RAAL 1995 Immanis

Jan 11, 2025 at 9:02 PM Post #4,711 of 5,777
Every time I think about my older tubes and how they sound, I'm amazed that many of these were created for a war, not our listening pleasure some many decades later. It is simply stunning!
Isnt it just .. my favourites were made for Radar!! (CV6/DET20).
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM Post #4,712 of 5,777
Isnt it just .. my favourites were made for Radar!! (CV6/DET20).
It's funny that you mentioned the CV6 / DET20 tubes.

I first tried the white label Mullards, then the Russian version and finally the GEC (I had to buy the adapters again after I included them with the Mulllards or Russian variant I sold) and I simply was underwhelmed with all 3 versions.

There was nothing wrong with them but I had so many other drivers that were outstanding that the CV6 left me wondering what I was missing?
I kept buying them since they were relatively cheap for 4 and a lot of people seemed to really like them but I never understood the attraction other than their pricing.
I am OFF the CV6 for ever!!!!!!!

I can't say that about any other tube type I have tried in 25 years.
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 4:39 AM Post #4,713 of 5,777
Limit to your love is a whole lot of fun. Watching the ribbons flutter on this song is also fun! Of course, watch the volume, for sure.

Limit to your Love has been one of my bass-test tracks since I started with „serious“ headphones in 2011 (Senn HD650 back then). It’s still pretty crazy.
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 9:20 AM Post #4,714 of 5,777
It's funny that you mentioned the CV6 / DET20 tubes.

I first tried the white label Mullards, then the Russian version and finally the GEC (I had to buy the adapters again after I included them with the Mulllards or Russian variant I sold) and I simply was underwhelmed with all 3 versions.

There was nothing wrong with them but I had so many other drivers that were outstanding that the CV6 left me wondering what I was missing?
I kept buying them since they were relatively cheap for 4 and a lot of people seemed to really like them but I never understood the attraction other than their pricing.
I am OFF the CV6 for ever!!!!!!!

I can't say that about any other tube type I have tried in 25 years.
Thats bizarre. I collected all CV6 derrivatives such as E1148 / 2c22 / 7193 / 6C8P / 6C5C all to me were every bit as good as any 6SN7 and any 6j5. The russians and White label mullards were my favourite back oin HA300II, but on Cayin im quite enjoiyng the MWT marconi versions. I still have a fine collection of 6SN7 such as Brimar CV1998, ECC32, VT-231 grey glass rca, RCA red 5692 and under the Cayin Soul, they are all fantastic performers. I'd be happy to take any of them. Most others i find to be dross but these are the ones i dotn mind holding onto and would class as the best of what ive heard. In the Elrog days, mullard maybe took the edge of them, and for the Susvara that rounded sound was just stunning. On the Cayin, i think the KT170s impart their own "Im taking over" and i dont hear too much of a drastic difference from one cv6 to 6SN7 apart from the standard JJs that are nasty and harsh for me. Now, truth be told, i have not rerolled with immanis in play and that im very much looking forward to. But they need to be fully run in before runing this exercise. Also i have a personal opinion that driver tube changes may very well come down to how well a power supply performs. And i think Cayins 170 split LOW/HIGH voltage in their monstrously heavy box might be orders of magnitude better due to having to power the KT170's. I think it got over engineered and therefore drivers on this amp and more like flavour changes that the "WOW holographic" i used to hear on HA300II. I think 170 Soul is a beast.

So, I will come back to you with my impresssions down the line when Immanis are nicely run in.
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 9:23 AM Post #4,715 of 5,777
Limit to your Love has been one of my bass-test tracks since I started with „serious“ headphones in 2011 (Senn HD650 back then). It’s still pretty crazy.
And there was me thinking i found something new LOL!!! The song for 80% is excellent, but i dont understand the very monotone bass notes at the end of the song... if it dropped a note lower it would be more melodic. Even so, it was nice to stumble onto a music type i've had little to do with ... if you have more like it you could share, then please do! One thing a TOTL headphone system has given me in the ability to listen to ANYTHING. There is no music that sounds rough like my 2 channel systems unless it was engineered to sound rough. Whereas most of my two channel systems were quite bright and that led to listening only to music that suited the system. I feel like i have musical freedom with the current setup and its bliss.
 
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Jan 12, 2025 at 4:33 PM Post #4,716 of 5,777
Thats bizarre.

So, I will come back to you with my impresssions down the line when Immanis are nicely run in.
I’m fortunate to have many of the same top tier drivers as you @jonchard

3 squads of CV6 types and 2 sets of adapters later and I realize these are not the tubes for me.
I was using Sus OG at that time and now Immanis.

Tele G73-r, Siemens C3G, too many 6SN7 and 12AU7, 6J5, 6S5S, 5A / 152m are some of my favorites.

We all hear differently and have our own preferences………
 
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Jan 12, 2025 at 5:16 PM Post #4,718 of 5,777
I’m fortunate to have many of the same top tier drivers as you @jonchard

3 squads of CV6 types and 2 sets of adapters later and I realize these are not the tubes for me.
I was using Sus OG at that time and now Immanis.

Tele G73-r, Siemens C3G, too many 6SN7 and 12AU7, 6J5, 6S5S, 5A / 152m are some of my favorites.

We all hear differently and have our own preferences………
G73-r i refused to pay out for those lol! I probably would these days but was put off by a friends review, funny we both loved the mullards!

