[Cyberevo]

Quote:

  I thought the 6EW7 really sounded nice in the mids, but lacked bass depth and punch. 

Dear Skylab,
 
Actually, my stock GE 6EW7 provides more bass and punch than current TS BGRP. 
I love my TS very much, but lack of bass is an issue to HD800 in this rigs.
Do you have any suggestion?
 
Thanks,
Ivan.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

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.

 
I really wish I'd have known about the 6FD7 compatibility when I sent it the first time to Jack for repairs... I'd definitely have paid extra to have it made compatible with it.  But now, without any DIY skills and shipping it back WAY too much of a hassle, there's really not much I can do about it. 

  But I recall something being mentioned earlier about making an adaptor with resistors... I may inquire to Jack about it to see if it is possible at all.
 
BTW, a quick question; I'm looking for tube dampers for 6DE7 and found these for cheap: http://cgi.ebay.ca/10X-Tube-Damper-Silicon-Ring-fit-12AX7-12AU7-12AT7-6EU7-/150495887167?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item230a40ff3f   They're for the 12AU7 variety though and I was wondering if they'd fit my 6DE7's... I had the 12AU7's before and from memory they are of similar size... can anyone confirm that these will fit the 6DE7's?  Furthermore... will these even work?

 

[jc9394]

 
Quote:

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

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

You should stop looking for tubes, there is nothing you can get is better than the setup already have.

 

[jc9394]

 
Quote:

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......

I think your TS BGRP does not match the EML at all.  Please send it my way so Ii can confirm it. 

 
Quote:

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.
 

Don't tell him that...

 

[Cyberevo]

Quote:

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.
 

Hi, Dannie
 
Every time I want something, or I got something, you always ask me to be patient.....  but you know that is actually a torture...

 
Quote:

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.

 
HD800 prpvides excellent detail, midrange and soundstage, however, a little hot treble---just like Skylab's review---and bass is a little on the "light" side.
It is good at Vocal and music instruments, but somehow not so suitable for Metal/Electric/POP and some OSTs.(that's the reason I kept my HD600/650 for Trance or similar musics)
 
I like my TS because of its 3D image and I don't think I will change another signal tubes.
Therefore, I need to find another way to fix the "bass issue" of HD800.
 
Do you have any experience of Denon D7000? 
If your setup works well with W1000X, it should work well with D7000, too, and more warm sound.
 

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

I really wish I'd have known about the 6FD7 compatibility when I sent it the first time to Jack for repairs... I'd definitely have paid extra to have it made compatible with it.  But now, without any DIY skills and shipping it back WAY too much of a hassle, there's really not much I can do about it. 

  But I recall something being mentioned earlier about making an adaptor with resistors... I may inquire to Jack about it to see if it is possible at all.
 

 
Was it ever clarified why the 6FD7 is OK for the WA6 but not the WA6SE?

 

[DarKu]

6FD7 is ok for newer WA6SE, for older ones too but needs to be moded (cathode cap needs to be replaced with a higher voltage one), 6FD7 was also my preffered tube! Easily most dynamic with great impact and tight bass.
For new EML users: Let it burn-in for 50-100 hours, after that we can talk

It is BEST rectifier i tried, Sophia it's not even coming close! and I am a HD800 user too.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Hi, Dannie
 
Every time I want something, or I got something, you always ask me to be patient.....  but you know that is actually a torture...

 
 
HD800 prpvides excellent detail, midrange and soundstage, however, a little hot treble---just like Skylab's review---and bass is a little on the "light" side.
It is good at Vocal and music instruments, but somehow not so suitable for Metal/Electric/POP and some OSTs.(that's the reason I kept my HD600/650 for Trance or similar musics)
 
I like my TS because of its 3D image and I don't think I will change another signal tubes.
Therefore, I need to find another way to fix the "bass issue" of HD800.
 
Do you have any experience of Denon D7000? 
If your setup works well with W1000X, it should work well with D7000, too, and more warm sound.
 

 
IMO, the soundstage is the part of the reason why the bass seems light to people's ears.  Stretched bit too far apart on certain music and lacking focus... I think this is part of the reason why it's VERY difficult to pick out a headphone that does both soundstage and bass impact/fullness well... as a matter of fact, I cannot think of a fully open headphone that is reputed to do both of these areas extremely well (R10 does apparently, but it's closed back.  Perhaps the T1?  I've never tried it however).  Thus far the only way I've been able to get satisfactory bass with the HD800's at comfortable volume levels is to shrink its soundstage.
 
