[Lord Raven]

  Lord Raven,
 
Do you feel you get too much of a bass spl with your present combo?

I only listen to Jazz music, I don't think I need much more bass than existing. I think it is just right.
 
One interesting thing that I noticed is that, my HPs have a roll off at high frequencies, as per the datasheet and reviews, but I don't think I miss any of the upper range with Elise. Maybe I have never heard hi-end HPs before. 

 

[mordy]

One of those days...
 
Did it ever happen to you that the amp suddenly doesn't sound good? Last night everything I threw at in 6080 tubes didn't sound good - not satisfying - too little this and too much that...What i liked the day before didn't sound right today.
 
This morning I put in the OEM Svetlana Winged C 6H13C tubes. RELIEF. Things started to sound better, and after 1/2 hour of warm-up the amp sounds the way it should.
 
Why is it the the amp doesn't sound right sometimes? Supratentorial (Me)? Electric grid? RF interference?
 
What do you think?
 
Since Head-Fi does not have this word in their dictionary, I felt compelled to provide this definition:
 
"Supratentorial. A word used by doctors and nurses to imply that a patient's problems are all in their mind. The tentorium is a membrane just under the brain, so "supratentorial" refers to what is above that, namely the brain."

 

[hypnos1]

   
While I don't know for sure, I have been told that many testers do not have ECC31 on their list. And therefore, it might have been tested as a 6N7, which is similar but not the same. But again, I certainly don't know....

 
So I might just be OK...perhaps lol!...thanks anyway, g. I suppose the only way I'm gonna know if it will be suitable is when the QTL arrives and I can see if there's any imbalance between the two - but with only 14 days' grace for return things look tight!! Ah well, such is life...

...(only hope the sockets I need for the adapters arrive soon as well!...).
 
Gibosi, my friend, you have set me quite a task here methinks...but then we have been down this road before with our LDs, n'est-ce pas?

 

[gibosi]

  Nice tubes there H1! I hope you're going to enjoy them I don't have the guts to try those 0,9A tubes in my MK6 because I can't get any answers from LD that it'd be safe David posted on the LD forums that CV181's are compatible but not sure if he means the new production CV181's which are completely different tubes.

 
Technically speaking, CV181 = ECC32. And I am sure David knows this.
 
 http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_ecc32.html
 
The modern tubes using this nomenclature are not real CV181. However, since their tubes have a similar coke-bottle shape and labeling them CV181 as is a bit more sexy, they stretch the truth (lie?) and label their 6SN7GT as a CV181.
 
Of course, it is always better to be safe than sorry. But as the ECC32 is considered one of the very best 6SN7 alternatives, I would be very surprised if the MK6, like the Elise, was not designed to handle these tubes.
 
Cheers

 

[agnostic1er]

  One of those days...
 
Did it ever happen to you that the amp suddenly doesn't sound good? Last night everything I threw at in 6080 tubes didn't sound good - not satisfying - too little this and too much that...What i liked the day before didn't sound right today.
 
This morning I put in the OEM Svetlana Winged C 6H13C tubes. RELIEF. Things started to sound better, and after 1/2 hour of warm-up the amp sounds the way it should.
 
Why is it the the amp doesn't sound right sometimes? Supratentorial (Me)? Electric grid? RF interference?
 
What do you think?
 
 

Yes mordy, me and others have sometimes this same feeling; it's not the gears it's our brain.

 

[hypnos1]

  One of those days...
 
Did it ever happen to you that the amp suddenly doesn't sound good? Last night everything I threw at in 6080 tubes didn't sound good - not satisfying - too little this and too much that...What i liked the day before didn't sound right today.
 
This morning I put in the OEM Svetlana Winged C 6H13C tubes. RELIEF. Things started to sound better, and after 1/2 hour of warm-up the amp sounds the way it should.
 
Why is it the the amp doesn't sound right sometimes? Supratentorial (Me)? Electric grid? RF interference?
 
What do you think?
 
