X-Can V2 Grand valve (TUBE) test underway

[PinkFloyd]

Merry Christmas to you all.

While you have all been eating your turkeys and gobbling your wine down (Wine not.. "wife") I have had the task of finding the best tube (Valve) to suit the X-can V2.

The initial audition was 4 valves (tubes) but we have decided to extend the test to incorporate 10 tubes. As it stands.... you can view the proceedings to date @ http://freespace.virgin.net/rock.grotto/index2.htm


Sorry but I'm a bit tipsy )

All hte best

PPinkie

 

[ddriveman]

Great Review.

I own an X-Can V2 and having been expeimenting with various NOS tubes. I realize that its hard to find NOS tubes but I believe its worth the effort and really brings out the best in the X-Cans.

My preferences in decreasing order are:

1) Siemens ECC88/6922. Gold pins.

- Smooth warm sound with extended highs and tight, punchy and well defined bass (Leading edges of double bass clearly defined)
- The highs can be a little forward compared to the Amperex Bugle Boys ECC88 but never tiring or harsh.

2) Amperex Bugle Boys ECC88/6DJ8, Holland. Steel Pins.

- The smoothest sound. Very warm. Highs are well defined but not as extended as the Siemens above. Bass as good as the Siemens if a little softer. Best for vocals. A clsoe second.

3) Mullard ECC88/6DJ8. Steel Pins.

- Smooth but softer and more laid back then either the Siemens or Amperex Bugle Boys. Highs and bass not as extended. Bass is rounded on the leading edges of bass lines. Overall warm and still very musical but clearly a gap compared to the above two.

4) Telefunken 6922 CCa. Gold pins.

- Punchiest and most dynamic bass.

- However, sounds rather forward in the highs. Can be too bright on some recordings. Not as musical as the above tubes ultimately. However still much better than the standard JAN Phillips 6922.

Testing done on mostly Jazz and vocal CD such as: Alison Krauss (Now that I've found you), Diana Krall (Various), Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy, Monty Alexander (Echoes of Jillies) and Martin Taylor (various)

Hope this helps thsoe who intend to strat tube rolling their X-Cans. I have an X-PSU power supply with a Muscial Fidelity A3-24 DAC using an X-Ray CD player as transport.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by ddriveman Great Review. I own an X-Can V2 and having been expeimenting with various NOS tubes. I realize that its hard to find NOS tubes but I believe its worth the effort and really brings out the best in the X-Cans. My preferences in decreasing order are: 1) Siemens ECC88/6922. Gold pins. - Smooth warm sound with extended highs and tight, punchy and well defined bass (Leading edges of double bass clearly defined) - The highs can be a little forward compared to the Amperex Bugle Boys ECC88 but never tiring or harsh. 2) Amperex Bugle Boys ECC88/6DJ8, Holland. Steel Pins. - The smoothest sound. Very warm. Highs are well defined but not as extended as the Siemens above. Bass as good as the Siemens if a little softer. Best for vocals. A clsoe second. 3) Mullard ECC88/6DJ8. Steel Pins. - Smooth but softer and more laid back then either the Siemens or Amperex Bugle Boys. Highs and bass not as extended. Bass is rounded on the leading edges of bass lines. Overall warm and still very musical but clearly a gap compared to the above two. 4) Telefunken 6922 CCa. Gold pins. - Punchiest and most dynamic bass. - However, sounds rather forward in the highs. Can be too bright on some recordings. Not as musical as the above tubes ultimately. However still much better than the standard JAN Phillips 6922. Testing done on mostly Jazz and vocal CD such as: Alison Krauss (Now that I've found you), Diana Krall (Various), Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy, Monty Alexander (Echoes of Jillies) and Martin Taylor (various) Hope this helps thsoe who intend to strat tube rolling their X-Cans. I have an X-PSU power supply with a Muscial Fidelity A3-24 DAC using an X-Ray CD player as transport.

Cheers! Once Sean emerges from his winter break we shall include every valve that is compatible with the X-Can V2 into the test! I was only presented with 4 valves so can only comment on them as I listen to them.

I'll update the page and will critique new valves, as and when, they appear through my letterbox As it stands.... out of 4 valves tested....... the mullards are clear winners at this stage and the JJ's are losers.

I'm looking forward to hearing the amperex, siemens, bugle boys, telefunken etc etc etc......

The more the merrier! anybody else got a valve for audition?

Pinkie

http://freespace.virgin.net/rock.grotto/index2.htm

 

[raymondlin]

I have a piar of Mullard NOS Gold Pins, how much are they worth in your opinion? or how much did you pay for yours?

 

[ddriveman]

Dear Raymodlin,

It depends on what type of Mullards i.e. ECC88/6DJ8 or E88CC/6922 ? The Mullards I tested were the latter variety and hence steel pins. Most NOS E88CC/6922's have gold pins, by the way.
I would say that your Mullards should sound much better than any late variety 6922 i.e. Philips, Sovteks, JJ or Richardsons.
I typically pay anywhere from US$20-55 for a good pair of GENUINE NOS 6922/6DJ8.
Check out Joe's Tube lore if you need to find out more about how to detrmin genuines from fakes : http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/faq...bes.html#6DJ8.

