[koiloco]

Also, any current taboo MKIII owner can verify this for me on your amp?  With no music playing, when I turn the volume knob up, from click 0 to 10, no noise whatsoever between each click.  Starting at click 12 and above, when I turn each click, I can hear a popping sound in my HPs (right cup) and at the same time, the needle in the right meter would fluctuate.  Isn't it supposed to be silence when you turn the volume knob up and down?

 

[thegrobe]

Also, any current taboo MKIII owner can verify this for me on your amp?  With no music playing, when I turn the volume knob up, from click 0 to 10, no noise whatsoever between each click.  Starting at click 12 and above, when I turn each click, I can hear a popping sound in my HPs (right cup) and at the same time, the needle in the right meter would fluctuate.  Isn't it supposed to be silence when you turn the volume knob up and down?

I had something similar, it turned out to be the output tubes. Except it was a weird squealing noise which changed pitch at certain steps. I got another couple sets of identical tubes as stock from an eBay seller, and they are fine. One pair makes a little noise occasionally though which makes me think those tubes are a bit fussy. Maybe different tubes are with trying?

In fact, I have no reason or explanation but I wouldn't be surprised if your DSD issue was reacting weirdly with those tubes somehow. Okay everyone mock me now but just thought it may somehow be related.

This brings me to your earlier question about tube rolling. I tried some different EL84 in the output position, but I keep coming back to the stock 6P15P-ev or the Svetlana SV83. Svetlana sound great and silent as well. Be aware there is a version of the Svetlana that Steve says to steer clear of. It's the the "small label" one as sold by the tube store or others.

I've been liking a Genelex gold lion 6922 or a JAN sylvania 6922 in the front and the Philips 5R4GYS rectifier. The 5R4GYS is a bit lean in bass, but nice detail and mids/highs.....Although I have only tried a few of each that's what I'm liking now. I still have a few 6922 on hand though that I haven't tried yet.

 

[koiloco]

I had something similar, it turned out to be the output tubes. Except it was a weird squealing noise which changed pitch at certain steps. I got another couple sets of identical tubes as stock from an eBay seller, and they are fine. One pair makes a little noise occasionally though which makes me think those tubes are a bit fussy. Maybe different tubes are with trying?

In fact, I have no reason or explanation but I wouldn't be surprised if your DSD issue was reacting weirdly with those tubes somehow. Okay everyone mock me now but just thought it may somehow be related.

This brings me to your earlier question about tube rolling. I tried some different EL84 in the output position, but I keep coming back to the stock 6P15P-ev or the Svetlana SV83. Svetlana sound great and silent as well. Be aware there is a version of the Svetlana that Steve says to steer clear of. It's the the "small label" one as sold by the tube store or others.

I've been liking a Genelex gold lion 6922 or a JAN sylvania 6922 in the front and the Philips 5R4GYS rectifier. The 5R4GYS is a bit lean in bass, but nice detail and mids/highs.....Although I have only tried a few of each that's what I'm liking now. I still have a few 6922 on hand though that I haven't tried yet.

 
Thx! On wednesday, if the new replacement TEAC DAC solve the DSD issue then I will keep the taboo and start trying out different tubes.  If the new DAC won't solve the problem, the taboo will be going back to Steve.  At this point, I am still hoping it's the DAC, though my technical side is telling me otherwise cuz the DSD issue doesn't exist on my $200 Emotiva mini-X and my $100 Fiio E9K.  Why should it happen with a $1800 amp that's supposed to have the best components relatively.  Decware and Steve have been so wonderful to work with.  Don't get me wrong, but I won't have time either to ship things back and forth.  I am keeping my fingers crossed. 

 
Also, the volume knob issue I can totally live it.  Not a big deal! but DSD issue got to be fixed cuz I have quite a few SACDs and start building up my DSD library already.

 

[mwindham08]

I had something similar, it turned out to be the output tubes. Except it was a weird squealing noise which changed pitch at certain steps. I got another couple sets of identical tubes as stock from an eBay seller, and they are fine. One pair makes a little noise occasionally though which makes me think those tubes are a bit fussy. Maybe different tubes are with trying?

In fact, I have no reason or explanation but I wouldn't be surprised if your DSD issue was reacting weirdly with those tubes somehow. Okay everyone mock me now but just thought it may somehow be related.

