[hypnos1]

Well at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would Echo the thoughts that H has on this tube. Although I have not had a chance to try them as powers last night I did a lot of power tube rolling. Including the gec 6as7 and gec 6080 ts 5998 and my findings are that with the el12 Spez it is a much sweeter sounding tube than any of the other powers that I tried. So I would conclude that Synergy is going to be very important for this tube. I was using the straight-sided tube all last night and it is one sweet sounding tube. So if you cannot find any St tubes, grab some straight-sided tubes and not worry about it. Like H says from time to time the St tubes will make an appearance and when they do jump on them! And the next couple of days I'm going to try to compare the straight and St tubes one against the other but I have a feeling that is going to be very difficult. It's just not going to be obvious which one is the Stellar performer. I can hardly wait to get the adapters from mrs. X so I too can try powers and drivers I have a feeling that H is going to be right again. But then when is he ever wrong! And by the way h, you can put me down for two more adapters if you're still in the market to make these. I can wait no rush I know I have of two coming from mrs. X but I would just as soon have yours if I'm going to use all four. Not to mention they'll look a lot nicer having all for the same!

Hi cf.

Good to hear your findings so far, and that they confirm what my own ears/brain are telling me lol!...(still can't actually believe it/them!! ). It's especially encouraging to hear that you find the straight-sided tubes so good...keep up the good work, even though you must be needing an ear transplant soon!

Have just ordered some more Neotech UP-OCC solid silver and (solid) copper wires, so hope to have some more adapters under way very soon now - the top caps having (finally!) arrived. I won't even consider any other wire now...if it's good enough for Woo Audio's new $15,000 WA33 Elite, it's certainly good enough for me!!...although I always go by my own results anyway...So you're on the list for another pair lol!

And on the subject of comparison, I personally have found that it can indeed be very difficult to assess exact differences when two tubes are so similar - especially because of the time factor, when one lot need to cool down well before removal, and the next need time to warm up! Then the only real way to tell is proper fast A/B-ing, which requires TWO exact same systems running side-by-side...and who can manage that?!! And so I myself go more by using tracks that I've listened to literally hundreds of times, and looking for certain traits within each that must at least be present in the new tubes/gear, plus any extra that may come along...and not be lacking anything whatsoever from the previous 'best'. This can only come, of course, from tracks one knows very intimately...boring in one respect, but the best way of judging IMHO......CHEERS!...CJ

 

[connieflyer]

Good morning h, that is the way that I test tubes to compare one to another. The time factor between changing tubes is just too long to be able to remember exactly the differences. The best that we can hope for is it we can tell if there's an increase or decrease in the playability of a file that is well-known. On another note I too have noticed with these tubes I tend to ride the volume a little higher than normal and the sound of the music the individual notes sound so much Fuller and sweeter this way it's not just a loudness effect, I know volume is volume but writing it higher on these tubes just increases the enjoyment considerably glad to hear that you also noted that. I was equally amazed that the two types of tubes straight and ST are so similar. It's a good thing because the s t tubes are hard to come by. But no reason not to try these with the ample supply of the straight tubes it's well worth investing in the adapters just so that you can wait for the ST if that's what you want.

 

[hypnos1]

Hi again folks.

I know I've been hogging things lately re. the CV1052/EL32/VT57 tube (sorry!), but after yet another couple hours' rest (almost as important as use time for NOS tubes) and then a few more hours' burn-in, the soundstage I heard this morning wasn't due to early waking state after all...listening now to one of my favourite test tracks - Loreena McKennitt's 'The Gates of Istanbul' - I have never, ever heard a soundstage like it. Along with even more detail and separation - again, that I haven't heard before - using 2x CV1052 as powers, driven by 2 of the same is proving even better than EL12 Spezials.

Needless to say, I'm in total disbelief at the moment...but this is being confirmed with each track of her 'An Ancient Muse' assailing (nay, caressing!) my ears...and this is at volume levels I would previously have listened, not even a higher one.

These tubes obviously have tremendous 'synergy', and perform in our amps to a level undreamt of, even if not configured for. My system has never sounded this good...and is way beyond stock configuration IMHO.

