Vali 2 tube rolling
Apr 17, 2019 at 3:41 PM Post #2,191 of 6,436
Ok I have a matched set on the way.

They will most likely have a regular pentagon on the top with "6С2С" inside, if they are from the earlier dates in Novosibirsk (the 1973 have only a small pentagon on the side). The early samples from MELZ are extremely rare, as they were, well, just the samples.
 
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Apr 17, 2019 at 3:48 PM Post #2,192 of 6,436
I found some 1968, large pentagon. Well matched. I will start with these and if I like them I may search for some of the rare versions.

I also got some Melz 1579's to try in a Cary amp for the heck of it.
 
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Apr 17, 2019 at 4:21 PM Post #2,193 of 6,436
I found some 1968 Photons, large pentagon. Well matched. I will start with these and if I like them I may search for some of the rare versions.

With all due respect, pentagon is always NEMZ, Soyuz, Novosibirsk. Foton factory is in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and their tubes are marked with equilateral horizontal rhombus that contains the type of the tube in digits and cyrillic letters (same as in pentagon in case of Novosibirsk)

fOTON.jpg


This may be confusing, as older Soyuz also have a similar but much smaller rhombus on the side in addition to pentagon, however, that's something different, as that rhombus contains a five-pointed star inside, and inside the star - sickle and hammer - that is a sign of military acceptance, same as e.g. JAN in the US.
 
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Apr 17, 2019 at 4:51 PM Post #2,194 of 6,436
Yes I edited before you posted. I realized Photon had the rhombus after the fact and deleted that brand name. Better you find my error than Bill !
 
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Apr 17, 2019 at 5:30 PM Post #2,195 of 6,436
Yes I edited before you posted. I realized Photon had the rhombus after the fact and deleted that brand name. Better you find my error than Bill !

That is not an error per se. Russian markings are as confusing as their history of production. I read somewhere that the rhombus was used by Reflector in Saratov before Foton in Tashkent. Foton, like Soyuz, also started in 1941 with evacuation from Fryazino tube factory No 191 ("Radiolampa") (close to Moscow) to Tashkent. In Fryazino, RCA built a new part to manufacture tubes with metal jackets under contract in 1939 (following the start of cooperation and technology transfer in 1935). However, in 1942, the tube factory in Fryazino was reestablished as No. 747 and produced tubes again. In addition, in 1946, equipment from Oberspreewerke in Berlin was taken to Fryazino along with German engineers from Telefunken to reproduce German technology of metal-ceramic tubes. So, the Soviet tubes are not that much Soviet, it seems...
 
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Apr 17, 2019 at 6:43 PM Post #2,196 of 6,436
That is not an error per se. Russian markings are as confusing as their history of production. I read somewhere that the rhombus was used by Reflector in Saratov before Foton in Tashkent. Foton, like Soyuz, also started in 1941 with evacuation from Fryazino tube factory No 191 ("Radiolampa") (close to Moscow) to Tashkent. In Fryazino, RCA built a new part to manufacture tubes with metal jackets under contract in 1939 (following the start of cooperation and technology transfer in 1935). However, in 1942, the tube factory in Fryazino was reestablished as No. 747 and produced tubes again. In addition, in 1946, equipment from Oberspreewerke in Berlin was taken to Fryazino along with German engineers from Telefunken to reproduce German technology of metal-ceramic tubes. So, the Soviet tubes are not that much Soviet, it seems...
Excellent info, thanks so much!

IMG_0704.jpg I am still working on matching LED's to working tube color but I am getting closer. Just a bit more amber would be nice but I am nearly there.
 
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:55 PM Post #2,197 of 6,436
Excellent info, thanks so much!

I am still working on matching LED's to working tube color but I am getting closer. Just a bit more amber would be nice but I am nearly there.

That's more like lightly roasted umber, but far be it from me to nitpick or anything. :sweat_smile:
 
Apr 17, 2019 at 9:06 PM Post #2,198 of 6,436
That's more like lightly roasted umber, but far be it from me to nitpick or anything. :sweat_smile:
Lightly roasted eh? I hope the nits you are picking form a united front and swarm your North Carolina A$$. :)
 
Apr 17, 2019 at 9:29 PM Post #2,199 of 6,436
Lightly roasted eh? I hope the nits you are picking form a united front and swarm your North Carolina A$$. :)

LOL!!!!

It's just that I know what a perfectionist you are, Tom, and only trying to be my usual helpful self. :slight_smile:
 
Apr 17, 2019 at 9:41 PM Post #2,200 of 6,436
LOL!!!!