This brings me to your earlier question about tube rolling. I tried some different EL84 in the output position, but I keep coming back to the stock 6P15P-ev or the Svetlana SV83. Svetlana sound great and silent as well. Be aware there is a version of the Svetlana that Steve says to steer clear of. It's the the "small label" one as sold by the tube store or others.

I've been liking a Genelex gold lion 6922 or a JAN sylvania 6922 in the front and the Philips 5R4GYS rectifier. The 5R4GYS is a bit lean in bass, but nice detail and mids/highs.....Although I have only tried a few of each that's what I'm liking now. I still have a few 6922 on hand though that I haven't tried yet.

 
Jan Sylvania 6922 is my favorite by far as well. I actually just bought a few more for the csp3, so hopefully they sound good there as well. You might try something like the amperex 6DJ8 orange label with the Philips Rectifier. Seems like it had more bass than the Sylvania if memory serves correctly.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

Also, any current taboo MKIII owner can verify this for me on your amp?  With no music playing, when I turn the volume knob up, from click 0 to 10, no noise whatsoever between each click.  Starting at click 12 and above, when I turn each click, I can hear a popping sound in my HPs (right cup) and at the same time, the needle in the right meter would fluctuate.  Isn't it supposed to be silence when you turn the volume knob up and down?

I had something similar, it turned out to be the output tubes. Except it was a weird squealing noise which changed pitch at certain steps. I got another couple sets of identical tubes as stock from an eBay seller, and they are fine. One pair makes a little noise occasionally though which makes me think those tubes are a bit fussy. Maybe different tubes are with trying?

In fact, I have no reason or explanation but I wouldn't be surprised if your DSD issue was reacting weirdly with those tubes somehow. Okay everyone mock me now but just thought it may somehow be related.

This brings me to your earlier question about tube rolling. I tried some different EL84 in the output position, but I keep coming back to the stock 6P15P-ev or the Svetlana SV83. Svetlana sound great and silent as well. Be aware there is a version of the Svetlana that Steve says to steer clear of. It's the the "small label" one as sold by the tube store or others.

I've been liking a Genelex gold lion 6922 or a JAN sylvania 6922 in the front and the Philips 5R4GYS rectifier. The 5R4GYS is a bit lean in bass, but nice detail and mids/highs.....Although I have only tried a few of each that's what I'm liking now. I still have a few 6922 on hand though that I haven't tried yet.

 
+1 on the Genelax output tubes. Excellent upgrade for a reasonable price.

 

[OPR8R]

   
+1 on the Genelax output tubes. Excellent upgrade for a reasonable price.

I had 3 Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8's ready to rock in my CSP3.  Two hummed like crazy, and one rings.  I guess that can happen with 50 year old tubes.  The Genalex tubes seem easy to come by and pretty inexpensive.  Compared to stock tubes, how would you describe their sound?
 

   
Jan Sylvania 6922 is my favorite by far as well. I actually just bought a few more for the csp3, so hopefully they sound good there as well. You might try something like the amperex 6DJ8 orange label with the Philips Rectifier. Seems like it had more bass than the Sylvania if memory serves correctly.

Same question for you.  Can you compare/contrast the Sylvania tubes to stock?  Also, where are you getting these, and are they just Jan Sylvania 6922?

 

[mwindham08]

 
 
Here is a little mini review/impressions of some of the 6DJ8/6922 tubes I have used with the Taboo.
This is the first thing I have written like this concerning audio equipment so I hope this doesn't turn out too terribly!
 
Stock Tubes (not sure what brand they are)
-Honestly these tubes are pretty good which was a surprise to me.
-My Woo Audio WA2 stock tubes were garbage and all had to be replaced for it to reach it's full potential so this tube being good was a nice surpise!
-Detail is pretty good, their weakest part is probably instrument separation, everything is a tad muddled together compared to some of the other tubes.
 
JJ E88CC/6DJ8 Gold Pins
-These were probably the worst tubes with my WA2, and they continue that trend with the Taboo.
-These did not dig as deep as the stock tubes nor have as much bass impact.
-Less treble extension as well
-Detail retrieval is average at best.
-I bought these for probably 30 something dollars and for that price there are just much better tubes out there.
 
