[balderon]

Hi dannie01, would you share the source for the "water tanks" you used for the WA22 upgrade? Thanks!

 

[jc9394]

He have to kill you if he tells you...

 

[dmac03]

My (black) wa22 and ps1000 headphones just got delivered. The amp is quite the piece of art!
 
For the time being I am just using stock GE tubes with SE input. I can't even imagine how nice this will be with a good source and tubes.

 

[jc9394]

 
Quote:

My (black) wa22 and ps1000 headphones just got delivered. The amp is quite the piece of art!
 
For the time being I am just using stock GE tubes with SE input. I can't even imagine how nice this will be with a good source and tubes.

Woohoo, CONGRATS... you will love the amp.  I totally forget about how good it is until last night.

 

[Xcalibur255]

 
Quote:

I have a question for the WA6 tube gurus.
 
Basically, I am looking for suggestions for a tube compliment that will make my WA6 sound it's most 'tubey' (for want of a better word). I guess my solid-state amp (spl phonitor) has got the whole clean and neutral thing covered, so I would like to have my WA6 give me a different, more euphonic and lush, presentation.
 
The closest I have got with my current tube inventory would be the Princess paired with a pair of big bottle RCA 6FD7 - lovely bit of warmth in the midrange. I guess I want 'more of that', if that makes any sense.
 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I agree with jc.  The Sophia doesn't offer a very tubey or lush sound.  A Mullard rectifier will give more of the midrange bloom you may be wanting.  I would ask Glenn to make you a pair of 6SN7 adapters for your amp and go from there.  The 6DE7 and 6FD7 is a brighter and thinner sound.  If you want something more "romantic" the 6SN7 will get you there with the right tubes.  Sylvania green label and RCA greyglass are good places to start for 6SN7GTs.  If you are not ready to do the adapter thing try some Sylvania or RCA 6EW7s.

 

[SpudHarris]

 
Quote:

I have a question for the WA6 tube gurus.
 
Basically, I am looking for suggestions for a tube compliment that will make my WA6 sound it's most 'tubey' (for want of a better word). I guess my solid-state amp (spl phonitor) has got the whole clean and neutral thing covered, so I would like to have my WA6 give me a different, more euphonic and lush, presentation.
 
The closest I have got with my current tube inventory would be the Princess paired with a pair of big bottle RCA 6FD7 - lovely bit of warmth in the midrange. I guess I want 'more of that', if that makes any sense.
 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Steve, have you tried a Sylvania 5931? This was recommended to me as an alternative to the Sophia and it's certainly a beautiful tube and most definately more ''tubey'' than the Sophia. Soundstage is a little narrow in comparison to the Sophia but it's not as bright, still detailed but no hint of glare. I have one from the same month and year of my birth which is a bit spooky.
 
Drop me a PM with your address and I'll send it down to Exeter for a loan if you like. I'm in love with my EML 5U4G at present so I have no plans to roll rectifiers any time soon. Just let us know what you think.
 
Edit:
 
I agree with Xcallibur reference the 6EW7 option. I have some back up Sylvanias if you want a loan of those also.
 

 

[St3ve]

Quote:

Try a Mullard GZ34 with 6SN7 (needs an adapter)...

Thanks jc9394 - I certainly might give both of those things a shot. 

 
Quote:

I agree with jc.  The Sophia doesn't offer a very tubey or lush sound.  A Mullard rectifier will give more of the midrange bloom you may be wanting.  I would ask Glenn to make you a pair of 6SN7 adapters for your amp and go from there.  The 6DE7 and 6FD7 is a brighter and thinner sound.  If you want something more "romantic" the 6SN7 will get you there with the right tubes.  Sylvania green label and RCA greyglass are good places to start for 6SN7GTs.  If you are not ready to do the adapter thing try some Sylvania or RCA 6EW7s.

Thanks Xcalibur - I have a pair of Raytheon 6EW7s, and I find them kind of polite sounding - nice tonality, but a bit shy when it comes to impact (perhaps they are lower output, and it's a psychoacoustic thing). Certainly a nice sounding tube though, but I really like the low-end of the RCA 6FD7 (my phones sometimes need it). I am not sure whether the Raytheons are at all representative of the 6EW7 breed though. 
 
Then again, most of my driver tube rolling has been with the Princess in situ (which, as you say, isn't known for it's bloominess), so I think I might try rolling a rectifier first and then re-evaluate my drivers (in particular my 6EW7s).
 
I think I'll certainly be looking into grabbing some 6SN7 adapters in the future, and a Mullard at some point sooner. Thank you for your advice
Quote:

Steve, have you tried a Sylvania 5931? This was recommended to me as an alternative to the Sophia and it's certainly a beautiful tube and most definately more ''tubey'' than the Sophia. Soundstage is a little narrow in comparison to the Sophia but it's not as bright, still detailed but no hint of glare. I have one from the same month and year of my birth which is a bit spooky.
 
Drop me a PM with your address and I'll send it down to Exeter for a loan if you like. I'm in love with my EML 5U4G at present so I have no plans to roll rectifiers any time soon. Just let us know what you think.
 
Edit:
 
I agree with Xcallibur reference the 6EW7 option. I have some back up Sylvanias if you want a loan of those also.
 

 
Hi Nigel,
 
That's a very kind offer indeed, I would love to give the 5931 a try (only if it is no trouble to yourself) - I'll PM
 
I am happy to sacrifice some soundstage, and even a little detail, in the pursuit of warmth and lushness.
 
