ZMF Aegis Official Thread

[meomap]

More delay for my APOS Reserve KT88....
Last time was 1st wk of April. Now, May time frame.

Yikes....

 

[theveterans]

More delay for my APOS Reserve KT88....
Last time was 1st wk of April. Now, May time frame.

Yikes....

Jeeez. Well all know why unfortunately

 

[meomap]

Jeeez. Well all know why unfortunately

I still have Gold Lion KT88 and APOS Select EL34 to play with in the meantime.

 

[Rhodey]

The Rays KT88 are supposed to lean warmer right? I have Kenrad KT66s and they’re good but the highs are a bit much for me. The EL38s are the same.

I do have some different input tubes coming (using Sylvania 6SL7GT atm) to see if that helps but looking at the GEC KT66 to tame the highs a bit. Lachlan seemed to think Rays KT88 were a bit less intense.

 

[theveterans]

The Rays KT88 are supposed to lean warmer right? I have Kenrad KT88s and they’re good but the highs are a bit much for me. The EL38s are the same.

I do have some different input tubes coming (using Sylvania 6SL7GT atm) to see if that helps but looking at the GEC KT66 to tame the highs a bit. Lachlan seemed to think Rays KT88 were a bit less intense.

TAD KT66 is where you want less treble, not the GEC IMHO. Obviously the GEC will be more detailed than the TAD though

As for context, it's what I use to tame Bokeh Open's upper mids-lower treble response

 

[Rhodey]

TAD KT66 is where you want less treble, not the GEC IMHO. Obviously the GEC will be more detailed than the TAD though

It’s just slightly too much. I hoping as the amp burns in more this settles down a bit.

Running the Mullard 6080 CV2984 and Brimar 12AU7 from the BHC the Atrium is awesome. Looking to take all the attributes the Aegis brings and add some of that magic. I feel I can get close with the right tube roll.

 

[theveterans]

It’s just slightly too much. I hoping as the amp burns in more this settles down a bit.

Running the Mullard 6080 CV2984 and Brimar 12AU7 from the BHC the Atrium is awesome. Looking to take all the attributes the Aegis brings and add some of that magic. I feel I can get close with the right tube roll.

Oh your Aegis is new that's why! Those Comet caps TAKE FOREVER to settle, but it will sound much more controlled and very full in the notes once everything is burned in. I wouldn't change tubes at all and just let it ride out for maybe 500 hours haha (I'm not kidding. My comet caps took that long seriously). In the meantime, I'd just roll the Mullard GZ32 since that tube makes every note thicker sounding than most tubes I've tried

 

[VolatileLiquid]

Oh your Aegis is new that's why! Those Comet caps TAKE FOREVER to settle, but it will sound much more controlled and very full in the notes once everything is burned in. I wouldn't change tubes at all and just let it ride out for maybe 500 hours haha (I'm not kidding. My comet caps took that long seriously). In the meantime, I'd just roll the Mullard GZ32 since that tube makes every note thicker sounding than most tubes I've tried

If you were to double down in thickness with gz32 Mullard, what input tubes would you suggest if pairing with output kt88 ray selects? Currently on Tung sol 6sl7gt new production and enjoying those and rolling pads but wanna see what I can get away with on input tubes as I like the kt88s and Wandla off bypass combo (more ss).

 

[Rhodey]

If you were to double down in thickness with gz32 Mullard, what input tubes would you suggest if pairing with output kt88 ray selects? Currently on Tung sol 6sl7gt new production and enjoying those and rolling pads but wanna see what I can get away with on input tubes as I like the kt88s and Wandla off bypass combo (more ss).

From what I hear, Mullard ECC35 but they’re hard to find…
Do you have Ray KT88?


Swapped back to the Universe pads on the Atrium and put the Kenrad KT66 tubes back in and I think it helped a bit with the highs.
This album is so fun. The thunder throughout this track is awesome with the Atrium and Aegis.

 

[iamoneagain]

I know I said I was done tube rolling but since I had the kt88 already, decided to try it with the fat base gz34 Mullard. What’s surprising is the new Chinese kt88 sound just as good as the praised nos kt90 with this rectifier. The kt88 has just as much impact but with sweeter mids. The bass also seems to have more texture. With the f32 gz34, there wasn’t enough body so the kt88 was a hint too thin. Crazy how a better rectifier can improve the other tubes as well. So now it seems I’m destined to pick up a nos kt88 at some point.

I find the fat base f31 gz34 and kt88 to be much better than the RCA 5R4GY. Just so much more energy, speed, and resolution. The RCA is a more relaxed, lush experience but I prefer that in your face raw energy.

Edit: ordered Genalex Gold Lion KT88 off of Amazon to have improvement over the Chinese kt88 and that already sounds amazing. GEC version might be a little too expensive.

 

[Isaacc7]

For 807 tubes. Any consensus on which Brand / types to look out for? I have a Fivre pair and I'm enjoying them so am thinking of trying a couple of different ones.

The vt60 is one of my favorites. Keep in mind there are a variety of different labels out in them both in tube type and brand. Here’s a good set of pictures showing what they look like. http://www.r-type.org/exhib/acl0103.htm

I have seen them with GEC, Cossor, and no manufacturer at all. Also seen them labeled ats25. @Wes S says there are differences between tubes with the same plate and different bases. All of mine have ceramic bases and sound the same to me. I assumed the red/brown base would sound the same but he says no.