Amperex 6DJ8 Bugle Boys
-These have a vaulted reputation among tube rollers, and for good reason!
-Like removing a veil from the JJ's, some clarity!
-Great bass extension and impact, slightly more muddled compared to the stock tubes though.
-Instrument separation is much improved
-Compared to the stock and JJ tubes these were much more "fun", it was easier to really get into the music.
 
Amperex 6DJ8 Orange Globes
-These were my favorite tubes with the WA2 and are probably my favorite Amperex tube that I have heard
-These tubes are mid monsters and really bring them forward.
-Having said that the pronounced mids make the bass seem slightly less impactful compared to the bugle boys, however there is none of the muddled feeling I heard the the Bugle Boys.
-These have a very "airy" treble that is a joy to listen to.
-These have more detail than any of the previous tubes to my ears.
-Highly recommended!
 
JAN Sylvania 6922 Gold Pins Green Label
-In my opinion the best tube for the Taboo.
-Very Linear with the best treble of all these tubes
-Probably slightly less bass impact than the Orange Globes or the Bugle boys, but maybe a smidge more detailed/sharp.
-These have the best instrument separation and detail retrieval and is their strongest quality IMO
-These make the JJ's sound like they are slogging through mud so to speak.
-While the mids are not as pronounced as the Orange Globes they have a more realistic presentation of the music.
 
 
Hope this helps with some of the tube rolling, I'll try to update this as I get to spend even more time with these tubes.

 
Here is a little review I did a while back. More specifically I have been getting the gold pin version of the Jan Sylvanias. 
I usually find them on ebay, last week there was like 3 or 4 auctions but of course now there isn't a single one. 
There are some auctions on ebay but they are not the gold pin kind.
 
I compared the JJ 6DJ8 gold pins vs. the regular counterparts a long time ago and I couldn't tell a difference so the 
regular Sylvanias are probably just as good or really really close to the gold pin variety. 

 

[mwindham08]

Here is a picture of them. I managed to snag these for 40 dollars which I thought was pretty good.
They seem to be steadily rising in price.
 
Sorry to quote my own post wasn't trying to be ostentatious 

 

[OPR8R]

Thanks, mwindham08.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

   
+1 on the Genelax output tubes. Excellent upgrade for a reasonable price.

I had 3 Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8's ready to rock in my CSP3.  Two hummed like crazy, and one rings.  I guess that can happen with 50 year old tubes.  The Genalex tubes seem easy to come by and pretty inexpensive.  Compared to stock tubes, how would you describe their sound?

They have more slam and dynamics at the expense of smoothness. I left the input tube as stock 6N1P to blend the two. I like the combination. More detail and crispness. Combined with the USAF-596 it really tightened up the CSP2+.

 

[mwindham08]

  They have more slam and dynamics at the expense of smoothness. I left the input tube as stock 6N1P to blend the two. I like the combination. More detail and crispness. Combined with the USAF-596 it really tightened up the CSP2+.

 
Oh I can't wait till I get my CSP3....MOAR tube rolling!

 

[OPR8R]

   
Oh I can't wait till I get my CSP3....MOAR tube rolling!

Hence all my questions about tubes that are easier to get

 

[thegrobe]

   
I compared the JJ 6DJ8 gold pins vs. the regular counterparts a long time ago and I couldn't tell a difference so the 
regular Sylvanias are probably just as good or really really close to the gold pin variety. 

 
The JAN Sylvanias I have are regular pin, not gold and they seem good. I got them for less than $50 for a pair, so not too pricey. Pretty easy to find. I haven't compared gold to steel pins, of course. Next time I'll try to track down some gold pin. Those you posted above are sexy. 
 
OPR8R - You asked above about the sound of Genelex 6922, and comparing to stock tubes...I find the stock 6N1P to be tilted towards warm and lush. Just a big blanket of sound getting cozy in your head. Details are still there but very relaxing. The Genelex I find "clean", and dynamic, with no real tilt towards bass or treble, etc. Just kind of does it's thing and sounds right. Also a plus to me is I'm confident in it's quality. I like that. New manufacture, gold pins, etc. You can tell it is a quality piece. Not as much as a roll of the dice as, say, some tube from the 50's or 60's. 
 
The JAN Sylvanias are similar to the Genelex but maybe a little leaner bass and better separation. ... maybe almost on the edge of being "edgy" sounding? Honestly haven't spent as much time with these as the Genelex. So I'm going to swap these in for the next week!
 