It's just that I know what a perfectionist you are, Tom, and only trying to be my usual helpful self. :slight_smile:
I am a perfectionist by all means, I generally like to drive on the left side of the road and make sure my shoes are on the proper feet. Other than that, I usually ask myself “what would Bill do?” before I leave my house in the morning. It is how I cope with life.
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 11:19 AM Post #2,201 of 6,436
... and now, ladies and gentlemen, a pair of 6С2С (6S2S), otherwise Soviet analogue of 6J5, from Soyuz factory in Novosibirsk, also known as NEMZ, or factory No. 617. In 1937, the Soviets bought tube manufacturing equipment from RCA for Svetlana factory in Leningrad. in 1941, during the WWII, part of the factory was evacuated to Novosibirsk. I do not know if RCA equipment went there, but this is a high probability. 6S2S tubes were developed at MELZ in Moscow and forwarded to Novosibirsk for production. I now have pairs made in 1973, 1962,1958 and 1954-55. The latter is in the pic and sounds beautifully.

...I'm a sucker for this level of detail! Me gusta. Thanks, @Old Deaf Donkey

Very cool! Just when I thought I had most every 6j5 variable known to man a new one comes out lol. I must see if I can purchase some of these myself.

Ok I have a matched set on the way.

There must a historian (of the Cold War and its technologies) that has done scholarly work on how civilians (more importantly children [like me] born post 1970) who are taking the nightmarish war technology and hammering them into proverbial ploughshares. As I turn 49 at month's end, I'm picking up the album covers of Metallica, Megadeath, Quiet Riot, and Judas Priest... and getting a Schiit-eating grin on my face. :ksc75smile:
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 12:42 PM Post #2,202 of 6,436
IMG_0708.jpg Right now Mr. Donkey certainly has my vote as far as someone who knows Russian tube history. I have plenty of tube manuals from the 30's to the 70's but they are for US made tubes. Seriously I doubt we ever shared much technology with Russia except for during WW 2 and it may have been limited to war related production.

Once I find a defective power tube my headphone rack will be complete. I mounted a small switch on the back side of the socket so I need not leave the filaments light at all times. This is a bit bright so I may tone it down some in the future.
 
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Apr 19, 2019 at 1:51 PM Post #2,203 of 6,436
Right now Mr. Donkey certainly has my vote as far as someone who knows Russian tube history. I have plenty of tube manuals from the 30's to the 70's but they are for US made tubes. Seriously I doubt we ever shared much technology with Russia except for during WW 2 and it may have been limited to war related production.

A couple of months ago I did not know a schiit about Russkie tubes or their production history. My advantages are knowledge sourcing and harvesting skills, and of course that I have learned the language well enough. Then, of course, curiosity.

The reason for the Soviets acquiring US technology for vacuum tube production in the thirties has not been military at all. They were looking for television. It helped that American TV development pioneer, V.K. Zworykin, was born in Russia, and he visited Soviet Russia in the thirties. Hence the Soviets bought technology and equipment namely from the RCA, paying millions in gold. This turned out useful for radio comms equipment during the war, and then they were also using some of the equipment creatively to manufacture parts of the armaments. Later, after WWII, radar and computing uses also were added.

The rack is coming through gorgeous. Congratulations!
 
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Apr 20, 2019 at 8:28 AM Post #2,204 of 6,436
My path to euphonics by rolling tubes in Vali 2
I lost a good deal of top and bottom frequencies in my left ear after a very violent ear infection in the African bush 13 years ago. I almost died waiting until was rescued by air to the nearest medical assistance but that‘s another story. As my right ear still hears reasonably well somehow something compensates and I hear well binaurally: soundstage, space, balance, articulation, and all (or so I think). This may however affect my preferences for sonic signatures.

I have had a rather decent musical education in my childhood which comprised singing a lot of baroque, classical and romantic music in a choir, and public concerts home and abroad. That included some theory, so I can read musical score to a degree. As an adolescent, I drooled listening to various kinds of rock, rhythm and blues, and jazz in the Seventies and stayed with that music until now. Later in life, due to family circumstances, I met many world-famous classical musicians, and I had extraordinary chances to observe various rehearsals and staging of classical opera at the highest level. Hence my experience of music is quite deep and wide. I can play music in my head, and I can somehow correct a lousy performance and inferior recording psychologically. This of course takes effort, so enjoyment is limited if such correction needs to be done.

