[tonykaz]

Mr. HOWIE13 in Scotland,
 
Betcha Schiit doesn't have a Vali 2, 230 Volt power supply, yet.  Not to mention a whole range of other issues they'll have to address as they attempt going Global.  
 
I'd imagine that everyone's Local manufacturers would cringe at the though of competing against (Schiit) a low cost range of product offerings, so expect Import Duties aplenty.
 
Speaking of Schiit; they appear to be paying Garage1217 a huge compliment by imitating the Dual-Triode Tube Rolling design concept.   Triode Rolling is where "all" the Action is in this Headphone Hobby!  I wonder if its gonna migrate over to the Big Two Channel Systems?  Seems this new format has gone Viral, Schiit has a viable Competitor in Garage1217 ( maybe for the first time ) or second if we count JDS and the ODac,
[size=x-small]the excitement is [/size]contagious, especially considering that Tubes range in cost from under $20 to $100 (or so). 
 
Somehow our little hobby seems to be mutating again but it's not coming from Asian outfits with $3,000 to $10,000 offerings. We seemed to have squirted away from under their thumbs!
 
Lucky us.
 
Tony in Michigan

 

[HOWIE13]

 
Mr. HOWIE13 in Scotland,
 
Betcha Schiit doesn't have a Vali 2, 230 Volt power supply, yet.  Not to mention a whole range of other issues they'll have to address as they attempt going Global.  
 
I'd imagine that everyone's Local manufacturers would cringe at the though of competing against (Schiit) a low cost range of product offerings, so expect Import Duties aplenty.
 
Speaking of Schiit; they appear to be paying Garage1217 a huge compliment by imitating the Dual-Triode Tube Rolling design concept.   Triode Rolling is where "all" the Action is in this Headphone Hobby!  I wonder if its gonna migrate over to the Big Two Channel Systems?  Seems this new format has gone Viral, Schiit has a viable Competitor in Garage1217 ( maybe for the first time ) or second if we count JDS and the ODac,
[size=x-small]the excitement is [/size]contagious, especially considering that Tubes range in cost from under $20 to $100 (or so). 
 
Somehow our little hobby seems to be mutating again but it's not coming from Asian outfits with $3,000 to $10,000 offerings. We seemed to have squirted away from under their thumbs!
 
Lucky us.
 
Tony in Michigan

Hi Tony
I couldn't agree more it really has been a hectic and exciting year on the G1217 tube rolling front. I feel it's been quite a learning experience from an historical perspective too. Nearly every morning I open my PC in anticipation of new ideas and tubes to try- I don't think it takes me away from the music though-actually it immerses me even more- much to my wife's chagrin.

 

[tonykaz]

Mr.HOWIE13,
 
Quite right, kinda feels like the excitement only could've happened because of the Internet and a site like this ( Head-Fi ) where folks can instantly learn from others, advance, share, advance again.   It's like one big University research laboratory with everyone working on similar projects ( my beginnings back in the early Post WW11 years at GMCorp.).  
 
We seem to be on one hell-of-a learning curve and we don't need to give Cavalli $3,500 to participate! 
 
Hmm,  what will the end of 2016 have us discussing as the relevant advances learned in 2016?: I imagine 3 or 4 important things if I project from this last year where we finally solved the DAC questions, Audiologist's hearing tests and personal hearing calibration for our gear, the greatness of Sennheiser transducers ( from the $300 to $1,500 level ) and wonderful Amplification designs from Garage1217.  
 
Well, thats my list.  Others got to my point a year earlier than I did but not much earlier than that was possible without spending a couple hundred thousand dollars on a nice dcs or MSB set of gear. 
 
The music reproduction future looks brighter than ever.
 
Bring it on,
 
Tony in Michigan

 

[disastermouse]

Hi Tony
I couldn't agree more it really has been a hectic and exciting year on the G1217 tube rolling front. I feel it's been quite a learning experience from an historical perspective too. Nearly every morning I open my PC in anticipation of new ideas and tubes to try- I don't think it takes me away from the music though-actually it immerses me even more- much to my wife's chagrin.

