[Galm]

https://tubeworldexpress.com/collections/preamp/products/copy-of-2-7316-holland-pair-7316-12au7-amperex-bugle-boy-holland-used-good-1959

These are widely considered to be the very best though I don't know how they sound on wa7.

Like I said, they cost.

Yikes those are steep.  Sorry to keep troubling you, any in more 100 dollar range?  
 
The CBS ones seem very difficult to find.

 

[kyle1010]

Yikes those are steep.  Sorry to keep troubling you, any in more 100 dollar range?  

The CBS ones seem very difficult to find.

Sylvania JAN 5814s sound lovely and they're like $20-$30. Way better than the stock power supply tubes. You'll love them. They should hold you over just fine til you find some Hytrons.

 

[Galm]

Sylvania JAN 5814s sound lovely and they're like $20-$30. Way better than the stock power supply tubes. You'll love them. They should hold you over just fine til you find some Hytrons.

Alright cool I'll write those down.  I think the plan for now is to get it without the power supply (btw I can't find any science behind why they affect the sound so much, any threads about it?)  And then maybe order it down the line.  
 
What was it exactly that the power supply improved?  Like I get the breakdown you gave of different tubes, but is there an overall "thing" the psu brings to the table that's consistent between tubes or not?
 
Thanks for the help guys/gals.

 

[Priscilla Rose]

Well, I have never listened to the solid state ps so I don't know how exactly the tps is better than it. However, I was thinking about selling my wa7 till I tried out cbs tubes, I guess I was not impressed by the default tubed power supply.

My HD800S was only good with classical music, but with cbs tubes, it sounds good with nearly all other genres that I listen to.

 

[kyle1010]

Alright cool I'll write those down.  I think the plan for now is to get it without the power supply (btw I can't find any science behind why they affect the sound so much, any threads about it?)  And then maybe order it down the line.  

What was it exactly that the power supply improved?  Like I get the breakdown you gave of different tubes, but is there an overall "thing" the psu brings to the table that's consistent between tubes or not?

Thanks for the help guys/gals.

^^Yeah, again what priscilla said. I've never tried the WA7 without the tube power supply. I wanted the option to change the sound signature of the amp so I went tp right away. Plus I got both for 1100 from a guy here on head-fi so it was a win win. If you shop around you can probably find a similar deal on a used one. Isn't groovyd selling his now?

Anyway, as far as why the power supply makes a big difference in sound, the only reason I've been able to somewhat grasp is it's the way the different tubes discharge then bounce back from a voltage drop via power pull from the amplifier section. I actually asked my electronics class professor in college about this exact thing cuz I just bought the WA7tp during that semester. He started drawing stuff on the board about jumping electrons, heater elements, bias, diodes, triodes, etc, and I was like uhhhh ok so basically tube magic right? He was like yeah pretty much. Lol. I tried.

But honestly the mystery behind those glowing glass cylinders to me is what makes them so freakin cool. The first time they lock you into the music just turn off the lights, stare at the glow, and let go of all that reasoning. Not sure if HD800s will do all that but with Audeze LCDs hours go by and you get LOST in the music. It's crack.

Also, never judge a tube amp's sound by what you hear the first 30-60 minutes from turning it on. Once they get really warm and hit their stride it's game on. You'll see.

 

[Galm]

^^Yeah, again what priscilla said. I've never tried the WA7 without the tube power supply. I wanted the option to change the sound signature of the amp so I went tp right away. Plus I got both for 1100 from a guy here on head-fi so it was a win win. If you shop around you can probably find a similar deal on a used one. Isn't groovyd selling his now?

Anyway, as far as why the power supply makes a big difference in sound, the only reason I've been able to somewhat grasp is it's the way the different tubes discharge then bounce back from a voltage drop via power pull from the amplifier section. I actually asked my electronics class professor in college about this exact thing cuz I just bought the WA7tp during that semester. He started drawing stuff on the board about jumping electrons, heater elements, bias, diodes, triodes, etc, and I was like uhhhh ok so basically tube magic right? He was like yeah pretty much. Lol. I tried.

But honestly the mystery behind those glowing glass cylinders to me is what makes them so freakin cool. The first time they lock you into the music just turn off the lights, stare at the glow, and let go of all that reasoning. Not sure if HD800s will do all that but with Audeze LCDs hours go by and you get LOST in the music. It's crack.

Also, never judge a tube amp's sound by what you hear the first 30-60 minutes from turning it on. Once they get really warm and hit their stride it's game on. You'll see.

Ok...  Got the psu.  What are these tubes? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-CBS-Hytron-5814WA-12AU7WA-E82CC-black-plates-slanted-square-getter-NOS-/292035692642?hash=item43feaf0862:g:IFAAAOSwCU1YrbXc
 
Are those them?  Leaning towards the slyvania's right now.  
 
These any good? http://www.ebay.com/p/Sylvania-5814A-Vintage-Tube-Tube-Socket/141000915

 

[kyle1010]

Ok...  Got the psu.  What are these tubes? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-CBS-Hytron-5814WA-12AU7WA-E82CC-black-plates-slanted-square-getter-NOS-/292035692642?hash=item43feaf0862:g:IFAAAOSwCU1YrbXc

Are those them?  Leaning towards the slyvania's right now.  

