[PhazeCrive]

i haven't seen the formula stack mentioned for a while. the few times I heard it, always thought it was quite a good pairing with the TC. have seen a few stacks on the classifieds selling for good prices and have been tempted several times..

I'm actually tempted to complete the stack by adding in the Sagra. I just don't know if it will be as bright up top as I like since it is R2R.

I had to let go of my R26 dac because I hated how it made the TC a bit dull sounding. Definitely bottlenecked it. Just for fun, I ran a 3.5mm-XLR from my TV's jack into my Formula S and immediately I am met with the level of treble I much prefer...though at the cost of half of the bass of the R26. It's just hard finding anything Sagra related . The R26 never had this treble or separation, so I figure the Sagra wouldn't be up to "speed" either.

 

[krude]

Not sure what's the endgame amp consensus, but this year I got into speakers and got Audio Note Vindicator Silver Signature, rolled some tubes and stayed on Psvane Acme, WE275 and Linlai e6sl7 ... and then I plugged in my TC just for fun not expecting much ...

So far my main TC amp was Bliss KTE but AN VSS dethroned it without many issurs delivering the same level of technical prowess (or perhaps even more) in a lot more musical and natural way ...

So a few takeaways ... 3.5w of quality power is plenty, 2a3 + 274B rectifier setups match great with the sterile TC injecting it with a decent dose of musicality, power amps ftw

 

[filud]

Not sure what's the endgame amp consensus, but this year I got into speakers and got Audio Note Vindicator Silver Signature, rolled some tubes and stayed on Psvane Acme, WE275 and Linlai e6sl7 ... and then I plugged in my TC just for fun not expecting much ...

So far my main TC amp was Bliss KTE but AN VSS dethroned it without many issurs delivering the same level of technical prowess (or perhaps even more) in a lot more musical and natural way ...

So a few takeaways ... 3.5w of quality power is plenty, 2a3 + 274B rectifier setups match great with the sterile TC injecting it with a decent dose of musicality, power amps ftw

Bliss KTE is fine amplifier for AB-1266 Phi TC but definitely not the best out there.

Tube amplifiers are the best option for AB-1266 Phi TC.

 

[dubharmonic]

The other day I rediscovered a front damping set from a DCA VOCE while I was listening to the 1266 TC and got curious.

The results with black felt are so much better than I expected. The 1266 driver is dynamic enough that every last detail still makes its way through the felt, yet everything is a bit less intense. Peaks seem lower, and the timbre is even improved. If you have a couple bucks for a sheet of felt at the hobby store, I recommend trying it.

 

[krude]

Bliss KTE is fine amplifier for AB-1266 Phi TC but definitely not the best out there.

Tube amplifiers are the best option for AB-1266 Phi TC.

So far my TC tube experiences were hit n miss. Tried a bunch of EL34 KT88 some 300b including WE and Elrog, and now I decided to plug into my obscure speaker 2a3 power amp ... and it's a revelation. Part of it is 2A3 being most natural out of the bunch, but also Audio Note specialices in natural sound, so combining both with quality tubes really worked wonders for TC.

So decided to share because I doubt anyone here, or maybe even in the world, ever tried it. It's a highly unusual combination that surprisingly works

 

[Ciggavelli]

So far my TC tube experiences were hit n miss. Tried a bunch of EL34 KT88 some 300b including WE and Elrog, and now I decided to plug into my obscure speaker 2a3 power amp ... and it's a revelation. Part of it is 2A3 being most natural out of the bunch, but also Audio Note specialices in natural sound, so combining both with quality tubes really worked wonders for TC.

So decided to share because I doubt anyone here, or maybe even in the world, ever tried it. It's a highly unusual combination that surprisingly works

Abyss said at one time that the WA33 was the best tube amp for the TCs, and it is 2A3. It's a great combo

 

[carboncopy]

So far my TC tube experiences were hit n miss. Tried a bunch of EL34 KT88 some 300b including WE and Elrog, and now I decided to plug into my obscure speaker 2a3 power amp ... and it's a revelation. Part of it is 2A3 being most natural out of the bunch, but also Audio Note specialices in natural sound, so combining both with quality tubes really worked wonders for TC.

