[RickY B]

The biggest help i gave that amp was tossing the SMPS power supply ($15) and using a Linear Power Supply (LPS) Buy an HDPlex 200wt model and you will here superior imaging and 3D soundstage. I have boxes of tubes but for the last time, heard a very very small increase in SQ with Mullards and Amperex Holland Tubes. Even Inner Fidelity says the same about tube rolling with this amp. With the LPS it was huge. Goodnight Boys and Girls

 

[hannibal]

I have been running Matsu-shi-tah &DJ8's that I got from Upscale Audio, but just got in a pair of NOS Bugle Boy 6DJ8's. Have not tried them yet. Also have not tried an LPS; The Pathos people did not seem to think it would make much of a difference, but I do have an HDPlex, so if i feel like reaching around the back of my rack I may give that a whirl.

 

[Leotis]

Telefunkin 6922 is awesome. Will definitely make a major difference.
But it's wacky to think tube choice makes no difference in a hybrid design. WACKY!! haha

I really don't think this is true at least with my ears. Can you blindly tell the difference. My guess is you wouldn't guess correctly 3 out of 3 times. As far as tubes. I have always owned tube equipment but SS has come along way. Take Pass amp and Parasound for example. Yes, years ago tubes were superior but not today. The Violectric is superior and not at all bright. I was hesitant buying it because it was SS but it's the best move i've made in a long time. My speaker amp is a VTL S-400 with 16 tubes. It weight 220LBS so i do like tubes. The Aurium is great but the V281 isd superior. I have two friends that did the same as i by selling the Aurium for the Violectric V281. End of story. I'm just sharing my experience. No body will win this argument. Just stating my experience. i liked the Aurium but i love the V281. Bright, not even a little bit at least with me Hifiman HE1000V2s. Take care. signing out of this conversation.

I moved on from Pathos Aurium to Woo Audio WA5 and Wells Audio Headtrip. (With Abyss headphones.)
Woo WA5 is near the top of the pile for tube HP amps, and Headtrip is near the top of the pile for SS HP amps.
Had both those amps for the last year and a half, but let the Headtrip go because I like the Woo better.
Solid state has its strengths and weaknesses. Tubes have their strengths and weaknesses.
You overstate the case for solid state IMO.
I can easily tell the difference between Telefunkin and Electro Harmonix in the Pathos. But those tubes are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Obviously YMMV.
PS. Thanks for the power supply tip.

 

[doraymon]

I have an Sbooster high quality rpower supply compatible with the Aurium, I will give it a try and see if it changes anything.
Where do you guys buy your tubes?

 

[ivan1973]

The biggest help i gave that amp was tossing the SMPS power supply ($15) and using a Linear Power Supply (LPS) Buy an HDPlex 200wt model and you will here superior imaging and 3D soundstage. I have boxes of tubes but for the last time, heard a very very small increase in SQ with Mullards and Amperex Holland Tubes. Even Inner Fidelity says the same about tube rolling with this amp. With the LPS it was huge. Goodnight Boys and Girls

Hi Ricky B, I'm interested in what you said about HDPLEX with Pathos, could you please describe in more detail what parameters and how much better listening? Right now I have both the Pathos and the V281 I like both my hope and that HDplex can give the Pathos a Po more dynamic speed and transparency, what can you tell me about it? Thank you.

 

[RickY B]

Hi Ricky B, I'm interested in what you said about HDPLEX with Pathos, could you please describe in more detail what parameters and how much better listening? Right now I have both the Pathos and the V281 I like both my hope and that HDplex can give the Pathos a Po more dynamic speed and transparency, what can you tell me about it? Thank you.

It was two years ago but as my memory goes the soundstage opened up. I remember saying that the sound stage was more 3 dimensional. Overall a bigger more musical sound. I made a DC cable using the Oyaide 2.1mm Gold connector. I remember being very happy. The reason why Pathos won't admit it is because they would have to add many dollars onto the price for an outboard LPS. Just my opinion. All designers know that using an SMPS is a cheaper way out. Ask Ed Meitner of EMM Labs how important a good power supply is.
I had a friend on the West Coast that bought the HDPlex for his pathos and he was very pleased as well. Get a decent cable from Ghent Audio. You might need to adapt it to the XLR on the HDPlex. The Return on Investment with the power supply far exceeded the money i spent on tube rolling with this amp. Many people say they here a difference with their $200 Telefunkens etc because they want to hear it. I'd bet your money if they tried identifying them blindly they'd all fail. Just my opinion

 

[adri2000]

From my experience you can found tubes that have special synergy with this amp.

I have tested Siemens gold pin E188CC, Philips, Miniwatt Dario (Holland) E88CC D-Getter, Tesla ECC88 1969 and many other.

Siemens gold pin E188CC have better midrange textures.
Miniwatt Dario (Holland) E88CC D-Getter have better bass impact.
But with Tesla ECC88 1969 I have most balanced sound and best 3D soundstage.