These any good? http://www.ebay.com/p/Sylvania-5814A-Vintage-Tube-Tube-Socket/141000915

Wrong Sylvanias. Idk about those ones. The ones I was talking about are $25-$35, have green lettering, and say JAN 5814. Those CBS tubes look a little suspect too. Mine don't have the W in 5814A like those. But I think that just means ruggedized military version so they still might sound the same. Be advised I went through a couple pairs of look alike Hytron 5814A's before I found ones that had that described amazing sound. The "close enough" versions still sound about the same minus some bass impact. I even have a pair of CBS Hytron 12AU7s..and that's about how they sound too.

Seek out that WA7tp tube rolling thread for guidance on all this. I'll post a link to it later if you can't find it.

 

[Galm]

Wrong Sylvanias. Idk about those ones. The ones I was talking about are $25-$35, have green lettering, and say JAN 5814. Those CBS tubes look a little suspect too. Mine don't have the W in 5814A like those. But I think that just means ruggedized military version so they still might sound the same. Be advised I went through a couple pairs of look alike Hytron 5814A's before I found ones that had that described amazing sound. The "close enough" versions still sound about the same minus some bass impact. I even have a pair of CBS Hytron 12AU7s..and that's about how they sound too.

Seek out that WA7tp tube rolling thread for guidance on all this. I'll post a link to it later if you can't find it.

I'd love a link thanks.  Google shows similar threads but nothing dedicated to tube rolling.  
 
Interesting about the Hytrons...  @Priscilla Rose what's your take on those?  I don't really wanna buy something that could be wrong...
 
Also could either of you link the Sylvanias?  I swear I found a link somewhere to the correct version but I seem to have lost it.

 

[kyle1010]

I'd love a link thanks.  Google shows similar threads but nothing dedicated to tube rolling.  

Interesting about the Hytrons...  @Priscilla Rose
 what's your take on those?  I don't really wanna buy something that could be wrong...

Also could either of you link the Sylvanias?  I swear I found a link somewhere to the correct version but I seem to have lost it.

Here ya go:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/763045/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated

Read that whole thing trust me. It's gold.

 

[Priscilla Rose]

What are the yellow tips? Repairing?
Wait, check this out http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/messages/23/239859.html

They might be fine, judging by how rare these things are, I would probably take the risk. Contact the seller to find out more, ask him what happens if the tubes are faulty, he looks like a reputable seller to me.

 

[Galm]

Here ya go:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/763045/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated

Read that whole thing trust me. It's gold.

Thanks!
 

What are the yellow tips? Repairing?
Wait, check this out http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/messages/23/239859.html

They might be fine, judging by how rare these things are, I would probably take the risk. Contact the seller to find out more, ask him what happens if the tubes are faulty, he looks like a reputable seller to me.

You think I should risk it?  The yellow labels are weird, what does that mean?  The seller does look legit but idk, this seems weird.  Does yellow mean something that would affect sound, would anyone know?
 
Also what is this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/5814-12AU7-Hytron-Amplifier-Vacuum-Tubes-Lot-of-7-NOS-Tested-Fair-/182460844407?hash=item2a7b838977:g:4cQAAOSwB-1YqjMQ
 
That's a lot of tubes...

 

[Galm]

@Priscilla Rose @kyle1010
 
The seller said this:
 
"Hello and thank you very much for your interest. Colored tips on tubes manly stand for selected for special reasons or gear or selected to reach required measurement values. You can see traces of some yellow label stamped by a company over the manufacturer CBS Hytron label. Maybe yellow is their recognition color. These tubes are well over min. NOS values like stated."
 
Seem like I should go for it?
 
Thanks for all the help.

 

[kyle1010]

@Priscilla Rose
 @kyle1010


The seller said this:

"[COLOR=231F20]Hello and thank you very much for your interest. Colored tips on tubes manly stand for selected for special reasons or gear or selected to reach required measurement values. You can see traces of some yellow label stamped by a company over the manufacturer CBS Hytron label. Maybe yellow is their recognition color. These tubes are well over min. NOS values like stated."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=231F20]Seem like I should go for it?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=231F20]Thanks for all the help.[/COLOR]

The price is a little steep. My Hytrons were $90-$120 for the pair. But judging by the internal structure of the tube I can see in that pic, they look the same as mine. Honestly, with Hytrons it's a gamble. I have 3 pairs and 2 sound lovely with a touch less bass than the third, but that third pair sound exactly as Jeb describes in that thread link I sent you. If you have the disposable funds yeah absolutely go for it. Worst case resell them back on ebay.

Edit: If those do turn out to be legit I'll be jealous cuz that yellow tip is super retro cool looking.

 

[Galm]

The price is a little steep. My Hytrons were $90-$120 for the pair. But judging by the internal structure of the tube I can see in that pic, they look the same as mine. Honestly, with Hytrons it's a gamble. I have 3 pairs and 2 sound lovely with a touch less bass than the third, but that third pair sound exactly as Jeb describes in that thread link I sent you. If you have the disposable funds yeah absolutely go for it. Worst case resell them back on ebay.

Edit: If those do turn out to be legit I'll be jealous cuz that yellow tip is super retro cool looking.

Goin for it.  I mean I'm like a 1700 in now, might as well go the last 100 for the best promised sound.  Plus yeah, I can always sell em.  Also planning on selling the stock or gold pin tubes depending on which I like less.  

 

[groovyd]

  Goin for it.  I mean I'm like a 1700 in now, might as well go the last 100 for the best promised sound.  Plus yeah, I can always sell em.  Also planning on selling the stock or gold pin tubes depending on which I like less.  

in my opinion best sound comes from the Mullards sold by Upscale Audio.