Since Head-Fi does not have this word in their dictionary, I felt compelled to provide this definition:
 
"Supratentorial. A word used by doctors and nurses to imply that a patient's problems are all in their mind. The tentorium is a membrane just under the brain, so "supratentorial" refers to what is above that, namely the brain."

 
Hi m.
 
Have never had this (negative experience) to any extreme degree but yes, most likely to do with brain...more specifically mood, and of course the surprisingly different physical states/condition of our ears from hour to hour, let alone day to day! (which I have had to try very hard to discount in my discussions re the opposite 'phenomenon', lol!).
 
Fortunately, this is (or SHOULD be!) just a temporary state...good though the Svetlanas are, we simply canNOT have them ousting the wonderful Chathams!! 

.

 

[SonicTrance]

Technically speaking, CV181 = ECC32. And I am sure David knows this.

 http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_ecc32.html

The modern tubes using this nomenclature are not real CV181. However, since their tubes have a similar coke-bottle shape and labeling them CV181 as is a bit more sexy, they stretch the truth (lie?) and label their 6SN7GT as a CV181.

Of course, it is always better to be safe than sorry. But as the ECC32 is considered one of the very best 6SN7 alternatives, I would be very surprised if the MK6, like the Elise, was not designed to handle these tubes.

Cheers

Yes, he should know this. But when I asked him about it he only gave me the 2,5A power tube spec. Nothing about driver tube limitations. I've asked again but got no answer. I've seen a few people use the ECC32 with the mk6 though, but got no idea if there's been any damage, lol.

And as the mk6 is based around the 6SL7 there's quite a jump to the ECC32 in current draw.

 

[mordy]

Hi H1,
 
"good though the Svetlanas are, we simply canNOT have them ousting the wonderful Chathams!!"
 
Not to worry, the Svetlana 6H13C do not trounce the Chatham 6AS7G tubes. In your haste to come to the defense of the wonderful Chatham 6AS7 tubes you did not read my post carefully - I only mentioned 6080 tubes of which I have a pair of Chathams.....
 
Last night everything I threw at it in 6080 tubes didn't sound good....
 
On another more serious note, I am now convinced that adding socket savers to the power tubes helps to cool off the amp. It seems that the hot running power tubes become insulated from the chassis by the socket savers with a concomitant lowering of the temperature of the amp. Yes, the amp gets a little warmer this way compared to running the fans, but it is still just slightly warm instead of being cool.
 
I am not sure of this, but I think that the amp sounds better being slightly warm than cool to the touch.
 
Another benefit is that the original sockets get much less wear from changing the tubes when using the socket savers.
 
It is necessary to add that the cooling is also helped by the 1" footers I attached to the underside of the chassis - I assume that the air convection is improved.
 
Cheers,

 

[Oskari]

 
Did it ever happen to you that the amp suddenly doesn't sound good?

 
Fatigue, sinusitis, whatever. It happens. There's always tomorrow. 

 

[hypnos1]

  Hi H1,
 
"good though the Svetlanas are, we simply canNOT have them ousting the wonderful Chathams!!"
 
Not to worry, the Svetlana 6H13C do not trounce the Chatham 6AS7G tubes. In your haste to come to the defense of the wonderful Chatham 6AS7 tubes you did not read my post carefully - I only mentioned 6080 tubes of which I have a pair of Chathams.....
 
Last night everything I threw at it in 6080 tubes didn't sound good....
 
On another more serious note, I am now convinced that adding socket savers to the power tubes helps to cool off the amp. It seems that the hot running power tubes become insulated from the chassis by the socket savers with a concomitant lowering of the temperature of the amp. Yes, the amp gets a little warmer this way compared to running the fans, but it is still just slightly warm instead of being cool.
 
I am not sure of this, but I think that the amp sounds better being slightly warm than cool to the touch.
 
Another benefit is that the original sockets get much less wear from changing the tubes when using the socket savers.
 
It is necessary to add that the cooling is also helped by the 1" footers I attached to the underside of the chassis - I assume that the air convection is improved.
 