Some other rolling experiences since I'm thinking of it- 
 
I also tried a JAN sylvania 6DJ8 in the front and didn't really care for it as much. It was much leaner, thin sounding than the 6922. That paired with the 5R4GYS rectifier was detail crazy but no bass and fatiguing. 
 
The Stock 247B rectifier does everything pretty good, but just not anything super exciting. I also have an RCA 5Y3GT. It's got a rock n' roll thing going on. Good dynamic and body but the highs are lacking a bit. I like the 5R4GYS the best so far out of the three but it is a bit lean on bass, as I mentioned before. Not a problem with the stock tube in front but anything less warm and more lean up front you start to notice it. But really revealing, fingers on frets, things dropping on the floor, etc...little tidbits in the recording really come out. And a nice spacey midrange. I am yet to try any other rectifiers but I would like to get some more. 
 
These are all my "new to tube rolling" impressions, so take it with a grain of salt. Also these impressions may change as I mix and match with more rectifiers/output tubes and add the CSP3 to the mix. 

 

[OPR8R]

   
The JAN Sylvanias I have are regular pin, not gold and they seem good. I got them for less than $50 for a pair, so not too pricey. Pretty easy to find. I haven't compared gold to steel pins, of course. Next time I'll try to track down some gold pin. Those you posted above are sexy. 
 
OPR8R - You asked above about the sound of Genelex 6922, and comparing to stock tubes...I find the stock 6N1P to be tilted towards warm and lush. Just a big blanket of sound getting cozy in your head. Details are still there but very relaxing. The Genelex I find "clean", and dynamic, with no real tilt towards bass or treble, etc. Just kind of does it's thing and sounds right. Also a plus to me is I'm confident in it's quality. I like that. New manufacture, gold pins, etc. You can tell it is a quality piece. Not as much as a roll of the dice as, say, some tube from the 50's or 60's. 
 
The JAN Sylvanias are similar to the Genelex but maybe a little leaner bass and better separation. ... maybe almost on the edge of being "edgy" sounding? Honestly haven't spent as much time with these as the Genelex. So I'm going to swap these in for the next week!
 
Some other rolling experiences since I'm thinking of it- 
 
I also tried a JAN sylvania 6DJ8 in the front and didn't really care for it as much. It was much leaner, thin sounding than the 6922. That paired with the 5R4GYS rectifier was detail crazy but no bass and fatiguing. 
 
The Stock 247B rectifier does everything pretty good, but just not anything super exciting. I also have an RCA 5Y3GT. It's got a rock n' roll thing going on. Good dynamic and body but the highs are lacking a bit. I like the 5R4GYS the best so far out of the three but it is a bit lean on bass, as I mentioned before. Not a problem with the stock tube in front but anything less warm and more lean up front you start to notice it. But really revealing, fingers on frets, things dropping on the floor, etc...little tidbits in the recording really come out. And a nice spacey midrange. I am yet to try any other rectifiers but I would like to get some more. 
 
These are all my "new to tube rolling" impressions, so take it with a grain of salt. Also these impressions may change as I mix and match with more rectifiers/output tubes and add the CSP3 to the mix. 

 
Exactly what I was needing, guys.  Thanks for the responses.
 
In an ideal world I could find a tube like the Orange Globe 6DJ8 to pair with the 5R4GYS.  It sounds like maybe the Genalex is a step in that direction.  I might have to just keep watching Ebay.

 

[thegrobe]

  They have more slam and dynamics at the expense of smoothness. I left the input tube as stock 6N1P to blend the two. I like the combination. More detail and crispness. Combined with the USAF-596 it really tightened up the CSP2+.

 
Ha ha As I was typing my nonsense about the "warm blanket" etc description of the stock tube...you post this. This is a good description of what I was searching for there. Stock is warm and smooth. My descriptions need work but at least I'm hearing stuff right.
 

   
Exactly what I was needing, guys.  Thanks for the responses.
 
In an ideal world I could find a tube like the Orange Globe 6DJ8 to pair with the 5R4GYS.  It sounds like maybe the Genalex is a step in that direction.  I might have to just keep watching Ebay.

 
I am getting most of my tubes from Jim McShane, try contacting him. He has the Genelex at a fair price, and they are tested thoroughly by somebody reputable and knowledgeable. Good service.