[Scutey]

"laid back in the highs, good bass dynamics" - this is exactly how the LCD3 sounded to me.

Hopefully my 2c's should be arriving tomorrow, it will be interesting if my experience is similar to yours.

 

[ZRW0]

Hi guys,

I finally received my EL11s and adapters yesterday.

And I must admit they are game changers (again!) . They go far beyond the EL32/EL38 EL12Spez/EL38 combos.

The "lack of meat" is definitely gone, soundstage is wide, and dynamics are fully back.

Thanks again !

Erwan.

 

[hypnos1]

Hi guys,

I finally received my EL11s and adapters yesterday.

And I must admit they are game changers (again!) . They go far beyond the EL32/EL38 EL12Spez/EL38 combos.

The "lack of meat" is definitely gone, soundstage is wide, and dynamics are fully back.

Thanks again !

Erwan.

Great news Erwan...well done! ...(and that's with the straight-sided version - the ST ('coke bottle') versions are supposedly even better still lol ...but good ones are getting harder to find, and more expensive than when I first adapted them a good while ago now alas ).

The synergy between these 11s and the EL38 powers is quite uncanny. Serendipity and @connieflyer 's subsequent decision to try the 11 as driver was indeed a touch of genius...I myself never thought anything could beat the Dario/Philips 'balloon' combo as both driver and power, but the 11/38 recipe is an unexpectedly wonderful creation lol! . WELL DONE cf!! ...

Plus, I'm sure your combo will get even better yet with further burn-in...ENJOY!...

 

[hypnos1]

Now then guys...what have we here?!...:



Looks rather nice eh? While trying (hard!) to sort out my boxes of tubes, I came across this one I bought on a whim a while back while stocking up on EL38s - ie. an EL39.

This is supposedly a successor to the 4654 (which I have on the backburner), but looks far better constructed...identical in fact to the Dario EL38, with black glass; black plate; ceramic grid post insulators and gold grid wires....mmmm.

So I did a bit of research, and most info on this tube seems to be just on French forums. Anyway, the short story (thankfully, I hear you sigh! ) is that it appears to be regarded as even better than its sister EL37 which, in turn, is regarded as better than its other sister (brother?!) our EL38!! How this can be when all 3 look absolutely identical - apart from the later, clear glass 38 (CV450) versions - is beyond me, but these French enthusiasts do seem to know their onions lol!!

And so it looks like I might not have finished tinkering just yet...oh dear!!...(mind you, from the price of them now, I shall only be trying this lone tube...)...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[Scutey]

You sniffed out another potential gem h1? .

 

[hypnos1]

You sniffed out another potential gem h1? .

Hi S...quite possible - if the 'French Connection' is accurate in its assessment of the EL37/8/9 lol!

Trouble is I doubt I can get Euforia sounding much better than she is now...I'm sure any gains wouldn't really match the current prices of this particular tube. So this is going to be just a one-off I'm afraid...and more out of curiosity!! .

ps. Now I have my T1s firing at 110%, what really struck me this afternoon was the clarity of massed instruments' separation/placement...no mean feat when confronted with the 'Battle' track from the music of 'Gladiator'. In this track, Hans Zimmer must have composed one of the most complex and dynamic pieces of film music in his enormous repertoire IMHO. And it needs a highly resolving system - including tubes! - to keep everything well under control. My particular EL11/EL38 combo in Euforia carries out this task a good deal better than any other I have enjoyed to date...and there's no reason why this shouldn't also be the case for any other versions of these tubes ...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[Scutey]

Good luck with it h1, hope it works out .

 

[connieflyer]

CJ, you promised no more combos!!!!!!! Cut it out, you are driving me nuts, (although it was not a long drive). Nice looking tube, checked online and saw the EL50 that is listed as 4654 and it has the paddle feet. If you go there, not for me. No more paddle feet, tubes, too much trouble Keep us informed, even though I won't be going down that path, it is always interesting. I think I have found the combo that I am happy with, actually two choices that are close to each other. So I think (hope) tube rolling in this amp are done. Of course I have said that in the past, but I am hopeful it will be so.

