[rattesp]

Yes it's normal. With the Sylvania 7236 the meters were at around 40.

 

[Karllin]

Thank you Rattesp. I wanted to make sure the range was normal. I don't want to do anything to shorten the life of these boys. Again, I can't stress enough to everyone how worthwhile it is to get away from the stock tubes that Little Dot sends with the Mark VI+. I needed to go to over the 3pm position with the original tubes and the HD800, now 12 o'clock is more than enough. This is a great amp with the right tubes. Drives the HD800 on low gain with no effort.

 

[baronbeehive]

Good to know, I'm somewhat envious of those Western Electric's though!!

 

[G600]

  Good to know, I'm somewhat envious of those Western Electric's though!!

You don't say !!

 

[Karllin]

Ii got the 421A based on a lot of reading here on Head-Fi. Seemed that several posters with zillions of posts said they would be about the best sounding tubes for this Amp. I guess I decided to skip the testing of many tubes myself and took advantage of their experience. I live in China and just happened to be headed back to the USA for the holidays, so I decided to get the 421A while I had the chance. They are very hard to find in Asia without paying a fortune and risking getting poor quality tubes. I was lucky to find a perfectly matched quad from a generous guy in the States. He cared more about sharing the sound than making huge $$$, so sold me the matched quad for a very low price.

Now I just have to enjoy them while they last. When they blow, I doubt I will find another set near the same price.

 

[ozaudios]

I use my windows 7 PC to run FOOBAR-2000, streaming sky fm…. through a WIREWORLD STARLIGHT USB cable, into a MUSICAL FIDELITY V-LINK 192(USB to SPDIF converter), through an AUDIOQUEST VDM-XR 75OHM digital RCA cable, into the LITTLE DOT DAC I, through a pair of VAN-DEN HULL ‘THE D 102 III’ 3 pin XLR interconnect cables, into the LITTLE DOT MK VI+ (with MUNDORF SUPREME SILVER/GOLD/OIL coupling capacitors and TOXIC CABLES SILVER POISON audio wire in the audio path) through a 4 pin XLR NEUTRIX plug to the TOXIC CABLES SILVER POISON balanced headphone cable and finally into the SENNHEISER HD-650 headphones… and I love the set-up ( I am using the SVETLANA 6N5S power tubes and SHUGUANG 50 YEARS TREASURE CV181-Z driver tubes ). Using this set-up with various different tubes I find the volume is comfortable at about 2 or 3 on the marked volume scale (9 o’clock to 10 o’clock on the clock face scale) and the volume has never been set above 4 ( 11 o’clock ). The 2 gauges on the front of the amplifier have always read about 80mA, with many different tubes rolled through the amp, always about the same reading. I expect that the volume level is affected by a number of different factors (tubes, cables and other accessories in the set-up), and the readings on the mA gauges are also affected in a similar way, but I can report that my set-up delivers ample amounts of volume with 300 Ohm Sennheiser HD-650 Headphones (even with the factory tubes). But I would LOVE to get some of the Western Electric 421A tubes to try

 

[Karllin]

@ozaudios,

With those upgrades and cables, I bet the amp is amazing. Your volume level sounds right for the HD650. I bet you could easily drive the HE-6 and LCD-3 with the CAP upgrades you have. I have an itch to do the same, but guess I am happy enough for now.

I think my next addition will be a good source. Has anyone used the OPPO BDP-103 or 105 with the MK vi+? I have the little dot DAC-3, so I am hesitating on buying the 105, since my DAC will become irrelevant. Guess I could sell it.

The endless urge to upgrade..."the grass is always greener..." Must be the most accurate saying in history.

 

[ozaudios]

Yeah, 'The endless urge to upgrade..."the grass is always greener..." Must be the most accurate saying in history. 

'.
 
