. FINAL(?!) UPDATE ON 7581A AS POWERS AND DRIVERS
Right then folks, I must now admit to a very bitter-sweet confession : with well over 150 hrs on all my 7581A tubes, and 50+ hrs on 2x direct adaptations' wires plus one 'OTT' adapter, and with many of my favourite test tracks, the previous 'reference' combo - 2x mesh-plated EL11 drivers to 1x EL39/1x 'special' Mazda EL38 powers has more than met its match.
I never thought it possible, but for my own personal tastes - and in my own system - this combination of 2x Russian reissue Tung Sol 7581As (with 3 holes to the plate's sides) as drivers to 1x EL39/1x Tung Sol as powers is now delivering a sound I never imagined could come from my Euforia....viz...
1. Enhanced bass and treble detail/extension, in accordance with the quality of recording.
2. Upper bass and mids presence surprisingly greater than reference. In particular, male and female voices have more depth and richness (plus 'emotion'?), with an exquisite smoothness that counters even overly treble-oriented recordings. This extended tonal range also applies to wind instruments from flute, through trumpet/trombone to sax, horns and tuba.
3. Acoustic guitar - which I love! - also has an increased richness of tone that enhances a softer, lyrical voice particularly well.
4. Soundstage is even wider and more 3-dimensional, with pinpoint separation/positioning in space. This was highlighted big time especially in Fleetwood Mac's 'Oh Daddy' and 'Gold Dust Woman' from 'Rumours'...showcasing the truly masterful prowess of the recording engineer. I've never been so 'electrified' by these tracks!
5. Overall clarity across the FR is a notch higher...eg. the words " Morning...today's forecast calls for Blue Skies" as intro to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' have never been so clear. And this clarity brings a greater precision to entire recordings, without being in any way 'clinical'.
6. The overall delivery is therefore even more dynamic...even more exciting, and 'invites you' into the artists' performance - vocals particularly being neither too close (and in your face), nor too distant so as lose intimacy and involvement...for my own tastes, at least!
I now understand for sure that the way I convert my tubes helps a fair deal in maximising these very welcome attributes, but of course such differences should still apply between tubes from different families that require 3rd party adapters, but simply perhaps to not quite the same degree in total lol .
Whatever, today has been somewhat of a 'baptism in fire' for me, and I have mixed feelings about its consequences for my beloved mesh plate EL11s especially! But nonetheless, I'm happy that folks can - if they want to - probably achieve a superlative performance from their amps without having to spend a fortune. And I can only recommend that those with an EL38, or luckier still an EL39, try one as partner to a 7581A in the power slot, driven by 2x 7581As...if my own experience is anything to go by (?!)...CHEERS!...CJ
Right then folks, I must now admit to a very bitter-sweet confession : with well over 150 hrs on all my 7581A tubes, and 50+ hrs on 2x direct adaptations' wires plus one 'OTT' adapter, and with many of my favourite test tracks, the previous 'reference' combo - 2x mesh-plated EL11 drivers to 1x EL39/1x 'special' Mazda EL38 powers has more than met its match.
I never thought it possible, but for my own personal tastes - and in my own system - this combination of 2x Russian reissue Tung Sol 7581As (with 3 holes to the plate's sides) as drivers to 1x EL39/1x Tung Sol as powers is now delivering a sound I never imagined could come from my Euforia....viz...
1. Enhanced bass and treble detail/extension, in accordance with the quality of recording.
2. Upper bass and mids presence surprisingly greater than reference. In particular, male and female voices have more depth and richness (plus 'emotion'?), with an exquisite smoothness that counters even overly treble-oriented recordings. This extended tonal range also applies to wind instruments from flute, through trumpet/trombone to sax, horns and tuba.
3. Acoustic guitar - which I love! - also has an increased richness of tone that enhances a softer, lyrical voice particularly well.
4. Soundstage is even wider and more 3-dimensional, with pinpoint separation/positioning in space. This was highlighted big time especially in Fleetwood Mac's 'Oh Daddy' and 'Gold Dust Woman' from 'Rumours'...showcasing the truly masterful prowess of the recording engineer. I've never been so 'electrified' by these tracks!
5. Overall clarity across the FR is a notch higher...eg. the words " Morning...today's forecast calls for Blue Skies" as intro to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' have never been so clear. And this clarity brings a greater precision to entire recordings, without being in any way 'clinical'.
6. The overall delivery is therefore even more dynamic...even more exciting, and 'invites you' into the artists' performance - vocals particularly being neither too close (and in your face), nor too distant so as lose intimacy and involvement...for my own tastes, at least!
I now understand for sure that the way I convert my tubes helps a fair deal in maximising these very welcome attributes, but of course such differences should still apply between tubes from different families that require 3rd party adapters, but simply perhaps to not quite the same degree in total lol .
Whatever, today has been somewhat of a 'baptism in fire' for me, and I have mixed feelings about its consequences for my beloved mesh plate EL11s especially! But nonetheless, I'm happy that folks can - if they want to - probably achieve a superlative performance from their amps without having to spend a fortune. And I can only recommend that those with an EL38, or luckier still an EL39, try one as partner to a 7581A in the power slot, driven by 2x 7581As...if my own experience is anything to go by (?!)...CHEERS!...CJ
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