[Striation]

 
 
Tubemonger makes it very clear the socket savers are NOT MADE IN CHINA but I guess India is ok  It reminds me of the 60's when Japan started flooding our markets with the cheapest made stuff on the planet but look where they are now.
 
Stri
 
Quote:

Just received a pair of Novib 9 pins socket saver and installed them on Lyr. The socket saver feels solid but the label printing is slightly blurry. There is a word "India" on the top of the black plastic. I assume that they are made in India (at least some parts of it). Initial impression, so far don't hear any difference in SQ.
 
The socket savers came in a plastic container. Well protected.

 
Opening the plastic container.

 
Novib 9 pins socket saver with NOS GE 6BZ7.

 
Lyr with the raised NOS GE 6BZ7.

 

 

[Striation]

I picked up a set of the Tungsrams and fired them up.  They are definitely on the bright side but I really like how forward sounding they are.  My Beyer DT 990's are a good match there but my Sennheisers prefer the warmer sets like the Bugle Boys etc.
 
Stri
 
Quote:

Two "relatively" inexpensive tubes that are getting some love with folks are the National/Matsu* 6922 and the Tungsram PCC88s.  They are known for better bass extension and treble detail (some may feel the Tungsrams are too bright at first but they settle down after a while).
 
http://www.tubemonger.com/Matsu****a_Japan_6922_E88CC_Mullard_Tooling_NOS_p/591.htm
 
http://www.tubemonger.com/MP_MINT_NOS_Tungsram_PCC88_Jan_Feb_MAR1971_Hungary_p/756.htm
 
I have sets of these and use them with my Lyr and LCD-3s.  I also have some Lorenz and other expensive tubes but for day-to-day listening, I keep coming back to these.  FWIW, I tend to favor the Matsu's over the Tungsram, but either way, I think you will find the "veil" will be gone.
 
 
As usual, IMHO and YMMV!
 
Cheers!

-HK sends
 

 

 

[HK_sends]

Quote:

I picked up a set of the Tungsrams and fired them up.  They are definitely on the bright side but I really like how forward sounding they are.  My Beyer DT 990's are a good match there but my Sennheisers prefer the warmer sets like the Bugle Boys etc.
 
Stri

The brightness will smooth out after a while.  I haven't tried them with my "fixed" LCD-3s yet, they may still sound bright.  I'll let them burn in a bit more with the updated LCD-3s and post my impressions.
 
Cheers

-HK sends
 
 

 

[olor1n]

Just in case there are HD800 owners here confined to listening from the lowly Lyr while they plot the acquisition of an ECBA - there is fantastic synergy to be found in Amperex Bugle Boys with this headphone. Much better across the board with the HD800 than the much hyped Stuttgart tubes.

 

[paradoxper]

Just throwing this out there: I wish we could get more recommendations/Impressions for tubes with LCD-3's. 

 

[ckc527]

Hi,
 
For those using socket savers, do your socket savers pop out along with the tubes each time you tube roll? 
 
Thanks,
ckc

 

[Nerolucido]

IHi, I currently have a pair of Mullards E88CC 1979 Dimple Disc Getter that I've bought on Tubemonger and one of them turned out to be very, very microphonic and humming loudly, at least with sensitive closed cans such as ATH-M50s. I love my Mullards with LCD-2s and Senn 600s but now I'm going to use my Lyr as preamp and the noise have to go.
Can you, Tube Gurus, please enlighten me on the kinds of tube that are most silent and less prone to microphonics? I'm not concerned about anything else. I'd prefer them to be on the neutral/warm side, but what really matters is the blackest background possible.

Please, help.
Thanks

 

[eddiek997]

The Amperex tubes are decent but the win has to goto the Siemens/Halske CCa tubes. I bought these off a fellow head-fi'er a few weeks ago and they really have made a difference. On a side note, to anyone who uses the port savers... I don't see the point in you buying Gold pin tubes when they will be connected via cheap alloy pins on the port saver. Find the best tube, leave it in. Enjoy. Port saved.

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

Hi,
 
For those using socket savers, do your socket savers pop out along with the tubes each time you tube roll? 
 
