[UntilThen]

Nothing like a bit of bluesy rock by good ole Keith on a Sat afternoon.
 

 

[UntilThen]

Alright one more. Volume up. Hope you like the killa drum and bass. 

 

 

[HOWIE13]

 
That's a beautiful car. This was my ship. Memories are fading.
 

 
HAHA- wish my memories were like yours. 

 

[HOWIE13]

  I found a sleek deal on Mullard 6080's for only 30 pounds each here, and he seems to have a lot available. Would any of you say this is a good value, and how they are different from other 6080 brands? Thanks!

 
I would advise you go for the CV2984 version as in UT's post,#1452.
 
I have both versions from this excellent seller and I found the version in the blue box to sound very good but was too microphonic. 
 
The CV version is a gem. Clear, warm and sweet, with excellent sound stage. As ever of course it depends on the partnering drivers. It's more dynamic with C3g's, smoother with some 6SN7's like 'Chrome Dome'.
 
An excellent, reasonably priced introduction to the delights of 6080 tubes for you. 

 

[Spork67]

In my environment, Elise still has a hum at very (very!) high volume.
I'm still chasing a hum-free setup, (including at stupidly high volumes i will NEVER use!)
 
If I disconnect the cables (RCA) from the DAC, Elise is dead silent at %100 volume.
If I plug my HPs into the HP out from the little Grace DAC/amp, pause the music, turn volume to full, it's dead silent.
 
So I'm a little confused.
Is it the cables picking up some interference - or could it be the Grace DAC/amp adding it to the RCA out (but not the HP jack?)
 
Should my next step be better quality (better shielded) RCA cables?
If so - any links to some that aren't stupidly expensive?

 

[UntilThen]

  In my environment, Elise still has a hum at very (very!) high volume.
I'm still chasing a hum-free setup, (including at stupidly high volumes i will NEVER use!)
 
If I disconnect the cables (RCA) from the DAC, Elise is dead silent at %100 volume.
If I plug my HPs into the HP out from the little Grace DAC/amp, pause the music, turn volume to full, it's dead silent.
 
So I'm a little confused.
Is it the cables picking up some interference - or could it be the Grace DAC/amp adding it to the RCA out (but not the HP jack?)
 
Should my next step be better quality (better shielded) RCA cables?
If so - any links to some that aren't stupidly expensive?

Sounds like you have got ground loop going on there. Are both Grace and Elise grounded? As in they have 3 pin plug with ground?
 
Just as an experiment, move your source, dac and Elise to another room and try it. See if hum still persist at high volume with no music playing. I'm also curious if replacing the tubes will resolve the problem. Hope you get another pair of driver and power tubes soon.
 
Fyi, I'm using plain Jane RCA cable of the red and black variety. I don't get any of the hum noise you're experiencing. Furthermore I use a 4 in 1 splitter that allows me to switch input between the turntable and DAC. I've got more connections than you. 

 

 

[HOWIE13]

  In my environment, Elise still has a hum at very (very!) high volume.
I'm still chasing a hum-free setup, (including at stupidly high volumes i will NEVER use!)
 
If I disconnect the cables (RCA) from the DAC, Elise is dead silent at %100 volume.
If I plug my HPs into the HP out from the little Grace DAC/amp, pause the music, turn volume to full, it's dead silent.
 
So I'm a little confused.
Is it the cables picking up some interference - or could it be the Grace DAC/amp adding it to the RCA out (but not the HP jack?)
 
Should my next step be better quality (better shielded) RCA cables?
If so - any links to some that aren't stupidly expensive?

 
If your amp's RCA outputs can have their volume controlled you could initially lower the volume right down and connect your headphones directly to those RCA outputs with an RCA to 3.5 or 6.3mm female adapter/cable, whichever is appropriate for your headphones. If there is no hum then the problem is not with the amp. If it still hums it's the amp picking up or causing the hum, but that wouldn't exclude the cable being a problem too.
 
Be careful though, the RCA voltage out from the DAC may be too high for your cans and could damage them unless you can attenuate the voltage in some way ie with volume control..

 

[Spork67]

Thanks guys.
 
@UntilThen - The DAC/amp gets power via USB from the PC, with an optional USB to power point. With the optional one connected it's meant to get all it's power from that one and signal (only) from the PC. That connection is a 2 pin plug (no ground) only. Unplugging it so that the DAC is getting both power and signal over the one USB doesn't seem to make any difference to the hum from Elise, and the HP output on the Grace is still hum-free.
 