Steve.
 
 

 

[Cyberevo]

Hi, folks
 
After 15 days waiting, finally...
 

 
 
Very nice packing...
 

 
 
 
 
And, these were my recent collections
 

 
 
 
I suppose I can stay away from tubing rolling for a while... right?? 

 

 

 
Thanks to Skylab, glenn, Dannie, jc9394(John), sillysally, Thaddy..... and many other pros who ever provided your informative comments to me......

 

[SpudHarris]

I bet that sounds awesome. I will be using that very combination in my WA6 very soon.
 
I have these babies on route from the states......
 

 

[Cyberevo]

Quote:

I bet that sounds awesome. I will be using that very combination in my WA6 very soon.
 
I have these babies on route from the states......
 
 

 
I will let this new EML 5U4G Mesh runs for another few hours before I A/B test it with Sophia Princess 274B
 

And, actually, I am thinking to get another pair of TS BGRP as spare ones... 

 

[SpudHarris]

Quote:

And, actually, I am thinking to get another pair of TS BGRP as spare ones... 

Me thinks someone has won the lottery

 
I thought the same when I got the TS BGRP 6F8G's, you think OMG these are soooo good, what do I do if one fails? I can't possibly live without them. But where does it stop?
 
I took the view that the 6F8G and 6SN7 TS BGRP's wouldn't be too dissimilar in quality so now have a pair of each.
 

 

 

[Cyberevo]

Quote:

Me thinks someone has won the lottery

 
I thought the same when I got the TS BGRP 6F8G's, you think OMG these are soooo good, what do I do if one fails? I can't possibly live without them. But where does it stop?
 
I took the view that the 6F8G and 6SN7 TS BGRP's wouldn't be too dissimilar in quality so now have a pair of each.
 

 

Yep, you know what exactly I am thinking.
 
I just tried some musics with this brand new EML, but I must say I am a little disappointed at this moment that it doesn't seem to match with TS BGRP.
Dynamics are weaker, the feeling of soundstage is a little too artificial, the bass is not improved as I expect(EML should has more tight bass and punch than Sophia, I suppose), everything move a little backward, and the sound is dull(?).
 
By the way, the image of the sound is flat, the 3D image TS BGRP provides is gone...
 
Different from K_19, except the soundstage is wider than Sophia, all other things are wrong at this moment.
I better let EML burns few more hours......

 

[Skylab]

I finally got some 6FD7's to try in my WA6.  This is my favorite tube by far, of all of the dissimilar triodes.  It has all the bass of the 6DE7 (and maybe more), and has a wonderful midrange that neither the 6DE7 or 6EW7 quite have.  I thought the 6EW7 really sounded nice in the mids, but lacked bass depth and punch.  I liked the 6DE7 overall, but thought it was just a little lacking in dynamics.  the 6FD7 really sounds much better.
 
For some reason, even though they are cheap, the 6FD7 is a little harder to come by, which is too bad.

 

[dannie01]

Quote:

Yep, you know what exactly I am thinking.
 
I just try some musics with this brand new EML, but I must say I am a little disappointed at this moment that it doesn't seem to match with TS BGRP.
Dynamics are weaker, the feeling of soundstage is a little too artificial, the bass is not improved as I expect(EML should has more tight bass and punch than Sophia, I suppose), everything move a little backward, and the sound is dull(?).
 
By the way, the image of the sound is flat, the 3D image TS BGRP provides is gone...
 
Different from K_19, except the soundstage is wider than Sophia, all other things are wrong at this moment.
I better let EML burns few more hours......

No worry, I have very similar feeling when I put the EMLs new in my WA5LE. Now after about 40 hrs of burn-in, they sound great. Let it run for few more days and you'll find it works great with the TS BGRP.
 

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Yep, you know what exactly I am thinking.
 
I just try some musics with this brand new EML, but I must say I am a little disappointed at this moment that it doesn't seem to match with TS BGRP.
Dynamics are weaker, the feeling of soundstage is a little too artificial, the bass is not improved as I expect(EML should has more tight bass and punch than Sophia, I suppose), everything move a little backward, and the sound is dull(?).
 
Different from K_19, except the soundstage is wider than Sophia, all other things are wrong at this moment.
I better let EML burns few more hours......

Yeah, I'm guessing that the synergy with your driver tubes may have a lot to do with how they will sound to you.  I personally do think that it's slightly more punchy and dynamic than Sophia, but I'd have to say neither have particularly prominent bass... both are well extended but at the same time, neutral.  And as stated before the soundstage is the reason why I find neither to be a perfect match with the HD800... it pulls it too wide.
 
BTW I tried the EML with many different set ups yesterday (lot of source, cable, driver tube swappin') and I did manage to get them sound VERY close to how I want them to be with my HD800, but always came just short of having my ideal highs/lows balance at my ideal loudness setting.  As it merely has neutral bass (opposed to the GZ34, which does have prominence here due to smaller soundstage and being warmer) but yet very clear and crisp highs, the highs were just a little bit too prominent no matter what at where I want the bass to be (and I don't mean sibilance... EML is not sibilant at all IMO, but I meant more the areas >10khz which I'm sensitive to).  But damn, the detailing and naturalness in sound was impeccable...
 
I also tried it with my W1000X and the synergy was excellent.  What's interesting is that W1000X shares the similar highs peak as the HD800's but manage to still sound good with the EML because they also have prominent bass by default to compliment it.  This enables it to sound perfectly balanced at lower levels, unlike the 800's.