[Evshrug]

The RCAs are like rebranded Seimens tubes, right? Or is that only the 6922 RCAs? I know next to nothing about the 12au7 variants.

I may not ending up keeping all 8 of my tubes...

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

The RCAs are like rebranded Seimens tubes, right? Or is that only the 6922 RCAs? I know next to nothing about the 12au7 variants.

I may not ending up keeping all 8 of my tubes...

I should look into to it, because I don't entirely know
 
also... I want an ATH woodie :x

 

[Evshrug]

They are VERY attractive headphones. For me, though, I like my headphones, and now I like my amp, and now I like my tubes... I did get new wooden side panels for my amp from Zigis, the new stain color is very nice, though personally I would've liked a more cherry color.
What I'm looking at next is a video card, cuz I'm a gamer. I found a very good deal on a NVIDIA GTX 570: that is one step down from NVidia's flagship video card from last generation, about as powerful as the current-gen cards that cost $200 except it has greater memory bandwidth yet less mHz clock speed... $50 cheaper than the new cards, quiet, and still would run most games on max settings, buuuuuut I'm not sure if I should hold off on the purchase.

 

[Luic]

Quote:

They are VERY attractive headphones. For me, though, I like my headphones, and now I like my amp, and now I like my tubes... I did get new wooden side panels for my amp from Zigis, the new stain color is very nice, though personally I would've liked a more cherry color.
What I'm looking at next is a video card, cuz I'm a gamer. I found a very good deal on a NVIDIA GTX 570: that is one step down from NVidia's flagship video card from last generation, about as powerful as the current-gen cards that cost $200 except it has greater memory bandwidth yet less mHz clock speed... $50 cheaper than the new cards, quiet, and still would run most games on max settings, buuuuuut I'm not sure if I should hold off on the purchase.

 
Unless the deal for the 570 is insanely good, I wouldn't go for it. I've seen 660's go for ~180-190, and 660Ti's go for $220, and they are stronger cards without a doubt. (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/benchmarks,135.html)

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

 
Unless the deal for the 570 is insanely good, I wouldn't go for it. I've seen 660's go for ~180-190, and 660Ti's go for $220, and they are stronger cards without a doubt. (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/benchmarks,135.html)

ouch, I need to get in on that. I paid like $250 for my HD 6950 about a year ago and it games sufficently. I'll leave it at that 
 
the Ath Cans sounds awesome btw 

 

[Evshrug]

Unless the deal for the 570 is insanely good, I wouldn't go for it. I've seen 660's go for ~180-190, and 660Ti's go for $220, and they are stronger cards without a doubt. (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/benchmarks,135.html)

What, on Black Friday? I initially wanted the GTX 660, but they have been typically going for $220 lately, and I have never seen a 660 Ti sell under $250 after rebates (which aren't always guaranteed) and typically has been selling at around $275. Where did you see that? I use PCpartpicker.com (and I often read Tom's). If you seriously know where I can get a GTX 660 for $180, I'd like to know (even though the freemium game vouchers don't interest me compared to the two offered with Radeon cards right now). Please PM me.
The GTX 570 was $179 with a $30 rebate. I can find a Radeon HD 7850 with two good-looking game vouchers for the same price, but I really want to try PhysX, and I don't know if my existing GTS 250 is strong enough for a dedicated PhysX Card (if you can even use it that way in tandem with a Radeon card).

I'm going to roll in a Vokshod tube now, listen to some music while I write a description for my amp.

Edit: not to go off topic again (thus the edit instead of a new post), but Tom's recently posted a GTX 660 Ti deal from Dell where after rebates and a coupon code, the card would cost $220. The new nVIDIA GTX 650 Ti Boost is shaking up the pricing in the sub-$200 category though!

 

[Makiah S]

EHM getting back on topic, so I really do love the crap out of my indeed G3... it sounds wonderfully EPIC with my new ath w1000x [I use a lean n mean clear top 12ua7a tube]
 
Love the extra sound stage from the tube as well as the extra brightness, the bass boost ofc pissed me off as soon as I looked at it xD, but non boosted the Indeed G2 does a great job driving these. Like with most of my low impedance cans I can't drive the volume to high, so it might as well be a solid state. On my Millet amp I can swap into low gain and drive the crap outa my cans. I cold also chop the volume down in windows and drive these even further with the amp. Although WASAPI hates the indeed g3, since the indeed is rather powerful it likes having foobar with -8db master gain
 
still Ath w1000x, SO much better than the mad dogs sadly [well sad for dan not for me] 

 

[Evshrug]

Wanted to share some suggestions I made to someone else:

Glad to hear that about the bass, that's exactly what my K240 DFs need!  How does one tell if they are modern Russian re-issues?  Do they look the same?

Usually sellers don't try to cheat you, you can ask about what year they were made. Generally you want stuff from before the 90's.
I'm not a pro with the 12AU7 tubes (wouldn't call myself a pro with the 6DJ8 type tubes/valves I buy, but I have learned over the past half year), but that Mullard looks pretty good. Generic box, but the worn label on the tube itself doesn't scream "FAKE!" to me, and if the test numbers are accurate the tube should work like new and not have a perceptible channel imbalance. Should sound good so long as it wasn't physically damaged or compromised. I bet you'll love it. Some day, you may want to try a leaner, more energetic tube too, just to have the option

The tube that came with my amp came smashed, and the Amperex I first bought to try was warm but seemed to have a channel imbalance. I got a military-spec tube after that which was leaner & more energetic, I was amazed (& addicted instantly) by the detail retrieval and soundstage depth. Just recently I bought a pair of Amperex with the little bugle-blowing tube cartoon on it and four New Old Stock (NOS) Vokshod tubes from the 70's, haven't tested them all yet because I'm enjoying the first Bugle Boy I put in (which doesn't sound THAT much different from the Mil-spec tube I used before)

The Electro Harmonix that (I believe) came with your Ocean is a current production Chinese manufactured tube... Some people like 'em, but really they aren't held to high production standards and may account for the sound crossing over to the other channel. Hopefully it isn't an issue from the amp itself, I guess you're about to find out. Good luck man!


