[UntilThen]

I have not personally tested these as I am poor, but I have some info on tubes that fit the Espressivo with adaptors:

EL3N's and C3g's as power tubes
6SN7 as driver tubes

Yup those are wonder tubes.

@HOWIE13 will have a lot to contribute on Expressivo when he gets back from his round the world trip. I think he has roll just about any tubes in Expressivo.

 

[Oskari]

x -> s

 

[UntilThen]

You could consider these as well.

Done ! All Linkedin ! Including your avatar.

 

[UntilThen]

Latest but not the last

There comes a time where I must buy other stuff besides just tubes.

Like a new cartridge or phono preamp or even a better turntable.

Or a new balanced xlr cable for my hd800 lol.

 

[UntilThen]

I met a friend at work today. he is obviously a music fanatic. He told me he has 3000 CDs... I have only 300. He also told me he has 2000 LPs..... I have only 57 LPs.

Fortunately I have access to everything on Tidal.

 

[UntilThen]

I need to move back to this setup. It gives me all the source options of listening to music with Euforia. Here I have turntable, CD player and PC.

It's not the best but it's mine.

 

[oshipao]

Definitely. Decks, phono stages, cartridges etc. compared to tubes are going to give you equal or even more change to the music you listen to. It is easy to get stuck in the snowball ride when focused on tubes. I think I would be completely satisfactory with stock imho. Enjoy the music and enjoy your equipment... and your tubes. In that particular order

There comes a time where I must buy other stuff besides just tubes.

Like a new cartridge or phono preamp or even a better turntable.

Or a new balanced xlr cable for my hd800 lol.

 

[oshipao]

I like it. Only reel to reel and casette deck that's missing

I need to move back to this setup. It gives me all the source options of listening to music with Euforia. Here I have turntable, CD player and PC.

It's not the best but it's mine.

 

[UntilThen]

I like it. Only reel to reel and casette deck that's missing

In this day and age, most would have just gone full digital. We are now in the digital age. Yet somehow some old format just keep coming back. Like vinyl and tube amps. All the advancements in digital and transistors could not keep the analogue and tube medium away.

It's not just nostalgia. I actually prefer the sound of vinyl and tubes. I think half of Head-Fi here would agree with me.

Is it any wonder then that digital DACs are trying to sound like vinyl.

Did you hear of vinyl trying to sound like digital?

 

[UntilThen]

I will be re-writing a detailed impressions of all the mainstream 6as7 / 6080 power tubes used in Elise and Euforia. As far as tubes goes, it will be the same for Elise and Euforia. I see no differentiation there.

Meanwhile I will be posting a combination a day of my favourite tubes used in Elise and Euforia.

This combination of 7N7 and Tung Sol 5998 was my introduction of Elise to the Sydney 2016 meet. I chose that over the EL3N as felt this combination to have a purer, more dynamic sound. The crystal clear sound of 7N7 in combination with the lively and energetic sound of 5998 is the ticket to audio bliss. This will please any listener regardless of your preference.

Picture taken at the 2016 Sydney meet with Elise. Then I was listening with Beyer T1. Great great tone.


Picture taken a few minutes ago on Euforia. Now I am listening with HD800. An even greater tone... to my ears.


Ps... 7N7 sounds very similar to Sylvania 6sn7gtb chrome top. It's not a surprise as most 7N7 were manufactured by Sylvania.

 

[UntilThen]

Plus a disclaimer about using non-sanctioned tubes on the FA amps! I mean, this is consolidated knowledge, isn't it?

The irony is that I post the most pictures and impressions on non-sanctioned tubes on the FA amps. It's all in the past now for me. I'm strictly on 6sn7 and 6as7. It was fun to experiment with c3g, 6n7g, ecc31, fdd20, 6a6, el3n, el11, el12, el12n but I realised that I should abide by the manufacturer's recommendation. So it's back to plain Jane but let me tell you Jane isn't plain. She's gorgeous !!!

Anyone want to dispute that Jane isn't plain?

 

[UntilThen]

Another favourite pairing here - Sylvania 6sn7w and Bendix 6080wb slotted graphite tubes. Really good tubes and great combination. 6sn7w is so clear and sweet sounding and Bendix 6080wb has the weight of an ocean liner giant anchor. Together it's making my HD800 sound musical. Not a trace of sharpness here. It's smooth, lush and the soundstage is staggering. Bass is one of the best this side of the equator.

Btw when I refer to soundstage, I really mean headstage. It's inside your head or extends beyond your ears. Soundstage belongs to speakers and I am just about to take my setup to the lounge to audition with my speakers and subwoofer. Let's hear some real soundstage in my 5 x 8 metres lounge.

 

[mordy]

The Ragnarok is an integrated amp with a power amp and preamp together. It does not have a built in DAC. Why can't I find a unit with all three in one?
Yggyrag. It stands to reason that such a unit would be less expensive than separates.

It seems to me that you don't need a preamp to listen through headphones using Ragnarok. Well, I want to know if it sounds better than the Euforia....

And here is one of the most beautiful ragtime compositions (RAGnarok) of all time - Solace by Scott Joplin.
A most beautiful haunting melody.....



More like a classical piece with syncopation.

Popularized by the movie Sting (but only part of the song):

 

[UntilThen]

All in good time Mordy. Ragnarok will come and I will pair it with Yggdrasil to drive both my speakers and headphones.

However for now - this is the first time I'm using Yggy in my stereo system. OOOOOOOOOOOOOO MMMMMMMMMMMMM GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the setup is as follows:-

Onkyo DVD player > Yggdrasil > Euforia (as preamp) > Sherwood receiver > Axis LS28 stand mounted speakers. No subwoofer yet.

Playing Norah Jones......

This is music. Full stop. I'm over the moon. My stereo now has great clarity, bite, beat, boom, crash, soundstage, you name it. I can pin point where Norah is standing and the piano chords - they dance with intensity. Next I will play Pink Floyd and Dire Straits and Eagles and John Mayer and Diana Krall and....

I will now have to arrange my components properly so I don't have to put Onkyo and Yggy on the piano stool. I will borrow @angpsi Krell CD player for some credence instead of my Onkyo DVD made in Japan player. This is actually a very solid transport bought back in 1999. Still like new. Under utilised.

Next I will connect my re-cone Axis LS88 floor stander and then I will switch in the Definitive Technology 12" subwoofer.

Gosh I'm indeed aiming for Yggy > Rggy > KEF LS50 eventually.

 

[UntilThen]

It seems to me that you don't need a preamp to listen through headphones using Ragnarok. Well, I want to know if it sounds better than the Euforia....

Of course you can use Yggy and Rggy to headphone or speakers direct. I will however also try using Euforia as preamp into Rggy, to dial in some tube tones.

But you will get my impressions of Ragnarok vs Euforia. However it's like comparing apples to oranges. Do you like apple or orange? Or a combination of both?

Should I give you a durian instead?

This is a durian and it's my favourite fruit. It's called the King of fruits.

Drool.