[Mh996]

Ah, how relaxing Saturday afternoons can be when you have the place to yourself! This combo shows me why Focal loves Euforia. Perfectly smooth with excellent soundstage and layering, especially w/ EL39s in the power slot. Using these EL3Ns as drivers until my EL11’s eventually arrive from Germany. Much thanks to @hypnos1 for his investigatory prowess and discovery of these gems, and for the excellent EL39 adapters. Hope you‘re enjoying the next phase of your journey. I think my partner would put a bullet in me before letting me step into TT2/M scaler territory. One of these years!

 

[DecentLevi]

Ah, how relaxing Saturday afternoons can be when you have the place to yourself! This combo shows me why Focal loves Euforia. Perfectly smooth with excellent soundstage and layering, especially w/ EL39s in the power slot. Using these EL3Ns as drivers until my EL11’s eventually arrive from Germany. Much thanks to @hypnos1 for his investigatory prowess and discovery of these gems, and for the excellent EL39 adapters. Hope you‘re enjoying the next phase of your journey. I think my partner would put a bullet in me before letting me step into TT2/M scaler territory. One of these years!

Very interesting. I think you are the first on the F.A. threads to ever use an EL3N with gold / brown band. I was told it's inferior so avoided it... I think the same way with EL39 with a red band. Perhaps they are all the same, just with a faded color over time.

I think my partner would put a bullet in me before letting me step into TT2/M scaler territory.
That's why I don't deal with relationships (half joking). But certainly nothin' beats some solitude time!!

 

[Scutey]

Ah, how relaxing Saturday afternoons can be when you have the place to yourself! This combo shows me why Focal loves Euforia. Perfectly smooth with excellent soundstage and layering, especially w/ EL39s in the power slot. Using these EL3Ns as drivers until my EL11’s eventually arrive from Germany. Much thanks to @hypnos1 for his investigatory prowess and discovery of these gems, and for the excellent EL39 adapters. Hope you‘re enjoying the next phase of your journey. I think my partner would put a bullet in me before letting me step into TT2/M scaler territory. One of these years!

I was wondering about those EL3N, I only have the red base version too, are those Visseaux?.

 

[Yoram Diamand]

Hi, did anyone try the Audeze LCD-GX, or LCD-X on the Euforia? On paper they are easier to drive than the Hifiman Arya, where the Arya maybe has some advantage coming from the HE-1000.

 

[triggsviola]

I know I'm really behind the times because I've been running mostly stock tubes (and loving it). But I recently picked up a pair of Tung Sol 5998. It sounds much better the stock power tubes they had in there. I've only been running them a few hours and the difference is already night and day. The dynamism and detail is much...more... I feel like I can hear details I wasn't meant to hear (like edits and click bleed and stuff like that). I can hear the space where these recordings were made (I like listening to classical, old jazz, and film scores). The previous tubes seemed to obscure stuff like that. Detail without harshness has been my goal as a listener. This upgrade brings me much closer to that goal.

A slightly unrelated question: what speaker power amps pair well with the preout of the euforia?

Thanks and cheers!

 

[DecentLevi]

Hi again folks, I was looking for a pro-audio cassette player to archive a few old tapes I found, then realized I can also get a CD transport with a combo unit! For me this would kill two birds with one stone. It may not be the most uber CD transport but I'm trying to see what is the best I can get for a couple hundred dollars used. It needs to have a good quality tape deck & CD player with either BNC coax or toslink optical output. Would one of the below be good, or is there another more recommended brand / model someone here knows of with the best sound?

TASCAM CD-A630 Professional Quality Cassette and 3x CD Player

Tascam CC-222MKII Analog Multi-Track Professional Cassette/CD Recorder


I also had my sights on a good used Denon T625 but it only had RCA coax out, and unless I'm mistaken that can't be adapted to BNC coax input.
I know this is off topic so feel free to reply by PM. @mordy or @hypnos1 maybe you would know

 

[DecentLevi]

(...)
A slightly unrelated question: what speaker power amps pair well with the preout of the euforia?

Thanks and cheers!

