[DecentLevi]

Well, a couple days in with the straight form EL32's, nothing's not to love. May not be basshead tubes as the bass isn't forward, but it's certainly there in fine amounts and the overall sound is very linear and hard to beat. I just did my 2nd head-to-head with the ST shaped smoked (silver) glass Philips EL32's vs. straight Marconi vs. Mullard, now all being burned in at least 20 hours... my findings go like this: The ST-shaped EL32's seem to have modestly more detail (transient response, upper details), and modestly larger soundstage as well. The differences really aren't that great, and even an experienced listener may have trouble finding any difference unless in a case like mine, listening for subtle details on certain loops of certain songs you're very familiar with.



For more differnces between the straight Mullard vs. Marconi's, they sound virtually identical, both being slightly more laid back than the ST tubes, and IMO the brown base Mulards are the winner between the two. I call these the "rhythm master". Out of literally around 50 driver tubes I've tried to date of many classes, these to me have bar-none the best handling of dynamics - period. A seemingly perfect sense of timing and rhythm, as if designed by either a pro dancer or top mixing engineer - trust me there's no rhythm this one can't do right from rock to pop, to elecro! Drums sound like you're there, notes have just right decay, etc.

After doing several tests on order/pairings on various listening sessions, my preference goes like this: The ST-shaped EL32's perform better as powers, sounding a bit on the 'thin' side as drivers, and the brown-base 'rhythm master' Mullards shine the best as drivers; and of course these pair well together as well! (St EL32's as powers with Mullard EL32's as drivers).

In my case though my two EL32 powers are also aided by a quad of 6BL7 as exernally-heated powers, which I find gives just the right blend of warmth and opens up the soundstage even more for an exquisite and '4D' performance. Though I'm still not endorsing this method, still putting it through longer term testing. Oh and BTW in case anyones's wondering what those ferrite chokes are doing on my photo from the last page, it's because I noticed that sometimes these become necessary to reduce hum that's caused with multiple pairs of EL32's and/or EL12 on the same circuit as powers; though not to worry for all normal setups those are not required.

 

[Scutey]

Hi DL.

You've nailed the differences between the various EL32 types, especially the Mullard straight bottle, for me the ST sound best as drivers and the Mullard, I have the CV1052, as powers, they seem to have elevated some of my other driver tubes to sound much better than with any other powers I have tried, my EL3N, Psvanes and Sylvania VT-99 in particular sing with the straight Mullard, to such an extent that my other power tubes seem almost redundant .

 

[DecentLevi]

Yeah it looks like the Mullard EL32 and CV1052 versions should be identical. I was recommending mine as drivers, with curved EL32's as powers but I see you like it the other way around. As systems / ears differ greatly, YMMV

 

[Johnnysound]

Hi DL, very interesting your experiences with the EL32/CV1052/VT52 tubes ! I am waiting for a pair of Mullards brown base and of course adaptors from Mrs. Ling...now I think I should have ordered all four for the “whole thing”, we’ll see. Anyway, I initially saw the CV1052 as a potentially great driver in the Euforia, being a highly accurate telecom tube, similar to the great C3G. Then, I learned that it was designed to be used as a power tube as well, in a push pull configuration with another pair of CV1052, for a total of 7 watts. (more than double the single output). Sorry, I don’t know if the Euforia is designed this way, but it looks like this tube will probably sing best in a driver/power quartet. Hundred percent sinergy, maybe ? And this is not the end of the ST vs straight discussion, of course, but I would use four identical tubes....just to be sure.

 

[connieflyer]

Just received the other 3 Tronix El32 and all working and sounding fine. All tubes in original boxes and in excellent condition. Seller did great job on packing and shipping.

 

[hypnos1]

Hi DL, very interesting your experiences with the EL32/CV1052/VT52 tubes ! I am waiting for a pair of Mullards brown base and of course adaptors from Mrs. Ling...now I think I should have ordered all four for the “whole thing”, we’ll see. Anyway, I initially saw the CV1052 as a potentially great driver in the Euforia, being a highly accurate telecom tube, similar to the great C3G. Then, I learned that it was designed to be used as a power tube as well, in a push pull configuration with another pair of CV1052, for a total of 7 watts. (more than double the single output). Sorry, I don’t know if the Euforia is designed this way, but it looks like this tube will probably sing best in a driver/power quartet. Hundred percent sinergy, maybe ? And this is not the end of the ST vs straight discussion, of course, but I would use four identical tubes....just to be sure.