Thanks,
ckc

Probably about 50/50

IHi, I currently have a pair of Mullards E88CC 1979 Dimple Disc Getter that I've bought on Tubemonger and one of them turned out to be very, very microphonic and humming loudly, at least with sensitive closed cans such as ATH-M50s. I love my Mullards with LCD-2s and Senn 600s but now I'm going to use my Lyr as preamp and the noise have to go.
Can you, Tube Gurus, please enlighten me on the kinds of tube that are most silent and less prone to microphonics? I'm not concerned about anything else. I'd prefer them to be on the neutral/warm side, but what really matters is the blackest background possible.

Please, help.
Thanks

All of my newly made tubes are silent. I have two noisy sets that were nos, it's more of a gamble with old tubes. Tubemonger seems to pretty fair, if they are noisy to the point you can't enjoy them, they will more than likely change them out for you.

 

[Lord Soth]

Buying tubes from E-bay on my own, I have had very good luck with E188CC or 7308 tubes in the 6DJ8 family of tubes.
These are specially selected by the manufacturing company for low microphonics and balanced triodes.
There are always exceptions but the odds are in your favour if you go for such tubes.
For neutral tubes with a tinge of warmth, I recommend Siemens E188CC tubes with double getter support.
Try to get the old Siemens & Halske tubes.
 
Alternatively, you could try purchasing "platinum" or "gold" grade vacuum tubes from Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/6922/
Kevin is a very reliable tube dealer.
His tubes are priced higher than usual but IMHO, the price premium is worth it if you want tubes which are guranteed to be suitable for sensitive cans.
BTW, Kevin's Siemens 7308 (single halo getter) tubes are made by Philips ECG and are not what I am referring to above.
 
Quote:

IHi, I currently have a pair of Mullards E88CC 1979 Dimple Disc Getter that I've bought on Tubemonger and one of them turned out to be very, very microphonic and humming loudly, at least with sensitive closed cans such as ATH-M50s. I love my Mullards with LCD-2s and Senn 600s but now I'm going to use my Lyr as preamp and the noise have to go.
Can you, Tube Gurus, please enlighten me on the kinds of tube that are most silent and less prone to microphonics? I'm not concerned about anything else. I'd prefer them to be on the neutral/warm side, but what really matters is the blackest background possible.
Please, help.
Thanks

 

 

[mikek200]

  "For those using socket savers, do your socket savers pop out along with the tubes each time you tube roll? .....
 
 
Short answer......NO ..!!!!
 
On more than one occasion,I had a hell of a time getting it out of the amp   .
 
Recently,I bought a pair of these..Brass Rings..& Jesse is a pleasure to deal with.
 
     http://www.audiotubes.com/damper.htm
 
Seem to work better than the Tubemonger socket savers...looks better too.
 
 

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

Eddie I like my s&h cca's but I guess I'm too fickle. I roll different tubes for different genres or depending on the headphone I'm using.


I'm going to throw this out there as well, does anyone else do direct comparisons by leaving one tube in a socket, when switching pairs? Basically listening to two different tubes at The same time

 

[ckc527]

Quote:

Probably about 50/50
 

 
Does it seem to loosen up after tube rolling for awhile? So far I've only rolled in the stock GE tubes into the savers and they are super tight even after 5 - 6 repeated pulls.
 
ckc
 
 

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

Quote:

Probably about 50/50
 

 
Does it seem to loosen up after tube rolling for awhile? So far I've only rolled in the stock GE tubes into the savers and they are super tight even after 5 - 6 repeated pulls.
 
ckc
 
 

Huh maybe it does loosen up some, it feels to me like the connection between the tube and the socket saver is tighter. For instance when the tube and the SS are connected and I push them into the Lyr socket they lean which ever I rock them in

 

[ckc527]

Quote:

Huh maybe it does loosen up some, it feels to me like the connection between the tube and the socket saver is tighter. For instance when the tube and the SS are connected and I push them into the Lyr socket they lean which ever I rock them in

I noticed the exact same thing. Mine are so tight that after pulling the tubes out of the socket savers several times, a couple of the pins on my stock GE tubes are bent slightly. I can't seem to pull the tube out of the SS straight out, have to rock it back and forth multiple times for the SS to release the tube. Just wondering if this is normal or I should contact Tubemonger about it.
 
Anyone else have this problem?
 
Thanks,
ckc