5A / 152m tell me more about these and their respective costs please :) Unobtanium?
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM Post #4,719 of 5,777
I think I may know this 'friend' you are referring too! If it's the same guy, he is a bit frugal and likes to find great tubes for little $$$. I was fortunate and snagged my G73-R when they were far less expensive.

The 5A / 152m are available if you hunt just a bit but, like a lot of our more exotic tubes, require adapters. Loctal base like the C3G but different pin-out. Branded as STC or ITT.

I found a pair of STC on E-Bay UK from 1957:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/38777741...0dDx009O1AYkHrcuV6fDm9aYLW|tkp:Bk9SR-bj8sqLZQ

These tube are single plate and draw way more current than the 6SN7............

I find them similar to the detail of the C3G.
 
Jan 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM Post #4,720 of 5,777
I think I may know this 'friend' you are referring too! If it's the same guy, he is a bit frugal and likes to find great tubes for little $$$. I was fortunate and snagged my G73-R when they were far less expensive.

The 5A / 152m are available if you hunt just a bit but, like a lot of our more exotic tubes, require adapters. Loctal base like the C3G but different pin-out. Branded as STC or ITT.

I found a pair of STC on E-Bay UK from 1957:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387777415896?_skw=5a+/152m&itmmeta=01JHEAWP7691V5RK318Y45NE85&hash=item5a4955cad8:g:Z6MAAOSwDupnNHAh&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKnArCoOETOBmo2jqdZd9tTj419pS2dgj64CgM8jRZrPO8drS3ZDeD0EeJ43JbHzWl6lKYJBmsAvh5ujR7B2IuVTOW2G/MCQg--5Y20bpUVLqtsfxSdThMOpO/FCyEwToCdmB6R/Wv9aJPMfPrvY8Z637Cgr5dRJfBiWi7MWHDQ3iq5MyTBPHMl6MNj0Qg/au1VWJkIXkdgz7kZ2F8t9p9/r+mpx3iiBo6L2mYhaGFOfVjziaDxtA0Y8J4O16t0dDx009O1AYkHrcuV6fDm9aYLW|tkp:Bk9SR-bj8sqLZQ

These tube are single plate and draw way more current than the 6SN7............

I find them similar to the detail of the C3G.
C3G I also would like a crack at :) WHen you say 5A / 152m draw more current, is that typically a problem for some amps? Is a 170Soul likely to be able to give it what it needs?

Im mighty tempted to try the ones you listed ... need to find adapters but out of time tonight. MrsX adapters seems to have dissapeared off ebay which is unfortunate. I might have to go to Deyan. which isnt cheap to the UK. THanks for your time.

I dont think its a common friend, he did pay a lot though and gave them up very quickly. I think maybe if you are detail fiend, then i could see why CV6 didnt do it for you. I just wanted an easy time with holographics ... they worked well for me. Ive never really chased detail as i had so many bright systems in the past they just got tiring. This last build was about buying something that could play everything ... to be almost genre free :) in one system. And it largely meets its objective for my expectations. I dont tire of this sound, and i dont regret the purchase. THats not true of many 2 channel systems i bought previously!
 
Jan 13, 2025 at 12:53 AM Post #4,721 of 5,777
It's funny that you mentioned the CV6 / DET20 tubes.

I first tried the white label Mullards, then the Russian version and finally the GEC (I had to buy the adapters again after I included them with the Mulllards or Russian variant I sold) and I simply was underwhelmed with all 3 versions.

There was nothing wrong with them but I had so many other drivers that were outstanding that the CV6 left me wondering what I was missing?
I kept buying them since they were relatively cheap for 4 and a lot of people seemed to really like them but I never understood the attraction other than their pricing.
I am OFF the CV6 for ever!!!!!!!

I can't say that about any other tube type I have tried in 25 years.
I share your thoughts on CV6, tried 3 sets, just didn't vibe with them at all. They weren't bad, I just have others that "do it better". 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
Jan 13, 2025 at 1:10 AM Post #4,722 of 5,777
I share your thoughts on CV6, tried 3 sets, just didn't vibe with them at all. They weren't bad, I just have others that "do it better". 🤷🏼‍♂️
Yeah, I thought I was missing something. Like you, I bought 3 sets figuring I hadn't found the 'special' version yet only to sell them off with the adapters.
There was nothing wrong with them I just preferred most any other driver I already owned over the CV6.
I understand the hunt for inexpensive giant killer tubes but these were just not for me.

Now, back to Immanis chat!!!
 
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Jan 13, 2025 at 5:51 AM Post #4,723 of 5,777
Just received mine today. Shout out to Sean of SLT Technolgies in Singapore for the speedy service.

immanis + 465.jpg


This combo is very nice. Maybe I have a bias towards SS nowadays and sensitivity to HF is rolled off. Growing old s**ks.
 
Jan 13, 2025 at 6:17 AM Post #4,724 of 5,777
when you are using your Immanis with your MK465, what is the XLR gain switch that you set at the back of the amp?
 
Jan 13, 2025 at 6:40 AM Post #4,725 of 5,777
when you are using your Immanis with your MK465, what is the XLR gain switch that you set at the back of the amp?
I set the XLR to +4 but my input is RCA (XLR taken by the WES). Front panel gain is medium I think & 11 o'clock is a nice vlume to listen at.
 

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