Tuberolling SRM-007t

[Nik]

Hi BigEar,

I think you do not need a lot of time to listen the BIG different between the two brands of 6FQ7...
But I wait for your impressions!

Can I know what kind of source and cables are you using for these tests?

Thanks!

Best!
Nicola

 

[BigEar]

Hi Nik,

I'm an analogue freak, so I will use my Wilson Benesh turntable with ACT2 arm, vdHul grasshopper, DACT phono stage (lead battery driven) and Siltech FTM 4 Gold cabling.

 

[Nik]

The most evident aspect that you can notice between the Brimar/Mazda and all the other brands of 6FQ7, aspect that tells the superioity of these tubes, you can find in the sibilances of the singers. Change the tubes and you have that exageration of s,c,k,h and so on in the ends of the words of the singers. With the Brimar that effect is very, very natural and controlled. Especially with the RCA the sibilance increase...

Best!
Nicola

 

[Gallaine]

Interesting. I'm pretty sensitive to sibilance. If the RCA's exaggerate that effect they definintely are not for me.

My Mullard's have over 50 hours of playing time and they still aren't as good as the GE's. The background isn't as black and they seem slower.

 

[Nik]

Hi Gallaine,

I also have the GE, good tubes, not so bright, but the Brimar are much better, exactly what you said: a black background so evident, the most tubey sound for the SRM 007t. I never experienced one electrostatic cans with a typical triode sound as now my Omega has. Very, very good setup! No any other headphones I had so sensitive to each littles variation as the Omega II. No any other tuberolling so drammatic in different... just to tell the incredible fidelity the Omega is.

Best!
Nicola

 

[BigEar]

I use Brazilian Cryo treated 6FQ7 RCA cleartops and compare them with the Brimar/Mazda tubes.

Although the tubes are still not really broken in, my first impression of my tuberolling is the same as Nik's.

The cleartop present a good headstage, provide much information and a nice loose bass (you can really hear the exact toggles on the bass strings). In the high frequency region, the sound is very extended. Especially metal percussion instruments, electrical guitars sound very open and natural.
The downside is that indeed the female voice is sounding slightly less natural, especially in the 's' sounds (like Nik described).
My impression is that it gets better when the amplifier is on for a long time (> 3 hours), so it might also be partly due to the hybride character of the SRM-007t.
After some 20 playing hours, unfortunally one of the tubes broke down (will be replaced on guarantee).

So I placed the Brimar tubes in again. The first thing that I noticed was the somewhat more relaxed sound. Although at first it does not seem to perform as well as the RCA's in the extremes, all the information is there. But it is presented in a more uniform, natural way. Female voices sound at bit warmer and more fluent (triode effect?). In an ensemble, the individual instruments are presented very well with much detail, but without loosing the overall musical picture.

A good audio amplifier should not be heard, it should only do the job of amplification and add nothing to it and leave nothing out.
My first impression is that the SRM-007t with the Brimars perform more in that direction. Also here break-in of the tubes are not completed, so I'm curious how they will sound fully broken in.

Best,

BigEar

 

[Nik]

Hi BigEar,

I understand perfectly what you have wrote!

My Brimar now is giving their best, a lot of days working. They have a "magical" sense of music that the other brand do not have, the most equilibrated in my setup, the most "triode" sound, finest tubes for the SRM 007t and for the incredible transparency of the Omega II.

I just can accept that for a not so hi definition source you can to use the RCA, but with a very musical and neutral source the Brimars are a must.

I'm still waiting for the last brand of 6FQ7 the Philips (little) NOS, I'll tell you if they will be in the same class of the Brimars.

Best!
Nicola

 

[Nik]

Hi guys,

a new improovment on the Brimar 6FQ7 is a shield cover on them, better than the rubber rings, try to believe!

Best!
Nicola

 

[BigEar]

Hi Nik,

where do they offer these tube covers? Can you give a link?

Thanks,

BigEar

 

[Nik]

Hi BigEar,

I bought the military shields cover for tubes by telephone in this site. I do not know if you can see them on the page.

Tell me if you need some help.

Best!
Nicola



http://www.digitex.it/index_en.html

 

[BigEar]

Hi Nik,

thanks for your link. It looks there are 2 types:

1. Kind of aluminum tube, completely covering the tube (also the top). This looks like some military tube shield

2. The Pearl Tube coolers, which claim to help for longer tube life and less microphony & more detailed and dynamic sound.

Are you using the first one or the second?

I think to order the Pearls as it seems to have the same effects you described and also increases tube life.

Best

BigEar

 

[Nik]

Hi BigEar,

I bought and tested both the type:

1)- With the first aluminium top cover I had the best result, I think because the tube is totally protected by the top. I also have a rubber rings to put on this shields, may be help for vibrations...

2)- The second type is even too big and large, not so good for the position of the first pair of tube inside of the amplifier, and than I did not been so enthusiast...

Best!
Nicola

 

[BigEar]

Hi Nik,

I ordered 4 IERC coolers. A good article on how these work (and the Pearl coolers) can be found at:

http://www.partsconnexion.com/resources/tubes/pearl_tube_coolers.pdf[/URL]

Please make sure you do not have a so called JAN schield, as they cause overheating of the tube and shortened lifetime.

Best

BigEar

 

[Nik]

Quote:

Originally posted by BigEar Hi Nik, I ordered 4 IERC coolers. A good article on how these work (and the Pearl coolers) can be found at: http://www.partsconnexion.com/resources/tubes/pearl_tube_coolers.pdf[/URL] Please make sure you do not have a so called JAN schield, as they cause overheating of the tube and shortened lifetime. Best BigEar

Hi BigEar,

as I said I have the two kind of shields, the coolers and the military shields, I tested just for the sound improovment, and I find the miliatry shields do something inthat direction, the coolers do not do nothing at my ears.

Even if the tubes's life is shorter, I prefer the best sound performance.

My shields are that n°2 in the pictures of yuor pdf. file, but the top is covered with a special metal screen. I ddi not found any iper temperature on the tubes. Just a better clean sound.

Best!
Nicola

 

[pHantasmagoria]

Hi Nik,


How does your monster R10 set-up compare with your modded Stax OmegaII/007t? Any regrets about your R10 set-up?
sorry if this is the wrong place to put this.

thanks