So decided to share because I doubt anyone here, or maybe even in the world, ever tried it. It's a highly unusual combination that surprisingly works

I had Quest Silver monos (very nice too!) and I used my Aries Cerat Genus with the TC. One main difference is, that the Genus was designed to work with headphone impedances (up to 300 Ohms), normal speaker tube amps are not like that.

The problem is, that your amp is designed to interface with an impedance between 4 and 8 ohms, the TC has 50 Ohms. That is what your amplifier sees on its secondary. The problem can occur in the primary of the output transformator interfacing the tubes.

It can lead to improper load to the tube severly impacting the freq response.

I would maybe contact Note with this specific question: does a 50 Ohm load at the speaker taps present any problem to the amp? You have to know the inner values of the circuit to know the answer to that.

 

[vonBaron]

Abyss said at one time that the WA33 was the best tube amp for the TCs, and it is 2A3. It's a great combo

All desktop Woo amps are great with 1266 but ofc WA33 is best.

 

[krude]

I had Quest Silver monos (very nice too!) and I used my Aries Cerat Genus with the TC. One main difference is, that the Genus was designed to work with headphone impedances (up to 300 Ohms), normal speaker tube amps are not like that.

The problem is, that your amp is designed to interface with an impedance between 4 and 8 ohms, the TC has 50 Ohms. That is what your amplifier sees on its secondary. The problem can occur in the primary of the output transformator interfacing the tubes.

It can lead to improper load to the tube severly impacting the freq response.

I would maybe contact Note with this specific question: does a 50 Ohm load at the speaker taps present any problem to the amp? You have to know the inner values of the circuit to know the answer to that.

So I asked Martin Grennall from Audio Note, and he said the amp will have no problem handling that kind of loads. It has very robust transformer setup. He obv mentioned that it's not the inteded load, but if it sounds good it sounds good and it will cause no issues for the amp or headphones. Woohoo.

Also started burning in Elrog 300B with my HA300MK2 and the results are very promising with the TC. Need to give it 2 weeks to settle though before drawing any conslusions.

 

[rangerid]

So I got my TCs back from repair today (thanks @Abyss Headphones for the really quick turnaround).

I also recently got a CFA3 last week and finally listened to the TCs outta the fabled amp with a 300B preamp. It sounds very good, especially, especially for the price (double especially), but it’s not better than my WA33 EE JPS. The CFA3 maybe has better bass authority and impact, but it’s only marginally better than the WA33 in that regard.. The WA33 has better 3D soundstage and pretty much everything else. The CFA3 is not going to replace my WA33.

That said, the CFA3 with the TCs is amazing. For like $3500, I’m getting like 70-80% WA33 sound that is cleaner (one may or may not like that), with marginally better bass authority (with the Susvaras the bass authority difference is more substantial, but not night and day by any means). For this price, I don’t think anything is beating the CFA3. I see why everybody likes it. It’s not better than my WA33 EE JPS, but going by the price, it probably shouldn’t be. But for 20% of the price of a WA33 EE JPS, the CFA3 is damn impressive.

And if you are wondering, I was using Tak 300B tubes. I’m on the waitlist for the Elrog 300Bs. They should come in November. We’ll see if they make a substantial difference in the sound (there’s a lot of hype with these tubes).

If you’re on a budget, I think the CFA3 should be on your shortlist.

Which 300b preamp did you have? I prev had a WA33 EE JPS and preamped my Bakoon 13R at the time with a Manley 300b, didn't have CFA3 then and it was the tubiest sound I've heard, but made the TCs too soft.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Which 300b preamp did you have? I prev had a WA33 EE JPS and preamped my Bakoon 13R at the time with a Manley 300b, didn't have CFA3 then and it was the tubiest sound I've heard, but made the TCs too soft.

I'm using my 3ES Elite as a pre. I haven't heard another 300B preamp, so I don't know how it compares. I'm using the Tak tubes. It's impossible to get Elrogs now. I emailed them and they don't even have a waitlist. They said to wait until early next year.

 

[Arathorrn]

Not sure what's the endgame amp consensus, but this year I got into speakers and got Audio Note Vindicator Silver Signature, rolled some tubes and stayed on Psvane Acme, WE275 and Linlai e6sl7 ... and then I plugged in my TC just for fun not expecting much ...

