[Crashem]

I'm loving my 2a3, but would love to hear comparison. If I understand the difference, the key difference aside from what tubes used, is that the 45 has new transformers that the BA got updated with. Is that right? I personally prefer 2a3 tubes over 45 sound wise so not sure I would be happier with 45 even with new transformers.

 

[chengka7]

Yea, I think I will compare them after I get my 445. Hopefully it should arrive before September. 

 

[Crashem]

Yea, I think I will compare them after I get my 445. Hopefully it should arrive before September. 

Yeah probably good idea. Plus remember anaxilus' leviathan amp is coming down the line that does use the 2a3 which could better the 45 amp give use of same transformers and anaxilus' very detailed design approach. Would hate to order 45 and then sell to get the leviathan. Plus you have investment in 2a3 tubes.

 

[chengka7]

Yea, I am also on the Levi build list. I will buy Levi also I think. I will keep my EML 2a3 maybe.

 

[m2man]

At this weekend's Seattle meet I got to try some new / different headphones. It sounded great with all of them. No surprise there.

I really liked the HE-6. It sounded great to me. The guy with the HE-6 and speaker amp liked it as well. It's only at 9-10 o'clock on the volume knob if memory serves. Plenty of headroom.

The HE-560 sounded good as well. It didn't wow me or anything, but it's a nice headphone.

Now the Abyss was just amazing. The sound stage is incredible. the HD-800 isn't even close. Crazy bass. It's a tad bright, but some different tubes would probably help. Lots of "Wows" and "holy ****'s". ZD and LCD-3 going up for sale shortly. I must have one. It takes a ton of power. The volume knob was about 1 o'clock. That would melt most of my phones.

$0.02

 

[chengka7]

Wait, are you saying HE6 on your MKIV only at 9-10 in the volume pot? How is that possible or am I miss something? I use hd800 and abyss, I use the volume pot at almost 12 clock

 

[m2man]

I should have paid more attention. My 650's are loud at 9 o'clock. I'm sure the HE-6 was less than noon. I was sitting on the right side of the amp and would have noticed. It was certainly less than the Abyss which I paid attention too. Not important in any case. They both sounded great.

 

[GalaxyGuy]

Wait, are you saying HE6 on your MKIV only at 9-10 in the volume pot? How is that possible or am I miss something? I use hd800 and abyss, I use the volume pot at almost 12 clock

I think my head would explode if I put the volume at 12 o'clock with my LCD-Xs.

 

[chengka7]

Yea, I can only put 9 clock for my LCDxc, 10 for my hd800, 12 for my abyss.

 

[chengka7]

I should buy a pair of HE6 then, I assumed MKIV lacks some power for HE6 before, but now HE6 seems a great match with MKIV. This is what I like with MKIV, it is good with almost every headphone I throw in. It has tons of power however still maintains lots of details.  

 

[GalaxyGuy]

  I should buy a pair of HE6 then, I assumed MKIV lacks some power for HE6 before, but now HE6 seems a great match with MKIV. This is what I like with MKIV, it is good with almost every headphone I throw in. It has tons of power however still maintains lots of details.  

I listened to someone's HE6s at the Head-Fi meet in the Bay Area in February when I picked up my MKIV and they sounded pretty darn good to me.  It is possible that the amp may be a tiny bit underpowered for those cans, but not much.  I compared to his solid state amp that was putting out tons of power (like 100W or something silly) and felt the MKIV sounded just as good.

 

[chengka7]

My HE6 is coming this week, and I am also planning on getting a pair of AKG K1000, Craig told me MKIV should be good with k1000 and I really want to try them on it. 

 

[Crashem]

Saw a pair of avvt 2a3 mesh on ebay. Really want to try those tube out, but overpaying for a pair when I need 4 seems silly

 

[Crashem]

Rolling rectifiers is making such a difference in sound on my Lamp DAC, I thought I might try and roll some EY500 or 6EC4 in.  Any thoughts on some good ones?  Luckily, it looks like they are cheap.

 

[m2man]

i have tried the EY500A from Telefunken in my ZDSE and it changes the sound. A decent amount more body. I didn't have luck matching them though. Not sure if the mismatch is what changes the sound. It should just add some 60 hz distortion. I assume they have to be matched in the 2A3 as well. i also tried some Valvo's and they sound exactly like the stock ones. Hard to find I thought. Didn't know that the 6EC4 would work as well.

$0.02