[Sophonax]

 
Quote:

I personally feel that the power tubes are most important, followed closely by drivers, with the rectifiers (in this amp, at least) making much less of a difference.

 
That's exactly the same impression I had -- at least between the driver tubes and rectifier tubes, anyway.  The rectifier seemed to make much less of a difference.  MacedonianHero had also expressed the opinion that the power tubes were most important.
 
Good to know that there's a worthy alternative to the very-difficult-to-find 5998s.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophonax /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Good to know that there's a worthy alternative to the very-difficult-to-find 5998s.

No question. I have the Western Electric 421a variety of 5998, which is theoretically identical to the more common (but still not ubiquitous) TS 5998. To me, the 5998 type is more euphonic (to use Jack Woo's term) than either the TS 7236 or Sylvania 7236, but they're really not that far apart in my estimation.
 

 

[Sanity]

# 4632 reporting for duty.

 

[chicostein]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but I decided to change the source and found some intriguing improvements. Using a 1st Gen MacBook (optical-out) as source, instead of Essence ST on a Windows 7 64 bit system, I *think* I am hearing some improvements in the clarity of treble and presence of lowermids comparing the same files... More importantly, it seems everything immediately sounds a bit more °pleasant° and "inviting"...

 

[Soned]

at ease soldier

 

[Timmyw]

Hmmm.  
 
I put off buying the T1s for a long time, guess I didn't know if the price would justify the gains in sound over my (then) current cans.  I heard them once, and was very impressed even though the ambience of the area was quite noisy.
 
So a couple of weeks ago I sold some gear and thought.... HELL WITH IT, and bought them. I ended up with S/N 5163.
 
I am running them out of my Phonitor.  I have one question.
 
Is it a common reaction on acquiring these to be sitting in your place of listening gobsmacked at the sound with this look on your face: 
"(8~{    }" and to get really annoyed when anyone interrupts your listening? Because that's all I have been doing for quite some time now.
 
I knew they were going to be good, but actually having them in the comfort of my room is quite another level. I must say I am rather impressed, and was half expecting to be disappointed.
 
Seriously though, these are pretty much the end of a long road for me, taken years to get here and I am now content.
 

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

Hmmm.  
 
I put off buying the T1s for a long time, guess I didn't know if the price would justify the gains in sound over my (then) current cans.  I heard them once, and was very impressed even though the ambience of the area was quite noisy.
 
So a couple of weeks ago I sold some gear and thought.... HELL WITH IT, and bought them. I ended up with S/N 5163.
 
I am running them out of my Phonitor.  I have one question.
 
Is it a common reaction on acquiring these to be sitting in your place of listening gobsmacked at the sound with this look on your face: 
"(8~{    }" and to get really annoyed when anyone interrupts your listening? Because that's all I have been doing for quite some time now.
 
I knew they were going to be good, but actually having them in the comfort of my room is quite another level. I must say I am rather impressed, and was half expecting to be disappointed.
 
Seriously though, these are pretty much the end of a long road for me, taken years to get here and I am now content.
 

Yes that's a common look!
But a word of advice, DON'T upgrade your dac else you might be stuck like it

 

 

[Timmyw]

That was next on my list.
 
Been looking around at sources, but nothing really has taken my fancy just yet.
 
We shall see in the coming months.  Lots of research to be done.

 

[nigeljames]

I have just bought the now discontinued Audio-gd NFB-7. Stunning DAC although I am still wondering what the revamped Anedio D1 is going to be like.
 

 

[Timbeh]

I´m struggling with myself, should i order Schiit valhalla to go with T1´s or save up and get the WA2. Currently i´m using CA Dacmagic, and with the price or WA2 i could get both valhalla and perhaps bitfrost. Allthough i don´t know would bitfrost be such an big upgrade over dacmagic?

 

[Zombie_X]

I would go with the WA2. The WA2 will be better in every way.
 
The Valhalla is a nice amp. It's nowhere near the performance of the WA2 but it's a good start.
 