So far my main TC amp was Bliss KTE but AN VSS dethroned it without many issurs delivering the same level of technical prowess (or perhaps even more) in a lot more musical and natural way ...

So a few takeaways ... 3.5w of quality power is plenty, 2a3 + 274B rectifier setups match great with the sterile TC injecting it with a decent dose of musicality, power amps ftw

Hi for me the endgame is the Riviera AIC 10 amp - class A, hybrid design, with a telefunken g73r tube - great for my TC, Susvara and Raal - great sound and dynamics

 

[paradoxper]

I'm using my 3ES Elite as a pre. I haven't heard another 300B preamp, so I don't know how it compares. I'm using the Tak tubes. It's impossible to get Elrogs now. I emailed them and they don't even have a waitlist. They said to wait until early next year.

Yea, you really do need to experience the Elrog difference.

 

[kawhia]

Hi for me the endgame is the Riviera AIC 10 amp - class A, hybrid design, with a telefunken g73r tube - great for my TC, Susvara and Raal - great sound and dynamics

Same here. And in addition to being a super great hp amp the AIC is also a phenomenal two channel amp. Paired with my Audio Note speakers I have the best from two worlds. Smile happy man

 

[TonyTripleA]

All desktop Woo amps are great with 1266 but ofc WA33 is best.

It’s great to hear of tube amps that work well with the Abyss 1266 TC. My experience is limited, and I guess most of us haven’t spent a lot of time with a lot of tube amps. But I can add a couple to the list of exceptional, and great ones for the Abyss:

Exceptional is the Auris Nirvana. The stock tubes I swapped to a 5814A GE long plate ex military as a driver of the 12AU7 type, probably a Sylvania manufacture. See for a nice explanation of the tube and it’s properties. My own take is exceptional treble sparkle, dead black background, wonderful mids and good bass. I swapped the power tubes to Sophia EL34, got marginally tighter bass, a 5 percent improvement to my ears overall. This amp allows various impedances to be selected and tried from the various taps on the transformers, great for matching to the 1266. I prefer some of the lower impedances... its more natural and without bloated bass. Power for the 1266 is not an issue and I’ve never used a fraction of what’s available. Clarity is exceptional, but the mid range just becomes “better” with some of that V sound signature feeling more filled in. great for guitar and vocals. I have evolved to use an R2R terminator dac but still very much enjoy the chord TT2 dac sound albeit that mid range feels a fraction less filled in, and the edges and resolution get sharper which can be nice but not always what you might be looking for with say female vocal jazz for fun. The Auris Nirvana benefits to my ears in not having a tube rectifier in the power supply. A nice, separate, solid state power supply means no noise at all. I had a tube rectifier blow in my Bigger Ben and it destroyed the transformer (it had great after sales service by the way).

As for a great amp with the 1266, and it could also end up as an exceptional one, I just got a Sparkos Labs Gemini. A 12AU7 driver with a Sparkos labs discrete op amp power section. Yes a hybrid amp. I’m loving it with the Abyss and with a Focal Utopia - the amp working so well with both shows the range of its ability. A dead silent background, clear, resolving, and eminently enjoyable - not quite the exceptional clarity of the Nirvana but very good. It has plenty of power at 2 watts, and it certainly drives the 1266 at a fraction of the cost of the Auris Nirvana or a Woo33. It delivers tube sound of quality with power and precision. Great build quality and very much designed for tube rolling - I’ve been listening mostly with the stock electroharmonix, and it’s good. I tried the above GE 5814A and switched back as I didn’t like it in this amp as much as the stock tube but it may be I didn’t let either the amp or the tube run in long enough to judge so I’m remaining open minded and will try again some hours down the track. Early days and I intend to write up a proper review but for anyone who has experienced the Sparkos Aries solid state amp the Gemini is a tube version which is high praise… not quite the razor sharp resolution, or crystal clarity, but all the valve fun. Mid range heaven, plenty of defined bass and treble close to 90 percent of the Auris… which is amazing. And so far that’s with a stock tube and early hours of run in. It seems to be sounding even better as the first few weeks of running in roll by. Plenty to experiment with as well as a gain control and various jumpers allow bias adjustment and different valve type experimentation. Lots to unpack with this amp and I’m just starting.

So some more amps to try! Enjoy… love to hear anyone’s early thoughts on the Gemini.

T