 

[hypnos1]

CJ, you promised no more combos!!!!!!! Cut it out, you are driving me nuts, (although it was not a long drive). Nice looking tube, checked online and saw the EL50 that is listed as 4654 and it has the paddle feet. If you go there, not for me. No more paddle feet, tubes, too much trouble Keep us informed, even though I won't be going down that path, it is always interesting. I think I have found the combo that I am happy with, actually two choices that are close to each other. So I think (hope) tube rolling in this amp are done. Of course I have said that in the past, but I am hopeful it will be so.

Hi cf.

Fear not mon ami...firstly, I agree with you re. the side contact ('paddle feet') tubes - must be the worst design ever as a tube base lol!! . And secondly, its construction does indeed look like the 4654, which doesn't inspire me one little bit...(hence my 2 are still on the 'backburner'!!). And thirdly, as I mentioned before, no way can the 39 be that much better than our 38s...the oldie 'balloon' and black coated, silver painted versions at least . So I suspect their current cost puts them right out of the frame lol! . Thus, you - and everyone else - can breathe easy methinks ...(just hope my singleton doesn't blow me away...yet again!!! )....CHEERS!

 

[connieflyer]

That's good to know. Thought for a minute I was going to be on another high speed ride!

 

[teknorob23]

Sorry to interrupt, but looking for some advices/suggestions. Having swapped out the powers for Mullard 6080 CV2984, while i was waiting for Feliks to replace a duff stock tube, I'm now looking for ideas as where to head next. I have the replacement stock tubes and they definitely have more detail and clarity to my ears than he mullards, but lack the bass body which i'd come to enjoy. This leads me to the question is there another power tube i could try which could give me bass mass, but without losing the layering and detail. Or should i be looking at experimenting with the drivers too and or at the same time. Apologies again for going off topic but and advice would be much appreciated Cheers, Rob

 

[Scutey]

Sorry to interrupt, but looking for some advices/suggestions. Having swapped out the powers for Mullard 6080 CV2984, while i was waiting for Feliks to replace a duff stock tube, I'm now looking for ideas as where to head next. I have the replacement stock tubes and they definitely have more detail and clarity to my ears than he mullards, but lack the bass body which i'd come to enjoy. This leads me to the question is there another power tube i could try which could give me bass mass, but without losing the layering and detail. Or should i be looking at experimenting with the drivers too and or at the same time. Apologies again for going off topic but and advice would be much appreciated Cheers, Rob

Hi TR, apart from the EL38, which is a fabulous power tube when combined with other EL tubes, such as EL11/12/12N, the best power only tube I have is the Tung Sol 5998, it's a belter, warm, yet manages do be both laid back and dynamic all at the same time, has very good bass too, sadly only problem they are quite scarce now and rather expensive but well worth a look for imo.

 

[teknorob23]

Hi TR, apart from the EL38, which is a fabulous power tube when combined with other EL tubes, such as EL11/12/12N, the best power only tube I have is the Tung Sol 5998, it's a belter, warm, yet manages do be both laid back and dynamic all at the same time, has very good bass too, sadly only problem they are quite scarce now and rather expensive but well worth a look for imo.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve been looking for some of these and no joy so far. The EL route looks very enticing but i haven’t seen any of the el drivers for sale anywhere either. Thanks again

 

[hypnos1]

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve been looking for some of these and no joy so far. The EL route looks very enticing but i haven’t seen any of the el drivers for sale anywhere either. Thanks again

Hi tr.

I know I'm somewhat biased now (! ), but IMHO there's no combination that can match the EL11/38 combo. I do in fact find I have a couple of TFK/Valvo EL11s to spare, plus a couple of 38s, if you're interested in going along this route. And as you're here in the UK, 'try before you buy' can probably be an option also...just PM me if interested...CJ

 

[Scutey]

Well h1, finally received my 2C's today and so far I can't make them out at all, I guess burn in, both actual and ear burn in are required but so far I think you may well be right about them being flat and dark, and yet they have strange peaks in the treble and a hole in the upper mids, maybe they might sound better with Euforia, but so far I can't recommend them for FA amps, seems you can't beat 1990's and T1's .