Moving my source (full tower PV) to another room will be a PITA - but will move the DAC and Elise to a different room and try with a longish USB lead. I could also try with a laptop as source. 
 
I have some 6080s and some EL3Ns and adapters coming "strictly for troubleshooting purposes".
 
@HOWIE13 the DAC/amp volume controller does indeed alter the output to the RCA jacks. I'll see if I can get an RCA male to 6.3mm female cable and test that way also.

 

[HOWIE13]

  Thanks guys.
 
@UntilThen - The DAC/amp gets power via USB from the PC, with an optional USB to power point. With the optional one connected it's meant to get all it's power from that one and signal (only) from the PC. That connection is a 2 pin plug (no ground) only. Unplugging it so that the DAC is getting both power and signal over the one USB doesn't seem to make any difference to the hum from Elise, and the HP output on the Grace is still hum-free.
 
Moving my source (full tower PV) to another room will be a PITA - but will move the DAC and Elise to a different room and try with a longish USB lead. I could also try with a laptop as source. 
 
I have some 6080s and some EL3Ns and adapters coming "strictly for troubleshooting purposes".
 
@HOWIE13 the DAC/amp volume controller does indeed alter the output to the RCA jacks. I'll see if I can get an RCA male to 6.3mm female cable and test that way also.

 
They are easy enough to source- most local HiFi /multimedia stores have them if you live near one to save you ordering on- line and waiting. I know how these  issues can be so annoying.
 
Come to think of it as long as you don't have any music playing I think you could briefly up the volume from the line out to check for hum without harming your headphones-not 100% sure as have never tried it.
You can get a nice pure musical sound at low volumes.

 

[UntilThen]

My sympathies. Hum of any kind can be annoying. 
 
6xEL3N has become silent for me again. With no music playing and volume turn to max and headphone on, I'm getting total silence. I do wish every Elise owner have this experience too.
 
Btw this 6 pack is sounding so good and hardly any heat after 4 hours, I'll just let it stay in. 

 

[HOWIE13]

  My sympathies. Hum of any kind can be annoying. 
 
6xEL3N has become silent for me again. With no music playing and volume turn to max and headphone on, I'm getting total silence. I do wish every Elise owner have this experience too.
 
Btw this 6 pack is sounding so good and hardly any heat after 4 hours, I'll just let it stay in. 

 
That brings me a question that I've always wanted to ask but usually forget.
 
If you are tube rolling several drivers to make comparisons with the same power tubes should you switch off the power to Elise each time you change the drivers or do you just pull the drivers out of their sockets and replace them with the next ones without switching off?
 
I've always done the former but I've concerns that constantly switching on and off could damage or shorten the life of the power tubes, which of course may be my much cherished and very expensive 5998's. 

 

[UntilThen]

   
That brings me a question that I've always wanted to ask but usually forget.
 
If you are tube rolling several drivers to make comparisons with the same power tubes should you switch off the power to Elise each time you change the drivers or do you just pull the drivers out of their sockets and replace them with the next ones without switching off?
 
I've always done the former but I've concerns that constantly switching on and off could damage or shorten the life of the power tubes, which of course may be my much cherished and very expensive 5998's. 

OMG Howie I almost choke on my spaghetti. !!! 
 
Don't you even think of pulling out the drivers without switching off Elise. One, you'll burn your fingers. Two, you'll see the 4th of July fireworks. 
 
This is call extreme tube rolling. 

 

 

[HOWIE13]

 
OMG Howie I almost choke on my spaghetti. !!! 
 
Don't you even think of pulling out the drivers without switching off Elise. One, you'll burn your fingers. Two, you'll see the 4th of July fireworks. 

 
OK stopped thinking that.
 
Spaghetti at this time of the morning- but of course it's evening for you. 

 

[Spork67]

   
...
You can get a nice pure musical sound at low volumes.

I'm mostly listening with the volume between 9 and 10 o'clock - 75-82db.
Thinking I'll possibly need more power to get same volume from the HE400i's when they arrive.
TBH, the hum isn't impacting at all on my listening enjoyment, but it does bother me (at least a little bit) knowing that it is there, somewhere...

 

[UntilThen]

@HOWIE13 you should try and audition HE560 with Elise. It's an amazing headphone. Love it so much. Each time I switch from modded HD650 to HE560 I go WOW.