Sound improvement is greater when you upgrade PSU and tubes.
I use Russ Andrews Powerpak Pro PSU.

Results is the same for all headphones I tested.

 

[Alu]

From my experience you can found tubes that have special synergy with this amp.

I have tested Siemens gold pin E188CC, Philips, Miniwatt Dario (Holland) E88CC D-Getter, Tesla ECC88 1969 and many other.

Siemens gold pin E188CC have better midline textures.
Miniwatt Dario (Holland) E88CC D-Getter have better bass impact.
But with Tesla ECC88 1969 I have most balanced sound and best 3D soundstage.


Sound improvement is greater when you upgrade PSU and tubes.
I use Russ Andrews Powerpak Pro PSU.

Results is the same for all headphones I tested.

Good tube info!
I might experiment with some of those in the future.

I'm still using this amp with great results ever since I got it a year ago or so - not going to replace it anytime soon.
I also got an aftermarket PSU almost the size of the amp itself from sbooster.
I can't discern any audible difference, but I just had some nervosa that got the better of me.

I would still recommend this amp happily to anyone, it's absolutely fantastic and really quite compact compared to a lot of its competitors, if desk space is an issue.

 

[adri2000]

My experience with PSU upgrade is in the some way the same. PSU upgrade alone did not give big improvement. Vibration isolation pads (Audwave P4TO) had better sound improvement that PSU upgrade.
After I upgraded PSU, tubes, vibration isolation pads and all wires for Pathos Aurium sound improved dramatically. Sound is very detailed, but in the same time musical with no hit from fatigue.

There is recording from Luna Negra and Ottmar Liebert - Up Close (2008). That is specially made for Headphones. They call it a binaural head recording. After I made all the upgrades and put this record, it was WOW experience. Before that it was same record as any other, but suddenly I was in recording room. I had such experience with headphones never before.

 

[RickY B]

In my humble opinion get rid of the Pathos. Yes, it's a great little amp but if you want to be blown away buy the Violectric V281. It's called an "End Game" amp by five different reviewers. Superior in every way to the Pathos. As far as recordings go the best recording i've heard is also a Binaural+ by Chesky by the jazz artist Camille Thurman called "Inside The Moment", you are on stage with the artists.
***** i just bought the new Manley Absolute Amp to compare to the Violecric. Read about it here.
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/manley-absolute-headphone-amplifier/

 

[themarkness]

Using the Pathos Aurium with a Chinese Zerozone 100VA linear power supply. Was cheaper than the other options out there. I paid $150. Pretty good improvement blacker blacks, increased clarity, less graininess, etc. doraymon on this site reviewed the PA (w/ Sbooster and Telefunkens) and did a A/B with the Vioelectric V281 and didn't find one to be better.

 

[RickY B]

To each his own. Like night and day to me. No looking back and i'm a tube guy. Everything about the Violectric was superior. There re five reviews on line that all call it an end game amp. I had two of my friends sell their Pathos Aurium for the V281 and all thanked me.. EOS

 

[adri2000]

I had Violectric HPA V200 and did not like this amp. So, decided do not look in direction of Violectric.

Checked Violectric V281 - 8 transistors to channel. 8 times more something to go wrong. To find matched pair of transistors is hard job. To find 8 matched transistors - mission impossible. Well you have more power - better bass control and attack, but also every instrument will separate. Sound will not be whole. I am guessing you can compere two Violectric V281 and find out that they will not sound the same. I do not need to listen to Violectric V281 to know that I will not like it…

I now have Auralic Taurus mk2 and compering it directly with upgraded Pathos Aurium. Auralic at first looked like winner. It has better resolution in highs. But it all sound like highs and bass is separate. Mids sounded thin. Also there is balanced option to separate (dismember) sound even more. Well there is point - when everything is separate enough, you start to hear some new “details”. But for me musical and coherent sound is more important that some extra detail. Auralic with all good what it has, I just was not in to listening music. Pathos Aurium maybe was losing somewhere in “Detail” to Auralic, but it still managed sound more musical and whole. Also, with all headphones I tested, Auralic Taurus with some sounded good, but with some not so well. Pathos Aurium managed to sound good with all headphones.

 

[RickY B]

I can't argue with you. just know what i and two other friends heard. The Aurium was murky compared to the Aurium with my NOS Amperex tubes. Maybe something to do with my EMM Labs DA2 DAC. Anyway i bought the new Manley Absolute Amp to compare to the Aurium. ENjoy your Aurium....

 

[thewatcher101]

I had the same experience in a sonic upgrade from doing vibration pads and PSU,

Do you guys leave the preamp on all the time?

I also been using it as a preamp for my speaker system more then my headphones.

Some might call it dry, but this unit is the most neutral sounding tube preamp. It just makes music more coherent and blends together better. If your looking to significantly distort the sound this unit is not what your looking for, but if you are looking for the holy straight wire with gain. This unit is the one.