[Robert Padgett]

Well, my head does tend to swell when complimented, so I'll test your theory by having the wife compliment me on my sexual prowess and then listen to my Lyr 3 with 1x dual triode tube installed.

"but takes time to stretch the auricles"

 

[Ripper2860]

"but takes time to stretch the auricles"

Would that be the Auricles of Impeachment?

 

[Robert Padgett]

Would that be the Auricles of Impeachment?

No, more like ,"Stop, Honey, I think I stretched my Auricles..."

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Would that be the Auricles of Impeachment?

Not sure. Pinnae, in Latin. Donkey ears, when properly stretched

 

[Paladin79]

Not sure. Pinnae, in Latin. Donkey ears, when properly stretched

Very good, and you used the plural of pinna.

 

[bochawa]

Then you should be on the lookout for a matched pair of these...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SYLVANIA-J...620487?hash=item3ad9967947:g:opIAAOSw9GhYmPpU

There are plenty of 7A4's on Ebay as well but I have a fondness for the military version, VT-192's, as seems to be the case with @Old Deaf Donkey

You can only be truly happy when you are working towards a goal, and this one is short term and offers some wonderful audio results. IMHO

We just have to hope @bcowen does not take an interest in these tubes and starts buying them up.

Thanks for the advice - I will be on the lookout. In the meantime, I might try for one of the matched pairs currently on eBay.

 

[StageOne]

Lots of money being spent on tubes for a Vali2. Try a couple cheap tubes like the GE 5670W with an adapter for $10-15 and call it a day. It's a fantastic amp and I love mine but don't go overboard. That tube has great mids and decent airy treble, much better than the stock tube and quite affordable.

 

[Paladin79]

Lots of money being spent on tubes for a Vali 2. Try a couple cheap tubes like the GE 5670W with an adapter for $10-15 and call it a day. It's a fantastic amp and I love mine but don't go overboard. That tube has great mids and decent airy treble, much better than the stock tube and quite affordable.

The Vali 2 is just a starting point for me, I get plenty of use out of the same tubes in other amps. Change enough tubes and the Vali sounds less like a $100-$150 amp.

 

[StageOne]

The Vali 2 is just a starting point for me, I get plenty of use out of the same tubes in other amps. Change enough tubes and the Vali sounds less like a $100-$150 amp.

Nothing wrong with trying tubes, I'd just recommend not going crazy and spending $50+ on a tube trying to make it sound like a TOTL amp. Roll a few tubes if you want, but I think the mCTH is a more resolving, airy, amp for not much more investment. I enjoy Schiit products and have more that I'd care to count but they all have limits. Be smart.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Nothing wrong with trying tubes, I'd just recommend not going crazy and spending $50+ on a tube trying to make it sound like a TOTL amp. Roll a few tubes if you want, but I think the mCTH is a more resolving, airy, amp for not much more investment. I enjoy Schiit products and have more that I'd care to count but they all have limits. Be smart.

The Gospel - and Praise be, of course. It is good to be an Old, Deaf Donkey - I do not need to be smart. I have already spent $2,000 on the tubes for Vali 2, and keep having immense pleasure in exploring further. I am also pleased to learn that - unlike Schiit products - Massdrop stuff does not have limits .

Very good, and you used the plural of pinna.

Plural - you need at least TWO ears for the soundstage and separation, of course

 

[Paladin79]

Nothing wrong with trying tubes, I'd just recommend not going crazy and spending $50+ on a tube trying to make it sound like a TOTL amp. Roll a few tubes if you want, but I think the mCTH is a more resolving, airy, amp for not much more investment. I enjoy Schiit products and have more that I'd care to count but they all have limits. Be smart.

Not everyone has the means or desire to try some of the harder to find or more expensive tubes so you should do what fits your needs. If you are happy with GE tubes, more power to you. My background is in electronics and science but much of my later education was in business. Right now with market fluctuations I am lucky to earn between 12% and 20% on investments so tubes have an interest to me. The older American tubes are getting harder and harder to find as are some of the sought after Russian tubes so I buy multiples and put many of them away as an investment. This is not for everyone, but it is what I like to do. Now this is a thread about tube rolling and there are plenty of inexpensive tubes mentioned along with some that cost between $50 and $300 each. One should do what fits their budget and SQ beliefs I suppose. Some of the dual tube setups are not expensive compared to buying say a Melz 1578 or a Sylvania bad boy 6sn7 or whatever and using single triodes brings about a fairly large change IMHO. Now @Old Deaf Donkey has some advantages I do not have, he has made some purchases in Europe for prices that I greatly envy. His $2,000 investment may have cost me $3,000 or more so all things are certainly relative.

It makes perfect sense to me not to pay more for a tube than the Vali 2 costs and if that is your only tube amp, I wholeheartedly agree. Now to think it cannot sound any better with this tube or that is getting into a subjective area so certainly YMMV.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Now to think it cannot sound any better with this tube or that is getting into a subjective area so certainly YMMV.

Is that not the whole point? Trying to relate quality of sound to spending on one or other component, and even more so to the ratio of cost of one component against the other, does not make a lot of sense to me. If I am happy with $200 (or $2) tube in $150 amp, how is this "going crazy"? Or, without any tube at all? You remember the story of Paganini and breaking strings, do you not?

 

[Paladin79]

Is that not the whole point? Trying to relate quality of sound to spending on one or other component, and even more so to the ratio of cost of one component against the other, does not make a lot of sense to me. If I am happy with $200 (or $2) tube in $150 amp, how is this "going crazy"? Or, without any tube at all? You remember the story of Paganini and breaking strings, do you not?

I am on your side on this. See to me, I notice more difference in changing the single tube in a Vali than I might by changing four tubes in other amps or pre-amp. At times there are reasons specific tubes or combinations are sought after and unless you have experienced them how could you possibly know? I am pragmatic so in my case a Vali is just a starting point for a tube I buy that might end up being used in a different amp or pre-amp, or it might be stored away till the value appreciates.

You know what the Vali 2 sounds like with the VT-192 set of tubes as do I so we know what is possible, I try to stay open minded about such things. It is not my intent to convince others what they should buy or how a specific set up might sound to them.

Good analogy about Paganini by the way.

 

[bcowen]

...x-talk will still be present...

X-talk is for losers. Real men go for xxx-talk.

 

[bcowen]

We just have to hope @bcowen does not take an interest in these tubes and starts buying them up.

Too late.

Although to be honest I *am* struggling to warm up to them. I may have just not obtained the right ones yet. Seems I always need to buy at least a hundred of any particular type before I find the version I like. Glad I'm not anal.