[satwilson]

 
Nice!  Bargains galore - great time to be a tube roller

Gotta jump in here! billerb and I are HUGE Mini 188cc's fans. Both have sold our HG's, sorry Bob, we love our 74/75 Refs, but prefer the 188s! That being said, Bob has a unique setup that he loves. If you are interested, Bob, for your "shootout" I will ship to you US/Amperex/60/D Getters, 7308S B"Jesses, $425 tubes, certainly one of the top contenders.What year, code are the Minis you are rating?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

another big fan of 188s

 

[ThurstonX]

  another big fan of 188s

 
and yet another here, though I'm seriously digging the Jan./Feb. 1960 'D' getter Amperex 6922s I picked up from a Canadian eBayer recently.  Sounding great with my three main cans.

 

[billerb1]

Gotta jump in here! billerb and I are HUGE Mini 188cc's fans. Both have sold our HG's, sorry Bob, we love our 74/75 Refs, but prefer the 188s! That being said, Bob has a unique setup that he loves. If you are interested, Bob, for your "shootout" I will ship to you US/Amperex/60/D Getters, 7308S B"Jesses, $425 tubes, certainly one of the top contenders.What year, code are the Minis you are rating?

Steve, what are these 7308S B Jesses? That's a new one on me. Are you just referring to the 1960 Amperex 7308 D-Getters I sold to you? Is that the "Brent Jessee" price. Does he actually ever sell tubes at those prices???

 

[rb2013]

Steve, what are these 7308S B Jesses? That's a new one on me. Are you just referring to the 1960 Amperex 7308 D-Getters I sold to you? Is that the "Brent Jessee" price. Does he actually ever sell tubes at those prices???

LOL!

 

[billerb1]

LOL!

 

Hey, it's a legitimate question. I laugh everytime I see his and Tube Museum's prices. Give me a break.

 

[rb2013]

  Gotta jump in here! billerb and I are HUGE Mini 188cc's fans. Both have sold our HG's, sorry Bob, we love our 74/75 Refs, but prefer the 188s! That being said, Bob has a unique setup that he loves. If you are interested, Bob, for your "shootout" I will ship to you US/Amperex/60/D Getters, 7308S B"Jesses, $425 tubes, certainly one of the top contenders.What year, code are the Minis you are rating

As I said I'll have to check when they arrive.  I've had the Mini's in the past - they are very nice.  But not in the same league as my beloved Holy Grail '75 Reflektors IMHO.  But we'll see, that's why I want to try a couple of different ones.
 
The OP has a different amp I believe - a Woo now, with tube outputs.  A very sweet amp.  I had a Woo WA-6SE before the Lyr - I like the Lyr way better although it cost 1/3 as much.  As sweet as the Woo was - the Lyr is way more dynamic, exciting, and with the right tubes better detailed and just as musical.  It's a giant killer for sure.
 
I have some Heerlen Valvo/Philips E88CC coming as well.  Those are '60s date codes I believe. Delta factory codes
 
Tube rolling is awesome - and everyone will have a bit different tastes, hearing, systems, etc...  It's great to be able to share impressions.  Could you write a detailed review of the 188s including what they do that makes them your favorite.  It's helpful to know what stands out and how that compares to the other tubes you have.  I know our tastes diverge - as you loved the '75 6N1P's and I didn't care for them at all (I have some for $10/pr if anyone is interested in trying them).
 
Thanks in advance!~

 

 

[billerb1]

And by the way, Steve, I think it's apparent we need to re-negotiate those D Getters. It's obvious you FLEECED me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rb2013]

 

 
LOL!

 

Hey, it's a legitimate question. I laugh everytime I see his and Tube Museum's prices. Give me a break.

That's why I laughed!  Tube World's prices are high too. 
 
But then again I see folks pay $90/pr for new production Gold Lions - when they can have much better vintage '60s or '70s tubes for half the money.  Go figure.

 

[billerb1]

As I said I'll have to check when they arrive.  I've had the Mini's in the past - they are very nice.  But not in the same league as my beloved Holy Grail '75 Reflektors IMHO.  But we'll see, that's why I want to try a couple of different ones.
 
The OP has a different amp I believe - a Woo now, with tube outputs.  A very sweet amp.  I had a Woo WA-6SE before the Lyr - I like the Lyr way better although it cost 1/3 as much.  As sweet as the Woo was - the Lyr is way more dynamic, exciting, and with the right tubes better detailed and just as musical.  It's a giant killer for sure.
 
I have some Heerlen Valvo/Philips E88CC coming as well.  Those are '60s date codes I believe. Delta factory codes
 
Tube rolling is awesome - and everyone will have a bit different tastes, hearing, systems, etc...  It's great to be able to share impressions.  Could you write a detailed review of the 188s including what they do that makes them your favorite.  It's helpful to know what stands out and how that compares to the other tubes you have.  I know our tastes diverge - as you loved the '75 6N1P's and didn't care for them at all (I have some for $10/pr if anyone is interested in try them).
 
