[Quenya]

It's finally here!

Unfortunately my Atrium Ltd. (Marblecake Walnut) has been delayed a few weeks due to ZMF discovering a seam/crack in the wood of one of the earcups during final quality control, which ZMF compensates by creating a new set instead, so sadly I'll just have to imagine its sound until mid to late June. But man, the Aegis is truly a sight for sore eyes!

 

[Wes S]

You’re gonna make me broke by getting too curious with the GEC KT66 haha

You are not alone. FOMO is real.

 

[Toonartist]

You are not alone. FOMO is real.

Yeah, and then there is the fear of losing it once you have it

 

[TheAbyss2022]

It's finally here!



Unfortunately my Atrium Ltd. (Marblecake Walnut) has been delayed a few weeks due to ZMF discovering a seam/crack in the wood of one earcups during final quality control, which ZMF compensates by creating a new set instead, so sadly I'll just have to imagine its sound until mid to late June. But man, the Aegis is truly a sight for sore eyes!

At least you can burn in the tubes in the meantime....

 

[khaine1711]

How do you like the TAD KT66s? I have a set here and didn't care for them, but I admittedly did not give them time to burn in. Curious if you found them better after a bit of time.

And, FWIW, the GEC KT66 are one of my favorite tube types in the Aegis, so it isn't the tube type. I just couldn't bond with the TAD variant (at least not yet).

How does the gec Kt8c fit in all of this? I remember your kt8c in the diy thread but no impression was posted.

I lust after the Gec kt66 too (especially the smoked glass with green/red marconi stamp), but most local sellers want to sell a matched quad instead of pair... maybe I'll just need to be more ..... persuasive.

 

[Quenya]

Also, let me attest to the fact that the Aegis is a truly hefty megachonker. If you're one of the people waiting for yours to arrive, you should probably hit the gym in the meantime or something, idk, I'm not your dad.

 

[AnyDave]

How does the gec Kt8c fit in all of this? I remember your kt8c in the diy thread but no impression was posted.

I lust after the Gec kt66 too (especially the smoked glass with green/red marconi stamp), but most local sellers want to sell a matched quad instead of pair... maybe I'll just need to be more ..... persuasive.

It's been a minute since I've had the KT8C in the amp now, but I remember them being slightly reduced in the high end compared to the KT66. I'm hesitant to call the KT66 brighter as I find them fairly smooth, but I'm also a little hesitant to call the KT8C dark.

Part of the issue for me is that I've been running through so many different tubes lately. I need to start leaving them in for longer periods of time and actually take listening notes (and keep the preamp and rectifier tubes the same). Aural memory in humans is typically not as good as folks think it is, and a controlled comparison is better.

 

[theveterans]

Sorry.

Don’t be haha!
How do you find the GEC KT66 in the soundstage category? I like everything about the TAD except I’m also spoiled with KT88 holographic and expansive soundstage. TAD sounds like I just turned off HQPlayer and run straight non oversampling on the DAC as an analogy

 

[AnyDave]

Don’t be haha!
How do you find the GEC KT66 in the soundstage category? I like everything about the TAD except I’m also spoiled with KT88 holographic and expansive soundstage. TAD sounds like I just turned off HQPlayer and run straight non oversampling on the DAC as an analogy

I think they stage well, but mostly it's the tonality that I focus on. I typically weigh tonality over everything as it contributes most to my personal enjoyment.

 

[RazQ]

The Aegis has landed.
The Chinese sure love there plastic wraps

 

[erics75]

It's been a minute since I've had the KT8C in the amp now, but I remember them being slightly reduced in the high end compared to the KT66. I'm hesitant to call the KT66 brighter as I find them fairly smooth, but I'm also a little hesitant to call the KT8C dark.

Part of the issue for me is that I've been running through so many different tubes lately. I need to start leaving them in for longer periods of time and actually take listening notes (and keep the preamp and rectifier tubes the same). Aural memory in humans is typically not as good as folks think it is, and a controlled comparison is better.

When i'm testing stuff i keep excel open and just jot down notes as i'm listening. it's very eclectic to read later, but does help with sonic memory issues. i live in excel at work so that's my weapon of choice, but word or even an open email to yourself works well also. i tried handwriting and half the time i can't read my own writing

side note/interesting take - for those like me who type 99% of my "written" communication, do you find your ability to actually handwrite is diminished? my kids write better/neater than me! but when younger i wrote nicely. honestly i rarely use a pen anymore. i work in excel and emails all day long so typing dominates my "written" communication. just curious if anyone else noticed something similar.

 

[AnyDave]

When i'm testing stuff i keep excel open and just jot down notes as i'm listening. it's very eclectic to read later, but does help with sonic memory issues. i live in excel at work so that's my weapon of choice, but word or even an open email to yourself works well also. i tried handwriting and half the time i can't read my own writing

side note/interesting take - for those like me who type 99% of my "written" communication, do you find your ability to actually handwrite is diminished? my kids write better/neater than me! but when younger i wrote nicely. honestly i rarely use a pen anymore. i work in excel and emails all day long so typing dominates my "written" communication. just curious if anyone else noticed something similar.

I've noticed my cursive has definitely diminished, but I love fountain pens, so I refuse to give up writing notes entirely.

 

[JeffMann]

I think they stage well, but mostly it's the tonality that I focus on. I typically weigh tonality over everything as it contributes most to my personal enjoyment.

Do you have experience comparing the tonality of the ZMF Aegis amp versus the Cayin HA300Mk2 amp?

I realize that the question is complicated by the fact that each amp's tonality will be greatly affected by the choices made when tube rolling. However, can one come to a reasonably valid conclusion? I own the Cayin HA300Mk2amp - as did Wes, but he only quoted improved clarity (and not better tonality) for preferring the Aegis amp. I am more interested in knowing how these two amps differ in terms of musical tone/timbre because I gravitate towards a warmer and more full-bodied sound especially in the mid-upper bass and lower midrange.

Jeff.

 

[theveterans]

I think they stage well, but mostly it's the tonality that I focus on. I typically weigh tonality over everything as it contributes most to my personal enjoyment.

Thanks! Yep! KT66 is one of the closest to a DHT in terms of tonality IMHO

 

[theveterans]

Do you have experience comparing the tonality of the ZMF Aegis amp versus the Cayin HA300Mk2 amp?

I realize that the question is complicated by the fact that each amp's tonality will be greatly affected by the choices made when tube rolling. However, can one come to a reasonably valid conclusion? I own the Cayin HA300Mk2amp - as did Wes, but he only quoted improved clarity (and not better tonality) for preferring the Aegis amp. I am more interested in knowing how these two amps differ in terms of musical tone/timbre because I gravitate towards a warmer and more full-bodied sound especially in the mid-upper bass and lower midrange.

Jeff.

KT66 is your tube of choice for that . You get improved clarity and closest to a DHT tonality of the 300B/2A3 tubes