Are you at all particularly against EQing? I'd say that's about the only way at this point to keep your soundstage yet have impactful bass... by EQing down the highs and raising the bass impact by boosting the volume a bit more.
 
As for the D7000's I've demoed it on numerous occasions, but not in a good enough setup to really have a valid opinion on it. 
 

 

[Cyberevo]

Quote:

 

I think your TS BGRP does not match the EML at all.  Please send it my way so Ii can confirm it. 

 

Hi, John
 
If I can successfully get another pair, I don't think why not.  

 
(be warned, my current pair has microphonic problem.....on the other hand, I am afraid you will start to "stock" your own BGRP"s" after you try it! )

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

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.

Try this guy, it is only $5 each.  He don't have a tester but he is willing to exchange if DOA.  Most of his stock are NOS with few of them are used, all the one I  got from him are NOS.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

 
Was it ever clarified why the 6FD7 is OK for the WA6 but not the WA6SE?

I believe Jack has never given an official explanation on why it's not okay for older WA6SE units, but I believe it's got something to do with voltage cap issues as well as noise concerns.  As DarKu said newest ones seem fully compatible.
 
Quote:

For new EML users: Let it burn-in for 50-100 hours, after that we can talk

It is BEST rectifier i tried, Sophia it's not even coming close! and I am a HD800 user too.

What specific changes did the burn-in bring about?  Unless it smooths out and mutes the highs or boosts the bass presence a lot (and I don't personally believe in a burn-in boosting or lowering prominence in the region, although I believe it can smooth and tighten certain frequencies) I don't think it'll improve enough for me to use the HD800 as an all-rounder.  I AM more sensitive to the 10k+ area than most people though, which does have a lot to do with this. 

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

It is BEST rectifier i tried, Sophia it's not even coming close! and I am a HD800 user too.

X2, I really loving the Treasure CV181 with EML, but the tubes are touching each other on my WA6.  WA6SE owner will not have that problem.

 

[jc9394]

 
Quote:

Hi, John
 
If I can successfully get another pair, I don't think why not.  

 
(be warned, my current pair has microphonic problem.....on the other hand, I am afraid you will start to "stock" your own BGRP"s" after you try it! )

Now, go looking to another pair.  J/K

 
Quote:

I believe Jack has never given an official explanation on why it's not okay for older WA6SE units, but I believe it's got something to do with voltage cap issues as well as noise concerns.  As DarKu said newest ones seem fully compatible.
 

What specific changes did the burn-in bring about?  Unless it smooths out and mutes the highs or boosts the bass presence a lot (and I don't personally believe in a burn-in boosting or lowering prominence in the region, although I believe it can smooth and tighten certain frequencies) I don't think it'll improve enough for me to use the HD800 as an all-rounder.  I AM more sensitive to the 10k+ area than most people though, which does have a lot to do with this. 

It smooth out mostly but it does improve the bass a bit but it is not that noticeable.  Try use Treasure, it have the most bass extension of all the 6SN7 tubes I tried.  It is kind of like 6FD7 but I think it is voiced for female vocal (especially Asian).

 

[St3ve]

Not sure whether he really stocks them, but I sourced my 6FD7 (along with my 6EW7) from Jack. I didn't ask for them specifically, I just asked for some 'spare driver tubes' (toobnoob that I was/am) when I bought a stand from him.  If people are having a hard time finding them it might be worth chucking him an email to see is he has any knocking about.

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

IMO, the soundstage is the part of the reason why the bass seems light to people's ears.  Stretched bit too far apart on certain music and lacking focus... I think this is part of the reason why it's VERY difficult to pick out a headphone that does both soundstage and bass impact/fullness well... as a matter of fact, I cannot think of a fully open headphone that is reputed to do both of these areas extremely well (R10 does apparently, but it's closed back.  Perhaps the T1?  I've never tried it however).  Thus far the only way I've been able to get satisfactory bass with the HD800's at comfortable volume levels is to shrink its soundstage.  

this is a very valid observation, K_19.
i agree.  soundstage size and bass strength seem to be inversely proportionate.
however, the T1 comes the closest to balancing these of any headphone i've heard.
even the LCD-2 doesn't really try to balance the two.  soundstage is smaller.  but bass is jaw dropping.