Vali 2 tube rolling
Jan 26, 2018 at 5:54 PM Post #1,007 of 6,436
got my Vali 2 a few days ago...after reading all this thread (fantastic one) I am ready to roll (Yep, intended).

I got two tubes coming, EH 6922 and one of those mysterious mitsus**ta of 7 volts.

AND the adaptor for the (I expect glorious ) Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z. (I will machine the cover of the vali to make it big enough)

soooo...as I said... ready to roll!

Welcome to the club mate!

You can get risers for the tube like these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/9Pin-Ba...100565?hash=item3627640615:g:zfEAAOSwj99aKPME
Might just save you some handyman work.

The Matsushita's should be a decent one if it is in good nick, judging by the feedback here:
https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/preamp-tubes/products/matsushita-national-pcc88-7dj8

The Shunguang is a beast but will require a lot of burn-in to start sounding decent (Just beware, approx 100hrs needed) as some sources have reported!

Good luck and try not to go to far down the rabbit hole Alice! :D
 
Jan 28, 2018 at 6:18 PM Post #1,008 of 6,436
Greetings,

My first post here. I'm a long time audio addict, but very new to the world of headphones. After a couple stumbles with the initial 'phone purchases, I landed a pair of previously loved Mr. Speaker Alpha Primes and am quite happy with them streaming Tidal lossless via laptop to a Modi Multibit / Vali2 stack. I've been a tube-head for most of my audio life, and the most common side effect of such an affliction is a great big huuuuge pile of tubes accumulated over the years. So I'm fortunate to have lots of stuff to play with, but I must say that I'm really impressed (and appreciative) of the creativity shown in this forum and thread with the rolling possibilities. I'd never have connected the dots to an adapter and a 396A or 5670 for the Vali. Finally a use for those WE's and Sylvania's that have been sitting forever. Have an adapter on the way from Hong Kong, but lots of stuff to play with until it gets here..currently a Siemens made, RCA branded 6DJ8 that makes the stock 6BZ7 tube sound broken, and is the best yet of the handful of 6DJ8 family tubes I've tried.

But now it looks like I need to buy *another* adapter for an octal base. Have plenty of 6SN7's, but I'd actually have to purchase a CV-181...horrors! For those that have tried both, is the Shuguang CV-181Z a big step up from the 396A (and variants)? Or more incremental? Thanks!
 
Jan 29, 2018 at 4:53 AM Post #1,009 of 6,436
Thanks
The matsus**ta is sounding great, it is a step up from the stock tube. very nice. I will try the EH 6922 soon.
while I am awaiting for the 6SN7 adaptor, I have decided not to order the Shuguang (for the moment) and I got a Philips JAN 6SN7WGTA which seems to be quite regarded.
now...wait and see. I will report back in a few days.
 
Jan 29, 2018 at 5:58 AM Post #1,010 of 6,436
Greetings,

My first post here. I'm a long time audio addict, but very new to the world of headphones. After a couple stumbles with the initial 'phone purchases, I landed a pair of previously loved Mr. Speaker Alpha Primes and am quite happy with them streaming Tidal lossless via laptop to a Modi Multibit / Vali2 stack. I've been a tube-head for most of my audio life, and the most common side effect of such an affliction is a great big huuuuge pile of tubes accumulated over the years. So I'm fortunate to have lots of stuff to play with, but I must say that I'm really impressed (and appreciative) of the creativity shown in this forum and thread with the rolling possibilities. I'd never have connected the dots to an adapter and a 396A or 5670 for the Vali. Finally a use for those WE's and Sylvania's that have been sitting forever. Have an adapter on the way from Hong Kong, but lots of stuff to play with until it gets here..currently a Siemens made, RCA branded 6DJ8 that makes the stock 6BZ7 tube sound broken, and is the best yet of the handful of 6DJ8 family tubes I've tried.

But now it looks like I need to buy *another* adapter for an octal base. Have plenty of 6SN7's, but I'd actually have to purchase a CV-181...horrors! For those that have tried both, is the Shuguang CV-181Z a big step up from the 396A (and variants)? Or more incremental? Thanks!

Welcome mate, the Shunguang works well in the Vali 2, something about its clarity and control with just the right amount of wetness. This person describes it a lot (in not, more articulate) better than I can.
"When I am listening to sand (solid-state amplification) I often yearn for the virtues of valves, the midrange lucidity, the unforced realistic instrumental timbre, the natural soundstage etc. When I am listening to glass I often yearn for those solid-state qualities of solid bass, pace, rhythm, finely etched treble, grandiose macro dynamics etc. Plugging the Shuguang Treasure series CV181Z into 6SN7GT locations takes the traditional valve qualities and adds some of the silicon tautness." -

Here is the link if you would like to read the review: http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html

How are the Alpha Primes treating you?