Before I started this quest for sound quality, my adult experience was limited to a home stereo system consisting of NAD C350 integrated amp driving B&W P4 floor speakers. It worked extremely well for me 20 years ago, and I still have the equipment in one of my homes. A while before this quest, I bought Sony NW-A45 DAP and MDR-1000X noise cancelling cans for travel – which gave rather nice sound, I thought, HiRes and all. I had little clue about relatively measurable or discernible qualities of reproduction beyond the stereophonic effect - such as speed, tonal balance, resolution, 3d soundstage and the like.

In October 2018, I decided to buy good HiFi headphones in addition to Sony MDR-1000X which I have been using for air travel. Reading a bit led to narrowing the choice down to AKG K702 and Hifiman HE-400i. So I bought both. Initially, the plan was to use Sony NW-A45 as USB DAC. Of course, it would not drive the K702 sufficiently, so, researching the amps, I chose Schiit Vali 2 as I decided to try tube rolling on the cheap. After a while, Modi MultiBit followed. Half a year later, having spent $$$$ for tubes and adapters from all over the world in result of reading this thread and a bit of other stuff, mostly, I am sitting happy as a pig in schiit, having achieved sound quality and signature I never thought possible, and now quite well-informed what works for me.

I added HE400i to K702 on the merits of trying magnetic planar in comparison to varimotion dynamic drivers, expecting that the two different technologies will sound differently with the same tube. Well, they do, and they don’t sometimes.

It helps me to think of tubes as men, and cans as women.

HE400i exudes an atmosphere of appealing availability, it comforts and arouses at the same time. It never challenges you too hard, it accepts you and your music readily, and swathes one’s mind over in a cloud of smooth pleasure. At the same time, the sonic detail remains revealed - just that it is covered by some luxurious sheen. Some tubes that either fail to master K702, or lack subtlety of signature, sound more acceptable on HE400i. Some 5670 tubes are like that.

K702 is like a bespectacled business woman, sharp, a little angular, intelligent and witty. One must work hard and remain alert to get accepted. However, once involved, it opens amazing, lucid experiences, that carry one away in strident, charming, and transparent engagement. For that, however, the tube needs to have not just clarity, dimensionality, tonal balance and speed, but also a high degree of sonic sophistication. Generally, some 6SN7 and C6G8 tubes open better on K702.

To me, even with a well-matched tube, HE400i, while delivering desired sound signature, ultimately fails to excite and intrigue at the same level compared to K702. I listen to both but choose K702 much more often.

A logical conclusion might appear that brighter, sharper tubes would work better on softer sounding headphones. Alas, it is somewhat true and somewhat not true.

I have found a couple of funny aspects of tube preferences. It is not just the sonic qualities. I tend to think that larger tubes should sound better, and among the larger tubes those with metal base and those in coke-bottle shape should be the best. Then, another bias is that older tubes should sound more euphonic. I have no idea where this all comes from, but it is there.

The biggest discovery to me was that some music on the same equipment, including the same source and the same tube, sounds differently on various headphones on different days. Is it atmospheric pressure, blood pressure, mood, or even more factors? I simply do not know. And, some other music, as many good recordings of jazz, sound almost universally well on all tubes and all cans always. Go figure… This means that using more than one set of headphones with different tubes makes evaluation of sound signature rather complex and a tedious job. It follows that one also like different tubes more on different days.

Another discovery was that critical listening to evaluate qualities of a tube and listening to music on the same tube are two rather different things, as the first focusses on analysis of momentary experience, and the second – on enjoyment of one’s music. To me, a synthesis of both is required to determine whether the given tube delivers somewhat close to a desirable sound signature to me.

These are just a few examples of what I listen to. The sonic merits and challenges are obvious, so very few notes.

Ciaconna, Partita for Violin Solo No 2 in D Minor, by JS Bach: Henryk Szeryng, violin (Guarneri “Leduc”, 1745); https://tidal.com/track/4395049

Chaconne in G Minor, by Vitali: Jascha Heifetz, violin (Guarneri “The David”, 1742), Richard Elsasser, organ; https://tidal.com/track/11334294

Allegrao moderato, Concerto for Violin in D, Op. 36, by Tchaikovsky: Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin (Stradivarius "Lord Dunn-Raven" of 1710), Wiener Philharmoniker under André Previn; https://tidal.com/browse/track/77697125

Dance of the Knights, Romeo and Juliet, by Prokofiev: Lisa Batiashvili, violin (Guarneri “Cozio 61377”, 1739), Chamber Orchestra of Europe under Yannick Nézet-Séguin; https://tidal.com/track/84165950

Bete aber auch dabei, from Cantata Mache dich mein Geist, bereit, by JS Bach: Daniel Hope, violin (Guarneri “ex-Lipinski”, 1737), Ana Lucia Richter, soprano, Claudio Bohorquez, cello, & Naoki Kitaya, organ; https://tidal.com/track/77629587

Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major “St. Anne”, by JS Bach: Carl Weinrich, organ (Holtkamp Organ Company of Cleveland, Ohio – Job 1712, 1958, at General Theological Seminary Chapel of the Good Shepherd, New York, New York, USA); https://tidal.com/track/66091706; transient speed and space

Stabat mater dolorosa, Stabat Mater, by Pergolesi: Philippe Jaroussky, counter-tenor, Julia Lezhneva, soprano, I Barocchisti under Diego Fasolis; https://tidal.com/track/68736855

Gloria: Quoniam, Mass in C Minor, by Mozart: Barbara Hendricks, Pamela Coburn, Andreas Schmidt, Raphael Alpermann, Staatskapelle Dresden and Rundfunkchor Leipzig under Peter Schreier; https://tidal.com/track/65427785; very few tubes manage proper separation of soprano and mezzo, and the twin 6J5 setup does it best.

Agnus Dei, Mass B Minor, by JS Bach: Hertha Töpper, Mezzo-Soprano, Münchener Bach-Orchester & Münchener Bach-Chor under Karl Richter; https://tidal.com/track/77599268

Alto là!, Act 1, Barbiere di Siviglia, by Rossini: Teresa Berganza, Stefania Malagu, Luigi Alva, Enzo Dara, Hermann Prey, London Symphony Orchestra under Claudio Abbado; https://tidal.com/track/88459475; this is good to check soundstage 3d, and nothing matches 2 6J5s

Always Somewhere (Live), Acoustica, Scorpions; https://tidal.com/track/5872116

The End: The Doors; https://tidal.com/track/389269

Just the Same (2012 rm), from I lost My Head, Gentle Giant; https://tidal.com/track/64039985

Bags & Trane, Milt Jackson, John Coltrane; https://tidal.com/track/68685493

Lonely woman, The Modern Jazz Quartett; https://tidal.com/track/68714057

The Grand Wazoo, Frank Zappa; https://tidal.com/track/16605072

Blues Deluxe, Joe Bonamassa; https://tidal.com/track/5173422

The Inflated Tear, from The Vibration Continues, Rahsaan Roland Kirk; https://tidal.com/track/68714205

The Sage, from Pictures at an Exhibition, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer;
https://tidal.com/browse/track/63101468

So, where am I in my quest for euphonics?

What is important to me in a sound signature?

After going through the tubes I have enjoyed most the ones that resolve well in terms of separation and space. I like wide and deep soundstages. Tonal balance is important, and while I am not a bass-head, I like tight, fast, well defined bass, without hangovers. I do not like tizzy, sibilant treble, but enjoy mine bright and airy. I like rich, well-articulated and clearly separated mids. I am starting to learn what is meant by attack speed in sound reproduction, and I like mine fast. Overall, definition and focus of the sound character are very important to me. Yet that is not enough. To enjoy, I also need something that sounds euphonic, sophisticated, not just crystal clear (a bit of contradiction, I know). Something that sounds “realistic” to me, full of presence bringing me to a virtual concert hall (even in studio recordings), some kind of gestalt response. All this leads up to something in my head stop searching, correcting, adjusting, purifying, detecting, so that I can relax completely and enjoy the music.

Which cans?

Much more often AKG K702, than HE400i. See spoiler above if you are interested in more. In a way, I like both and will keep both. I am buying a second pair of K702 for future use as I am afraid they will soon disappear from the market. I will not buy a second pair of HE400i.

My choice was guided by this thread and some other reading, and the results were hit and miss. The first tubes I really liked were 5670: WE396A (which remains a favourite), and also somewhat similar RCA JRC 5670 and GE 5670W. Then, a RCA CRC-6C8-G JAN arrived, and that was a step forward. Then I moved on 6SN7GT Tung-Sol “mouse ears”, yet another small but significant step forward. Then I separated the 6SN7 into twin 6J5s, and that was it. I have several pairs (see my tube list under spoiler above), and I like the Soviet 6SNS made by Soyuz in Novosibirsk in 1954 and 55, and a throw away (both measured “bad”) combination of Philco and Super Silverstone best.

I have not found comparable tubes in 6922/ECC88 format. ElectroHarmonix 6922 and Reflektor 6N23P lack finesse; 7V Philips PCC88 is an interesting, darkish signature tube, maybe I need more time, but why bother.

I do come back from the twin 6J5s occasionally to 5670s, 6C8G, 6SN7 “mouse ears” and occasionally MELZ 6Н8С from early 1950ties (which brings unsurpassed resolution, timbral balance yet sounds somewhat thin in harmonics). A very pleasurable listening, but I still like the split twin setup for the soundstage and precision of placement. It is fine to change and check sometimes, even if only to refresh the hearing, but ultimately, I hope I am close to the endgame.