Hi J.
My straight-sided Mullard CV1052s (and adapters!) have only about 13 hrs on them as powers, so it's still very early days to come to any real conclusion, but I've a feeling that I'll be sticking with my four smoked glass ST CV1052!...(but things may possibly change with more time, of course!). Will give my final impressions later...and when I've been able to swap the straight-sideds with some more incoming STs (smoked), to allow for any possible differences due to adapter use as opposed to none...

ps. At the moment however, the straight-sided Mullards seem ridiculous value-for-money...they are exceptional tubes...

pps. The power tubes in F-A's amps are connected in parallel, as opposed to push pull...

Just received the other 3 Tronix El32 and all working and sounding fine. All tubes in original boxes and in excellent condition. Seller did great job on packing and shipping.

Very nice cf...will be very interested to hear how your own 4 identicals compare with a mixed configuration...in due course, naturally!

 

[Johnnysound]

...

 

[hypnos1]

Hi guys.

Just a quick update on the straight-sided Mullard CV1052 vs (smoked glass) ST CV1052...with the former as powers/output...and in my system.

After 48hrs burn-in (with short 'resting' periods) of the straights and adapters, my early suspicions have been reinforced - for me at least (and with gear/cables that now bring out even more tonal detail), my STs do indeed perform a notch or two higher. They present a 'fuller' sound, due to reproducing a greater tonal range and slightly better separation/placement. This was highlighted to a degree that surprised me especially, when listening to Loreena McKennitt's 'Beneath a Phrygian Sky' from her album 'An Ancient Muse'...which I use a good deal for assessment purposes. I have come to love this track particularly, not least because her voice 'breathes' as well as sings the words...and this magical (breathing) quality was almost totally absent with the straights as powers, compared to my STs. And for me, this alone is a determinant factor.

The use of adapters for them may be partly to blame, but as I used the same UP-OCC wires as in my adapted tubes, I doubt this would account for such a big difference. I'll know for sure when my next lot of STs arrive, of course!

I must stress however, that I'm being extremely fussy here...the straight-sided Mullards perform exceptionally well, and will grace any system...and cost relative peanuts lol!! But with highly resolving gear (and depending upon headphones especially, of course), I would suggest trying to find - if possible! - the 'smoked glass' ST CV1052...I don't however know if there's any difference with the clear-glass EL32!!...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[hypnos1]

OK guys...for those interested, I have finished my experiments with the CV1052/EL32 tube.

Why?... Because, in my system, the 'smoked' glass (military) ST CV1052 (Mullard) performs a good bit better than the later straight-sided version.

After my experience with 2x straights as powers, I tried one straight as driver - aided by one adapted smoked ST, with two STs as powers - and still I wasn't getting the same stellar performance...strike #2.
The final blow came today after receiving my other smoked glass ST CV1052s. I put 2 in my adapters as powers, driven by my 2x adapted ones, and I had final confirmation...even after just a few hours' burn-in.

For me, there's no contest whatsoever...in my system, the smoked glass STs deliver far more...specifically in tonal range; separation & placement; soundstage; emotional impact, to name just a few. It was like that first moment in hearing Euforia after Elise...there was a 'fullness' to the sound that simply wasn't there to the same degree before.
When called for, voice is forward (especially female) such as to give more emotional involvement, but then backing vocals suitably positioned further away when necessary. In other words, positioning is reproduced more accurately as originally intended by the studio engineer...

Now then, I must qualify this by saying there was a fellow at CanJam London last year who preferred Elise to Euforia(?!)...so everyone has their own tastes lol!! ...no problem...
I must also repeat (sorry!) that Euforia will up her game in line with all improvements to the rest of the system, and I'm sure the $$$$ I've spent in this pursuit are helping in these new tubes' performance!!
And so I beseech all once again - as I've been saying for a long while now! - to try and upgrade as much as possible one's primary source; DAC; headphones and cables. And certainly look to conditioning the (polluted!) mains electricity supply!...Euforia will thank you time and again for tackling as many of these areas as you can manage...not necessarily all at once lol!

Anyway, the most important thing is to keep enjoying your amp...it isn't compulsory that you empty your wallet quite as much as I have this past year!...(but this hobby can indeed become a bottomless 'rabbit hole'...very quickly! )...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[SnapperMusicFan]

Hi All,

I have been experimenting with the smoked glass CV1052 in both Euforia and Elise, and the best combo so far is ST bottle shaped drivers and smoked glass powers or a quad of ST tubes. One thing I have noticed is that my Euforia's driver tubes no longer glow the same, the left tube is not as bright as the right, I have tried swapping tubes in pairs and left to right and there's definitely a difference across the amp, there doesn't seem to be any difference in the sound quality, is this something I should worry about?