Listening to the Massdrop T-X0 as I type this.


 
Jan 29, 2018 at 6:05 AM Post #1,011 of 6,436
Thanks
The matsus**ta is sounding great, it is a step up from the stock tube. very nice. I will try the EH 6922 soon.
while I am awaiting for the 6SN7 adaptor, I have decided not to order the Shuguang (for the moment) and I got a Philips JAN 6SN7WGTA which seems to be quite regarded.
now...wait and see. I will report back in a few days.

The Philips shouldn't disappoint, but I'd burn in the Matsushita's longer, I hear they're supposed to be using the same tooling from Mullards back in the day?

Don't look past the Russian equivalent 6H8C's, probably one of my personal favorites!
 
Jan 29, 2018 at 5:48 PM Post #1,012 of 6,436
Welcome mate, the Shunguang works well in the Vali 2, something about its clarity and control with just the right amount of wetness. This person describes it a lot (in not, more articulate) better than I can.
"When I am listening to sand (solid-state amplification) I often yearn for the virtues of valves, the midrange lucidity, the unforced realistic instrumental timbre, the natural soundstage etc. When I am listening to glass I often yearn for those solid-state qualities of solid bass, pace, rhythm, finely etched treble, grandiose macro dynamics etc. Plugging the Shuguang Treasure series CV181Z into 6SN7GT locations takes the traditional valve qualities and adds some of the silicon tautness." -

Here is the link if you would like to read the review: http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html

How are the Alpha Primes treating you?

Listening to the Massdrop T-X0 as I type this.
 
Jan 29, 2018 at 6:21 PM Post #1,013 of 6,436
Thanks for the welcome and info, Volly. Guess there's a CV-181Z in my future. :fearful:

I'm liking the Alpha Primes quite a lot. I upgraded to the "DUM" cable which was rather unimpressive at first, but after 72 hours of burn-in on the Audiodharma cable cooker, really hit its' stride and is a nice improvement over the standard cable. The Primes have a nice balance to my ears with just enough weight in the bass, and nice extension up top without any glare or fatigue. Would love just a bit more romance and harmonic bloom in the mids, which I'm confident I'll be able to do with the right tube in the Vali. Lots of great suggestions here to try!

Edit: seems I double posted (above). Apologies. New forum software to get used to. Perhaps a mod can delete it?
 
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Jan 30, 2018 at 3:36 AM Post #1,014 of 6,436
Thanks Volly! I have learned a lot reading your posts.

sure... my view so far is:

matsush**a: tubey, liquid, very nice. Soundstage medium, dynamic medium, detail medium.
EH: holy.... very dynamic, huge soundstage (and I mean huge with my stax....gigantic), very detailed, very transparent...not very tubey (I miss a bit of tubey here). but not aggressive.

I love so far matsush**a for classical... love that tubey sound with classical, is fantastic. also probably acoustic and jazz stuff.
EH for the rest.

I know I know... still more time needed for burn in... my Vali 2 never sleeps!....
 
Feb 1, 2018 at 5:15 PM Post #1,016 of 6,436
I took the case off the converter... says 6N3 to 12AX7.. thats still in our wheelhouse right?
Vtl8P6k.jpg
 
Feb 1, 2018 at 6:55 PM Post #1,019 of 6,436
Hrmmm...all I can think of is, if the adapter is the issue, if it is 'indeed' a 6N3 to 12AX7 design then that might be the issue. Pretty sure the pin outs for a 12AX7 is different to 6922/E88CC.

I've read somewhere that 12AX7 mostly run at 6v but the pin lay out is totally different, so no plug n play.

Hope you get it sorted mate.
 
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:27 PM Post #1,020 of 6,436
The pinout is in fact different between a 12AX7 and a 6922 -- pin 9 is unused in the 6922 and is a heater tap for the 12AX7. From the looks of it the wrong label was put on the outer ring of the adapter, at least if the circuit board is marked correctly. Boostdemon, I ordered one from the same seller (tubemalls), and it was supposed to arrive last week. No sign of it, so I emailed him the other day and he suggested I call the Post Office and complain to them. Really? I just finished complaining to PayPal instead. But good luck trying to get some resolution from him. I placed an order with another seller yesterday which will hopefully turn out better.
 

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