KGSShv Carbon - hows it sound with the 009s?

[preproman]

Would someone be able to describe the difference between the KGST and the Carbon?

 

[purk]

If getting a BHSE to drive 009's, then IMO NOS EL34's are a must, Psvane PH's also make the 009's sound very good, but the ones I used didn't last that long, well they did last a year but I'd have expected them to last a lot longer.
I still have a second quad of PH's, which I got after being happy with how the first quad solved the treble problem I heard from the 009's while using the stock Mullard's and SED's, but since getting the Mullard xf4's I stopped using that second quad of PH's, I was going to use that second quad until they packed up, but find the xf4's make the 009's sound better than the PH's, they're probably more reliable too.

Like mentioned, with the BHSE having tubes, leaving it on unattended isn't advisable, or at least it's something I'd never do, which is why my next stats amp is going to be a SS, I'll still be keeping the BHSE, but I'd be happy to leave a SS on without being there.

I think the benefit of having the BHSE is tuberolling  You can definitely fine tune the sound to your liking by switching to a different tube.  As great as KGSSHV carbon will be, you will stuck with that sound forever  I will have the Carbon toward the end of the year and I'll report back.  Personally I expect exceptional performance from it.  The current crop of KG/Birgir stats amps are all great...especially the those full-size KGSSHVs.

 

[wink]

A quad of XF2 or XF4 later any wallet will be begging for mercy, but the ears will be begging for more.......

 

[David1961]

I think the benefit of having the BHSE is tuberolling  You can definitely fine tune the sound to your liking by switching to a different tube.  As great as KGSSHV carbon will be, you will stuck with that sound forever  I will have the Carbon toward the end of the year and I'll report back.  Personally I expect exceptional performance from it.  The current crop of KG/Birgir stats amps are all great...especially the those full-size KGSSHVs.

In getting a KGSSHV Carbon and wanting a change in SQ, then the obvious thing to do would be to get another pair of Earspeakers.
I already have the 009's and 003mk2's so getting another stats amp would give me even more variety, but more variety isn't the reason I plan on getting another stats amp to use along with the BHSE.

 

[TheAttorney]

  A quad of XF2 or XF4 later any wallet will be begging for mercy, but the ears will be begging for more.......

Having fully emptied my wallet to get a quad of vintage Philips metal based tubes, I reckon these are the bees knees, the cat's whiskers, the dog's doo dahs of the tube world - at least as far as the BHSE is concerned. I couldn't imagine how my previous best Dutch XF4 DDs could have been improved upon, but those now seem merely "ordinary", "adequate".
 
The improvement of the Metal Bases above the DDs is at least as great as any tube difference I've previously encountered. Ok, so you have to remortgage your house to get a good set, but it may just be worth it. And no, the Psvane replicas were no comparison - not even when they were working.
 
I should update my BHSE tube league table when I get a bit more time.
 
Edit: Oops! Wrong thread

 

[Music Alchemist]

If getting a BHSE to drive 009's, then IMO NOS EL34's are a must, Psvane PH's also make the 009's sound very good, but the ones I used didn't last that long, well they did last a year but I'd have expected them to last a lot longer.
I still have a second quad of PH's, which I got after being happy with how the first quad solved the treble problem I heard from the 009's while using the stock Mullard's and SED's, but since getting the Mullard xf4's I stopped using that second quad of PH's, I was going to use that second quad until they packed up, but find the xf4's make the 009's sound better than the PH's, they're probably more reliable too.

Like mentioned, with the BHSE having tubes, leaving it on unattended isn't advisable, or at least it's something I'd never do, which is why my next stats amp is going to be a SS, I'll still be keeping the BHSE, but I'd be happy to leave a SS on without being there.

  A quad of XF2 or XF4 later any wallet will be begging for mercy, but the ears will be begging for more.......

 
Birgir told me "there is really just one EL34 to consider, the Mullard XF2."
 

  Having fully emptied my wallet to get a quad of vintage Philips metal based tubes, I reckon these are the bees knees, the cat's whiskers, the dog's doo dahs of the tube world - at least as far as the BHSE is concerned. I couldn't imagine how my previous best Dutch XF4 DDs could have been improved upon, but those now seem merely "ordinary", "adequate".
 
The improvement of the Metal Bases above the DDs is at least as great as any tube difference I've previously encountered. Ok, so you have to remortgage your house to get a good set, but it may just be worth it. And no, the Psvane replicas were no comparison - not even when they were working.
 
I should update my BHSE tube league table when I get a bit more time.
 
Edit: Oops! Wrong thread

 
Is it the XF2 I mentioned? Then again, Googling it, I see "EL34 6AC7 Philips Mullard XF2" and many other versions of the XF2. Specifically, which tubes are you referring to? What is the full "proper" name? Guess I'll just call it "Philips-Mullard EL34 XF2" like one site does, unless I'm mistaken about which tubes you're talking about. What was the actual cost of getting four of them? The prices I'm seeing on various sites aren't too bad.
 

  I think the benefit of having the BHSE is tuberolling  You can definitely fine tune the sound to your liking by switching to a different tube.  As great as KGSSHV carbon will be, you will stuck with that sound forever  I will have the Carbon toward the end of the year and I'll report back.  Personally I expect exceptional performance from it.  The current crop of KG/Birgir stats amps are all great...especially the those full-size KGSSHVs.

