Feliks-Audio ELISE...New thread.

[UntilThen]

Just when I thought I'm done with tube rolling. What we are about to try now is significant. In the past, it has always been driver tubes. Some of the best varieties. Now we're about to try 4 outputs - EL3N and 6BL7. If these works well, the future looks good for Elise owners. We no longer need to rely on the expensive power tubes. If these works well....
 
Even using 4 EL3N is a great success with my dynamic headphones, T1 and HD650. I've had the amp on with these tubes today for 8 hours. Last night was about 3 hours. 
 
I can unequivocally say that 4 EL3N works and works exceedingly well. With the only exception being ... my planar magnetic HE560 has distortion pass 10:30am.
 
I listen with these songs:-
 
If you could Read My Mind – Diana Krall / Sarah McLachlan.
Everybody’s Talkin’ – Diana Krall /Vince Gill.
Hold On – Holly Cole.
Bring It Home To Me – Sam Cooke.
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor 1 – Trauermarsch – Berliner Philhamoniker, Herbert von Karajan, 1996.
Mozart Violin Concertos in D major KV 218, I, Allegro - Marianne Thorsen, Trondheimsolistene.
Dreams – Fleetwood Mac.
Private Investigations – Alchemy: Dire Straits Live (Remastered).
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
 
I come away truly impressed. You can say I'm totally satisfied. With a BIG smile. The 4 EL3N joins the elite group of tube combos for Elise.
 

 
 
Cheers to us the LUCKY ones. 

 

 

[UntilThen]

A/B comparison between EL3N/EL3N vs EL3N/Chatham 6AS7G.  Using beyer T1.
If put a Y on one, it means more or better than the other...
 

	EL3N/EL3N	EL3N/Chatham 6AS7G
Loudness	Y - 1/2 a notch
Sparkle	Y
Details	Y
Clarity	Y
Bass	Y
Midrange	Y
Treble	Y
Imaging	Y
Soundstage	Y
Linearity	Y
Musicality	Y
Energetic	Y

 
What kind of comparison is this? LOL. It's clearly one sided. Bottom line, I love 4 EL3N more, much more. Doing this A/B with those songs prove it. For myself at least. YYMV.
 
What is startling is that 4 EL3N sounds louder for the same given volume knob position.
 
ps...mind you, EL3N and Chatham 6AS7G is no slouch combo. It's one of my favourites.

 

[UntilThen]

 

Hi,
 
At this point I am basking in the sonic luxury of the little short guys supporting the huge Dutch guys in red livery - presenting RCA side getter 6BL7GTA with the Philips EL3N:
 

 

Hello Mordy, as soon as my GE 6BL7GTA arrives, I'll be trying out your combo above. With a pair of 6BL7GTA first. Let me listen to this first before the dual adapters for 6BL7 comes.
 
I'll also be able to do a comparison with 4 EL3Ns with the above.
 
ps... I read somewhere that says the 6BL7 is a poor man's 2A3 

 I'll take that as a real compliment. The same can be said about the EL3N.

 

[UntilThen]

   
Hey UT, you could just be right there, lol!...must post this quickie before bed - your success prompted me to try again with 2x EL3N drivers, and 1x GEC 6AS7G + 1x EL3N...but swapped around, this time, and......unbelievable!!...every bit as good as 2x GECs!!

...don't know whether to laugh or cry!

...even more detail and a touch of extra sparkle...this is just crazy, man!

. Only once on a high-level-recorded male voice crescendo was there a bit of distortion, but at a higher volume than I would normally listen to anyway, really. So possibly even that would be rectified with 2x EL3Ns per power. In that case, I suspect you would be right in the resultant massive saving, lol!!

.
 
Looks like I'm just gonna have to beat you to the doubling up, my good friend...and steal your thunder!

...(or wish I hadn't LOL!!!

).
 
So with this thought I shall bid you all GOODNIGHT!  and CHEERS! 

...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

@hypnos1 be my guest !!! 

 Better you than me as you'll be able to get everyone excited more than I could. 

 
Are you planning on making your own dual EL3N adapters? 

 I so envy you...you can make your own adapters.

 

[Suuup]

 
 
These tubes are.. Different. 

 

[JazzVinyl]

These tubes are.. Different. 

Yes, very thick bottom and lower mids...sound very good here....like a "clarified ECC31"...

 

[UntilThen]

Left side fatter.
 
Well what do you think? 

 

[Suuup]

It's a good different... Need some time to collect my thoughts. This is a very special tube.

 

[UntilThen]

4 EL3N is sounding better than EL3N and 5998 to me .... quite an eye or ear opener. I just can't stop listening. Was supposed to go to bed. Doing comparison here.

 

[hypnos1]

  @hypnos1 be my guest !!! 

 Better you than me as you'll be able to get everyone excited more than I could. 

 
Are you planning on making your own dual EL3N adapters? 

 I so envy you...you can make your own adapters.

 
Hi UT...you might actually perhaps beat me to it after all, I'm afraid...something very strange is going on in my case, alas. Remember I said I swapped over the GEC and EL3N for my last post and all seemed pretty well OK?....well, I just swapped back again - with the EL3N in the left power channel, as originally - and....distortion, lol!