BFN...a gobsmacked CJ

 

[Scutey]

Great to hear their still improving h1, looking forward to giving them a go this coming week!

 

[hypnos1]

Great to hear their still improving h1, looking forward to giving them a go this coming week!

Can't wait for your own impressions Scutey...objective ones, of course lol!

As a further update for folks interested, after another night's burn-in, plus a rest period, I am obliged (nay sad in some ways!) to report that with these tubes also in the power role they surpass even the mighty TFK EL12 Spezials, which I still find unbelievable and never anticipated. To do so at such a relatively (dirt, in my lucky case!) cheap cost is totally beyond reason...can't say any more. Except that the soundstage is now phenomenally wide; separation, positioning and detail is even better than before...and that bass and sweet treble are unparallelled. No other tubes, configured for or not, come anywhere near in Euforia IMHO (and I suspect, Elise). But as usual, let your own ears decide...and trust them!...above anything or anyone else lol!

 

[DecentLevi]

Quite fascinating how these EL32s are able to achieve such a wide soundstage being rather small in size; I was under the personal impression that only large, thick tubes are able to do good stage, especially such as the smaller 'miniature' 9-pin octals which to me excelled in all ways except soundstage. Hey H1, why then don't you give up those 'lowly' rare mesh plates to one of us for free 'in the name of science' (joking).

Anyway the race is on now to see who will be the lucky 3rd one to try the EL32s on the Euforia - or the first to finally try Xuling's EL32 adapter. Any lurkers reading this, please do post here. We don't bite or ask for too many words either.

 

[hypnos1]

Quite fascinating how these EL32s are able to achieve such a wide soundstage being rather small in size; I was under the personal impression that only large, thick tubes are able to do good stage, especially such as the smaller 'miniature' 9-pin octals which to me excelled in all ways except soundstage. Hey H1, why then don't you give up those 'lowly' rare mesh plates to one of us for free 'in the name of science' (joking).

Anyway the race is on now to see who will be the lucky 3rd one to try the EL32s on the Euforia - or the first to finally try Xuling's EL32 adapter. Any lurkers reading this, please do post here. We don't bite or ask for too many words either.

Well, DL...these CV1052/EL32 certainly blow your personal impressions right out of the water lol! I have never encountered such a soundstage before!...especially with them in the power seat, driven by the same tube. I know my equipment, plus UP-OCC cables will surely be helping here, but this finding is still relative to my previous 'best' tubes, and so should still apply in other systems.

And it will indeed be interesting to hear further impressions from early users of this tube...in different setups, and with different ears/preferences. But it's already encouraging that @connieflyer is finding the same results as myself...and the more impressions the merrier!

On which note, I must repeat here what I alluded to at length(!) over at the Elise thread :https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fel...e-read-first-post-for-summary.813488/page-717 , post# 10747, for anyone interested in the ethos behind my experimentation with non-configured-for tubes...ie. there are always exceptions to the rule where accepted norms and 'wisdom' are concerned - especially when it comes to our often 'mysterious' and contradictory hobby lol!!

In the final analysis, so long as safety is adhered to (which is why I am pretty well always the guinea pig with most new, unconventional, tubes!), I can only stress once again...trust your own ears!...

ps. Even though my beloved mesh-plate EL11s have now been superseded by these 'little' upstarts, I shall probably keep them for posterity...perhaps lol!!!...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[connieflyer]

Have another 8 hours of burn in on the S T tubes and going for another 8 hours this morning and I must say these are opening up quite nicely. Very eager to get another pair of adapters so I can use drivers and power tubes of the same type. The excitement continues, and thanks again H for putting us on to these tubes especially being so inexpensive to get these kind of results with our amps is a real pleasure indeed. So thank you exhalted one!

 

[connieflyer]

The VT52 VT 52 EL32 NOS Marconi Canada Valve Tubes are in the house. They look great, and even better, they sound great. One pair in now with the El12 Spez and they have about 20 minutes on them and they already sound very nice. Will check again in a few days after burn in and cool down sessions to see how they compare to the others. Excellent condition of the tubes and the individual boxes. Shipping box was in great shape, well packed and very secure. They did a very good job of this. Had good communication with this seller.

