[mordy]

I must admit that I never heard of the Meier amp before but it looks like a very well made product. Did you try to combine both your amps? I have a ss receiver that puts out 100 W RMS. It has facilities for plugging in something external in a loop. The Little Dot MkIII is plugged into this external loop and I can instantly A/B what I am listening to, in addition to using the balance and tone controls.
The net result is that I get a ss amp with a tube preamp and tube sound.
 
Re tube rolling I agree with you that you can change the sound instantly by putting in different driver tubes. I found that that you need to break in the tubes 40-100 hours for them to stabilize. I don't have any experience that the sound of the tubes changes with age after that. Tubes are a real mystery to me - I cannot find any way to predict how they are going to sound before listening to them. Then you have the mysterious labeling and dating systems, and the fact that all manufacturers seem to have bought from each other and put their names on tubes made by others. Some big brands never even manufactured their own tubes but always bought from others!
 

 

[ribafish]

 
Quote:

 
You know what, Ribafish, I am really curious if you`ll find the Russian tubes the best match for your headphones. Please, share your experience especially with me (us) because I do seriously consider DT880-s 600ohm my next purchase if the`ll be no way to get rid of my DT990-s killer-trebles. If the final result (with CV4010-s) of my combo will not change, I'm gona sell DT990 headphones `course the brightness of the trebles make my ears bleed on almost all the avarage-quality metal/rock recordings. Despite of thy gorgeous bass, these treble issues had almost excluded my favorite gothic metal from playlist.. Did you tried DT990 for yourself ? Are there enough bass quantity/quality in your 600 ohm DT880-s for rock/metal music ?

       For my tastes the best sounding headphones should have the almost flat frequency response with a small bass enhancement for some woofer articulated punch, but no boomy, oh, they must sound detailed, transparent with sufficient air and separation. From the beginning this was the reason I had purchased DT990-s, too much head-fi reading... The bass quality/quantity had simply blown me away on first run, so that I almost forgave any other problematic spots.. But.. Time has proved that the first impression is not always the best/right one..

 Well, I got my groove tubes today, they have about an hour on them atm, and they sure do add some bass...and i think it fits rock/metal/dnb and other genres where bass is needed very well, certainly better than cv4010/4015(which i still haven't decided which i like better=D ), but for some more classical recordings i feel that cv4010/15 will fit better.. some jazz is better with grooves, other with cv4010....but this all is still on new tubes, with not that much listening...
Altogether, I am glad i ordered them, as they are a steal at this price...and there can never be too much tubes and options=)

      As for the headphones themselves, I just adore them, they are the best I've heard(haven't heard much of them, but I have heard a lot of proper studio speakers(Genelecs, Adams, Bluesky, Dynaudio and so on). Lots of detail, midrange is spot-on, bass is detailed, goes very deep...altogether just and awesome piece of equipment. Would definitely recommend them to a friend.

 PS: am I the only one having problems with posting? I have to write in source view if I want any editing options. If I'm not i don't even see the indicator where will i write or delete what i wrote, nor can I move the damn thing around. Suggestions would be nice=D

 

[mordy]

In my unending quest for the "perfect" tube for my MkIII system, I have come to realize that it is much harder to find the right bass than the right treble.
The Russian groove tubes have good bass but the bass is a little bloated in my system. As you mention, the CV4010 tubes have an overall nicer midrange and are more balanced than the Russian 6Sh1p-EV but lack the strong bass punch.
In my search I came across several pairs of Tung Sol 6AK5/5654 tubes from the 40's to the 60's. Some of them look different than other tubes: the getters are bent 45 degrees (similar to the electrical take-off from street cars), and the getter flash (the silver coating inside the top of the tube) covers only half the inside of the top. These tubes have the best bass in my system: Punchy, snappy and bouncy and very well controlled. The sound stage is very wide and they sound just right with great detail and imaging. (However, the midrange is more analytical and not as lush as with the OEM GE tubes or some RCA tubes, but you can't have everything.)
Tung Sol invented the 6AK5 tube in 1943 so maybe they know something about making them that the other manufacturers don't. For some reason the silk screening comes off very easily from the tubes and it is hard to read what it says on them many times if they are used or have been handled. The factory code is 233, so if you find a tube with that number  and you cannot read the name of the manufacturer, it could be made by Tung Sol. (If it looks like a Western Electric tube with that number, it could have been manufactured the 33rd week 1952!)
Have fun tube rolling, and don't forget to enjoy the music instead of listening to how the tube sounds!

 

[mordy]

I apologize for the typo, the Tung Sol factory code is 322.

 

[Trapper32]

Yes the Tung Sols are a really nice tube.  I have the TS with 3 different getters....  The ones you described.., side getters, and rectangular ones.  Its been awhile since I've listened to them and can't remember the different SQ.

 

[leesure]

Just got a nice matched pair of Western Electric 6AK5's.  They were listed as 'used - low hours' so I'm not sure how much burn in they've had, but right out of the box, they are a nice improvement over the Mullard CV4010 I had been using.  Wider soundstage and better sparkle without sounding bright.  The mids are still nice and liquidy.

 

[N3v3rmind]

Hi all!
 
I´ve ordered my little tube mk iii today, and i´´m realy looking fprward to try some other tubes.
 