 
...Unless you take a few minutes or hours to use a parametric equalizer for infinite variations in sound.

 
(I know it's not the same as tube rolling, but still.)

 

[Golfnutz]

Use this as a guide, the common variations are all there - http://www.tube-classics.de/TC/Tubes/Valvo%20EL34/EL34.htm

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Use this as a guide, the common variations are all there - http://www.tube-classics.de/TC/Tubes/Valvo%20EL34/EL34.htm

 
Yeah, I was at that link before, but was wondering which specific ones he got. He mentioned having to remortgage your house, so I get the feeling it isn't the Philips-Mullard EL34 XF2 I was looking at, which costs well under a thousand dollars for a quartet, at least from one site.

 

[TheAttorney]

  Birgir told me "there is really just one EL34 to consider, the Mullard XF2."
 

Birgir may be a fountain of knowledge about many things, but he's not right about everything.
 
And he certainly is not right with the above statement - at least as far as the BHSE is concerned. The Mullard XF2 OO is third in my tube league table. I haven't tried the single O version.
My main caveat is that I've only tried 1 set of each tube model, so I can't comment on sample variation, which may be considerable when tubes are 50+ years old.
 
The Metal Base doesn't have an XF number as such. Look for the metal base models made in Sittard or Eindoven in that website.
I was was joking about remortgaging a house. My quad cost me "only" $1,600. You can pay more, or much less on ebay  - depending on provenance and condition

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Birgir may be a fountain of knowledge about many things, but he's not right about everything.
 
And he certainly is not right with the above statement - at least as far as the BHSE is concerned. The Mullard XF2 OO is third in my tube league table. I haven't tried the single O version.
My main caveat is that I've only tried 1 set of each tube model, so I can't comment on sample variation, which may be considerable when tubes are 50+ years old.

 
So what is the name of these #1 tubes of yours? How much did they cost? I don't mean to be nosy, but I think most of us want to get the best sound. Also, can you give me a link to your tube league table? I couldn't find it.

 

[TheAttorney]

I edited my last response - you may have missed the latest info. The metal bases have a variety of identifiers, like starting with SY.
When I have a bit more time, I'll post my updated league table in the BHSE thread, where this conversation should really move to. I've posted 2 earlier iterations there in the past.

 

[Music Alchemist]

[taken to PM]

 

[David1961]

Xf2's probably do sound better than xf4's with the BHSE, but if I wanted to improve the SQ of my 009 / BHSE, then rather than try and get hold of some xf2's, I'd sooner do it by getting a better source.
That way any improvement in SQ would be with a KGSSHV Carbon ( when I've the spare money to get one ) and not just the BHSE, I am however very happy with the xf4's and my source, so I won't be getting any xf2's.

There's also something written on vintageamps.com about different xf tubes, although I believe guitar amps were being used not the BHSE.

 

[mulveling]

I used to have various sets of EL34 that I ran in amps into Tannoy Kensginton SE speakers. Had Mullard xf2 (double halo getter, black bases) and xf4 (maybe xf3 too? it's been a while) plus at least 4 variants of the modern Russian EL34. There may be a difference between the various Mullards, but I didn't discern them at the time. All sounded great, and completely different from the Russian tubes. The Mullards are warm as hell, but that's just what the BHSE seems to need (I've only heard it with Holland/Amperex EL34). Detail, imaging, and extension are all fantastic despite the warmth - same goes for the long-plate Mullard 12AX7, and that's why they're prized.
 
I wouldn't worry about the difference between xf2 vs xf4. The ultra rare/exotic/expensive metal base xf1's may be a different story, but I've not heard them.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Xf2's probably do sound better than xf4's with the BHSE, but if I wanted to improve the SQ of my 009 / BHSE, then rather than try and get hold of some xf2's, I'd sooner do it by getting a better source.
That way any improvement in SQ would be with a KGSSHV Carbon ( when I've the spare money to get one ) and not just the BHSE, I am however very happy with the xf4's and my source, so I won't be getting any xf2's.

There's also something written on vintageamps.com about different xf tubes, although I believe guitar amps were being used not the BHSE.

  I used to have various sets of EL34 that I ran in amps into Tannoy Kensginton SE speakers. Had Mullard xf2 (double halo getter, black bases) and xf4 (maybe xf3 too? it's been a while) plus at least 4 variants of the modern Russian EL34. There may be a difference between the various Mullards, but I didn't discern them at the time. All sounded great, and completely different from the Russian tubes. The Mullards are warm as hell, but that's just what the BHSE seems to need (I've only heard it with Holland/Amperex EL34). Detail, imaging, and extension are all fantastic despite the warmth - same goes for the long-plate Mullard 12AX7, and that's why they're prized.
 
I wouldn't worry about the difference between xf2 vs xf4. The ultra rare/exotic/expensive metal base xf1's may be a different story, but I've not heard them.

 
The #1 tubes TheAttorney got are basically called "EL34 Philips Miniwatt Holland metal base" and go for $1,500-2,000 for four of them.
 
...But perhaps we should all discuss this in the BHSE thread, to help keep this one on topic. I just generally avoid the bigger threads, because they involve a lot more work to keep up with.