[JazzVinyl]

So the 64 million dollars question is...are the Philips Miniwatts FDD20 better than the Fivre 6N7G brown base? I'll be finding out soon...after 300 hours of burn in for all those tubes. !!!

This WILL be interesting!! One thing we know for sure....Italian tubes are great

 

[Suuup]

This WILL be interesting!! One thing we know for sure....Italian tubes are great

They do indeed! It seems we have all shifted towards European tubes instead of American tubes. French, British and Italian. And Dutch? Aren't H1's EL3N Dutch?

 

[UntilThen]

Yes the EL3N I'm sending him is Made in Holland. That's a work in progress. That might beat all the FDD20 and Fivre brown base lol.

 

[UntilThen]

However much I try to get more info on FDD20 I couldn't, except this data:-
 

[color=rgb(33, 33, 33)] Manufacturer = Ital . Uf = 12.6V indirectly If = 0.35 A Ua = 250 V Ug1 = - 5 V Ia = 6 mA μ = 33 S = 3 mA / V Ri = 18,000 ohms[/color]

 
Radio museum says 'With exception of heater ratings and base, this tube is very similar to 6A6 and 6N7G'.
 
Is it any wonder why I love the FDD20 so much. Those are my favourites. 

 
 
Listening with Chatham 6520, the FDD20s are really amazing. Very natural sounding. 

 

[nephilim]

I am almost crying... for joy
 
When Lukasz told me they identified the drivers to be the reason for the hum I replied that the problem also occured with other drivers, too. Today he sent another mail - my response made them open the amp again and they actually found a loose resistor. They are highly confident that #11 is working perfectly now
 
I was delighted already but it seems that once my amp is back I will be in heaven!

 

[hypnos1]

  So the 64 million dollars question is...are the Philips Miniwatts FDD20 better than the Fivre 6N7G brown base? I'll be finding out soon...after 300 hours of burn in for all those tubes. !!!

Hi UT...suspected you might be seduced by the glorious sound of 2x FDD20s, lol...exciting indeed!! 

 
Glad you like it...

...and can't wait for that shootout!!

  Yes the EL3N I'm sending him is Made in Holland. That's a work in progress. That might beat all the FDD20 and Fivre brown base lol.

Would love that to be the case UT...but as per below, that would indeed be asking for a miracle lol!!..

...mind you, two EL3Ns per driver?...what am I saying???!!!

...

 

  However much I try to get more info on FDD20 I couldn't, except this data:-
 

[color=rgb(33, 33, 33)] Manufacturer = Ital . Uf = 12.6V indirectly If = 0.35 A Ua = 250 V Ug1 = - 5 V Ia = 6 mA [b]μ = 33[/b] S = 3 mA / V Ri = 18,000 ohms[/color]

 
Radio museum says 'With exception of heater ratings and base, this tube is very similar to 6A6 and 6N7G'.
 
Is it any wonder why I love the FDD20 so much. Those are my favourites. 

 
 
Listening with Chatham 6520, the FDD20s are really amazing. Very natural sounding. 

No wonder the FDD20 is such an exciting tube...just look at that gain figure, lol!!

. Coupled with a more forward soundstage than the ECC31, this could well explain a good bit of its attraction. An obvious winner!

(But I have to admit to still preferring the slightly more subtle rendering of the 2031...in my own setup!).
 
Looks like when I suggested to Lukasz a long while ago now that he try to find a good source for the FDD20 - and provide the necessary 12V in a possible Elise MK2 - I should have insisted he does, lol!!

...especially as you and/or JV also mentioned this tube to him, I believe...
 
But as for half the EL3N's 19 gain vs a full 33 of the FDD20?....mmmmmm....

.....miracle time indeed!! But shall give it a try nonetheless - perhaps the 3N's higher transconductance might just help a little?...we will see...
 
 

  I am almost crying... for joy
 
When Lukasz told me they identified the drivers to be the reason for the hum I replied that the problem also occured with other drivers, too. Today he sent another mail - my response made them open the amp again and they actually found a loose resistor. They are highly confident that #11 is working perfectly now
 
I was delighted already but it seems that once my amp is back I will be in heaven!

 
Wonderful news, neph...in heaven?...no, much higher even!!

...I am real happy for you - CHEERS!

 

 

[hypnos1]

Folks...while we're on the subject of the FDD20, another great bonus of this tube is it's 12 Volt heater.
 
A good few people on different threads have commented on 12V versions often being quieter than 6V ones. And I can certainly vouch for that with this marvellous tube...the most deathly, black background I have ever encountered, lol...

 
ENJOY!...

 

[UntilThen]

  I am almost crying... for joy
 
When Lukasz told me they identified the drivers to be the reason for the hum I replied that the problem also occured with other drivers, too. Today he sent another mail - my response made them open the amp again and they actually found a loose resistor. They are highly confident that #11 is working perfectly now
 
I was delighted already but it seems that once my amp is back I will be in heaven!

Nep I almost cry with you. I remember you going to the garden to test out Elise in the garden shed power point. Well all good things comes to the one who love. Sung by Sissel.
 

 

[UntilThen]

No wonder the FDD20 is such an exciting tube...just look at that gain figure, lol!!

. 
 
a full 33 

Well H1, I didn't know how to interpret those figures but now that you mention a gain of 33, I too sit upright. FDD20 is indeed a special tube. I like 2 FDD20 because to my ears they sound more defined, clear and precise. Midrange is so seductively sweet with Sissel or rugged in the case of Leonard. Bass is quality bass and supplemented by the Chatham, 5998 or GE, they are there in abundance.
 