See?! This is the madness I'm trying to hold off for just a little longer before I get into tube amps.

 

[HOWIE13]

See?! This is the madness I'm trying to hold off for just a little longer before I get into tube amps.

...but it doesn't seem like madness when you do it.

 

[elvergun]

I just received a Project Ember (version I, with Supercharger module) and all I can say is WOW!!
 
 
It's not a perfect amp:  It looks like a toy (kinda, but in a good way) and the volume pot produces channel imbalance at low volume, but man, does it produce some sweet, sweet sounds.
 
It paired extremely well with my T5p and my THX00.  I will spend some time today using it with my HD800 -- I expect this to also be a good match.
 
This is the best under $500 amp I've heard.  This is also one of the best under $1000 amp I've been able to get my hands on.  I'm really, really impressed.  Now I just have to get a Valhalla 2 and a Crack to put them head-to-head with the Ember...just to find out which one is the best entry level amp. 

 

[richard51]

  I just received a Project Ember (version I, with Supercharger module) and all I can say is WOW!!
 
 
It's not a perfect amp:  It looks like a toy (kinda, but in a good way) and the volume pot produces channel imbalance at low volume, but man, does the it produce some sweet, sweet sounds.
 
It paired extremely well with my T5p and my THX00.  I will spend some time today using it with my HD800 -- I expect this to also be a good match.
 
This is the best under $500 amp I've heard.  This is also one of the best under $1000 amp I've been able to get my hands on.  I'm really, really impressed.  Now I just have to get a Valhalla 2 and a Crack to put them head-to-head with the Ember...just to find out which one is the best entry level amp. 

Wait now  to ascend the tube escalator to heaven.... for me there has been 3 revolutions each time better than the other: bugle boy 12au7, after that 6sn7 tube was better, after that 7193 dual one+ adapter better, and next i wait for my 6J5 adapter...Hence to know the Ember truly it is necessary to try many tubes...

 
 
p.s. By the way what are these under 1000 dollars amp did you listening to ? it will be interesting to have some impression of the Ember versus....

 

[elvergun]

 
Wait now  to ascend the tube escalator to heaven.... for me there has been 3 revolutions each time better than the other: bugle boy 12au7, after that 6sn7 tube was better, after that 7193 dual one+ adapter better, and next i wait for my 6J5 adapter...Hence to know the Ember truly it is necessary to try many tubes...

 

Crap...I forgot about tube rolling.  Here we go...

I'm using an Amperex Buggle Boy 6dj8, which I could not let go when I sold my Lyr.   The Ember came with the 6sn7 adapter, so what 6sn7 tubes should I be looking out for?   What differences will I hear?

 

[connieflyer]

I still like the KenRad vt 231 for the mids and bass and the Sylvania vt231. Some of the others are fine but I find when I use the 6sn7's these are the ones I use the most. Dual 6j5's, 6l5's get most of my time now

 

[richard51]

  I still like the KenRad vt 231 for the mids and bass and the Sylvania vt231. Some of the others are fine but I find when I use the 6sn7's these are the ones I use the most. Dual 6j5's, 6l5's get most of my time now

i  like any good tube with the ember...all sound interesting and good... But i have each time upgrade for the better...and dont look back....In the beginning i think that it will be not easy to differenciate my preference between  tubes but at each time i listen to an upgrade tube  that was evident to my ears that i prefere the new one... i only had difficult choice between same tube families... between 12au7 or other tubes in the same family.... between 6sn7 that was easy(only 3 species to try)... and the 7193 family was so good i never came back...Now my hope are for some 6j5  ( i had already bought the metal can  westinghouse 6j5) wait for my adapter...

 

 

[HOWIE13]

  I just received a Project Ember (version I, with Supercharger module) and all I can say is WOW!!
 
 
It's not a perfect amp:  It looks like a toy (kinda, but in a good way) and the volume pot produces channel imbalance at low volume, but man, does the it produce some sweet, sweet sounds.
 
It paired extremely well with my T5p and my THX00.  I will spend some time today using it with my HD800 -- I expect this to also be a good match.
 