...... I have an Icon Audio PS1 all valve phono-stage on the way from the U.K. should be here in a few weeks, I feel an urge to listen to vinyl through the Little Dot headphone set-up, and I love valves (that's what the English and Aussies call tubes) so I decided to get a good quality hand made point to point wired phono-stage so as to get the best sound. I will give you an up-date to let you know how vinyl sounds through the Little Dot MK VI+, it has to run through the single ended un-balanced input, so it will be interesting to hear if the sound quality is any worse than the balanced input with digital audio.

 

[Karllin]

Funny. I spent several days when I was back home last month looking at turntables. I was leaning towards an old technics 1200 mk2, Seems the dj's are constantly placing them on Craigslist. Gave up when I realized it weighs over 35 lbs. I had way too much to carry back, already.

I will be very interested in how that phono stage sounds, since I am definitely looking at getting into vinyl.

Anyone on vinyl with the MK vi+ have any suggestions for equipment? Is their such a thing as a phono stage with XLR balanced outs? Or is that possible?

 

[Androb]

I think there are balanced phono stages yes. I think there even is some turntables with balanced cables aswell.

Edit : I found it. Google Pro-ject phono box RS. It is fully balanced with support for both mm and mc pickups

 

[ozaudios]

Wow that Pro-ject phono box RS is a very nice phono stage, and I just read some good reviews. I have a Pro-ject turntable, and I did look at the Pro-ject Tube Box ( tube phono stage) some months ago. This Phono Box RS was not for sale then. It is half the price of the Icon Audio PS1 phono stage I have just bought, and it is fully balanced with XLR and RCA in and out(Icon Audio PS1 is RCA only) , but it is transistor technology, and I especially wanted an all valve(tube) phono stage as the analogue vinyl sound and the valves just go so well together. (I bought the signature edition with Jensen PAPER AND OIL CAPACITORS  https://audio.jensencapacitors.com/products/capalutube/ag-aglead/)
 
I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has used the phono box RS, or any other good quality phono stages, especially if used with the Little Dot MK VI+.

 

[Androb]

Yea I am quite interested in this phono box rs. After I got my MKVI+ now this or next month, and I have decided what headphones im getting, im going to save up for a vinyl rig aswell. Atleast that's something I want to do. I would get the Pro-ject Debut carbon esprit and this balanced phono box.
 
Hope your phono stage you bought sounds good tho. But you aren't worry you will get too much "tube" sound then with that stage and the mkvi+ together? Give some impressions anyway later Allways wanted to test my head station with vinyl but haven't had the opportunity ^^

 

[ozaudios]

OK, I am not worried about getting too much tube sound from the Icon Audio PS1 and the Little Dot MK VI+ together, both units are very low distortion, very clean sound, I think they will be a good match, but yes it is a bit of a gamble with audio equipment.....will a particular mix of equipment have good results (GOOD SYNERGY).
 
I bought the Pro-ject Debut Carbon, then fitted a perspex platter..... you should be happy with the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit. I have run it through a cheap transistor phono stage into the Little Dot (both MK VI+ and the I+) but the cheap transistor phono stage is just too clinical and sterile for my taste, I want some raw electric life-like quality that is missing from the cheap phono stage (Rega Fono Mini A2D).

 

[Androb]

OK, I am not worried about getting too much tube sound from the Icon Audio PS1 and the Little Dot MK VI+ together, both units are very low distortion, very clean sound, I think they will be a good match, but yes it is a bit of a gamble with audio equipment.....will a particular mix of equipment have good results (GOOD SYNERGY).

I bought the Pro-ject Debut Carbon, then fitted a perspex platter..... you should be happy with the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit. I have run it through a cheap transistor phono stage into the Little Dot (both MK VI+ and the I+) but the cheap transistor phono stage is just too clinical and sterile for my taste, I want some raw electric life-like quality that is missing from the cheap phono stage (Rega Fono Mini A2D).

Ah cool I love the looks of the pro-ject TT

 

[Androb]

Just got my MKVI+
Shame I have to run it unbalanced atm tho,ain't recieved my cardas xlr cables yet Expected to get them before haha. Oh well, it will be in great company with my Hegel in balanced mode and the LCD-3 im ordering this or next month ))))