[llcook51]

Really well, had to run certain warm tubes in my dac/MJ2 and equalize for it to decent. LP pairing sounds fantastic. Though 24 hours in LP sounds congested vs the MJ2 with the same cans, dac, tubes, source. Think more burn in will take care of that.

It took me about 50 hours for the LP to open up. Between 50-100, it fully revealed its best.

 

[TK16]

It took me about 50 hours for the LP to open up. Between 50-100, it fully revealed its best.

53 hours in and sounding less congested/muddy. Sounds really good with the LCD 2C, far better than the MJ2.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Amperex USA or Heerlen?


Here's a Amperex Hicksville, N.Y. D getter 6922 for $100 If anybody's interested.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Amperex-6922-Gold-Pin-D-getter-1959-1960-Vacuum-Tubes/223333644183

Hungary

 

[SoundInTheSea]

One of the things that I agree with the reviewer that the difference of sound quality between the single ended input and the balanced input is very small, smaller than the difference with the digital filters on my DAC.

Right now I am listening with the Liquid Platinum on my new Massdrop x Focal Elex that I received yesterday with the balanced cable. This is the first time I heard metal dome driver sounded so velvety smooth with no edgy harshness and no signs of any metallic tone to the sound. I used to hate metal dome tweeters especially in a car. The level of detail I heard with the Focal and Liquid Platinum is on another level and not even my Stax headphone can reach. I am still in awe that I spend $250 on a new DAC that makes the Liquid Platinum shine.

The performance of the Focal headphone is making me to rethink about replacing my Sceptre S6 monitors with something like the Focal Shape 65.

I have the same amp+can combo. May I ask what's your $250 dac?

 

[john57]

My new DAC driving the Liquid Platinum is the SMSL SU-8 with FW 1.3 and HW 1.2

First the cons:

It is so small as compared to my Audio GD, California Audio Lab, Burson Audio and the OPPO HA-1 I used to have. The SMSL SU-8 has a teeny weeny display in which I would need a pair of binoculars to read it across the room. The manual is even worst and I need a magnifier to read it and the graphs. You can not lose the remote because there is a special unlock key, the C key to electronically unlock the DAC for any adjustments. For some reason the Max volume is 38 which is a a bit odd number to use. It does not play any MQA files in which not a big issue for me. There was a problem with early units in that the XLR outputs were distorting a bit at max volume which was fixed with HW 1.2 by increasing the supply voltage to the buffers from 5v to 9v. It only comes in silver currently.

Second the pros:

As it turns out the SMSL SU-8 is one of the clearest and transparent sounding DAC I ever heard. I was not excepting that much of a change. I was quite surprised. I find that the remote turn out to be useful rather than a gimmick. I was watching a TV show on Netflix called Pine Gap in which two actors, a women and a man auguring on who is going to keep the cat. By using the remote I can change the seven digital filters on the ESS chip in real time and plainly hear the characters of the actor voices change. Some of the filters will change the male voice more and some others will change the female voice more. It was kind of surprising that two actors talking on a TV series will show the differences of the ESS 2ES9038Q2M digital filters on the SMSL SU-8. All my other four active DAC’s are using the ES9018 chip and this SMSL SU-8 is at end game level as far DAC’s is concerned. I can hear the differences even with my Sceptre S6 monitors. I brought mine at Amazon at $250 just because I wanted the HW level to be at 1.2 otherwise it would be easier to send it back. I use the balanced outs of the SMSL SU-8 to drive the Liquid Platinum amp just fine. By the way there is also 10 sound color options like three tubes and the 3 crystal options which would help a bit when actors are speaking in muddle English. There are rich setting also. Someone was telling me that the color options is really in the ES9038Q2M chip in which I can not confirm.I went back to my old DAC briefly and it sounded muffled as compared to the SMSL SU-8

 

[Wes S]

Thank you all for the feedback, it seems I shouldn't take a half step and just go for the LP when the time is right (mostly avoiding that raised price). My bank account on the other hand does not thank any of you

What tubes might you be using, Wes S?

Amperex 7308 USN-CEP

Look for code - VR5

 

[kumar402]

how easy is it to take those tube monger socket savers out of LP. I understand they make it easier to tube roll but once installed can we take it out easily as well. Does the upper surface of the saver goes above the top cover of LP or is it below the cover of LP. If it is below the top cover of LP wouldn't it be difficult to take it out.

 

[kumar402]

It seems liquid platinum is out of stock till 16th April. One of my collegue wanted to get it but it's not available till April.

 

[TK16]

Gain is way too high with my LP and Gumby (very little play on the amp volume control. Any of you guys using something in the chain to compensate balanced set up?

On my tube dac, I have a volume control on it to add some real movement on LP volume control.

 

[skyline315]

Gain is way too high with my LP and Gumby (very little play on the amp volume control. Any of you guys using something in the chain to compensate balanced set up?

On my tube dac, I have a volume control on it to add some real movement on LP volume control.

My Gumby/LP is fine (balanced) with the 650s and HE-500s. I'm somewhere between 9-12 on the dial.

YMMV based on tubes, headphones, and listening preferences.

I'm not using volume attenuation, but a lot of people are. There are a lot of options out there.

 

[TK16]

My Gumby/LP is fine (balanced) with the 650s and HE-500s. I'm somewhere between 9-12 on the dial.

YMMV based on tubes, headphones, and listening preferences.

I'm not using volume attenuation, but a lot of people are. There are a lot of options out there.

You mean something like this? Says powered speakers though.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXC9HH...olid=3MNN3N5N29NAW&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[DRHamp]

I've used this for balanced input - doesn't seem to affect SQ at least to my ears
https://www.amazon.com/TC-Electroni...&sr=8-1&keywords=tc+electronic+volume+control

Also used this for SE input
https://luminousaudio.com/collectio...p/products/axiom-ii-passive-preamp-walker-mod

 

[TK16]

I've used this for balanced input - doesn't seem to affect SQ at least to my ears
https://www.amazon.com/TC-Electroni...&sr=8-1&keywords=tc+electronic+volume+control

Also used this for SE input
https://luminousaudio.com/collectio...p/products/axiom-ii-passive-preamp-walker-mod

Really missing the low gain option of the MJ2 for the easy to drive cans with the Gumby. First link comes with the balanced cables?

 

[DRHamp]

Really missing the low gain option of the MJ2 for the easy to drive cans with the Gumby. First link comes with the balanced cables?

I agree on lack of a gain switch. Yes the first one includes balanced cables.

 

[TK16]

I agree on lack of a gain switch. Yes the first one includes balanced cables.

First link is on my list, waiting for some different options to choose from. BTW I found a couple pair of 6201 that did not exhibit any noise. 1 was the upscale audio Mullards. Most had various degree of noise and some had channel imbalances without noise. Though the channel imbalances tubes are matched. 1 pair of 51 Copenhagen ECC81 was fine but the protection kicked in mid song.