This is the best under $500 amp I've heard.  This is also one of the best under $1000 amp I've been able to get my hands on.  I'm really, really impressed.  Now I just have to get a Valhalla 2 and a Crack to put them head-to-head with the Ember...just to find out which one is the best entry level amp. 

The channel imbalance below 9 o'clock on the vol pot is normal. Just invoke the input attenuation module to give yourself more rotation for the volume knob to get above the 9 o'clock position.
What richard51 says about the vast possibilities for tube rolling the Ember is a very important advantage of this amplifier and puts it ahead of it's competitors in allowing you to tailor the sound to the way you like it.
I don't know about tube rolling the Crack. I read it's very good for high impedance cans but not so good for lower impedance ones.  Valhalla's tube rolling ability is very limited in comparison to Ember. 
I also would have liked to buy a Valhalla but Schiit UK are unable at present to provide it (or the Vali 2), which I find somewhat disquieting.

 

[richard51]

I dont have any doubt that this unique  chamaleonesque potentiality of the Ember with so vast tube rolling possibilities is the ONLY reason why NO review has been rightly totally right on the point with his price/quality ratio.... how describe an amplifier that is so different sounding between the standard tube and for me the 6sn7 and the 7193 and now the 6j5 family?
 
the reviewing process does not do justice to the Ember, because how is it possible to do that? i had the Ember for 2 years now and i dont know how it will sound next month ....except if i dont play with his possibilities...

 
 
p.s. i know that i will try some other amplifier, probably microzotl, ss vintage sansui au 7700 is "en route"now , but how will it be possible for me to depart with the Ember ? no tube rolling experimentation? No i will have 3 amps for sure and the Ember will always be one of them ...Microzotl is entirely tube, Ember an hybrid, sansui a good ss one ....

 

[HOWIE13]

 
i  like any good tube with the ember...all sound interesting and good... But i have each time upgrade for the better...and dont look back....In the beginning i think that it will be not easy to differenciate my preference between  tubes but at each time i listen to an upgrade tube  that was evident to my ears that i prefere the new one... i only had difficult choice between same tube families... between 12au7 or other tubes in the same family.... between 6sn7 that was easy(only 3 species to try)... and the 7193 family was so good i never came back...Now my hope are for some 6j5  ( i had already bought the metal can  westinghouse 6j5) wait for my adapter...

 

That's interesting you are going to try a metal type. I have used an RCA metal 6J5 and it sounds great- BUT what I noticed is that it takes several minutes to warm up to produce the typical open and articulate 6J5 sound. Most of my glass tubes, of whatever type, including 6J5's only need 2-3 minutes- but these metal ones improve over about 20-30 minutes. I'll be most interested to learn how you find them.

 

[richard51]

  That's interesting you are going to try a metal type. I have used an RCA metal 6J5 and it sounds great- BUT what I noticed is that it takes several minutes to warm up to produce the typical open and articulate 6J5 sound. Most of my glass tubes, of whatever type, including 6J5's only need 2-3 minutes- but these metal ones improve over about 20-30 minutes. I'll be most interested to learn how you find them.

yes i cannot wait....the adapter is on his way...but if the metal can warm up slowly the risk of microphony is null ... i had read that ...is it true? 

 

[HOWIE13]

  I dont have any doubt that this unique  chamaleonesque potentiality of the Ember with so vast tube rolling possibilities is the ONLY reason why NO review has been rightly totally right on the point with his price/quality ratio.... how describe an amplifier that is so different sounding between the standard tube and for me the 6sn7 and the 7193 and now the 6j5 family?
 
the reviewing process does not do justice to the Ember, because how is it possible to do that? i had the Ember for 2 years now and i dont know how it will sound next month ....except if i dont play with his possibilities...

 
 
p.s. i know that i will try some other amplifier, probably microzotl, ss vintage sansui au 7700 is "en route"now , but how will it be possible for me to depart with the Ember ? no tube rolling experimentation? No i will have 3 amps for sure and the Ember will always be one of them ...

I must confess I was not taken by the stock JJ that came with my Ember. It works, of course, but didn't demonstrate the Ember's true potential to me. On the other hand many do like it.