Please don´´t slap me, if the question has been asked befpre, but 154 pages are a lot to read.
 
Is there anywhere a overview which Tubes can be taken or which are the best?
 
Best Regards,
Dan

 

[Dynasty62]

Hey all,
 
Has anyone ever used Mullard EF91 6AM6 with large shield and blue glass ? If so, how are they in soundstage/instrument separation, warmth, and vocals?
 
Thanks!

 

[mordy]

I tried a pair of Mullard EF91/6AM6 tubes with the blue glass. The sound was detailed with good sound stage and instrument separation and powerful bass, and at first I liked them a lot. However, ultimately I found the bass too harsh and the tubes tiring to listen to in the long run. Again, your equipment may produce a different sound, and if you need very strong bass these tubes maybe are the answer.
I bought the tubes new and broke them in for about 100 hours. If anybody is interested I would sell them cheap for $12 + shipping - let me know.
 
-

 

[mordy]

There is no "best" tube because the tubes sound different with different equipment. 85% of the sound comes from the small driver tubes. The OEM GE5654 tubes are not bad at all with a beautiful midrange.
Other choices for overall beautiful sound with better sound stage and bass are Mullard CV4010/M8100, RCA black plate 60's-70's 6AK5/5654/EF95 as well as Sylvania tubes of the same vintage and designation.
Some people like the early Western Electric 403A as well.
My personal favorites (as of now) are Tung Sol/National 6AK5 tubes from the 40's-60's. Each pair and design are a little different, but I found that the Tung Sol/National tubes have punchy, controlled bass and excellent sound stage and timbre.
Good luck tube rolling!

 

[Dynasty62]

Thanks Mordy!
 
I will be using them with Audio Technica AD700s, which do not feature bass prominence, though the bass response is very accurate, so these tubes might be able to restore some of the bass? I am just worried about issues that other people had regarding distortion/sibilance when using the EF91s with low impedance headphones, which the AD700s are.
 
What would you recommend as a good driver tube that features superior soundstage/instrument separation, some tube warmth/smoothness, and clarity? This would be used primarily for vocal/classical crossover (mainly female voices), symphonic music, and rock music. To deliver on the occasion action movie would also be an added bonus.
 
So far, I was thinking of the Sylvania 5654, 6Sh1P-EV, Tung Sol 6AK5 (though it might not be from the 40s-60s) or Valve Electronic CV4010. Do any of these tubes really stand out in any way above the others for the kind of music/conditions described above?
I'm kind of giving up on trying to acquire Amperex EF95s and Mullard m8161 Large Shields, as they are too hard to find and expensive. Any suggestions are welcome.
 
One final question: Is upgrading the power tube from stock to Russian 6N6P-I noticeably different?
 
Thanks! 

 

[Zudeo]

Hi. I purchased a Little Dot Mark III a couple months back and I think i'm ready to start Tube Rolling.  My cans are beyerdynamic DT990/600 ohm and from what i've been reading, it seems as though i'd be more satisfied with the M8100 tubes.  Am I correct to believe that the CV4010 *is* the same thing as the M8100? I'm a bit anal so it'd be cool if it actually said "Mullard" on it. lol.. but whatever. Anyways, this was the best deal I could find for them was here.  Where do all of you get your tubes from, and most importantly, is this even a great deal? Also, I listen to pretty much everything besides country. Mainly DnB, Dubstep, Rap, Rock, Trance/Electronica.

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[mordy]

55M8100 is identical to CV4010; one is a civilian version, and the CV a military version. The source you have for $23.00 for a pair including shipping seems to have good feedback.
I paid around $15.00 including shipping for a pair CV4010s a couple months ago, but this guy got smart and upped the price after several orders came in (perhaps from people on this site having seen the recommendation). IF you have patience just check E-Bay on a regular basis and you will find them cheaper - I am big believer in the $8.00 rule - never pay more than $8.00/tube.
Valve Electronic is one of the names Mullard used. If the tube is a CV4010 and it states made in Great Britain it is most likely made by Mullard.
I have the Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphones and did not notice any distortion with the Mullard EF91s. (However, I much prefer speakers to headphones.)
I bought two different Amperex EF95 tubes which probably are from the 60's. Both state Made in Great Britain and have black plates with a circular hole in the middle of the black plate and look exactly like my CV4010 tubes by Mullard. I think it is a safe bet to say that they are made by Mullard so I don't see the need to pay big bucks for the Amperex EF95 if you could get Mullard CV4010's much cheaper.
Re the power tubes the manual states that the 6N6P-i are the stock tubes. One of my stock tubes went bad and I put in a pair of 6N6P tubes that I bought via E-Bay for around $6.00 each from somebody in Eastern Europe. I can't really hear much of a difference between the 6N6P and the 6N6P-i.
The manufacturer of the Little Dot MkIII (David) claims that the 6H30Pi-DR power tubes will make a difference, but at a cost of $150.00 and up for a pair I feel that it defeats the purpose of a $200.00 amp. In addition, I have not heard from anybody on this forum that these power tubes are so much better. Does anybody have experience with the DR tubes?

 

[Dynasty62]

I hope the '50's Tung Sol 6AK5s complement my setup and my tastes, as I just ordered a set of them...

 

[mordy]

Good luck, and please let us know your experience with the TS tubes!