 

[DecentLevi]

My EL32 adapters came in today. As you can see from these 21 photos they look very beautiful with the silver plated copper cap wire, and appears true that the pins use gold plated brass.


As I was cleaning the tubes with a damp towel before use, just a gently nudge was all it took to accidentally snap off the top cap. Looks like there was a bit of corrosion under the cap and it may have not been connected very well, making any stress to the top rest solely on the ageing wire that connects internally.


I was able to get a proper test out of these lovely marvels nevertheless! First I confirmed that Mrs. X adapters do indeed work, testing only one along with a Ken-Rad VT-231 (6SN7) tube. After compensating for the expexted channel imbalance, what I heard from the right channel with the EL32s was a very detailed, extended and proper sound, with noticeably more instrument separation, even from just one channel! Next I did a 1-min. test of both by way of steadily holding the top cap wire against the top pin of the tube, and absolutely I'm getting what seems to be first-class difelity. Liquid, sweet but not overly euphonic, and detailed... and that with just with the 4x EL3N as powers, which are not quite my favorite. I'll need to ask the seller whether or not these are already burned in.

Now I'm running out the door to get this soldered back into one piece at an (iPhone) repair shop - wish me luck!

 

[DecentLevi]

ALSO for any new owners of EL32 / CV1052 tubes, take the above as a CAUTION to take extra care when handling the top pin to prevent it from breaking off. I wonder if any type of glue would be advisable?
PS - I had already burned in my metal black 6N7/ VT96 tubes for a good 24 hours over the last 3 days and to me the sound didn't change if at all, still quite boomy / slow in the bass and with semi-harsh edgy treble yet OK dynamics. Its' sound was quite different from the minute I had with the EL32, which was actually SOMEWHAT similar to the KenRad VT-231

 

[SnapperMusicFan]

Hi All,

Have been reading this thread with excitement, have been away with business for a while, so away from my Euforia/Elise, I'm am back now to find a whole load of packages for me to collect from the post office. among the packages are 4 x ST VT52's, 4 x Marconi VT52's & 4 x Mullard CV1052's
but only 2 adapters out of eight purchased, so my trail options are little limited I have tried the ST's as both drivers and powers and the best combo I have at the moment is ST VT52's as drivers and a nice pair of Bendix 6080WB's as powers, the soundstage is huge they are both detailed and dynamic,
the bass response is tight and detailed, through both my T1 Gen2's and played through the Focal Shape 50's. The mids are balanced and not too forward, the treble is so under control. I have been listening to Song's My Father Taught Me - Pepe Romero, Faure's Requiem John Elliot Gardiner & the Monteverdi Choir,
Tracey Chapman's remastered greatest hits, Aimee Mann's Mental Illness & Macey Gray's Stripped. They all sound amazing, I'm 72 hours in with this combo and they do not disappoint. I have tried the same combo in both Elise & Euforia and they sound so clear in both, with zero background/noise floor that I can hear
even wound right up. They are so clean when you turn Elise off, unlike the Ken-Rad 6F8G's that make a big pop even with the volume turned right down. These are going to be so hard to beat. Listening to Editors - No Harm, lots of sub bass and it's so under control, can't seem to find anything to throw at them that
gives them any form of headache. The biggest problem with 6F8G tubes I've found is microphonics, there's none with these valves.

Brilliant discovery!

Some pictures........

 

[hypnos1]

Hi @SnapperMusicFan and @DecentLevi .

Really happy you're echoing my and @connieflyer 's findings...it appears my ears weren't deceiving me after all lol! And if your tubes are NOS especially, things WILL only get better with further burn-in. And then with 2 as drivers and 2 as powers I think you'll be totally blown away...I certainly was!!

