[JoelT]

   
Do you feel you've sacrificed anything regarding bass with the RCAs?  One thing I really appreciated about the JANs was the bass improvement they delivered.

I won't say too much, as I'm not quite at 20hrs yet on the tubes (close, but not quite). At the moment, my answer would be "no", I don't feel the bass is sacrificed. That said, the presentation is indeed different, but to discuss the differences in detail would be a bit premature. 
 
What headphones are you using with the WA7/WA7tp?

 

[LemSkee]

  I won't say too much, as I'm not quite at 20hrs yet on the tubes (close, but not quite). At the moment, my answer would be "no", I don't feel the bass is sacrificed. That said, the presentation is indeed different, but to discuss the differences in detail would be a bit premature. 
 
What headphones are you using with the WA7/WA7tp?

 
Gotcha!  Thanks for the response.
 
I'm married to the HD800's for now.
 
The clear tops came today and I wasn't there to get them (nice little USPS slip in my mailbox) - story of my life... sigh...

 

[groovyd]

my impression of the cleartops is they have less bass punch both seems just as crisp.  a part of me is preferring the JANs seemed to have balls. hard to ab though. but sure the cleartops are more expensive (and climbing now) and rarer which may have factored into being chosen...
 
both cleartops and JANs have better bass punch, separation, and clarity then the stock tubes. 

 

[JoelT]

  my impression of the cleartops is they have less bass punch both seems just as crisp.  a part of me is preferring the JANs seemed to have balls. hard to ab though. but sure the cleartops are more expensive (and climbing now) and rarer which may have factored into being chosen...

Interesting impressions. I'm hearing things a bit differently.
 
I crossed the 20hr threshold last night, and I find there to be a notable difference in microdetail between the RCA's and the JAN's. I'm hearing things clearly with the RCA's that I have to struggle to pick up with the JAN's. Separation, air and layering are better to my ear with the RCA's and they're more resolving. 
 
I agree that the RCA's have a little bit less bass body than the JAN's (if pressed, I would describe them as being somewhere between the stock tubes and the JAN's in terms of body), but oddly I find the RCA's to have more bass slam/impact when called upon. I also question if the JAN's actually are blooming the lower-mids/upper-bass a bit, as I find the a general sense of greater clarity and transparency with the RCA's. With my Gungnir (which is already a pretty forward sounding DAC), the JAN's sound a tad wooly in comparison.
 
Honestly, I could see people preferring either presentation depending on their headphones, DAC and music selection. At the moment, I prefer the RCA's. That said, I have more tubes inbound for testing, so I don't know how long they'll stay on top. 

 

[desertblues]

Interesting impressions. I'm hearing things a bit differently.

I crossed the 20hr threshold last night, and I find there to be a notable difference in microdetail between the RCA's and the JAN's. I'm hearing things clearly with the RCA's that I have to struggle to pick up with the JAN's. Separation, air and layering are better to my ear with the RCA's and they're more resolving. 

I agree that the RCA's have a little bit less bass body than the JAN's (if pressed, I would describe them as being somewhere between the stock tubes and the JAN's in terms of body), but oddly I find the RCA's to have more bass slam/impact when called upon. I also question if the JAN's actually are blooming the lower-mids/upper-bass a bit, as I find the a general sense of greater clarity and transparency with the RCA's. With my Gungnir (which is already a pretty forward sounding DAC), the JAN's sound a tad wooly in comparison.

Honestly, I could see people preferring either presentation depending on their headphones, DAC and music selection. At the moment, I prefer the RCA's. That said, I have more tubes inbound for testing, so I don't know how long they'll stay on top. 

Have to agree with your assessment of the cleartops as to the detail, separation and bass impact - at least with my headphones (Beyer T1, Grado Rs1 + PS500). I've got a nice old pair of Mullards to roll in at some point, but the cleartops are the real deal!

 

[groovyd]

i'd probably agree with you that the JANs are providing an inflated mid-bass bloom giving them a fuller if not slightly flabbier bass then the cleartops.  The cleartops sound very resolving and accurate to me, perhaps a little more then the JANs and the JANS give you the beats in more of a Dr. Dre Beats style.  Both sound good but the JANs would suit a leaner pair of headphones (T1, HD800?) better or someone who likes punchier bass and genres like hip hop or dub step.

 

[JoelT]

  Both sound good but the JANs would suit a leaner pair of headphones (T1, HD800?) better or someone who likes punchier bass and genres like hip hop or dub step.

This is true, but I this is also why I own a pair of Audeze's in addition to the HD800! 

 
 
In all seriousness, the JAN's are indeed a bit meatier sounding, which will definitely appeal to some. I'd still recommend them to someone looking for a thick, smooth and more rounded sound. As always, it comes down to finding what sounds best with your equipment, music and preferences. 
 
