[UntilThen]

With the headphone amplifier, the HD800(S) scales remarkably, the headphones are also comfortable, leaving little to be desired...

The only change I made to my HD800 is to replace the pads with ZMF pads for HD800. I have not remove them since and that's almost a year ago.

I go through as many headphones as I do tube amps so it's a surprise that I am really enjoying HD800 now with Ultimate. It's a marriage made in heaven for my ears.

 

[mordy]

The only change I made to my HD800 is to replace the pads with ZMF pads for HD800. I have not remove them since and that's almost a year ago.

I go through as many headphones as I do tube amps so it's a surprise that I am really enjoying HD800 now with Ultimate. It's a marriage made in heaven for my ears.

HD800 or HD800S?

 

[albertmuc]

The only change I made to my HD800 is to replace the pads with ZMF pads for HD800. I have not remove them since and that's almost a year ago.

I go through as many headphones as I do tube amps so it's a surprise that I am really enjoying HD800 now with Ultimate. It's a marriage made in heaven for my ears.

Greg, have you read this...

There are also great offers

 

[UntilThen]

HD800 or HD800S?

HD800. I don't mind HD800s but I prefer HD800. I bought the HD800s for my son so that I can keep the HD800 for myself.

I was just at his place on the weekend listening to the HD800s with Violectric v281. The v281 is a nice sounding solid state with slight warmth but Ultimate is much much better.

 

[UntilThen]

Greg, have you read this...

There are also great offers

Don't try to influence Greg on what headphone he should have. Everyone have their own preference.

When I say that I have been through as many headphones as tube amps, I wasn't kidding.

Audeze LCD2f, LCD3f, LCD-X, LCD4, Sennheiser HD650, HD800, Beyer DT880 250 ohms, T1v1 and v2, ZMF Eikon, Atticus, Verite Open LTD Pheasant wood, HiFiMan Arya, He1000se, Susvara, He6 v2, Grado GH1, Hemp, 325x, RS1X.

 

[Deleeh]

Hello,
Sorry I have been a bit busy, a good parcel arrived today from England.
Firstly don't argue with me.
I listened to the HD800 in the shop on a Mcintosh mha 200.
It wasn't quite my cup of tea.
I found the Zmf Auteur Og better, but I haven't listened to the HD800 on Ultimate, that might change.
The other thing is I found out why I got the hearing loss.
I changed the pads on the Atrium from Auteur lambskin to Universe on Monday and that was the cause.
The Universe pads are flat and had too much pressure on the left side.
I didn't realise it could cause this.
This may limit my future purchases.
As for the parcel from the UK it had the caps in it where I don't say yet.
The operation on the open Ultimate is already done.
It wasn't quite so easy this time, everything was tight and what I achieved today was the absolute limit.
I still managed it though, even if the last millimetres had to be found for a clean soldering.
Ultimate is just running in with the new caps without any problems.
Or rather the first function test with tubes that are no longer quite fresh, some of which are less good, I have fitted them for the test and let the caps charge up a bit before I switch to tubes that still need to be inserted.
The caps still have to be worn in a bit depending on the voltage where I don't know, I was told up to 300 hours.
Well, let's see how it develops and whether it will be any better or worse than the Mundorf.
I'm curious.

By the way, my ear has fortunately recovered and I am very happy about that, even if it was difficult to keep quiet during the days.
Today is the first day that everything sounds normal.

 

[Deleeh]

@triod750

Here are the photos of the Valvo E80CC I received.
It would be great if you could compare them with yours.
Would be happy to hear what you think and what your assessment is.

 

[VanHai]

I had a blast session this morning. Turned on my 4 amps and listened simultaneously with 2 switch boxes to see who was zooming who.

DNA Sonett 2 : Tronal Japanese 5AR4 (Rectifier) and Super Tube 6H30-DR (Input)

Woo Audio WA22 2nd Gen : TS 5998 (Power) Mullard GZ 34 (Rec) and Amperex 6201 (Driver)

Ultrasonic Studios Oblivion : A quad 6S19P (Output) and Telefunkun 12AX7 Long Plate (Input)

Super UltimatE : Genalex Gold Lion GZ34 (Rec) Telefunken EL12 Spez (Power) and 5A/152M (Driver)

I changed so many power tubes on the UltimatE, and it ran neck to neck with the other 3 amps. Especially with DNA Sonett 2. Finally, with EL 12 Spez, it pulled ahead. Not a landslide, but like a 1/2 foot ahead. Matt is right about the EL 12 Spez. It is a spacious, airy, rich and very dynamic tube.

 

[David A Silva]

Nice Matt...great minds thinking alike on this thread. I also ordered 5A-152M w/adapters from Mrs X before she closed shop. I also decided to try 5B-255M which are an 807 variant without the anode cap. Thanks to @VanHai for guidance on the 5A-152M option. I REALLY should stop buying tubes but they all sound SOOOO good in UltimatE with just enough variation in sound character to keep it interesting. An issue now is I am out of room in my tube storage space, seemed more than ample when I started this journey several years ago. Guess I'll relegate some tubes I don't use often to a secondary space, bubble wrapped in a shoebox or some other inelegant solution.

I can stop anytime I want to though, really I can.

My name is David, and I’m a tubeaholic. Good to be here!

 

[VanHai]

My name is David, and I’m a tubeaholic. Good to be here!

Please add me to your list. I would rather be a tubealholic than an alcoholic and a drug addict.

 

[David A Silva]

Had a delayed delivery I forgot was coming. Philips EL84 6BQ51963 rX4. So out come the KT170s and in go the EL84. Warm midrange, thick resonant bass, not quite as extended in the treble, but the treble is clear and crisp. Hoping the treble will open up a bit with use. Still working with Mazda EZ81 and Ken Rad 6C5s.

As everyone notes, nearly all tubes sound wonderful in the Ultimate!

 

[triod750]

@triod750

Here are the photos of the Valvo E80CC I received.
It would be great if you could compare them with yours.
Would be happy to hear what you think and what your assessment is.

I'm sorry Deleeh, I can only find my E80CC:s from the fifties right now and they have D-getters and thick glass with pinched waist. I have a couple of 'modern' versions like yours too, somewhere. They also have 'ring' or 'halo' getters but I don't remeber the size of these. I will look for them but the only way for me to see where they were made is to check the codes. I only have Philips made versions from Heerlen and Valvo and no Tungsram Hungary.
One of my old versions has the same red Valvo branding as yours and is coded Philips Heerlen, Holland, March 1957. Another has the white Mullard logo and is coded Heerlen September 1959. I don't find a Valvo version right now. Too many tubes and boxes and wives to keep them in order.

 

[jonathan c]

Too many tubes and boxes and wives to keep them in order.

(?)

 

[triod750]

Had a delayed delivery I forgot was coming. Philips EL84 6BQ51963 rX4. So out come the KT270s and in go the EL84. Warm midrange, thick resonant bass, not quite as extended in the treble, but the treble is clear and crisp. Hoping the treble will open up a bit with use. Still working with Mazda EZ81 and Ken Rad 6C5s.

As everyone notes, nearly all tubes sound wonderful in the Ultimate!

You might need to change your inputs to get the extended treble?
What factory code did you find on these EL84 (below the rX type code)?

 

[triod750]

(?)

One wife is enough to mess your perfect order up, thus one is too many.