Sorry you had one of your top connectors come off DL...presumably a used tube? But with such old ones, this can indeed sometimes happen...but usually the metal cap just comes loose, with the wire still attached. So, as you say, care does need to be taken with these! In such a case as yours - especially if there isn't enough wire left to resolder through the top, it probably won't be too easy to reattach...obviously, if only very little wire left, soldering will be extremely difficult, and one might need to try and make sure of good wire to inside of cap contact then keep in place using something like 'BluTak'...if glue is used you're in trouble if that contact breaks subsequently, of course! Or, one could (carefully!) solder an extension piece of wire to that remaining, which could then go through the hole in top of the metal cap...assuming you can remove the solder already there!!...Just some ideas lol...

ps. Glad that Mrs X's adapters seem to be fine as well...I wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand I'm sure will follow!!!

pps. Remember that with continual use of the top cap connector of the adapter, it's grip function might gradually lessen - a downside of old. But as I mentioned before, if this does happen, try prying the adapter's metal connector back into 'bulge' shape with a VERY small (glass mender's, for example) screwdriver...but be ready for the whole inner metal assembly to possibly come out lol! Which is why I personally extend one of my top cap wires so as to also make contact with the tube's connector, plus epoxy in the soldered connection so it'll never pop out!

ppps....ENJOY!!...CJ

 

[connieflyer]

Gave a listen last night after midnight to the Marconi's as drivers, after the first eight hour burn in and I must say to me they're just a little bit better than the cv 1052 that I have already burned in. My impression is that these may be better than the St. But I have to wait for another couple of 8-hour burn in and then do a close compare to be sure. But either way any one of the three tubes types will be certain to please you. As with all things vintage, care should be taken when handling something like this tube, connector on top that is so old. They were never ever meant to last 60 or 70 years. It was assumed that when they were manufactured then sold, they would be used right away and used up within several years. So depending on how they were stored originally you can get corrosion under that cap but then with anything that old corrosion is quite possible. Why just this morning as I was pouring my first cup of coffee I noticed that my left arm is starting to get some corrosion on it and is just hanging by a thread, so I suppose I'll have to go in to have that arm reattached! Take care and good luck with your tubes. On my second burn for the Marconi's hoping for good things

 

[hypnos1]

Gave a listen last night after midnight to the Marconi's as drivers, after the first eight hour burn in and I must say to me they're just a little bit better than the cv 1052 that I have already burned in. My impression is that these may be better than the St. But I have to wait for another couple of 8-hour burn in and then do a close compare to be sure. But either way any one of the three tubes types will be certain to please you. As with all things vintage, care should be taken when handling something like this tube, connector on top that is so old. They were never ever meant to last 60 or 70 years. It was assumed that when they were manufactured then sold, they would be used right away and used up within several years. So depending on how they were stored originally you can get corrosion under that cap but then with anything that old corrosion is quite possible. Why just this morning as I was pouring my first cup of coffee I noticed that my left arm is starting to get some corrosion on it and is just hanging by a thread, so I suppose I'll have to go in to have that arm reattached! Take care and good luck with your tubes. On my second burn for the Marconi's hoping for good things

Interesting to hear your take on the Marconis so far...and even more interesting that they might just surpass the original Mullards...amazing, even!! At that silly price I think I'll give them a look also!

You are of course right concerning such old tubes - I'm sure the makers never dreamt their glass wonders would be so sought-after, so much later...

Methinks also @DecentLevi must have talked up this problem of tube's top metal connector coming adrift lol...my NOS, NIB EL32's top came off this very afternoon - after several uses. For me, and anyone else DIY inclined (and who doesn't mind it being a permanent job!), this is actually a bonus - just as with loose bases, this means I can make direct metal-to-metal contact...fulfilling my mantra "the best connector is no connector!!"

ps. Just now listening to an old recording of Peter, Paul and Mary's 'Best of' (especially 'Early Morning Rain'), and with these 4 (smoked) ST CV1052 in place I am once again confounded by their performance...regardless of cost! Hi-res material (well-recorded, that is!) is mind-blowing...I have never been so confident in recommending a tube - it delivers everything one could ever want. And I'm sure it will sound good without having to go to my lengths in the rest of the system...(but I still advise folks to do whatever they can in upgrading as many parts as possible lol!).

pps. On reflection it might be a good idea (as DL mentioned) to use some 'superglue' (or special glass glue) before using the tube, to secure the tube's metal top connector to the glass. Either that or once the adapter is attached... keep it there!