 

Have to agree with your assessment of the cleartops as to the detail, separation and bass impact - at least with my headphones (Beyer T1, Grado Rs1 + PS500). I've got a nice old pair of Mullards to roll in at some point, but the cleartops are the real deal!

Definitely interested to hear your impressions of the Mullards. Which Mullard? The CV4003 or ECC82? Keep us posted. I have a pair of Genalex Gold Lions and a pair of Cifte 12AU7's (cryo'd) coming in next week. Should be fun listening...I'll post my impressions of those tubes as well.

 

[jeff119]

Hi fellow wa7tp-er
 
Just recieved my WA7TP today.
 
As this is my first ever tube amp, I would need to seek some help regarding tube rolling.
Where do you guys get your Cleartop or JAN from?
I realised Ebay is relatively cheaper, does it mean inferior sound quality?
Pls advise!
thank you

 

[EdmontonCanuck]

Hi fellow wa7tp-er
 
Just recieved my WA7TP today.
 
As this is my first ever tube amp, I would need to seek some help regarding tube rolling.
Where do you guys get your Cleartop or JAN from?
I realised Ebay is relatively cheaper, does it mean inferior sound quality?
Pls advise!
thank you

I ordered mine through http://tctubes.com. Be sure to order matched pairs


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[frankrondaniel]

  Hi fellow wa7tp-er
 
Just recieved my WA7TP today.
 
As this is my first ever tube amp, I would need to seek some help regarding tube rolling.
Where do you guys get your Cleartop or JAN from?
I realised Ebay is relatively cheaper, does it mean inferior sound quality?
Pls advise!
thank you

Like EdmontonCanuck, I ordered my Sylvania JAN 5814A from tctubes.com, requesting a matched pair.  Recently received RCA Clear Tops from tubedepot.com, though I haven't had a chance to try them yet.

 

[mattelka]

 
Just received. A matched pair of Shuguang Natural Sound 12AU7-T tubes.

 

[Dogmatrix]

I would be very interested to hear you're impressions of the Shuguang tubes in the Tp mattelka
I have been considering a set of "premium" Chinese tubes for some time but the price seems a little high
They certainly are well presented , that's a whopper of a box

 

[desertblues]

I would be very interested to hear you're impressions of the Shuguang tubes in the Tp mattelka
I have been considering a set of "premium" Chinese tubes for some time but the price seems a little high
They certainly are well presented , that's a whopper of a box

+1 Would be very interested in your impressions.

 

[mattelka]

Hi guys (Dogmatrix / desertblues)
 
I have very limited experience and don't write really well but I will try my best to describe what I am hearing from the WA7/tp with the recently acquired Shuguang Natural Sound 12AU7-T. These are very initial impressions, gleaned from just about 6 hours spent with them.
 
The biggest differences I can feel is a newfound sparkle in the mids, a sense of the music being more resolving and (clichéd as it may sound) a more natural sounding feel in relation to the space between instruments.
 
For about 4 weeks now, I had been trying to see if the LCD3(F) could be a good match to the WA7/tp. I was generally caught between thinking maybe my (other go-to) T1 was a better match to the WA7/tp, or perhaps the LCD3(F) could be more suitably matched with a more dedicated solid state amp. The missing component to me then was that missing sparkle in the mids. It was a moderately warm and cuddly sound but I felt it was too recessed for my liking. The Shuguangs seemed to have brought forward the mids to my liking.
 
It also appears that I am better able to tell the differences and distances between instruments. It becomes clearer now there are 2 guitars instead of just 1 and that the violins are separate from the violas. Rather than just an assortment of instruments bunched up around you, one can better appreciate the distinct nature and characteristics of the various implements around you. They do however manage to come together as one satisfying complementary whole to the music though.
 
If you listen to let's say the Eagles, you will be in a better position to figure out where Glenn is, where Don is, and where the rest of the boys are standing. I mean, they are close to each other. But not that close. And that to me is a more realistic and natural presentation of how the Eagles play together. And this is how the Shuguangs/WA7/tp present them to me.
 
All these from a pair of tubes right out of the box? And I exaggerate, you'll say. Well, I am trying my best not to exaggerate. But at the same time, I am also trying to be as figurative as possible in my writing, so as to bring forth the more salient aspects of my initial impressions to you.
 
Ask me again in 2 to 3 months time, and I'll see if I will still stand by what I have just described today.
 
Cheers!

 

[desertblues]

Thanks for your impressions of the tubes! What you are describing is very similar to what I'm hearing with the RCA cleartops, particularly with Grado RS1i. They really sing with this setup!