Quote:

I´m struggling with myself, should i order Schiit valhalla to go with T1´s or save up and get the WA2. Currently i´m using CA Dacmagic, and with the price or WA2 i could get both valhalla and perhaps bitfrost. Allthough i don´t know would bitfrost be such an big upgrade over dacmagic?

 

 

[Pudu]

Confessions of a T1 initiate.

Before I got home to un-box my T1 today I was wondering if the J$ leather pads from my beloved 880s would work on the T1. Of course I got home, unboxed and gave them a cursory listen before being torn away by parental duties. When I returned, I tried out the pads - "Cool they fit and look awesome" (I've always much preferred the look of leather over velour). Subsequently I spent a few hours listening to various tracks wondering if the cans are really so bass boomy or if it is my perceptions or all of the descriptions I've read which are completely off.

Then I remembered the pads and switched them back.

Ahhhhhhhhh.......... sweet aural happiness.

It's staggering the amount the pads affect the sound on these guys. Much more so than the 880s in my opinion. For a while I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. Turns out I had. But not in choosing the T1's. Rather, in being a colossal twit.


EDIT: Just found this now. {searching for self-face-palm emoticon}

In fact I'll, quote someone far more credible to reiterate what a big mistake this was. - "So, bottom line - don't bother trying this, people. Stick with the stock pads for the T1. "

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Confessions of a T1 initiate.
Before I got home to un-box my T1 today I was wondering if the J$ leather pads from my beloved 880s would work on the T1. Of course I got home, unboxed and gave them a cursory listen before being torn away by parental duties. When I returned, I tried out the pads - "Cool they fit and look awesome" (I've always much preferred the look of leather over velour). Subsequently I spent a few hours listening to various tracks wondering if the cans are really so bass boomy or if it is my perceptions or all of the descriptions I've read which are completely off.
Then I remembered the pads and switched them back.
Ahhhhhhhhh.......... sweet aural happiness.

It's staggering the amount the pads affect the sound on these guys. Much more so than the 880s in my opinion. For a while I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. Turns out I had. But not in choosing the T1's. Rather, in being a colossal twit.
EDIT: Just found this now. {searching for self-face-palm emoticon}
In fact I'll, quote someone far more credible to reiterate what a big mistake this was. - "So, bottom line - don't bother trying this, people. Stick with the stock pads for the T1. "

IMHO leather pads ruined the 880s as well.
 

 

[ITCW]

Thanks for the reply. Pulled the trigger and ordered a T1. Now, the real problem is justifying to my friends and family why I spent $1,300 on a pair of headphones! Last week, I told my roommate I spent $400 on my HD650 and he already thought I was crazy.
 
You suggest my next upgrade should be a better DAC to replace my iBasso D4. Do you have a suggestion? My budget is around $500, but I'm flexible. Case in point, my budget for my new headphone was supposed to be $600. But by buying the T1, I went more than twice over my intended budget.
 
Also, I read that high-end DACs do not upsample music files, while cheaper DACs do. How much does upsampling compromise music anyways? Does buying a DAC with no upsampling make a dramatic difference? Thanks.
 
 
Quote:

 
Based on my experience with the WA2, your amp's big brother, I'd say that you don't necessarily need to upgrade amps right away. A new DAC would probably drastically improve your rig, but nevertheless, I think your gear is all good enough that you can get a good sense of the T1 without upgrading anything else first. 
 

 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Thanks for the reply. Pulled the trigger and ordered a T1. Now, the real problem is justifying to my friends and family why I spent $1,300 on a pair of headphones! Last week, I told my roommate I spent $400 on my HD650 and he already thought I was crazy.
 
You suggest my next upgrade should be a better DAC to replace my iBasso D4. Do you have a suggestion? My budget is around $500, but I'm flexible. Case in point, my budget for my new headphone was supposed to be $600. But by buying the T1, I went more than twice over my intended budget.
 
Also, I read that high-end DACs do not upsample music files, while cheaper DACs do. How much does upsampling compromise music anyways? Does buying a DAC with no upsampling make a dramatic difference? Thanks.
 
 
 

??? That's simply not true.