...at between 11 and 12 o'clock vol. (And I swapped over the front EL3Ns - no luck, alas...).
 
So now it's another try in the right power channel - when it's cooled down, lol! - and see what happens...

...my saga continues, at least!!

. (I simply cannot believe how things go so smoothly for you all the time - you are indeed a very LUCKY ONE!!...apart from 4x EL3Ns and your HE560s, lol

...
 
ps.  Might well go ahead with my own double adapted job nonetheless - perhaps it may solve this L channel gremlin...

...
 

  It's a good different... Need some time to collect my thoughts. This is a very special tube.

 
Hi Suuup...it takes quite a long while for things to really "settle down" - you've a good way to go yet before tasting its true flavour, lol!

....I can smell the Hennessy already!...

(hopefully!!

)...

 

[2359glenn]

 

 

Hi,
 
At this point I am basking in the sonic luxury of the little short guys supporting the huge Dutch guys in red livery - presenting RCA side getter 6BL7GTA with the Philips EL3N:
 

 

Hello Mordy, as soon as my GE 6BL7GTA arrives, I'll be trying out your combo above. With a pair of 6BL7GTA first. Let me listen to this first before the dual adapters for 6BL7 comes.
 
I'll also be able to do a comparison with 4 EL3Ns with the above.
 
ps... I read somewhere that says the 6BL7 is a poor man's 2A3 

 I'll take that as a real compliment. The same can be said about the EL3N.

This is part of a review of one of my amps on tweak-fi.  I am posting it here because it describes the sound of the 6BL7s compaired to a 6AS7.
 
Moving to the six-6BL7s, the sound transforms into completely different, as if it were coming from a different amplifier altogether. In comparison with the 6AS7s, the sound becomes more focused, the soundstage feels at first smaller and tighter (while it is, in reality, deeper and better defined than that of the 6AS7s), the resolution goes up a few notches, and the overall presentation becomes much more extended at the frequency extremes yet it remains refined and delicate at the same time. As a result, I have to admit that it took me quite some time to “get” this sound. With the six-6BL7s, the sound was unlike anything I could have imagined, leaning more towards the solid state gear type of sound but showing qualities I had never heard from solid state gear.
While I was very happy to have 2 different amplifiers in one package, I have to admit that I ended up mainly using the six-6BL7 option as it is the much superior option with the Beyer T1s as well as with the HD800s I bought after getting the amplifier. I was told by Glenn that rolling different brands of 6BL7 tubes will not change dramatically the sound of the amplifier. I have had no way to verify or deny that claim but I should be receiving soon a dozen of 6BL7s (6 GEs and a mix of other brands). In any case, the RCA 6BL7s configuration is so transparent and nice sounding that I doubt I will be finding a ground shaking difference with different brands. I will update this review if there is anything significant to report.
It can be noted that, for the remaining of the review, I will describing the sound of the amplifier with the six-6BL7s, unless stated otherwise.

 

[hypnos1]

 
This is part of a review of one of my amps on tweak-fi.  I am posting it here because it describes the sound of the 6BL7s compaired to a 6AS7.
 
Moving to the six-6BL7s, the sound transforms into completely different, as if it were coming from a different amplifier altogether. In comparison with the 6AS7s, the sound becomes more focused, the soundstage feels at first smaller and tighter (while it is, in reality, deeper and better defined than that of the 6AS7s), the resolution goes up a few notches, and the overall presentation becomes much more extended at the frequency extremes yet it remains refined and delicate at the same time. As a result, I have to admit that it took me quite some time to “get” this sound. With the six-6BL7s, the sound was unlike anything I could have imagined, leaning more towards the solid state gear type of sound but showing qualities I had never heard from solid state gear.
While I was very happy to have 2 different amplifiers in one package, I have to admit that I ended up mainly using the six-6BL7 option as it is the much superior option with the Beyer T1s as well as with the HD800s I bought after getting the amplifier. I was told by Glenn that rolling different brands of 6BL7 tubes will not change dramatically the sound of the amplifier. I have had no way to verify or deny that claim but I should be receiving soon a dozen of 6BL7s (6 GEs and a mix of other brands). In any case, the RCA 6BL7s configuration is so transparent and nice sounding that I doubt I will be finding a ground shaking difference with different brands. I will update this review if there is anything significant to report.
It can be noted that, for the remaining of the review, I will describing the sound of the amplifier with the six-6BL7s, unless stated otherwise.

 
Hi Glenn...and thanks for sharing your own - and others' -  findings with these tubes. They sure do sound interesting...although it would appear they definitely need to be used in multiples, lol!  Mind you, with those extremely good prices, it all comes down to the price of the multiple adapters...but still cheaper than 5998s or GEC 6AS7Gs (

)!!
 
Wish there were reviews on the use of two per output, as opposed to three...

...plus, of course, every amp is different lol

. Still, we do have some enterprising guys here - as you've obviously noticed!!

