN RCA 6SN7GT in combination with Tung Sol 7236 or 5998's as powers. None of them quite hit the spot, hindered with grainy mids, overly bright highs or anemic bass. I had little budget left so took a chance on the inexpensive Tung Sol new productions, and to my pleasant surprise 30-40 hours in I am really enjoying them with the 5998's as power tubes. It's hard to say they do anything TOTL but unlike all the other drivers I rolled in, there are no weaknesses. Bass has authority, mids are engagingly euphonic and while treble may lack that last bit of extension it is sweet, smooth and never fatiguing. Stage width / depth are excellent, (height a bit lacking). Detail retrieval for my taste strikes the right balance between being fully present but not distractingly analytical or unmusical. The note "thickness" is especially good, adding substance and weight but still refined and articulate.

I have no illusions that this inexpensive new production tube rivals the best NOS drivers or that my will and wallet will not succumb again to future shiny objects dressed in glass. However, it is nice to know an affordable, readily available 6SN7 can do so many things well.

Hi LW...congrats on finding another reissue Tung Sol that appears to be punching well above its weight, and could be yet another inexpensive tube for folks to try, without breaking the bank lol! ...

 

[mordy]

Hi LW...congrats on finding another reissue Tung Sol that appears to be punching well above its weight, and could be yet another inexpensive tube for folks to try, without breaking the bank lol! ...

In the early days FA used to supply the Tung Sol 6SN7GTB reissue with the Elise.
Personally I found it too surupy (too slow) but that was with the Russian 6H13C tubes.
There is an early Foton 6H8C with ladder plates (ribbed anode) from 1952-55 that sounds excellent. Maybe not so easy to find but should not be very expensive.

 

[LoryWiv]

In the early days FA used to supply the Tung Sol 6SN7GTB reissue with the Elise.
Personally I found it too surupy (too slow) but that was with the Russian 6H13C tubes.
There is an early Foton 6H8C with ladder plates (ribbed anode) from 1952-55 that sounds excellent. Maybe not so easy to find but should not be very expensive.

Hi @mordy. I would agree that stage height and speed are not the strongest attributes but overall at less than $30 for each tube I think they meet the definition of punching above their weight. Used with the Tung Sol 7236 as powers I appreciated better speed and resolution but overall sound was quite solid-state in character and not as euphonic. Trade-offs abound. I'm still interested in trying the Psvane CV 181 Mark II but they are considerably pricier. I may try the 7581A Tung Sol as powers that @Hypnos and other are raving about over on the euphoria thread, and see if they provide some synergy with these as drivers. Endless permutations, endless fun!

 

[mordy]

Hi @mordy. I would agree that stage height and speed are not the strongest attributes but overall at less than $30 for each tube I think they meet the definition of punching above their weight. Used with the Tung Sol 7236 as powers I appreciated betters but the overall sound was quite solid-state in character and not as euphonic. Trade-offs abound. I'm still interested in trying the Psvane CV 181 Mark II but they are considerably pricier I would you want

Re the Psvane I have the suspicion that they come at different price points and packaging but possibly could all be the same. Maybe go for the least expensive pair and put up with less colorful color schemes and less fancy packaging. (This is just a hunch - I don't have any scientific basis for this, but I found the marketing dodgy.)

 

[LoryWiv]

Re the Psvane I have the suspicion that they come at different price points and packaging but possibly could all be the same. Maybe go for the least expensive pair and put up with less colorful color schemes and less fancy packaging. (This is just a hunch - I don't have any scientific basis for this, but I found the marketing dodgy.)

Good tip, thank you @mordy!

 

[OctavianH]

Has anyone experienced differences in sound between Tung Sol 5998 white paint and the green painted one?

I've tried recently both pairs and for me the green paint sounds a little bit better in terms of clarity and bass punch. Of course, comparison was made using the same drivers. I know this does not really makes sense since the construction is identical and manufacturing years are very close ('55 vs '57) but still, my brain is messing with me and makes me think the green ones are better.

 

[Scutey]

Has anyone experienced differences in sound between Tung Sol 5998 white paint and the green painted one?

I've tried recently both pairs and for me the green paint sounds a little bit better in terms of clarity and bass punch. Of course, comparison was made using the same drivers. I know this does not really makes sense since the construction is identical and manufacturing years are very close ('55 vs '57) but still, my brain is messing with me and makes me think the green ones are better.

Personally I think what you're saying is entirely possible. I don't have the green print version but I do have two pair of the white print and I'm sure one is better than the other too, I think it could just be down to the very slight anomalies in production, well that's my theory anyway!

 

[OctavianH]

It might be. One other thing I observed during sessions of tube rolling is that from time to time, especially when you use tubes with different parameters (like for example EL12N as powers and then switch back to 6AS7) the tubes do not always sound the same after you put them back to the sockets. Like for example the auto-biasing is not always providing exactly the same results. So strange are the ways of our amps and the circuitry inside them.

 

[mordy]

Personally I think what you're saying is entirely possible. I don't have the green print version but I do have two pair of the white print and I'm sure one is better than the other too, I think it could just be down to the very slight anomalies in production, well that's my theory anyway!

I saw a post that the clear top TS 5998 is the same as the WE 421A - haven't heard them so I don't know.....