[keenerz]

This evenings listening session on Ta-26s with EF600 as dac with nos filter. A bit of a Frankestein setup with Visseaux 6j5 tubes. R70x's sing really good in this setup. Eversolo Streamer as source.

Man if i could find a matched pair of visseaux for a reasonable price

 

[tommo21]

Man if i could find a matched pair of visseaux for a reasonable price

Yeah....they've sat nicely in my tubestash for over 10 years. They weren't cheap then...but now the prices are just crazy. Most of my tubestash was bought 10-15 years ago. So almost no need to buy new/nos tubes for me now. Just gear to try them in.

 

[Pelilin]

This evenings listening session on Ta-26s with EF600 as dac with nos filter. A bit of a Frankestein setup with Visseaux 6j5 tubes. R70x's sing really good in this setup. Eversolo Streamer as source.

Why is your TA26s like that? what is that mod? I see you also have the new TA20plus. Which is better for r70x the 26s OTL or the hybrid 20plus?

 

[AnamCeoil]

I am seriously considering the TA-26s as my first entry into OTLs to drive my ZMF headphones... But I am worrying about how much performance/ quality I would be missing out on compared to something more expensive. At the price it sells for it seems like a fantastic deal - or "too good to be true". Anyone have any insights that might help steer me in one direction or the other? Thanks in advance...

 

[Pelilin]

I am seriously considering the TA-26s as my first entry into OTLs to drive my ZMF headphones... But I am worrying about how much performance/ quality I would be missing out on compared to something more expensive. At the price it sells for it seems like a fantastic deal - or "too good to be true". Anyone have any insights that might help steer me in one direction or the other? Thanks in advance...

I am like you. Everyone in the community suggest high impedance Headphone like Dynamic ZMF to be used with real tube and not a hybrid. I was suggested by a user of ZMF to use it with entry level high end tube like Cayin HA3A. Problem is after purchasing my VO i have no more budget for audio stuff until maybe later. Looking at TA26s as a real OTL at entry level i am curious. Price is not a problem if TA26s synergize well with the headphone.

 

[AnamCeoil]

I am like you. Everyone in the community suggest high impedance Headphone like Dynamic ZMF to be used with real tube and not a hybrid. I was suggested by a user of ZMF to use it with entry level high end tube like Cayin HA3A. Problem is after purchasing my VO i have no more budget for audio stuff until maybe later. Looking at TA26s as a real OTL at entry level i am curious. Price is not a problem if TA26s synergize well with the headphone. For example compared to my Hifiman Serenade my VO sound better using Fiio K7(im serious) althought it might lack the soundstage from serenade.

I hear you about synergy! I found my IFI Zen stack actually drives my Atticus very nicely, and I prefer that to my Violectric V202 surprisingly- which for the price shouldn't make sense.

I would love to purchase a higher end OTL - the Feliks Audio Echo Mkii looks very enticing, or one of the Eufonikas even- but my budget won't stretch that far so something like this is the price range I am looking at. The Valhalla 2 looks good also, but I'm not sure how it's synergy factor with ZMFs is.

I've tried the Project Ember II which is a great little hybrid, but it doesn't do anything special with my ZMFs to my ear, despite the high-z output (strangely, the 32 ohm output is preferable, to my ears, than the higher-z output option). The Beyerdynamic A20 sounds fantastic at a reasonable price- enveloping, lost in the music type of sound...which has really piqued my interest in OTLs.

So for me it's this or the Valhalla 2...or continue saving for another 12 months...but I don't think my ears can hold out that long!

Good luck with the VO- have never heard them, but would love to some day- mind you, anything from ZMF has my immediate interest - I just love what they do with sound.

Enjoy the listening!

 

[Pelilin]

I hear you about synergy! I found my IFI Zen stack actually drives my Atticus very nicely, and I prefer that to my Violectric V202 surprisingly- which for the price shouldn't make sense.

I would love to purchase a higher end OTL - the Feliks Audio Echo Mkii looks very enticing, or one of the Eufonikas even- but my budget won't stretch that far so something like this is the price range I am looking at. The Valhalla 2 looks good also, but I'm not sure how it's synergy factor with ZMFs is.

I've tried the Project Ember II which is a great little hybrid, but it doesn't do anything special with my ZMFs to my ear, despite the high-z output (strangely, the 32 ohm output is preferable, to my ears, than the higher-z output option). The Beyerdynamic A20 sounds fantastic at a reasonable price- enveloping, lost in the music type of sound...which has really piqued my interest in OTLs.