I think the better question would be which speaker amp pairs well with your speakers. That is the main point - amp synergy with your speakers. The Euforia has a standard line-out so will pair with every amp and sound only as good/bad as the component it's going out to. Thus being said, I've always gotten extravagantly good sound from my Euforia's line out to a Stax electrostatic system, and the sound changed a lot depending on tubes used.

 

[Mh996]

Very interesting. I think you are the first on the F.A. threads to ever use an EL3N with gold / brown band. I was told it's inferior so avoided it... I think the same way with EL39 with a red band. Perhaps they are all the same, just with a faded color over time.

I think my partner would put a bullet in me before letting me step into TT2/M scaler territory.
That's why I don't deal with relationships (half joking). But certainly nothin' beats some solitude time!!

These are Visseaux EL3Ns. I purchased these from Erwan back in August as he was offloading his Euforia and tube collection. They are my favorite driver to use with EL39s, though I don’t have any other EL3Ns to compare directly to. I couldn’t find any posts on this thread or the Elise thread regarding either the Visseaux’s or silver/gold-banded EL3Ns, though I have no trouble believing some renditions could be inferior. The sound is right up my alley, and that’s what matters most, eh!?

 

[hypnos1]

These are Visseaux EL3Ns. I purchased these from Erwan back in August as he was offloading his Euforia and tube collection. They are my favorite driver to use with EL39s, though I don’t have any other EL3Ns to compare directly to. I couldn’t find any posts on this thread or the Elise thread regarding either the Visseaux’s or silver/gold-banded EL3Ns, though I have no trouble believing some renditions could be inferior. The sound is right up my alley, and that’s what matters most, eh!?

Hi Mh996. Sorry for the late reply to your previous post...no notification my end alas. But glad to hear you're loving the exceptional EL39s. And I suspect that your gold band Visseaux EL3Ns are indeed a step up from the 'standard' Philips stable red banded tube, which many (including myself) found rather too much on the 'warm' side...remedied by going for the EL11. And by the way (@DecentLevi ), the red banded 'EL39' is in fact the earlier 4654 tube, and vehemently dismissed by the French afficianados who waxed lyrical about the silver banded 'Pro' version......CHEERS!...CJ

 

[hypnos1]

Hi again folks, I was looking for a pro-audio cassette player to archive a few old tapes I found, then realized I can also get a CD transport with a combo unit! For me this would kill two birds with one stone. It may not be the most uber CD transport but I'm trying to see what is the best I can get for a couple hundred dollars used. It needs to have a good quality tape deck & CD player with either BNC coax or toslink optical output. Would one of the below be good, or is there another more recommended brand / model someone here knows of with the best sound?

TASCAM CD-A630 Professional Quality Cassette and 3x CD Player

Tascam CC-222MKII Analog Multi-Track Professional Cassette/CD Recorder


I also had my sights on a good used Denon T625 but it only had RCA coax out, and unless I'm mistaken that can't be adapted to BNC coax input.
I know this is off topic so feel free to reply by PM. @mordy or @hypnos1 maybe you would know

Hi DL. All coax S/PDIF is 75 Ohm, no matter what plug is used. And there are indeed adapters available...CJ

 

[LoryWiv]

Man the Feliks- Audio threads have gone quiet. I posted a version of this question in the Elise thread as well, so apologies for the duplication but I'm really hoping one more experienced than i can help. The issue is that the I've been running Tung-Sol KT-150's as powers in Elise, with adapters by Deyan. The KT150's are 6.3 volt like other Elise powers, draw <= 2 amps heater current which is less than 6AS7's. However, they have a very high plate dissipation of 70 watts, more than 4x compared to 6AS7G family. Besides potentially more power output would this aspect alone be expected to influence the sound, and most importantly, can this high plate dissipation potentially damage the Elise? Thanks for any help to put my mind at ease.