 

[mordy]

Hi All,

I have been experimenting with the smoked glass CV1052 in both Euforia and Elise, and the best combo so far is ST bottle shaped drivers and smoked glass powers or a quad of ST tubes. One thing I have noticed is that my Euforia's driver tubes no longer glow the same, the left tube is not as bright as the right, I have tried swapping tubes in pairs and left to right and there's definitely a difference across the amp, there doesn't seem to be any difference in the sound quality, is this something I should worry about?

Hi SMF,
If the tubes are a new pair and one glows less than the other it does not mean anything - could just be how the internals were mounted and assembled.
If they glowed the same and one changed I don't know what to make out of it. However, if they sound the same I don't think it is cause for concern.

 

[connieflyer]

Hello SMF, I have noticed similar results with the vt 52's that I am using. It seemed like the glow has decreased on some of the foursome. Remember also these tubes are almost seventy years old, and like Mordy said the difference in construction materials "could" add to this. I have about seventy hours on this foursome, and have noticed no difference in quantity or quality of sound. As to whether it is a problem with your amp, that is something you might want to email Lukasz about. If you are saying that say if the left driver tube is brighter than the right driver tube, and then you swap right for left and the left driver is still brighter, then I would not think it was the tube. Voltage would have to be measured to see if a component value has changed. The fact that the sound is the same, shows to me, that what ever is causing it, it is not major at this time. I would take it up with Lukasz so that he is aware of it, and you are on record if anything else where to happen. Never hurts to have a tech trail.

 

[hypnos1]

Hi All,

I have been experimenting with the smoked glass CV1052 in both Euforia and Elise, and the best combo so far is ST bottle shaped drivers and smoked glass powers or a quad of ST tubes. One thing I have noticed is that my Euforia's driver tubes no longer glow the same, the left tube is not as bright as the right, I have tried swapping tubes in pairs and left to right and there's definitely a difference across the amp, there doesn't seem to be any difference in the sound quality, is this something I should worry about?

Hi SMF.

mordy and connieflyer have already given you very good answers...and as cf mentioned, a lot will depend on whether it happens to different tubes, as opposed to just the same one. Some tubes (of the same type) will often have a different glow, as stated.

As this glow comes purely from the heater (anywhere else and you've got big problems!), try 'approved' tubes and see if the same thing happens...and if it does (with several tubes), then it would indicate something amiss with the amp's heater circuit, and would probably need looking at by F-A...(not very likely though!).

I personally would only be concerned if the tube's heater glowed really bright...especially with these particular tubes. Or if the plate started to glow (very rare, thankfully), most probably indicating that the tube needs to be replaced immediately!!

Hopefully it's just variation in certain tubes lol...

Anyway SMF, getting back to your own findings re. this family of tubes, I see you like the 4x ST combo. Do you have any of the smoked glass CV1052 at all? As I mentioned previously, my system much prefers this version, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I am more excited even than before, as one of my original 4 (not one of the 3 for £8!) was obviously not functioning 100%, despite supposedly being NOS and measuring strong in all parameters (but no original packaging) - it has already developed serious problems and would have gone straight back, had I not adapted it lol!
But now replaced by another (even using my own adapter, as opposed to adapting the tube directly), the sound is even better...and surpasses anything I've had before by a bigger margin yet!!...This is one very happy bunny, lol...

And so I'll post once again what folks who are interested in this tube family might want to keep their eyes open for...perhaps more will surface in time - I sincerely hope so!! :



These are specifically for British military use originally (note the arrow etched in the glass), and in their 'cigar' wrapping, with original box...amazing condition for such an old tube. And the glass is 'smoked'...it would appear that this coloured tube performs rather better than the clear ST EL32, and for me, much better than the later straight-sided version. But as usual YMMV!....GOOD LUCK!!...CJ

 

[Johnnysound]

Hi H1, very nice tubes ! And again, where in the world do you manage to get them ? The best ST I found are clear glass tubes...On the other hand, I still have no clues on why a smoked tube may sound better than a clear one from the same factory/year, unless the dark glass indicates a special edition, or something like that. A different batch/year or selected mil spec tubes make more sense, but in this type it looks like virtually all of them have military markings... any thoughts ?

 

[connieflyer]

Just to be clear, the Phillps Mini Watt St32, and Marconi Vt52 and the Tronix St 32 do not have military markings on them. The CV 1052 has them but of the tubes I have they are the only ones with military marking on them. All seem to be made by Mullard except the Canadian Marconi's.