So for me it's this or the Valhalla 2...or continue saving for another 12 months...but I don't think my ears can hold out that long!

Good luck with the VO- have never heard them, but would love to some day- mind you, anything from ZMF has my immediate interest - I just love what they do with sound.

Enjoy the listening!

I have tried Flagship ZMF like VO and Atrium. I will demo the Caldera soon in the next few days. Atrium is a very laidback listen with bigger soundstage than Verite but the treble is dark make you want some treble in it . While VO is balanced which i love but im not a detail guy i wish it is more tone down in the detail area to make it more smooth and musical(i know i am weird this way most will want more detail hahahaha but look i love my r70x so you know i like to chilldown while listening to music and not be bothered by too much information.) . I hear from the distributor that Verite was not meant to be used on SS because Zach tune it with TOTL tube which will make it smooth and more musical. So yeah i finally ordered TA26s but i think it will arrive in early January due to holiday. I will update you on how does TA26s sound with my VO later.

Merry Christmas and happy holiday everyone.

 

[AnamCeoil]

I have tried Flagship ZMF like VO and Atrium. I will demo the Caldera soon in the next few days. Atrium is a very laidback listen with bigger soundstage than Verite but the treble is dark make you want some treble in it . While VO is balanced which i love but im not a detail guy i wish it is more tone down in the detail area to make it more smooth and musical(i know i am weird this way most will want more detail hahahaha but look i love my r70x so you know i like to chilldown while listening to music and not be bothered by too much information.) . I hear from the distributor that Verite was not meant to be used on SS because Zach tune it with TOTL tube which will make it smooth and more musical. So yeah i finally ordered TA26s but i think it will arrive in early January due to holiday. I will update you on how does TA26s sound with my VO later.

Merry Christmas and happy holiday everyone.

Oh I'd love to hear your insights when it comes... haven't seen (m)any comment on ZMFs with this-likely because many who get ZMFs are playing in a far higher price bracket- so would appreciate your insights.

Nice feedback about the A and VO- I love rich and organic sound, but appreciate some bite in the treble as well so not sure if the Atrium would be for me...which my wallet is happy about

Merry Christmas and happy new year when it comes. Cheers!

 

[Roland de Gilead]

I’m an audiofool. I bought a naim uniti he and then I felt it a little too harsh. I bought a P20, for fun, to add and I prefer it.So I bought a MT604 to try a little upgrade and I prefer it once again. I tried with my old FIIO M11 pro as a source and I prefer it ! so I spent a lot of money for the naim and I could had get a way better set up for my ears with reusing my old dap and 150 €… Hopefully, the naim is a good streamer/dac/preamp for my hi-fi set up sot it’s not a complete waste. So my best audio set up is fiio M11 and MT604, it’s sweet, deep, large and I ♥︎ the soft treble with the great sound stage Sometimes mediums are a little bit too much forward but it doesn’t bother me I ♥︎ the tiny concept that it takes to listen good music

 

[ExTubeGamer]

I should try putting a MT-602 and a MT-601 in one chain for maximum tube sound.

 

[Mithrandir1980]

I just bought a Xduoo Ta 20 plus to change my MT604 that I have pre-amplified with an a70 pro topping and in turn connected to an eversolo A6 to move my Focal Clear MG and my Ananda Nano. Do you recommend changing the valves? Would there be much improvement? In that case, what do you recommend I put on it?

 

[ExTubeGamer]

I should try putting a MT-602 and a MT-601 in one chain for maximum tube sound.

That works!

A single 12AU7 tube has made the sound better. There are some really good 12AU7 tubes out there and it has made a difference.

 

[Ichos]

Dear friends here is my review of the Drop + xDuoo TA-84 amplifier.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/drop-xduoo-ta-84.27004/review/32872/

A more comprehensive version will be soon available in my website.

 

[Ichos]

Not much discussion in this thread!

Anyway, here is my full Drop + xDuoo TA-84 Review

 

[Sonido]

Not much discussion in this thread!

Anyway, here is my full Drop + xDuoo TA-84 Review

Do you know if the preamp output bypasses the EL84 tubes and only use the ECC82 tubes? I'm currently enjoying this amp as a preamp in my chain and I want to tube roll, so if I only need to roll the ECC82 tubes that would be nice on my wallet.