 

[hpamdr]

Man the Feliks- Audio threads have gone quiet. I posted a version of this question in the Elise thread as well, so apologies for the duplication but I'm really hoping one more experienced than i can help. The issue is that the I've been running Tung-Sol KT-150's as powers in Elise, with adapters by Deyan. The KT150's are 6.3 volt like other Elise powers, draw <= 2 amps heater current which is less than 6AS7's. However, they have a very high plate dissipation of 70 watts, more than 4x compared to 6AS7G family. Besides potentially more power output would this aspect alone be expected to influence the sound, and most importantly, can this high plate dissipation potentially damage the Elise? Thanks for any help to put my mind at ease.

KT150 is built for much higher voltage than the one used in your amplifier (around 140V in output). The tube do not work in it's optimal current/voltage specification and the response not as linear as 6AS7G a very good match for almost all headphone from 100 to 300 Ohm.

As you said it drain less than 2A by tube to heat. (On Elise you should not go above 7.5A for heating all tubes). So heating will not damage your amplifier !
What kind of tube do you use as driver ?

If it sound good to you you can keep it in your amp but it should not pair very well with low Z headphones. After all it should not damage more than GU50 tube with external heating circuit..

 

[LoryWiv]

KT150 is built for much higher voltage than the one used in your amplifier (around 140V in output). The tube do not work in it's optimal current/voltage specification and the response not as linear as 6AS7G a very good match for almost all headphone from 100 to 300 Ohm.

As you said it drain less than 2A by tube to heat. (On Elise you should not go above 7.5A for heating all tubes). So heating will not damage your amplifier !
What kind of tube do you use as driver ?

If it sound good to you you can keep it in your amp but it should not pair very well with low Z headphones. After all it should not damage more than GU50 tube with external heating circuit..

I use 6SN7 drivers for the KT150 and 300 ohm ZMF headphones. I actually thought Elise should stay under 6.5A so havent't tried the KT150's with anything else. They do have great energy but as you say perhaps it's just not linear in Elise power slot. I had wondered if the Elie's autobias circuit could address that but perhaps it's to great a disparity between Elise's operating parameters and the optimal paramneters of the KT150.

I also run Genalex GL KT88's as powers and they sound a bit less "energetic / present" but much more linear and natural, have them in now driven by some vintage GE 7581A's. Sound is very nice.

Good to know the KT150's won't damage anything, they just may not be optimal for the amp.

I appreciate your input, @hpamdr!

 

[connieflyer]

Quick note on the continuing burn in of the 20th year anniversary Euforia . Amp should be totally burned in, tubes as well. Still using stock tubes want a good foundation. Comparing it to my regular Euforia , the difference is more than subtle. All areas I have checked and compared the two amps, have brought the same results. The new amp is better, in all areas. Some more than others, but on the whole I have not seen anything that would make me desire to keep the old Euphoria or go back to use it as main amp. I may start to roll in some of my old favorite combo of tubes soon, but even the stock tubes are much better than the original on the older Euforia. The one thing I thought for sure it would be a dust magnet, but turns out it is less than the original. Don't understand it, but appreciate it. The overall design is of course the same, but to me it looks a little smaller, the front panel with the painted volume marks, is helpful as well. The difference in price is more than a drop in the bucket, especially in the states, but after living with it for the past few months, I think it is worth the extra.

 

[hpamdr]

I received some time ago already some NOS EL39 I measured and was able to build decent pairs.
As everyone have already said this is a fantastic output tube and it pair wonderfully with all the strapped pentode/tetrode. It also need some burning time to give it best.


I received cheap EL12N RFT/RSD tube i wanted to test for my next amplifier.
I made a test using them as driver and with EL39 as output and i can say that it is a good driver no hum, no noise.. It is not as warm as EL3N (miniwatt) but it have deep controlled bass and is very dynamic just a bit bright. (tubes a just out of the box). IMO, it is a good tube for Live recording Jazz, Rock, Pop...

It does not sound as good with original 6H13C and drain to much heating current.

So to me the EL39 is a magic powder for Euforia it cost much less than GEC 6AS7G, it ais a long life pro tube, do not need external heater... I've made a adapter also compatible with EL34 6L6 KTxx tubes.

@connieflyer I hope that you will be able to fit EL39 in your 20th year anniversary Euforia even keeping gold psvane.