Cheers,

 
Ah mordy, yes indeed...6080s. Most unlike me not to read carefully - I plead mitigation...the good lady is ill in bed, I'm afraid - but then I blame the poor gal for everything! 

.
ps. Are the Chatham 6080s not supposed to be a very good tube also?...(bet you didn't throw in some GEC 6080s, lol!

).

   
While I don't know for sure, I have been told that many testers do not have ECC31 on their list. And therefore, it might have been tested as a 6N7, which is similar but not the same. But again, I certainly don't know....

 
Things are looking up, g...you may well have been on the right track - had  a reply from the vendor (which on a Sunday and a Bank, ie Public, Holiday weekend is pretty darn' good!), and it would seem it is indeed down to the tester being used. According to their AVO spec sheets, 100% Ia for the ECC31 is 6mA...and so 5.8mA is marvellous for an old tube really. And both triodes measure identical for this, as for gm (100%+). So on this score it could well be a home run!
 
As there are no obvious loose bits inside the tube, hopefully the faint noise will not prove to be a problem - but of course I shan't know for sure until it's up and running. And at least they have offered a full refund if I'm not happy...can't say fairer than that.
 
So I go to an early bed somewhat happier now (except no late night listening session for me tonight, alas...am suffering withdrawal symptoms already lol!).

 

[mordy]

The Chathams 6080 are quite good - they accentuate the highs and lows and have a hard hitting quality. Anyhow, everything is peaceful on the listening front with the Svetlanas doing duty with the C3gs.
 
Awaiting reports on the ECC31 tubes - good luck!

 

[gibosi]

And as the mk6 is based around the 6SL7 there's quite a jump to the ECC32 in current draw.

 
Since so many folks run 6SN7 in the MK6, I keep forgetting that it was actually designed to run 6SL7. And for sure, with ECC32 heaters drawing three times the current, one cannot assume that it is safe to run them.... 

 

[gibosi]

 
Gibosi, my friend, you have set me quite a task here methinks...but then we have been down this road before with our LDs, n'est-ce pas?

 
And of course, I deserve all the blame, littering this forum, as I do, with tube porn that I know full well some simply cannot resist! lol
 
And how about one more? This little treasure arrived in my mailbox this morning.
 

 
However, this is not quite what it seems... The current very high prices of the MOV/GEC B65 (around $400) keep this tube well out of my reach. But fortunately, I can run 12 volt tubes and the B36, identical to the B65 in every way but the heaters, is much more affordable.
 

 
And I am very pleased to report that this little guy lights up and plays nicely with the GEC 6AS7.
 

 

[hypnos1]

   
And of course, I deserve all the blame, littering this forum, as I do, with tube porn that I know full well some simply cannot resist! lol
 
And how about one more? This little treasure arrived in my mailbox this morning.
 

 
However, this is not quite what it seems... The current very high prices of the MOV/GEC B65 (around $400) keep this tube well out of my reach. But fortunately, I can run 12 volt tubes and the B36, identical to the B65 in every way but the heaters, is much more affordable.
 

 
And I am very pleased to report that this little guy lights up and plays nicely with the GEC 6AS7.
 

 
Oh dear, could you be tempting me once more g...before I've even got the ECC31s up and running? Have you no shame OR pity lol?!!
 
But I have to admit to being much more impressed by the look of the 31s - I know that shouldn't influence us, but I just can't help it...somehow the ST bottles nearly always seem to end up stealing the show!
So now you are going to HAVE to burn a good bit of midnight oil comparing (extensively!) these two...that'll teach you! 

...
 
CHEERS!
 
EDIT...now if you want to REALLY impress me, you'll find a thyratron that WE can use - I want a REAL light show!!

...(GOOD LUCK!!!)

 

[hypnos1]

Oh, by the way g...don't forget they both need to be compared (again, extensively!) with the C3g.... Better get yourself a sleeping bag by the Glenn, lol!!