...
 
ps. And who knows, maestro...perhaps you might have  to play ketchup once you get a taste of the EL3N?!!!

....CHEERS!....

 

[mordy]

The 6BX7 tube is supposed to be interchangeable with the 6BL7. The only difference is the gain factor 15 vs 19. In the MKIII the 6BX7 (single tube using each triode as driver) sounded better than the 6BL7, but in the Elise I much prefer the 6BL7. Don't have more than three BX tubes. (Sample dependent?)
 
I am going through a motley bunch of 6BL7 (around 20) to see what I like best using them as power tubes. There are two main types: flat plate (two parallel plates) and cross plate (the plates look like an X).
 
All the tubes I have are odds and ends, some new, some used, but all supposedly testing OK. Mostly GTA and GTB versions from the late 50's and from the 60's.   Really confusing trying to figure out who made which tube - looks like a Sylvania tube could be labeled GE with a GE EIA number (factory code) but without the telltale sandblasted dots; then a bunch of rebranded tubes, including a Marantz.
 
Almost all the tubes that I have are cross plates which are newer versions than the flat plates. The Sylvania early 1950's flat plates do not sound as good as the later cross plates - the bass is weak. (Could be my sample)
 
So far a pair of Tung Sol sound OK, pairs of GE, Sylvania and a pair of RCA side getter sound very good.
 
Man, you gotta have patience - these tubes don't come into their own until after being burned in for some 30 hours, when suddenly the great bass wakes up.
 
Stay tuned.
 
Meanwhile, the little side getter RCAs smugly do their thing, proudly glowing their little heaters while producing great bass. We shall see if a double dose of BL will improve the sound.
 
Instead of saying "It Never Ends", let's look at it positively and say:
 
IF GOOD IS GOOD, ISN'T BETTER BETTER?
 
What's going on? Yesterday there were 345 listings on eBay for the 6BL7; today it is 311. Market manipulation?

 

[hypnos1]

  The 6BX7 tube is supposed to be interchangeable with the 6BL7. The only difference is the gain factor 15 vs 19. In the MKIII the 6BX7 (single tube using each triode as driver) sounded better than the 6BL7, but in the Elise I much prefer the 6BL7. Don't have more than three BX tubes.
 
I am going through a motley bunch of 6BL7 (around 20) to see what I like best using them as power tubes. There are two main types: flat plate (two parallel plates) and cross plate (the plates look like an X).
 
All the tubes I have are odds and ends, some new, some used, but all supposedly testing OK. Mostly GTA and GTB versions from the late 50's and from the 60's.   Really confusing trying to figure out who made which tube - looks like a Sylvania tube could be labeled GE with a GE EIA number (factory code) but without the telltale sandblasted dots; then a bunch of rebranded tubes, including a Marantz.
 
Almost all the tubes that I have are cross plates which are newer versions than the flat plates. The Sylvania early 1950's flat plates do not sound as good as the later cross plates - the bass is weak. (Could be my sample)
 
So far a pair of Tung Sol sound OK, pairs of GE, Sylvania and a pair of RCA side getter sound very good.
 
Man, you gotta have patience - these tubes don't come into their own until after being burned in for some 30 hours, when suddenly the great bass wakes up.
 
Stay tuned.
 
Meanwhile, the little side getter RCAs smugly do their thing, proudly glowing their little heaters while producing great bass. We shall see if a double dose of BL will improve the sound.
 
Instead of saying "It Never Ends", let's look at it positively and say:
 
IF GOOD IS GOOD, ISN'T BETTER BETTER?

 
Yo mordy...we really do need to see how they perform in multiples - but am gonna leave this one to others...I need a rest, lol!

...Keep up the good work!

 

[pctazhp]

Keeping up with the tube-rolling pandemic that has broken out on this thread is making my head spin. But it's a lot of fun, so keep it up guys ))). The hardest part about it is keeping up with the orders of multi-socket, multi-level adapters you dream up for poor Mrs. Xuling!!! I try to order each new adapter that she creates for us Elisers, but I know it will take about 3 weeks to get an order, and who knows where you all will be by then. I keep waiting for H1 to try out the light bulbs he mentioned a couple of weeks ago)))
 
Great to have @2359glenn on with us. Thanks so much to him.
 
And please don't forget to leave positive feedback on ebay for Mrs. Xuling. She is amazingly responsive.
 
This morning I just happen to be listening to the great Marty Robbins from Glendale, Arizona through EL3N drivers/5998 power tubes. Pretty amazing.
 
Candidly, I would like my next major move will be in the headphone arena. I know many of you love the T1s, but having derived so much enjoyment out of my HD700s, the new HD800S sure is tempting - although it is more money than the total I have invested in the Elise including tubes and adapters. Realistically, that's probably many months, if not years, down the road for me. For now, the HD700s have scaled very, very well with the Elise and various tubes.
 
Just out of curiosity, I sure wish someone would order a pair of HD800S cans to let me know how you like them. I don't ask for much)))) I see a lot of amps discussed on the 800S threads, but not the Elise. I'd love to jump in, but not having actually heard a pair on the Elise I wouldn't carry any credibility.