[Jefreywith1f]

Quote:

 
Very nice price on those voshkods! Perhaps you should order multiple sets, seeing as how you're going to be paying four times the price of one set for shipping alone
 
edit: - nevermind, you've already ordered

 
I get that you're probably half kidding there. But really, who cares what the shipping costs are?  It's the combined total that matters.  $15 for a set is a good price for these.  I don't need 10 sets of the same tubes laying around my house, so buying bulk is of no interest and pointless for me.

 

[dxanex]

I just received my Voskhod EF95 tubes in a few days ago from this seller:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140882555908?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 
I didn't have a chance to post my impressions yet. It's a good tube, very well constructed as the OP stated, but to my ears I still enjoy the RCA 5 Stars a bit more. They are slightly less forward and in-your-face as the Voskhods, and the treble on the Voskhods are just a bit to bright for my taste. Maybe they need to burn in some?
 
I've tried more than half of the EF95 tubes reviewed here (still waiting to try the Mullards and Tung-Sols though) and the RCA 5 Stars are still my personal favorite thus far. The soundstage is fantastic and the music seems much more holographic and transparent to my ears.

 

[Jefreywith1f]

Quote:

I just received my Voskhod EF95 tubes in a few days ago from this seller:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140882555908?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 
I didn't have a chance to post my impressions yet. It's a good tube, very well constructed as the OP stated, but to my ears I still enjoy the RCA 5 Stars a bit more. They are slightly less forward and in-your-face as the Voskhods, and the treble on the Voskhods are just a bit to bright for my taste. Maybe they need to burn in some?
 
I've tried more than half of the EF95 tubes reviewed here (still waiting to try the Mullards and Tung-Sols though) and the RCA 5 Stars are still my personal favorite thus far. The soundstage is fantastic and the music seems much more holographic and transparent to my ears.

Others here claim quite a bit of burn-in time on the Voskhods (if I recall, up to 120 hours claimed by some).  I noticed that auction as well, but went with the gold grid tubes since those have been talked about here.  Not convinced it would make any difference gold grid or not.  Still waiting for them to arrive. Must be hung up at customs since they're coming from Moscow.

 

[john57]

It usually take me about a month to receive tubes from Russia. Just hang in there!

 

[dxanex]

Quote:

Others here claim quite a bit of burn-in time on the Voskhods (if I recall, up to 120 hours claimed by some).  I noticed that auction as well, but went with the gold grid tubes since those have been talked about here.  Not convinced it would make any difference gold grid or not.  Still waiting for them to arrive. Must be hung up at customs since they're coming from Moscow.

 
Who has 120 hours for something like that?!

I'm an instant gratification kind of guy, anyway, so I'll stick with the GE 5 Stars and call it a day.

 
In the mean time, if anyone wants to try out the Voskhod EF95 and doesn't want to wait a month, I'll let my matched pair go for 14 bucks, free shipping. You'll get them in about 3 days within USA. Check my seller feedback and PM me...
 
 
 
 
EDIT: I just realized I kept calling them RCA 5 Stars in the above post...I mean to say GE 5 Stars! Too many tubes!

 

[Jefreywith1f]

Quote:

 
Who has 120 hours for something like that?!

I'm an instant gratification kind of guy, anyway, so I'll stick with the RCA 5 Stars and call it a day.

 
In the mean time, if anyone wants to try out the Voskhod EF95 and doesn't want to wait a month, I'll let my matched pair go for 14 bucks, free shipping. You'll get them in about 3 days within USA. Check my seller feedback and PM me...

I hear you there.  I will try to burn them in by letting my ipod run overnight while I'm sleeping.  In other words, 6-7 hours is about what I get a night. I'm in no hurry to burn them in.  Doesn't mean I'm not trying these tubes out the second they hit my doorstep.  Tracking shows in the States now. So, a few more days of patience.

 

[Mp0wer]

I agree the GE 5 stars sound amazing and I prefer them over the Voskhod EF95.

I just ordered a pair of GE JAN-5654W, which are supposed to be better than the 5 stars...will see :rolleyes:

 

[dxanex]

Quote:

I agree the GE 5 stars sound amazing and I prefer them over the Voskhod EF95.
I just ordered a pair of GE JAN-5654W, which are supposed to be better than the 5 stars...will see

 
lol, I have those too.....and still, GE 5 Stars all the way for me. You may like the JAN's better, though. I will say the treble has more sparkle than the GE 5 Stars, and guitars and female vocals especially sound really nice on the JAN's. But the 5 Stars definitely edge them out in the soundstage department. And they are just slightly warmer and cleaner sounding (to me). I do like the JAN's when listening to rock and some electronic, but there's still something about those 5 Stars that keep me coming back!

 
Let me know your impressions, I'm interested to hear what a fellow 5 Star lover thinks...

 

[Acapella11]

To my ears the the treble of the Voskhods had become milder during the burn-in process. Actually, I favoured them in the beginning a bit over the sound after 100 hours. After all, it is a fine sound coming from these tubes. I haven't tried the GE 5 Star, maybe I can be tempted...
 
If you favour spatial representation over forward sound, I can recommend the 6N6P-IR power tube. The differences may sound subtle first, but once you get into it, you can appreciate the black background, instrument separation and stage size opened up by the relatively warm 6N6P-IR.

 

[dxanex]

100 hours? 120 hours?....again I just gotta say...
 

 
But if the sound is perfect for you, then cheers to that!

 

[Cakensaur]

Just to ask, as I'm new to this whole tube rolling thing, what do you mean by "jumpers off"
I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
Thanks

 

[Acapella11]

dxanex: I  actually let them burn in without me being there at all times . This way the blocks became longer making it also easier to count the hours.
 
Mordy: I actually went back to the JAN-CTL-6AJ5 (who could forget them

) and lined them up with 6H30-EV. The 6AJ5 are put better into picture now. Dynamics (PRaT) is more lively and the 6AJ5 contribute the mid-sweetness and greater stage. Great combo and surely my favourite power tube for these. If you now ask whether I would like this over 6N6P-IR + CV4015

, then I wouldn't know yet but it surely is a good alternative at least. Personally, changing the jumpers is not one of my favourite things, it always takes me a few minutes to get them out and back on. So, I might get happily stuck with the 6AJ5 again for a bit.
 
Cakensaur: There are two pairs of jumpers on the LD MKIII, the black ones, which are switched between the default setting (not bridged) for EF95 family tubes (M8100, Voskhod 6J1P-EV, JAN5654, 6AJ5 ...) and bridged for the EF91 and EF92 family tubes (see thread start post). Then, there are little dip switches allowing to change between on and off in order to adjust the gain (loudness) of the amp. See also the LD MKIII manual.

 

[BillyAppleSauce]

Are the oils on your hands bad for tubes?

 

[dxanex]

Quote:

dxanex: I  actually let them burn in without me being there at all times . This way the blocks became longer making it also easier to count the hours.

I know, I just really wanted an excuse to use that animated GIF I found. But I still don't like to leave my equipment running for that long of a period of time. I'm sure it's ok, I'm just weird like that...

 

[Nirvana Woman]

Quote:

Are the oils on your hands bad for tubes?

I remember wondering about this and as I recall it should be no problem at all, as long as you take the least amount of care.