[bcowen]

Yes. Audio gear and non-audio* gear should be powered by different circuits so as to eliminate various forms of interference. If possible, use wall plugs in separate rooms. Please don’t let audio/non-audio* gear share outlets.
* Non-audio: cell phone charger, wireless internet router, cable modem, computer, printer. Each is a potential source of interference.

Totally agree. SMPS's (Switched Mode Power Supplies) are the devil incarnate when it comes to audio equipment. This includes most wal-warts**, computer power supplies (desktop and laptop), printers, etc. They put a lot of noisy garbage right back into the AC line, and if that same circuit is powering your audio gear it's going to be ridden with noise. The Monster HTS will help some, but the more noise that exists the less effective ANY filter will be at scrubbing it all away.

**Schiit Audio wal-warts are different as they are merely step down transformers (the DC conversion is done inside the component). A step-down transformer is not evil in and of itself.

 

[bcowen]

Well……that’s a challenge, but great guidance. I really appreciate it.

After a recent re-wire, everything in that room (4 wall plugs) are on a separate 20A breaker. At this point, I can start isolating audio gear and computer et al to different plugs.

Why a 20A beaker some ask? For my espresso machine lol. But I am pretty sure it’s analog.

ROFL!

Digital coffee can be very fatiguing.

 

[28Monkey]

After weeks of testing/rolling, I have a combination of tubes that are rich and detailed and more importantly to me, a very quiet noise floor…..not black, but VERY dark grey.

Brimar CV4033 ('57) Footscray ECC81:12AT7 (input)
Mullard (Valvo) Blackburn (60's) 6BQ5 EL84 (power)
Amperex “Made in England” (with a graphic of a man playing a fife??) EZ81 (rectifier)

It seems that a low level static from my left channel was resolved when I swapped out the input tube (RFT ECC81:12AT7) for the Brimar. I have ordered another one to see…..but who knows, it’s coming from Russia.
RF noise wasn’t as much of a culprit as I thought.

Pretty happy right now…..especially since a pair of Aeolus LTD Ziricote showed up.

 

[28Monkey]

After weeks of testing/rolling, I have a combination of tubes that are rich and detailed and more importantly to me, a very quiet noise floor…..not black, but VERY dark grey.

Brimar CV4033 ('57) Footscray ECC81:12AT7 (input)
Mullard (Valvo) Blackburn (60's) 6BQ5 EL84 (power)
Amperex “Made in England” (with a graphic of a man playing a fife??) EZ81 (rectifier)

It seems that a low level static from my left channel was resolved when I swapped out the input tube (RFT ECC81:12AT7) for the Brimar. I have ordered another one to see…..but who knows, it’s coming from Russia.
RF noise wasn’t as much of a culprit as I thought.

Pretty happy right now…..especially since a pair of Aeolus LTD Ziricote showed up.

An addendum to my previous post.
Decades ago when I used to roll tubes into tubes amps….tube amps that were kits that I built or bought, I had forgotten what noise floor was. I was using 2-10 (massive) watt amps with turntables playing “well used” vinyl favorites over very efficient horn speakers. There was always hiss, pops and scratches, and I just cranked up the volume.
Now, getting back into headphones, we are encapsulated in the sound. All of my music these days are “files” on a server, or hi-res, streaming through DAC’s. We are more discerning?
Anyways, a while back in this thread @Wes S and others were mentioning noise floor and how it relates to the final musical fidelity. It took me a few weeks to get it….rolling tubes 1) changed the characteristics of the sound, but also, 2) reduced the noise floor which really allowed the phones I am using to SHINE.
Obvious to many…..took me a bit to grasp it. So thanks

 

[jonathan c]

After weeks of testing/rolling, I have a combination of tubes that are rich and detailed and more importantly to me, a very quiet noise floor…..not black, but VERY dark grey.

Brimar CV4033 ('57) Footscray ECC81:12AT7 (input)
Mullard (Valvo) Blackburn (60's) 6BQ5 EL84 (power)
Amperex “Made in England” (with a graphic of a man playing a fife??) EZ81 (rectifier)

It seems that a low level static from my left channel was resolved when I swapped out the input tube (RFT ECC81:12AT7) for the Brimar. I have ordered another one to see…..but who knows, it’s coming from Russia.
RF noise wasn’t as much of a culprit as I thought.

Pretty happy right now…..especially since a pair of Aeolus LTD Ziricote showed up.