I spent more than $4,000 on tubes and other stuff (including Edifier S3000Pro speakers). Could have bought a Cary CAD 300B SEI and AKG K1000 second hand for that money. But - all the fun rolling tubes!

I went deeper. Still Vali 2 and AKG K702. I pursued 3 paths: (i) looking for 6SN7 I liked best (including 6C8), buying about 10 types of each that I could find on the cheap; (ii) pursuing dual setup with single triods further - some more 6J5, and adding several 7A4/VT-192 (many thanks to @Paladin79 ); I could find (I found two types NOS NIB in good quantities), I seem to be the only person [not for long, though] who has seen CBS-branded 7A4 as the Internet does not provide any reference to them; (iii) still trying a couple of novals, made by Mullard.

I had to buy a tube tester - SuperiorInstruments TV-12. It makes me very happy as now I can buy funny tubes from garbage bins without fear!

All paths have been productive. Whilst I still have plenty of 6SN7 (see here and here) and 6C8 to try, a CBS 5692 and RCA 6SN7GT grey glass took me a level up in 6SN7; Mullard ECC82 and CV2492, and Brimar CV4033 enhanced my view on novals, again a step up from WE396A. However, fed from Mimby, dual setup of Sylvanias VT-192 from 1943, Brimar 6SN7GT with staggered winged circle plates, RCA VT-231 grey ["smoked"] glass, and Ken-Rad JAN-CKR-6C8-G VT-163 (not in particular order) were the best liked setups.

An important change to my listening to new tubes is that I started worry less about characteristics and much more about the overall sound signature: does the tube render a sound that engages me, do I like it, or not that much? Only if a tube comes close to the ones I like best, I start analysing, what is missing for me? Say, I have a RCA 6C8G, with parallel winged plates, that sounds almost ideal, and some other 6C8G with round plates, but it seems that there is a slight lack of sparkle in them, compared to my best setups. I like it very much, but I like my best setups better.

This phase continued through variants of 6SN7 that I have, including Foton 6H8C from 1951, and Frankentube 7N7, made in the Lansdale factory - another awesome tube, and Ken-Rad staggered plates which is also great. Thought of maybe adding Tung-Sol black glass, round plates and looking for one other variant of Sylvanias VT-192 (racetrack mica, oh this @bcowen !).

ENDGAME

Following in the path of @Paladin79, added a DAC with tube buffer, aune T1, instead of Mimby. Some time ago, I bought two Siemens EC8010 triodes which I found for a rather reasonable price ($20 apiece, +$25 for the adapter to 6922). I anticipated using them in the aune, adding euphonic tubes to Vali 2. In Vali 2 on Mimby, they gave excellent resolution, soundstage and speed, but sounded a little dry and somewhat unpleasant. Once aune T1 arrived, I found that actually it works the best other way round: the pair of EC8010 in Vali 2, giving the best of EC8010 character, and two Sylvania VT-192 (7A4) in the aune, supporting resolution and space, and adding musicality. A pair of best 6J5 (Sylvania, RCA, even NEVZ 6C2C from 1954), or 7A4 in the aune T1, and Sylvania 6SN7W, RCA grey glass, or CBS Hytron 5692, or another great tube in Vali 2 work well, too. These combinations are indeed awesome to my ears, I cannot stop listening to this combination, both on AKG 702 and Hifiman HE 400i. Goodbye Mimby. Will of course look for other great tubes on occasions, but otherwise: ENDGAME. Update: not quite... read on

Added Koss/Massdrop E95X on Koss E90, fed by aune T1 with two single triodes. Excellent, too, more transparent, yet a tad less magical, than the setup with Vali. So I alternate, nowadays, but still keep coming back to aune T1 + Vali2 + K702. I like it the best.
 
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Apr 20, 2019 at 9:20 AM Post #2,205 of 6,436
An interesting read ODD. I would be curious which Melz tubes you tried. If you could post a photo that would be helpful.

The Vali 2 is a fun little amp but all things are relative and it is easy to spend $2400 on speakers alone, or one set of headphones, or one DAC. It sounds like you have learned a lot in the last six months, I greatly prefer the tube sound and class A amps so that is where I spend the most money. Having just heard Sonus Faber speakers with a Cary amp I just purchased, I need to try to replicate that sound so my goals are pretty clear right now.

Oh yeah, I have some dud power tubes on the way so both sides of my headphone rack will have lighted tubes.
 
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