Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition
May 30, 2015 at 10:08 AM Post #7,216 of 9,983
  That's a pretty good amp you have there driving the Woo Wee..  
 
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Do you mean the 
 
May 30, 2015 at 10:13 AM Post #7,219 of 9,983
Sorry for the Brain-Fail. Just noticed my signature. Yeah they sounded pretty good though to be honest the Woo-Wee was always going to be a limiting factor. I have since moved on to powering them from a KGSSHV, a Huge improvement in my opinion.
 
May 31, 2015 at 1:19 AM Post #7,221 of 9,983
Repost from another thread as this may be relevant:
 
  Question to the folks who owns both the 009s and the 007 MK1s with the BHSE.  What are the respectfully best tubes for each headphone when using the BHSE?
 
It would be more cost effective to roll tubes compared to rolling amps.

 
 
   
It's pretty challenging to do this assessment as:
- You wait 15-20min between the tubes shift and another couple of hours for warm up - when you do
- I am thus not very confident as of now since I do best at short A/B, it will take me a few more weeks to really get a grip
- Tubes are new or NOS, I read in the BHSE thread they would take ~50 hours to settle which means they aren't they
- While I have a few sets of each type, I really have only rolled in 1 set of tubes for each so I can't say if what I report is specific the tubes or representative of the type
- These are rather subtle changes, hence me being hard pressed to give a firm opinion.
- You don't get the amp transformed with different tubes but it does seem to affect the last 1% that makes it truly magical experience.
- Maybe I could be more affirmative after weeks of listening to a give tube type.
 
 
With these disclaimers in mind, this is what found so far:
 
SR009: 1959 philips-sittard XF4 brown base "DD" getter   > or =   PSVANE EL34PH   >   1967 Mullard XF2 black base "OO" getter
SR007mk1: 1967 Mullard XF2 black base "OO" getter   >  PSVANE EL34PH
 
About detail characteristics, this is also very flaky in my mind so take it with a good pinch of salt:
- If anything, maybe I found the XF2 "OO" to be leaner / brighter than XF4 "DD".
- As of now, I am listening to the XF4 "DD" with SR009 and what seems to apparent is 1) very tight bottom end yet very impactful / full weighted sound, 2) utterly smooth midrange (never heard voices so realistic), 3) spacious sound (depth). 
All in all, it makes it a very good match to the SR009. 
- In comparison, I feel the XF2 "OO" is brighter tone overall with the cymbal shimmer more forward and / or extended than either the EL34PH or the XF4 "DD". It's bass it also possibly a bit leaner than other tubes, matting perfectly with the SR007mk1.
- I need to get back to the EL34PH but from top of my head, it's reminiscent of the XF4 "DD" but maybe a bit less controlled bottom end (at least when cold).
 
cheers,
arnaud

 
May 31, 2015 at 1:26 AM Post #7,222 of 9,983
I still cast my vote for rfts, dimple top. little more emphasis on the treble for those thinking the 007 is "dark". I'm currently using xf2s because I'm too lazy to change. those pretty good too

arnaud might want to take advantage of living in Japan and get some of of those B-getter matsu****a 6ca7s. I had to pay a ton of money just to get some split dd amperex tubes. I can barely find pairs of the matsu****as let alone quads. I think they also make a single getter version that looks similar to rft
 
May 31, 2015 at 9:47 AM Post #7,223 of 9,983
let me ask the Tube Roller pro´s.....
 
i got some of these for my BHSE for testing the Xf4 differences in sound, 
somebody heard about VALVO Xf4 L1G ???????

 
 
 
I´m new to the tube business
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May 31, 2015 at 4:41 PM Post #7,224 of 9,983

Karlgerman,
 
I am hardly a pro, but I am happy to relate my experiences.
 
Hearing of the continuing quality problems with the Psvanes that other Head-Fiers have encountered, and having 4 of them in my BHSE, I decided to look into NOS tubes that various posters here seemed to think well of.  My thinking was that if my Psvanes gave up the ghost, I would have other tubes as back-up.  I ended up getting 4 tubes like the one you pictured--DD rings, reddish brown base.  Two are marked Valvo, two are not, but otherwise they appear identical.  When they arrived, I put them in the BHSE just to make sure they were functioning properly, although I hate switching tubes.
 
I find it difficult to compare tubes, because the time it takes to let one set cool off, remove it, and then swap in another is long enough to make me question my ability to remember the sound quality accurately.  Nevertheless, my impression is that these tubes made for an overall improvement.  I find the overall sound quality is just excellent, amazingly realistic.  I have decided to leave them in the BHSE, and to have the Psvanes as back-up.
 
By the way, I bought the tubes off ebay from Wege High Fidelity.
 
May 31, 2015 at 5:27 PM Post #7,225 of 9,983
Thank you very much ctemkin for the Info,
good to know that the Tubes are acceptable good quality.
Checked the webshop you mentioned and he has some valvo´s for sale too.
Its nice too that my hifidealer, who had the tubes for his own amps in stock, sold me at a good price.
 
If i do it right, i should adjust the DC offset/balance each time i switch the tubes, right?
 
May 31, 2015 at 6:55 PM Post #7,227 of 9,983
 
 
If i do it right, i should adjust the DC offset/balance each time i switch the tubes, right?

 
Just for my own peace of mind, I have rechecked the bias each time I switched tubes.  I have yet to see switching tubes result in a change of bias.  I suppose that will not stop me from rechecking, though.
 
May 31, 2015 at 8:32 PM Post #7,228 of 9,983
It's such an easy task to verify offsets, I can't imagine not recommending it. I have the voltmeter and the adjustment tool right next to the amp :).
 
Jun 1, 2015 at 4:13 AM Post #7,230 of 9,983
It's such an easy task to verify offsets, I can't imagine not recommending it. I have the voltmeter and the adjustment tool right next to the amp
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That's probably the only reason I would put 2 jacks on the amplifier, I never see a reason to run more than one headphone at a time
 

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