Edit: Oh yes, DefQon mentioned biasing and using a multimeter, and you said you were a n00b. Basic explanation:
Inside your amp, there is probably two little components (called Potentiometers) with little screwdriver adjustment pins. Turn these to adjust how much voltage goes to each channel of the Tube, you want both channels equal at somewhere between 12.5 and 13 volts. You measure those volts using a multimeter, here's mine:

I got mine from Amazon for about $6 USD, works well enough for me. Those red & black wires with pins on the end are the test leads, you touch them to the part of the circuit path you are adjusting to get a reading (amp has to be turned on & warmed up, I turn on my multimeter by turning the dial to the 20 volt DC setting). I don't know where to take a reading on the Ocean, sorry. You could try tuning the tube by ear, I tried that but I couldn't get it to sound right (probably messed up my first Amperex tube that way too), using the Multimeter made a big difference.

Again, good luck! Hopefully that helped, and you now know what to search the 'net for to answer other questions.

 

[Makiah S]

oh yea a lean energetic stube sounds really wonderful! 
 
I standy by the 12ua7a clear top oin mine <3 

 

[Evshrug]

I'm debating selling my portable solid state amp, only using it out of convenience right now, could live without it as I prefer my tube amp...

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

I'm debating selling my portable solid state amp, only using it out of convenience right now, could live without it as I prefer my tube amp...

yea im there as well, I really NEVER use my portable amps any more as I', now a driver instead of a rider... I could use the extra $100 to >.> 

 

[Evshrug]

I tend to switch between having my Xbox plugged into our family's TV and my computer monitor, and since I mainly listen to music via my iPod, I tend to listen at any old place in the house. It's easier to get set up when I use the portable amp, battery powered instead of having to find a spare wall outlet. I was also using the portable for comparisons sake. However, my setup is mostly temporary, and the freedom of the portable is a mostly unnecessary luxury.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

I tend to switch between having my Xbox plugged into our family's TV and my computer monitor, and since I mainly listen to music via my iPod, I tend to listen at any old place in the house. It's easier to get set up when I use the portable amp, battery powered instead of having to find a spare wall outlet. I was also using the portable for comparisons sake. However, my setup is mostly temporary, and the freedom of the portable is a mostly unnecessary luxury.

agree'd. I'm still on the line about selling my entire portable rig, I'll have to see how much mula I got when them checks come in, the new job pays every WEEK so that's a HUGE benift. Every 2 weeks is uber LAME. Hopefully I can keep it OR pass it on to a buddy of mine cheaply. Then again a new head fi'r could use a nice portabe set up to... so I'll see what happens 
 
ppl have said that the project sunriss II is a better amp than g2, and it is but they forget. $100 vs $300 xD hell there's a G3 for $75 right now :O so despite it being a chinnese sweat factory amp, it's pretty nifty! N ofc that PRICE 

 

[Evshrug]

The G3 at $75, is that the buy it now price or just where the current bid is? They have tended to go up lately, it seems.
But yeah, everyone needs a starter amp, things that sound great and fit your budget, but as you learn and appreciate more, more expensive amps start to sound reasonable in exchange for the quality. I just had a good experience in the FS forum (you need to be a member for at least 6 months, to cut down on scams), but I hope my buyer doesn't regret that the post offices are closed for the holidays so I can't ship his deal yet. I might throw in a special somethin' somethin' to make up for it If you make a FS post, I suggest clear pictures on an uncluttered background, and try to type clear sentences and a professional tone. In the buyer's mind, someone who is carefull with their words probably was careful with their gear

I still like having portable headphones, I just don't use them as much relative to how often I listen to audio. BTW, I think Zigis is selling more amps like mine for $220, so that's an option. I'm going to take nice DSLR shots of mine once I get some hex screwdrivers and swap in the new wood side panels.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

The G3 at $75, is that the buy it now price or just where the current bid is? They have tended to go up lately, it seems.
But yeah, everyone needs a starter amp, things that sound great and fit your budget, but as you learn and appreciate more, more expensive amps start to sound reasonable in exchange for the quality. I just had a good experience in the FS forum (you need to be a member for at least 6 months, to cut down on scams), but I hope my buyer doesn't regret that the post offices are closed for the holidays so I can't ship his deal yet. I might throw in a special somethin' somethin' to make up for it

If you make a FS post, I suggest clear pictures on an uncluttered background, and try to type clear sentences and a professional tone. In the buyer's mind, someone who is carefull with their words probably was careful with their gear

I still like having portable headphones, I just don't use them as much relative to how often I listen to audio. BTW, I think Zigis is selling more amps like mine for $220, so that's an option. I'm going to take nice DSLR shots of mine once I get some hex screwdrivers and swap in the new wood side panels.

I need to drop some wooden side panel as well, where are you getting yours from this amp would be DANG sexy with wooden sides... and yea great starter amp. I still use mind for edm and I'm STILL loving my other $100 milet Whiplash Mod, swaped in some clear tops and that low gain switch on the Millet is great, so Low gain +clear tops=w1000x MAGIC, an best of all my dt 880 has a THICK bottom end :O the lower mids have A LOT of body, so the solid stage is really working well for it... yea I know the dt 880 doesn't have the nice forward high energy mids as the w1000x, but for vocals it has a THICK bottom end on a lot of voices, which is a nice thing as the airy breathy mids of the w1000x REALLY need a tube
 
Looking forward though to getting a real tube <3