I love the Footscrays…my second favourite 12AT7 type tube…(to the RFT ECC81 foil getter). If you look at the “Schiit Mjolnir II” threads, 2021 contained the ‘summer of Footscray’….T-shirts included…

 

[4LoveOfSound]

Sooo for the past few days, I've been cheating on my beloved Pendant SE. I know, I. know, how could I? Well, I blame @Wes S lol Wes turned me on to the Rogue Audio RH-5 tube hybrid amp, which I bought, and it's been getting all my attention since it arrived last Friday. An excellent amp! Well, today I decided to give the Pendant some love and I was not disappointed! What a beautiful sounding amp! The detailed holographic presentation just sucked me back in. Ahhhhhhh

 

[28Monkey]

Sooo for the past few days, I've been cheating on my beloved Pendant SE. I know, I. know, how could I? Well, I blame @Wes S lol Wes turned me on to the Rogue Audio RH-5 tube hybrid amp, which I bought, and it's been getting all my attention since it arrived last Friday. An excellent amp! Well, today I decided to give the Pendant some love and I was not disappointed! What a beautiful sounding amp! The detailed holographic presentation just sucked me back in. Ahhhhhhh

LOL….as I play the Traveling Wilburys “End of the Line” at full volume….and realize, it’s never TEOTL

 

[Wes S]

Sooo for the past few days, I've been cheating on my beloved Pendant SE. I know, I. know, how could I? Well, I blame @Wes S lol Wes turned me on to the Rogue Audio RH-5 tube hybrid amp, which I bought, and it's been getting all my attention since it arrived last Friday. An excellent amp! Well, today I decided to give the Pendant some love and I was not disappointed! What a beautiful sounding amp! The detailed holographic presentation just sucked me back in. Ahhhhhhh

Having both amps and jumping back and forth between the two, always makes me appreciate what each of them brings to the table. It's like having 2 different flavors of awesome and it's really a treat owning both. Listening with the Pendant is such an engaging experience, and it never let's me down with it's mid focused, impactful and immediate sound. Long live both amps!

 

[jonathan c]

Having both amps and jumping back and forth between the two, always makes me appreciate what each of them brings to the table.

Indeed! I’ll say it again: different amps/headphones = different seats/tables at the musical event. Long live variety!

 

[28Monkey]

A little tube advice…..here is my current line up and I like it:
Brimar CV4033 ('57) Footscray ECC81:12AT7 (input)
Mullard (Valvo) Blackburn (60's) 6BQ5 EL84 (power)
Amperex EZ81 (rectifier)

However, I find that this combination has a slight sibilance….you really hear the “s’s”, especially on female vocals. Noticeable on the Aeolus, really noticeable on the HD800s’. I can EQ it mostly out…but what tubes does one look at to resolve?

I know….first world problem, but curious.

 

[prosnowboarder]

I ordered the 12AT7, Brimar, 1B7, Footscray February 1957 Production as it was listed on the site and I can't wait for it to get here from England. It was the only one left on mullard magic website.
Anyway it didn't list the cv4033 part in the description... Is it for sure the tube you all are referring to?

 

[28Monkey]

https://pulsetubestore.com/products...4-12at7-factory-tested-plug-play-ready-to-use

I purchased this one…..some sites seem to list more information than others.

 

[bcowen]

I ordered the 12AT7, Brimar, 1B7, Footscray February 1957 Production as it was listed on the site and I can't wait for it to get here from England. It was the only one left on mullard magic website.
Anyway it didn't list the cv4033 part in the description... Is it for sure the tube you all are referring to?

The CV4033 is a flying lead tube. Pulse Tube Store attaches a 9-pin base to it so that it plugs into a noval socket like any regular 9-pin tube. Unless the vendor you bought from has similar capabilities for mounting bases, it's likely that you didn't get a CV4033 and probably a straight-up 12AT7. So the question is: if that is in fact what you get, and seeing that it came from the same manufacturing plant during the same year, will it sound any different than the CV4033 Pulse is selling? Since I don't have both I obviously can't answer that definitively, but it would be logical to assume that the working elements of the tube are the same with only the base/termination differing, so it's likely they will sound far more alike (if not identical) than different. Just my $0.02...

 

[robo24]

Those more familiar than I am with different tubes, such as @Wes S , since I’ve been loving the various Brimar / Footscray tubes for the 12AU/T/X7 socket, I’m curious if there are any recommended Brimar EL84 tubes out there and if they have a similar sound? Thanks!

 

[28Monkey]

A little tube advice…..here is my current line up and I like it:
Brimar CV4033 ('57) Footscray ECC81:12AT7 (input)
Mullard (Valvo) Blackburn (60's) 6BQ5 EL84 (power)
Amperex EZ81 (rectifier)

However, I find that this combination has a slight sibilance….you really hear the “s’s”, especially on female vocals. Noticeable on the Aeolus, really noticeable on the HD800s’. I can EQ it mostly out…but what tubes does one look at to resolve?

I know….first world problem, but curious.

I have been very lucky lately. A few days ago I received this rectifier tube RFT (Funkwerk ERFURT) EZ81 6CA4 (1965) NOS

Somehow, I still think that changes when you roll will be subtle.....not my experience at all. This tube made an amazing difference. Tamped down on any sibilance. Dead quiet......and increased the soundstage dramatically. Still a little bit stunned by the change. Really lit up my Aeolus. Not gonna tinker any more....well, not right away