Thanks in advance!~

 

 

Yeah, different systems, different ears. We all have our own individual audio 'sweet spot'. For Bob it's the HG's. For me it's the early 60's Heerlen Miniwatt 188CC's...timbre and upfront presence makes for the most engaging "being there" listening experience I've heard on headphones. But, like Bob says, that's what makes tube rolling fun...and sometimes frustrating. Sometimes what's "supposed" to sound the best, doesn't...and vise versa. It's a totally subjective world out there in audio land.

 

[rb2013]

Yeah, different systems, different ears. We all have our own individual audio 'sweet spot'. For Bob it's the HG's. For me it's the early 60's Heerlen Miniwatt 188CC's...timbre and upfront presence makes for the most engaging "being there" listening experience I've heard on headphones. But, like Bob says, that's what makes tube rolling fun...and sometimes frustrating. Sometimes what's "supposed" to sound the best, doesn't...and vise versa. It's a totally subjective world out there in audio land.

+1 Well said my friend! 
 
Happy Rolling

 

 

[billerb1]

+1 Well said my friend! 
 
Happy Rolling

 

Cheers, Roberto !!!!!!!!!!! Will look forward to the shootout. Hope you don't end up with a junk pair of Minis. The Heerlen Valvos are really the same tubes but I've usually found the E188CC's a touch smoother and more layered in the soundstage than the E88CC's.

Hey, Bob...are those my old Koss headphones from college (early 1970's !!) in your avatar ???

 

[rb2013]

Cheers, Roberto !!!!!!!!!!! Will look forward to the shootout. Hope you don't end up with a junk pair of Minis. The Heerlen Valvos are really the same tubes but I've always found the E188CC's a touch smoother and more layered in the soundstage than the E88CC's.

Me too - they do have a return policy if they fail testing on arrival.
 
These shootouts are really fun - I learn something new each time.  They do require patience and time though, and you have to be able to hear a bunch of songs over and over and over.  Now if I can just find some choice CV2492/3's.  Upscale has them for $190/pr, quite steep.
 
BTW looking at his website this morning - he has the Philips SQ E88CC's for $300/pr.  They look just like the ones I bought for $68 - except mine are the better E188CC's

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/philips-sq-e88cc-6922-made-in-holland/
 
Here are mine:

 
How much differences are there in these Philips/Valvo/Mini's?   It sounds like there are some that are awful and some that are great.  I know that with the Voskhod 6N23P '75s, for example, they all sound great (assuming the tubes are fresh).
 
PS Yes they are the old Koss headphones I had in college as well.  That was in '77!  They were considered really good at the time.  You can still buy them new for $70.   Just for the record I use HD800's now.

 

[billerb1]

Me too - they do have a return policy if they fail testing on arrival.
 
These shootouts are really fun - I learn something new each time.  They do require patience and time though, and you have to be able to hear a bunch of songs over and over and over.  Now if I can just find some choice CV2492/3's.  Upscale has them for $190/pr, quite steep.
 
BTW looking at his website this morning - he has the Philips SQ E88CC's for $300/pr.  They look just like the ones I bought for $68 - except mine are the better E188CC's

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/philips-sq-e88cc-6922-made-in-holland/
 
Here are mine:

 
How much differences are there in these Philips/Valvo/Mini's?   It sounds like there are some that are awful and some that are great.  I know that with the Voskhod 6N23P '75s, for example, they all sound great (assuming the tubes are fresh).

 

In my experience...and I've owned about 7 or 8 pair of Heerlen E188CC or E88CC Miniwatts (Philips and Dario)/ Valvos (red and white print)...they all have subtle differences. All very upfront and not real wide SS...but I like that. The really good ones to me have very resonant, lush but 'real' instrument timbre. It's always a matter of degree. I stole a pair as I mentioned in a prior post this week of 1965 Heerlen Philips Miniwatt SQ E188CC's for like $73...by far the widest soundstage I'd ever heard on any Mini I'd heard...and the most prominent bass. But they still didn't touch my #1 pair of Minis for ultra-resonant instrument timbre and engagement. They're like snowflakes these Minis...all different, but typically in subtle ways.

 

[rb2013]

In my experience...and I've owned about 7 or 8 pair of Heerlen E188CC or E88CC Miniwatts (Philips and Dario)/ Valvos (red and white print)...they all have subtle differences. All very upfront and not real wide SS...but I like that. The really good ones to me have very resonant, lush but 'real' instrument timbre. It's always a matter of degree. I stole a pair as I mentioned in a prior post this week of 1965 Heerlen Philips Miniwatt SQ E188CC's for like $73...by far the widest soundstage I'd ever heard on any Mini I'd heard...and the most prominent bass. But they still didn't touch my #1 pair of Minis for ultra-resonant instrument timbre and engagement. They're like snowflakes these Minis...all different, but typically in subtle ways.

What's your #1?