[Voodoochile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattesp /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think I will build a shrine for the 250th Ear+HD so you guys can come see it in all it's glory !

Nice catch! Looking forward to the pics.

 

[SP Wild]

I have read that the 250HD may hum with low z phones. I want a tube amp to pair with D7000 - zero hum, hiss, zilch is paramount - this is a long thread that I cannot trawl through. The Ear + HD is highly regarded for low z - I have visited the maple tree website and they now have a HD super II with external power supply. This seems attractive due to its EL84/12AX7 tube shared with my other tube amps. Can anyone chime in with experiences of D7000 coupled to maple amps. Thanks.

 

[eucariote]

^ I for one love my D7000 out the Mapletree Ear+ HD. There is no humming at all with 5751 tubes, even at max volume. Haven't tried them with 12AX7 tubes. For a reference, I like them as much my Grado HF-1 headphones with the amp and more than my 4 other closed headphones by a wide margin (all <80 ohm).

I've also read MacedonianHero rave about them with the same amp and lmilhan (the originator of this thread) seems to like the combination a lot.

I do find them a bit bright sometimes (but so do others with SS amps) so I've been using them with my Tung-Sol and Sylvania tmgp tubes.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP Wild /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have read that the 250HD may hum with low z phones. I want a tube amp to pair with D7000 - zero hum, hiss, zilch is paramount - this is a long thread that I cannot trawl through. The Ear + HD is highly regarded for low z - I have visited the maple tree website and they now have a HD super II with external power supply. This seems attractive due to its EL84/12AX7 tube shared with my other tube amps. Can anyone chime in with experiences of D7000 coupled to maple amps. Thanks.

With certain phones the Ear+ HD will have hum,as will many tube amps.
As an example SA5000 hardly any,CD3000 quite a lot,Headphile CD3000 with Apuresound recable to much to even contemplate listening to.

I added a couple 33 ohm resistors to the tranny output and this helped a lot,the SA5000 are now dead quite,the CD3000 just a very slight hum,but the Headphile CD3000's still pick up to much.

Do not get me wrong it is a great amp but is not suited to some low z phones.

 

[stang]

Did you try tube rolling? I found a couple of my tubes hummed and others were dead quiet.

 

[SP Wild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do not get me wrong it is a great amp but is not suited to some low z phones.

I was led to believe the contrary. Any I ideas what would be the "ultimate" low z tube amp for Denons (possibly Grados - never heard them and are curious). I think I will try the ohm adapter, cheers.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

I use Grados extensively with my HD+ and have no intrusive hum whatsoever. I'm using an RCA 7025 at the moment, but have also tried various 5751 and 12AX7 valves. Cannot comment about Denons.

For comparison, my WA6 often exhibits hum with both low and high impedance phones. It's well within the range of tolerance for a tube amp, but it's still present.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP Wild /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was led to believe the contrary. Any I ideas what would be the "ultimate" low z tube amp for Denons (possibly Grados - never heard them and are curious). I think I will try the ohm adapter, cheers.

It is not all about low z,it depends on the sensitivity which in my case for the CD3000's is 104dB/mW,I believe most Grado's are around 94.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you try tube rolling? I found a couple of my tubes hummed and others were dead quiet.

Tube rolling had no affect,this is a circuit induced hum that is there independant of the volume control.
I only use this amp with the SA5000 now so it is not a problem,just want others to know that with low z/high sensitivity phones noise can be a problem not just with this amp but all tube amps and a few SS amps as well.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eucariote /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ I've also read MacedonianHero rave about them with the same amp and lmilhan (the originator of this thread) seems to like the combination a lot.

Yep...zero hum that can be expected from any amp or iPod (with 5751 tubes that is). 12AX7 though...major hum with the D7000s (not recommended at all).

Actually I just got my hands on a GE 5 Star 5751, very nice! I think I might ever so slightly still prefer the Sylvania Grey Plate Triple Micas, but not by much!

 

[rich1122]

I can confirm that the HD250 has a serious hum issue with Grados that has nothing to do with the tubes. With mine, the hum is only present on the left channel and doesn't get louder when I increase the volume. It's pretty noticeable on my RS-1s, and it's even worse with my UM3Xs.

I've added the 50 ohm resistors as Dr. Peppard suggested, which helped some, but I'm thinking of trying higher ohm resistors to get it quieter.

 

[SemiAudiophile]

I did some exotic tube shopping for the past week. Picked up another pair of the lovely GE 5751 TMBP's and a rare treasure, the "Holy Grail of 5751", the Sylvania TMBP Gold Brand. They're gold brand, but don't actually have gold pins. I just got the Sylvania's today and warming them up right now. I didn't expect much, but they do sound noticeably different than the gray plate versions. Too soon to say for sure, but they kinda sound like a even more refined and detailed version of the GE TMBP's. I can still sense the tube warmth, but the black plates are a lot less warm than the gray plate version, and even less warm than the GE TMBP. Separation is fantastic.

I'm still waiting for the Raytheon WMG's (thanks for the link Dongringo). Only tube I'm still searching for are the Tung-Sol black plates.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemiAudiophile /img/forum/go_quote.gif I did some exotic tube shopping for the past week. Picked up another pair of the lovely GE 5751 TMBP's and a rare treasure, the "Holy Grail of 5751", the Sylvania TMBP Gold Brand. They're gold brand, but don't actually have gold pins. I just got the Sylvania's today and warming them up right now. I didn't expect much, but they do sound noticeably different than the gray plate versions. Too soon to say for sure, but they kinda sound like a even more refined and detailed version of the GE TMBP's. I can still sense the tube warmth, but the black plates are a lot less warm than the gray plate version, and even less warm than the GE TMBP. Separation is fantastic. I'm still waiting for the Raytheon WMG's (thanks for the link Dongringo). Only tube I'm still searching for are the Tung-Sol black plates.

Interesting...I actually prefer the slightly more open and airy presentation of the grey plates to the black plate.

 

[orkney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemiAudiophile /img/forum/go_quote.gif I did some exotic tube shopping for the past week. Picked up another pair of the lovely GE 5751 TMBP's and a rare treasure, the "Holy Grail of 5751", the Sylvania TMBP Gold Brand. They're gold brand, but don't actually have gold pins. I just got the Sylvania's today and warming them up right now. I didn't expect much, but they do sound noticeably different than the gray plate versions. Too soon to say for sure, but they kinda sound like a even more refined and detailed version of the GE TMBP's. I can still sense the tube warmth, but the black plates are a lot less warm than the gray plate version, and even less warm than the GE TMBP. Separation is fantastic.

I love the Syl Gold Brand 5751s -- by far my favourite of that family. Hopefully will be able to try them out in an HD Super II... soon...

best,

o

 

[JeepnHeel]

I'm really pumped -- Dr. Lloyd is making my Super II Custom right now. This is my first headphone amp and first foray into tubes... wanted to start off right!

I originally had ordered an EAR+ HD, but as time came closer to the build I just couldn't keep my $$ in the wallet... although the difference actually wasn't much with his introductory price. Will post impressions when they come in, but I really don't have much experience to compare it to.