[jsvilla93]

Hello Everyone, A question on headphones has anybody heard or listened to the AKG-Q460 Quincy Jones and are they very good. Also i must reduce my tube inventory got a little carried away.
PM if interested in a variety pack or pairs. now im using tung sol with the marking U.S. ARMY 6AK5WB- 5824B/C/D-5932 I think they were made before the JAN tubes can anyone give any info with the data provided.Really sound great out of the box.
Thanks Joe.

 

[mab1376]

I just picked up some of these:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290678560214&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:1123
 
also ordered some of these:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310392887909?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
Can't wait to see how they both compare to my M8161's

 

[infinity650]

Hi guys
 
little update on my sound impressionen while tube rolling on my LD MK IV SE.
 
 

Powertubes
	quantity	sound impression
6H30 DR	2	beyond doubt
6N6P	4	very solid performance, you would miss anything if you know them exclusively
6H30 gold pin	0	nearly as good as the DR, little less authority overall
EF 95
Voskhod 6zh1p-EV	2	Very detailed, fine voices, bone dry bass
Voskhod 6sch1p-EV (gold grid)	2	nearly the same as above, but more bass. The best EF95 tube?
Lorenz 5654	3	relaxed overall sound, little lack of detail compared to the class leader
RCA 5654 black plates	3	pretty thin, but detailed. Little bit lack of "soul". Pretty nice with classic music
Mullard M8100	2	sounds warmer than the other tubes, absolutely toe tapping, best tube for singer songwriter
Raytheon 6ak5w	2	nice voices and "flow", wide treble extension with a harshness at very high volume, wide soundstage for a EF95 tube
GE JAN 6ak5w	2	very nice vocals, pretty airie sound overall. Bass is quality > quantity but for sure enough
Tung Sol 6ak5w	2	good allrounder, but nothing specifically extraordinary. If look like it "colder" than Mullard sound e.g.
EF 92
Mullard EF92	3	very nice overall sound. Pretty equal like the Voskhods with a wider soundstage and little less bass
EF 91
Mullard M8083	2	similar to the EF 92 but lack of authority at very high volumes. Nearly my most favourite tube!
Zaerix 6AM6 / CV138	2	Burn in? Nothing impressiv yet
EF96 6aq5
6j3p-E	4	Burn in
Haltron 6ag5	3	lot of bass, in your head sound, little lack of authority in treble

 

[Acapella11]

Dear Infinity650,
 
Thank you for your tube sound impressions, very useful indeed.
 
Interesting also because I am using a K501, which - in general terms - should be of a similar signature.
 
Just got my LD MKIII and replaced the stock 5654s since they sounded somewhat too repressed in the lows but in particular in the highs. Although the mids were beautifully silky, the term that immediately came to my mind was restriction of dynamics.
 
Instead I have burned in some Mullard 8083s (50 hours so far) and I appreciate the airy and not sizzling highs, wide stage and overall open and bright representation. Now, I look forward to two pairs of Voskhods (6ZH1P-EV, 6SH1P-EV) for more tube rollling... =). Voskhod actually means sunrise.
 
 
 
PS: It may be useful to post your impressions as well in the little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide/330.

 

[Andrew LB]

I just took delivery of 2x Voskhod 6zh1p-EV gold grid tubes and I must say, everything you guys say about them is absolutely true. Fantastic tubes. 
 
On Tuesday I have 2x electro harmonix 6h30pi-EV gold pin power tubes coming. I'm excited. 

 

[ninjames]

Just ordered my Little Dot MKIII! So hopefully this thread will be a huge resource to me after I stick with stock for awhile.

 

[britt2001b]

Quote:

Just ordered my Little Dot MKIII! So hopefully this thread will be a huge resource to me after I stick with stock for awhile.

 
 
Yes it will. Unbelievably so! Good reading, good listening. 
 
Also, if you haven't already found it, reference the "Little Dot Tube Amps: Vacuum Tube Rolling Guide"  http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide#post_7625993

 

[ninjames]

My amp came in with ridiculously fast shipping and it sounds amazing using the Fiio E17 as a DAC with my Sennheiser HD595. I haven't got the HE-400 yet, so I'm sticking with the HD595 until that point and it sounds great. I'm eager to break in these stock tubes and then start tube rolling to find the sound I like the best. Unfortunately, I'm getting a little bit of hiss so was going to check the pins.
 
My uh, only problem is that this is my first tube amp and I'm not sure how to remove the tubes. Do I need to unscrew and take apart the amp to do it, or ..?