I will still visit 2031. It was my favourite and will remain high in my rankings. Another special combination. Who would have known we're all enticed by 12V.

 

[hypnos1]

  Well H1, I didn't know how to interpret those figures but now that you mention a gain of 33, I too sit upright. FDD20 is indeed a special tube. I like 2 FDD20 because to my ears they sound more defined, clear and precise. Midrange is so seductively sweet with Sissel or rugged in the case of Leonard. Bass is quality bass and supplemented by the Chatham, 5998 or GE, they are there in abundance.
 
I will still visit 2031. It was my favourite and will remain high in my rankings. Another special combination. Who would have known we're all enticed by 12V.

 
Hi UT...looks like the 2x FDD20 option would be a safer bet for folks after all...and a cheaper one, lol! - so long as they are still available at a reasonable  price...

...(unless you've exhausted all the 'RVC' branded ones!

).
 
Perhaps - unlike that recent so-called Nazi loot train (whatever happened to that story?!) - there's a wartime stash (mountain-sized!!) of FDD20s somewhere in the Italian Alps/Dolomites....Lukasz, get treasure hunting!!!

...
 
ps.  As JV says, it'll be interesting to see if you too notice any (slight) difference with the Philips 'etched' tubes vs non-etched.
 
(And I bet you've now got your own stash safely in the Australian equivalent of Fort Knox lol?!!

)...

 

[UntilThen]

Yes I was thinking that too. 2 FDD20 is a lot cheaper than if you factor in a ECC31. The seller that I bought the FDD20 from, still has a lot of those tubes. I suspect he has an endless supply. Let's hope he doesn't raise the price. They are selling for 22 euros each. I think JV got them for 3 for $30 and he got the Philips Miniwatt ones. I had to pay $69 for my pair.
 
At the beginning I wanted ECC31 so much. I paid $200 for a NOS pair. Compared that to 44 euros for a NOS pair of FDD20. 
 
What is good for most people now, are the adapters from xulingmrs. Preconfigured with the wires makes it so neat and easy to hook up 12V power supply. Plus the tubes sit in the adapters neatly now. Previously they have to clip onto the wire, thereby causing it to slant but now they sit upright. Thanks to JV who did all the ground work, to get the seller to make these special adapters.
 
Our tube rolling journey has come a long way. C3G is sitting in my drawer, not getting much run time now lol. So are the other 6SN7s. If I have to start again, I would have just gotten FDD20s and a pair of GEC 6AS7G. That is all I need.

 

[Suuup]

Whoa, I just got scared for a minute. I just turned on the my Elise and started "Old Pigweed" by Mark Knopfler. The sound was boring and dry. I had no idea what was going on. I looked confused over at the Elise. Then I noticed, I had plugged my headphones into the Aune S16. Boy is there a big difference!
 
Also, I got a package today from our adapter queen, Xulingmrs. It was my replacement pair of ECC31 -> 6SN7 adapters, the black plastic ones. They've been in transit for 2 months now. To be honest, I had forgotten all about them, as I have already received the golden pair, which I use instead (with no hum!!). 
 
As JV says, we are indeed the lucky ones! Cheers.

 

[hypnos1]

  Yes I was thinking that too. 2 FDD20 is a lot cheaper than if you factor in a ECC31. The seller that I bought the FDD20 from, still has a lot of those tubes. I suspect he has an endless supply. Let's hope he doesn't raise the price. They are selling for 22 euros each. I think JV got them for 3 for $30 and he got the Philips Miniwatt ones. I had to pay $69 for my pair.
 
At the beginning I wanted ECC31 so much. I paid $200 for a NOS pair. Compared that to 44 euros for a NOS pair of FDD20. 
 
What is good for most people now, are the adapters from xulingmrs. Preconfigured with the wires makes it so neat and easy to hook up 12V power supply. Plus the tubes sit in the adapters neatly now. Previously they have to clip onto the wire, thereby causing it to slant but now they sit upright. Thanks to JV who did all the ground work, to get the seller to make these special adapters.
 
Our tube rolling journey has come a long way. C3G is sitting in my drawer, not getting much run time now lol. So are the other 6SN7s. If I have to start again, I would have just gotten FDD20s and a pair of GEC 6AS7G. That is all I need.

 
Aahh UT...welcome to the mixed-blessing world of tube rolling! - my own drawer is overflowing with the multitude of different tubes we used in our LittleDots before finally settling on a fairly wide concensus of 'best' tubes, lol!

...a classic case of if only...the 'journey'...etc. etc.!!!
 
I console myself in the assumption that we may never have reached such end results, without having made said journey. And for me, certainly, each progression has brought a greater understanding of what actually constitutes 'good'/'better' sound...and helps reduce the pain of $$$$$ spent!! (plus, there's always the possibility of at least some of those tubes appreciating in value?

)...So hang in there, sell what you can at a profit, and get those GECs lol!!

 

[JazzVinyl]

Our tube rolling journey has come a long way. C3G is sitting in my drawer, not getting much run time now lol. So are the other 6SN7s. If I have to start again, I would have just gotten FDD20s and a pair of GEC 6AS7G. That is all I need.

Amen to that!! I would do the same if I could start over

But you don't know, until you get there. And for sure, there are a lot of tubes that sound great in the Elise.

.

 

[JazzVinyl]

I am almost crying... for joy

When Lukasz told me they identified the drivers to be the reason for the hum I replied that the problem also occured with other drivers, too. Today he sent another mail - my response made them open the amp again and they actually found a loose resistor. They are highly confident that #11 is working perfectly now

I was delighted already but it seems that once my amp is back I will be in heaven!

Perfect news, Neph!! Cheers for hum-free!!!

#11 is coming home!