I haven’t heard a bad 807 yet. Well, a better way to look at it is I have always been able to find a driver that was able to give me good sound. I have, uh… more than a few driver tubes to choose from. An embarrassment of riches really. Anyway, I have gotten good to great sound with the vt60, RCA (in the form of the 6bg6ga), Fivre, Mazda (France), Sylvania 5933, and even some Russian ones labeled as Firenti. One of my favorites 807 types needs a different adapter. The 5b/254m is an amazing tube with a unique adapter.

Common wisdom is that it is the equivalent to the 6l6g and metal 6l6. I think in the context of this particular amp that’s true. In other amps they can be run quite a bit harder. The 6l6 tubes are often overlooked since they don’t have the hype from guitar players.

 

[Toonartist]

Oh your Aegis is new that's why! Those Comet caps TAKE FOREVER to settle, but it will sound much more controlled and very full in the notes once everything is burned in. I wouldn't change tubes at all and just let it ride out for maybe 500 hours haha (I'm not kidding. My comet caps took that long seriously). In the meantime, I'd just roll the Mullard GZ32 since that tube makes every note thicker sounding than most tubes I've tried

I never really noticed how long. Probably down to the tubes I had in at the time and using the Meze Elite which are more relaxed… and the rest of the chain of course. I use fibre optics for the streamer and power conditioning etc to cut out unwanted highs, noise.

For me, while the smoothness improved a lot over the first 200, it was the soundstage depth and imaging that really improved. I remember enjoying the results from the beginning and it just got better. Actually, I think I had the EL38, ER274b and ECC35 in when burning in the Silver Comets. So, I guess the Elites didn’t pass on any of the harshness to begin with.

I agree though, best not to go hunting / evaluating tubes until they and the amp burns in. Plenty of power caps etc that need to run in. I remember a new Aegis (DIY) taking a good 50-100 hrs to start sounding its best.

Maybe even a Brimar 5R4GY. Originally I used that to tame the highs of the EL38 when I was using RCA Red Base 5691’s.

 

[martelanc24]

The vt60 is one of my favorites. Keep in mind there are a variety of different labels out in them both in tube type and brand. Here’s a good set of pictures showing what they look like. http://www.r-type.org/exhib/acl0103.htm

I have seen them with GEC, Cossor, and no manufacturer at all. Also seen them labeled ats25. @Wes S says there are differences between tubes with the same plate and different bases. All of mine have ceramic bases and sound the same to me. I assumed the red/brown base would sound the same but he says no.

I haven’t heard a bad 807 yet. Well, a better way to look at it is I have always been able to find a driver that was able to give me good sound. I have, uh… more than a few driver tubes to choose from. An embarrassment of riches really. Anyway, I have gotten good to great sound with the vt60, RCA (in the form of the 6bg6ga), Fivre, Mazda (France), Sylvania 5933, and even some Russian ones labeled as Firenti. One of my favorites 807 types needs a different adapter. The 5b/254m is an amazing tube with a unique adapter.

Common wisdom is that it is the equivalent to the 6l6g and metal 6l6. I think in the context of this particular amp that’s true. In other amps they can be run quite a bit harder. The 6l6 tubes are often overlooked since they don’t have the hype from guitar players.

You mentioned 5b/254m tubes a few times, do you know what is the difference with 5b/254a, both from ITT, for example. Is it just the base that is different, or more than that?

The ITT 5b/254a version has a standard 807 base, so for people who have those adapters already, it would be a cheap tube to buy and try.

 

[Isaacc7]

You mentioned 5b/254m tubes a few times, do you know what is the difference with 5b/254a, both from ITT, for example. Is it just the base that is different, or more than that?

The ITT 5b/254a version has a standard 807 base, so for people who have those adapters already, it would be a cheap tube to buy and try.

Oh, I had forgotten about the 5b/254a! That is an excellent point. I have never really looked into them. Common wisdom for the 5b/254m is that the older, dual getter STC branded version is the best. I’ve never compared different versions. Mine are single getter STC. There was someone on one of these threads that compared dual and single getter versions and he couldn’t hear any difference. Dunno if that is definitive but it is one datum. I suspect that the same tooling was used for the 254a and b at the time so I would expect them to sound the same as the equivalent 254b version.

I have some 5a/152m tubes some branded STC and some ITT. They are the same tube with different branding. Clearly there was a transition period when they moved to the ITT branding.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Attention all my fellow Aegis-owners! I’ve decided to sell quite a few of my accumulated tubes. I thought I’d give y’all a heads-up before posting them in the classifieds. Here’s what’s available:

1. RCA JAN 5U4G/VT244 (1944)
2. RCA 807 pair (1940’s) *requires adapter
3. Sylvania JAN 5U4GY/VT244 *It has a slight hum when in use that is not audible through the headphones, so I’ll be selling this one cheap.
4. Svetlana 5C3S “Winged C” (5U4G equivalent)
5. Multiple RCA JAN 5R4GY’s still available (w/ DD-getters or single D-getter)
6. Tung Sol 5881 pair *I just have too many of these!
7. GEC U52 (brown base and bottom D-getter)
8. Sylvania JAN 6SL7WGT pair (brown base with green lettering)
9. Raytheon JAN 5R4WGB “Potato Masher” (1967)
10. RCA 5R4GY (1957, light brown base, single D-getter)
11. Mullard EL38 matched pair (1957) *requires adapter
12. Ei KT90 pair (version 2 w/ all the spot welds)

Shoot me a PM if any of you are interested in any (or all) of these. I’d prefer to avoid international shipping, so US folks only, at least for now.