 

[britt2001b]

Quote:
 

Originally Posted by ninjames /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
My uh, only problem is that this is my first tube amp and I'm not sure how to remove the tubes. Do I need to unscrew and take apart the amp to do it, or ..?

 
It is not necessary to unscrew or take apart anything to replace the tubes. Just gently rock the tubes back and forth while applying some upward pressure and they will come right out. 
 
I'm glad you're enjoying the Little Dot MKIII. It's a lot of fun trying different tubes and hearing how the sound improves as they break in. Be careful. It's addictive!

 

[eljustinoid]

Yekrut - I had exactly the hissing problem you described with a Mullard tube reasonably soon after purchase from an ebay seller who is a valve dealer.
 
The seller replaced the tube for me - all OK now.
 
Mullards are definitely a "top 3" tube for the Little Dot. In the end the best all-rounders may be the Russians, which I keep coming back to.
 
Back on the JAN Philips for a while. They still have the funk!

 

[mab1376]

I really love my Telefunken 6AK5W tubes, anyone who enjoys a very warm full detailed balanced sound should give it a shot. They sound great with my HD650's and T70's.
 
i'm still waiting on my Raytheon's and Voshkod's

 

[Acapella11]

After a bit of listening with an AKG Q701, I am just updating some impressions of tubes I heard on the LD MKIII.
 
6N6P-I power tubes
I recommend to test 6N6P-I power tubes. For me, compared to 6N6P, the sound is more relaxed and natural, which includes a little loss in precision. There was more bass and most importantly the tubes sound less sibling. The presentation is more "into the face", which makes the stage a bit smaller. Overall I really like their sound signature. Mine were from 1985, not sure how much of a difference that makes. Even if the overall change may have been less than when changing driver tubes, it is a noticeable difference.
Now, I am waiting for 6N30P-EV tubes.
 
JAN 5654W Driver tubes
I would like to bring attention to this tube, which is not mentioned that often.
The Sylvania (black plates, halo getter) has a slightly darker sound compared to the GE (grey plates, halo getter). Overall, the sound is well balanced and open with natural mids and a nice and airy treble presentation, which is not sibling, Lower frequencies are more prominent with the Sylvanias. The combination of 6N6P-I with GE JAN 5654W is a great one for treble lovers, mids and bass are fine too, but the signature is surely on the brighter and transparent side. 6N6P-I with Sylvania JAN 5654W give a little warmer sound and this is my favourite combination for the Q701 so far.
JAN 5654W vs Voskhod 6J1P-EV: I found the treble more airy and less sibling than with my 100 hour burned in Voskhod 6J1P-EV (1971, 1975), the mids more forward sounding, the bass lesser in quantity but of good punchy quality and the stage is a little smaller.

 

[ninjames]

So I have a question. In pictures I've seen, there's tubes that REALLY glow with this amp, and you can clearly see the filaments (is that what they are?) and the like. The stock tubes I have don't glow much. Is it just the tubes? I know that's a weird thing, I don't need more glow or anything was just asking lol. Do better tubes glow more? Are there some consensus on some cheap-ish tubes that are great and an upgrade to the stock? One of the stock tubes glows noticeable less than the other, and the two power tubes are pretty darn dim.

 

[Acapella11]

Well, pictures can give impressions... that are difficult to be seen by eyes - for example because of the opening time of the lense or depth focusing effects.
 
Glowing just depends on the way the tube is build and probably on the quantity of current it uses to run. When looking at my 6N6P-Is from the front, there is only a little top glow, when looking from the side, two long glowing wires are shown. When looking at the JAN 5654Ws from front a glowing wire is shown, when looking at the M8161s (EF92 family), most of the wires are hidden.
 
I would be very surprised if there was a correlation between glow and sound.
 

 

[ninjames]

Quote:

Well, pictures can give impressions... that are difficult to be seen by eyes - for example because of the opening time of the lense or depth focusing effects.
 
Glowing just depends on the way the tube is build and probably on the quantity of current it uses to run. When looking at my 6N6P-Is from the front, there is only a little top glow, when looking from the side, two long glowing wires are shown. When looking at the JAN 5654Ws from front a glowing wire is shown, when looking at the M8161s (EF92 family), most of the wires are hidden.
 
I would be very surprised if there was a correlation between glow and sound.
 

I definitely don't think there is a correlation between the two. I'm looking to buy some new tubes now though. I just don't know exactly what to get and I don't think I have it in me to read through the whole thread!