[jonathan c]

Wow, those look pretty deluxe. $150 for the pair was probably the max for me. I got the EH anyways but I assume the 12AXX stuff with converters have a higher gain or something?

Maybe if I think the EH are weak I'll consider converters and the 12AXX stuff. I was using the 6CG7 EH in my Vali and thought it was pretty darn good.

Higher gain, yes. 12AT7s typically feature taller ‘plates’, often feature ‘triple mica’ construction, sometimes feature ‘square-D’ getters ===> better sonic projection across the frequency spectrum.

 

[Fertamblez56]

Higher gain, yes. 12AT7s typically feature taller ‘plates’, often feature ‘triple mica’ construction, sometimes feature ‘square-D’ getters ===> better sonic projection across the frequency spectrum.

Wow, that tech spec sounds interesting! Now I'll have to try it to compare sometime. Sounds like they're very well built. I don't know if I'll go into that spending territory at the present moment though.

 

[jonathan c]

Wow, that tech spec sounds interesting! Now I'll have to try it to compare sometime. Sounds like they're very well built. I don't know if I'll go into that spending territory at the present moment though.

Take your time. On the headphone amplifiers that ‘natively’ use 6922 / 6DJ8 etc tubes, I have gone to 12AU7s (20x gain) or 12AT7s (60x gain). E.G., 12AU7s for Liquid Platinum … 12AT7s for Woo Audio WA3 … in all cases, broad-based sonic improvement has been had.

 

[old guy 42]

Wow, those look pretty deluxe. $150 for the pair was probably the max for me. I got the EH anyways but I assume the 12AXX stuff with converters have a higher gain or something?

Maybe if I think the EH are weak I'll consider converters and the 12AXX stuff. I was using the 6CG7 EH in my Vali and thought it was pretty darn good.

Please post your thoughts on the EHs as I am considering them also
Thank you…..

 

[Fertamblez56]

Please post your thoughts on the EHs as I am considering them also
Thank you…..

Sure, I'll give 'em a listen and some thoughts in about a week.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

I ditched my cheap socket savers for my Vahalla 2.. I originally bought them to lift the tubes out of the amp to run cooler. I also put taller feet on it. I figured the amp designers at Schiit new what they were doing putting the tubes where they're at. With the taller feet on it the amp runs cooler than my Asgard 2 or 3. I swear it sounds different too without those el cheapo socket savers.
I love this amp with my 300 and 600 ohm headphones. I pair it up with a Modi multibit one or two and use an Audiolab 6000CDT transport.

 

[RoninChaos]

I ditched my cheap socket savers for my Vahalla 2.. I originally bought them to lift the tubes out of the amp to run cooler. I also put taller feet on it. I figured the amp designers at Schiit new what they were doing putting the tubes where they're at. With the taller feet on it the amp runs cooler than my Asgard 2 or 3. I swear it sounds different too without those el cheapo socket savers.
I love this amp with my 300 and 600 ohm headphones. I pair it up with a Modi multibit one or two and use an Audiolab 6000CDT transport.

What feet did you get?

I’m using socket savers too cause of the heat. Mine sits on my bifrost and it made EVERYTHING hot. The socket savers were the only way to get things semi-cool.

Got any pics? I’m curious how the feet helped.

 

[Ripper2860]

I would never advocate 'cheap socket savers' for use with any gear. These have graced my VH2 for years with no regrets, lowering internal and case temps considerably.

https://pulsetubestore.com/products/plug-play-novib-socket-saver©-1960s-nos-british-mcmurdo-phenolic-socket-on-top-plus-vibration-reduction-base-9-pin-b9a-noval-not-made-in-china?_pos=2&_sid=bdbc8fd1a&_ss=r

But then again, I'm OCD.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

What feet did you get?

I’m using socket savers too cause of the heat. Mine sits on my bifrost and it made EVERYTHING hot. The socket savers were the only way to get things semi-cool.

Got any pics? I’m curious how the feet helped.

Just a pair I ordered off Amazon. Plenty to choose from there. .

 

[_js_]

I 100 percent agree with Ripper2860: never use cheap socket savers! The link provided above is what I have. That said, I don’t use mine currently. Got them to pair with the adapters to allow me to use 12Axx tubes. (Mostly for aesthetic reasons - like the back tubes higher).

I have used them before and heat was reduced and sound was definitely not affected that I could tell.

They don’t make them like they used to. Get some of the good ones while you have the chance! Same re: tubes!

My VH2 is running Voshkod Rockets and whatever power tubes it came with. Bifrost MB feeding it and Senn HD6XX on the output and I have yet to hear a setup I like better than this one. I’m in audio nirvana. I just enjoy my music for hours on end, no fatigue, no stresing about sound quality. I love it.

I don’t love being a gearhead and having lots of equipment and comparing and contrasting and searching searching searching. I do it when I have to, but when I find a place to land I stay there as long as the powers that be will deign to allow me to.

At work I have a Bifrost MB —> Lyr2 w/ 12Axx adapters and Brimar CV4033 tubes (Rochester plant I think?) powering Senn HD600’s and I also love this setup. All in all I’d pick the VH2 home setup if I had to pick just one.

But I don’t. And I have settled on acceptably good setups for both home and office. Very happy!

 

[Lvivske]

I'm perfectly happy with cheap socket savers, they do the job, just make sure the screw is tight and nothing is loose

 

[Ripper2860]

Kudos! I'm all for whatever makes one happy. The objective here is to have fun and enjoy the music. As in most things in life -YMMV.

 

[Lvivske]

One thing that is driving me nuts though is - and I think its been the same problem for years now that led me to recap and swap some resistors out to identify the fault - is this muddy farty sound I get in one channel

that is, right now it sounds amazing, but when I swap the Brimar tubes to left to right, the right channel sounds muddy and broken. I switch them back, and it sounds fine. Why the hell would a tube malfunction only in one channel but not the other? head scratcher

 

[_js_]

Channels must not be identical electrically in one or more ways.

 

[greenblured]

One thing that is driving me nuts though is - and I think its been the same problem for years now that led me to recap and swap some resistors out to identify the fault - is this muddy farty sound I get in one channel

that is, right now it sounds amazing, but when I swap the Brimar tubes to left to right, the right channel sounds muddy and broken. I switch them back, and it sounds fine. Why the hell would a tube malfunction only in one channel but not the other? head scratcher

Have you tried the swapping without the socket savers in place?