[connieflyer]

El 32s are fairly good midfi Tube the mullard El 38 are much better, of course if you really wanted a good el 38 you would have to find a pair of the Dario El 38 I like those the best of my EL38. Of course even better than those are the El 39, oh, good luck finding those have a pair of two. Just sold my single

 

[mordy]

Thanks for that @barontan2418. I simply cannot wait to get a pair of good EL32's. My first impressions of them is that it opened up the soundstage by pushing back the mid's. It sounded reminiscent of my Yulong A18, although I believe the Yulong A18 has a deeper soundstage, the EL32's were not bad, at all! It added a different characteristic, which caught me by surprise, I didn't think the drivers would change the sound that much, but I was much impressed! Everything was mellower, deeper, weightier, with good bass extension coupled a sweeter, more softer tone, which makes it awesome for longer listening sessions. I hear they pair well with EL38's, can't wait to try them out!

Hopefully I can get some impressions between the Euforia with the EL32 tubes and my Yulong A18, because it's very similar indeed!

Re the noisy EL32: First, make sure to take a little crazy glue and apply to the bottom of the anode cap where it meats the glass. There are available small containers of crazy glue with a little brush built into the cap and it takes just a few seconds to apply it.
Let dry for a day and then use a pen knife blade, scissors blade or anything (does not have to be sharp ) and gently scrape off the corrosion on the cap and pins.
This may help for the noises.
If no improvement a reputable seller should replace the tubes for you.
Good luck!

 

[richard89]

Was just listening to ADOY - Grace with the Bendix 6080 and EL32. What an enjoyable track to listen to with the EL32's, the two really complement each other. Very good spaciousness, liquidity, and presence.

 

[richard89]

Hope this helps.

@barontan2418 would you also happen to have a chart like this for the KT66 and KT88?

Really enjoying the EL32 as drivers and GEC 6080 as powers right now. For Jazz music, it's great. Still I'd say missing that that deep 3D imaging and soundstage, but still enjoyable to my ears, could be that what I'm listening to doesn't naturally have a substantial soundstage. But nice, deep bass, making it rhythmic, and decent sense of spaciousness / air, not particularly great in this aspect, with a character of laidbackness. Good extension, hearing the notes fall away. The bass really takes the stage here to everything together rhythmically, hardhitting with good definition, coupled with a smooth treble. Awesome.

 

[richard89]

I was also wondering if the KT66 / EL38 / EL32 can be used as drivers and powers??

 

[OctavianH]

I was also wondering if the KT66 / EL38 / EL32 can be used as drivers and powers??

Yes, they can be used as powers and also as drivers but I do not remember that someone used EL38 as drivers.
Here's the table including these (values taken from datasheets available on the internet):

Don't ask me why KT150 has a range... it was like this in the datasheet.

 

[richard89]

Thanks @OctavianH, I apologize if it’s been posted before. I’ll try in my own time to catch up with everything in this thread but there is a lot!

 

[barontan2418]

I was also wondering if the KT66 / EL38 / EL32 can be used as drivers and powers??

I think many of us have used all the above as powers at one time or another. I don't have data for KT tubes in list form but if you do a search asking for KT66/88 data sheet I'm sure you'll find that info. Happy listening..
Sorry posted before I noticed the above had been answered.

 

[Scutey]

I was also wondering if the KT66 / EL38 / EL32 can be used as drivers and powers??

I'm using a pair of KT66 as drivers right now, being powered by a pair of Tung Sol 6550 and they sound fantastic, also use the EL32 as drivers, less keen on the EL38 as drivers, prefer them as powers.

 

[richard89]

O.K., this is what I was wanting, this is clearly step above the Yulong A18 in dynamics, size, engagement that I was wanting, and it's all apparent with the EL 38 as powers + EL 32 as drivers. That enveloping sound that I was looking for, it's very apparent here. It's nice. The combination that lifts everything up a level. .

This is the sound I was looking for, thank you to all who made it possible. I can't believe how well the HD-650's scale. While sounding mediocre on the LCD-2 rev 2's, the HD-650's really sing with the combination. I think something can be said about the sound-stage being a little lacking, the mids being a little forward still, but I have absolutely no complaints with whats coming from the aforementioned combination. It's really worthy of praise. The dramatic bass, hearing the extension, the detail. It's awesome, nothing like what I've ever heard before.

 

[richard89]

Looks like I spoke too soon and the treble blow back is beginning to come. I knew the clear highs and mid's couldn't be that good for no reason.

Edit: I did have an ear infection in this particular ear before, maybe it's worth checking it out now?

 

[mordy]

What is treble blow back? Sibilance?

 

[richard89]

Just the after effects of treble hurting my ear, but I have had an infection in this ear before, so it may be worth checking out before I call it harsh treble causing some sort of pain. In fact now that I remember... could very well be the cause, since it is only my left ear, and if it is, great!, all of my previous assertions may be true for ears that haven't seen issues.

I guess I'll stick to listening at lower volumes until I can get it checked out . Vocals are awesome with this combination, such great depth! It just adds that extra dimension, making everything airier.

 

[DecentLevi]

O.K., this is what I was wanting, this is clearly step above the Yulong A18 in dynamics, size, engagement that I was wanting, and it's all apparent with the EL 38 as powers + EL 32 as drivers. That enveloping sound that I was looking for, it's very apparent here. It's nice. The combination that lifts everything up a level. .

This is the sound I was looking for, thank you to all who made it possible. I can't believe how well the HD-650's scale. While sounding mediocre on the LCD-2 rev 2's, the HD-650's really sing with the combination. I think something can be said about the sound-stage being a little lacking, the mids being a little forward still, but I have absolutely no complaints with whats coming from the aforementioned combination. It's really worthy of praise. The dramatic bass, hearing the extension, the detail. It's awesome, nothing like what I've ever heard before.

Oh, silly me, I remember at first you were asking for a tubey euphonic sound, so I should have recommended to EL38 earlier. Yep they're definitely velvety, tubey and somewhat holographic. Wouldn't quite compared them to the EL39s whitch are really in their own magic dimension of sorts. And I further can't compare it to any of the KT tubes, because the only one of those I have tried where the original GEC KT66s...

Also about the hd650. You bet them babies can scale, all the way to the moon so to speak. Just wait till you try those on top summit-fi amps and even upgrade to a silver aftermarket cable, or even the hd600s, which can sound more dynamic and has a larger soundstage & details due to the extra treble, but those may not be recommended if you have tinnitus.

 

[richard89]

Oh, silly me, I remember at first you were asking for a tubey euphonic sound, so I should have recommended to EL38 earlier. Yep they're definitely velvety, tubey and somewhat holographic. Wouldn't quite compared them to the EL39s whitch are really in their own magic dimension of sorts. And I further can't compare it to any of the KT tubes, because the only one of those I have tried where the original GEC KT66s...

Also about the hd650. You bet them babies can scale, all the way to the moon so to speak. Just wait till you try those on top summit-fi amps and even upgrade to a silver aftermarket cable, or even the hd600s, which can sound more dynamic and has a larger soundstage & details due to the extra treble, but those may not be recommended if you have tinnitus.

Levi, let me tell you, it really is great. It's all those things you said, adding that dreamy dimension to Vietnamese blues. I'm in love.