Merry X'mas

 

[raymondlin]

I got mine frmo trodeelectronics about 2 years ago, cost me a fortune ! I think it was about $75 for the pair! Haven't tested them yet as I aren't brave enough to open my X-canv2!

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin I have a piar of Mullard NOS Gold Pins, how much are they worth in your opinion? or how much did you pay for yours?

Mine are gold pins from http://www.highendaudio.co.uk and I believe they charge £30 per matched pair. This includes postage, packing (very well packed) recorded next day delivery and VAT.

They are the genuine article and sound awesome compared to the philips 6922's.

Pinkie

 

[ddriveman]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin I got mine frmo trodeelectronics about 2 years ago, cost me a fortune ! I think it was about $75 for the pair! Haven't tested them yet as I aren't brave enough to open my X-canv2!

Raymond,

Check out Nick Dangerous's website on simple instructions for changing the tubes on the X-Cans

http://www.nickdangerous.com/misc/xcans/index.htm

Happy New Year and good listening

 

[Tube_Pete]

Hi, this is Peter from Stockholm,Sweden entering this thread.

I use x-can V2 with a special made external power supply (with toroidal transformer, regulation circuits, electrolyte capacitors etc.).

Other equipment:
Sennheiser HD600 headphones + Marantz Cd6000 ose le modified with new clock,power supply,analog part, noise filter etc. + Tara Labs Air 3 signal cable + JPC2.5 Power Chord in external power supply (swedish made power chord)

Anyway my x-can v2 got delivered with two ECC88/6DJ8 tubes with no indication of origin (country) or label.. weird?
Recently i bought two National Electronics ECC88 tubes and replaced the original tubes... soundwise it's less harsh, bass is still a bit lush/weak sounding (might be the cd player characteristic).

Soon i will receive NOS tubes from an enthusiast company here in Sweden, probably some NOS Mullard E88CC and Tesla E88CC (now called JJ electronics). I might also ge my hand on Siemens and Telefunken NOS tubes. Report on that might follow later..

Aimed at Pink Floyd: Another issue on improving sound from Marantz cd-player/X-can V2/Sennheiser HD600 might be to replace the stock headphone cable if you haven't done that. I'll probably either buy a Cardas or Equinox from Stefan Audio Art.. Any suggestions on which to choose for this combo?

Read some report that Cardas was supposed to be the more revealing with more extended treble, while Equinox was more forgiving and smooth with an extremely wide soundstage.

 

[ddriveman]

Hi Peter,

Looking forward to your reviews.
I use the Cardas cable for my Sennheiser HD-600 and am very pleased with it. The sound is more detailed and extended at both ends. Have not tried either Clou or Equinox but read JUDE's review on all three and he rates the Cardas the best.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Just got my hands on a pair of Brimar ECC88's and a pair of siemens E88cc's so will give these a good audition and will include them in my review at http://freespace.virgin.net/rock.grotto/index2.htm after I've had a good chance to listen to them.

I also hope to get hold of some amperex bugle boys and golden dragon valves soon so will review them also!

I'll order 4 sets of the valve I like best which should be enough for a few years of listening but will have to return all the test valves after the new year

Once I have completed the valve test... next project is replacing all the x-can V2's capacitors with Nichicon Muse varieties. I've got both ELNA cerafine and Silmic caps which would do the job but, unfortunately, they are too large to fit inside the X- Can

To date, the Mullards have made a drastic improvement over the stock JAN / Philips valves and I expect the capacitor change will bring about even greater improvements to the sound quality. Why the hell do ELNA have to make the caps 3 times the size of normal ones!!! So glad I got them as samples otherwise I'd really be fuming!

A friend has had a look at the potentiometer and we both reckon it's pretty easy to fit an alps blue velvet pot without too much bother. This will follow the capacitor experiment so stay tuned!

New year will see the elna cerafines and silmics being incorporated into a really over the top power supply for the X-can V2 and any I have left over will be incorporated into a headphone amp design I will be working on. It'll be along the lines of the REGA EAR with a few modifications here and there!

Again... stay tuned

I hope you all have a very good New years Eve!

Pinkie

 

[raymondlin]

PinkFloyd, you got hold of some Gold Pins Mullards ECC88/6DJ8 yet ? please sure to let me know when you do, how I want to know how they sound !

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin PinkFloyd, you got hold of some Gold Pins Mullards ECC88/6DJ8 yet ? please sure to let me know when you do, how I want to know how they sound !

The Mullards I tested were the gold pin variety and they sounded absolutely superb raymondlin. It "really" is a 5 minute job to fit them into your X-can and is ever so simple.

Just pull the volume knob off, undo the 4 hex screws and and the philips screw at the rear... slide the circuit board out (it sits in 2 locating slots so is easy to remove / replace) push it forward about 3 inches from the rear of the x-can and then slide it out from the front.

Remove philips valves with a gentle upward circular rocking motion and then simply fit the mullards into the valve bases ensuring the pins line up.

Honestly, it is so easy to do and there is nothing to be at all frightened by... it's as easy as changing a light bulb.

Pinkie

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin PinkFloyd, you got hold of some Gold Pins Mullards ECC88/6DJ8 yet ? please sure to let me know when you do, how I want to know how they sound !

In fact... if you're a bit unsure PM me and I'll give you my phone number. Arm yourself with the correct size of Hex key and a philips screwdriver, give me a call and I'll guide you through it!

Pinkie