What power tubes do you use?

madmax

Last night for the fun of it I swapped out my Jolida amp with EL-34's with another Jolida which has KT-88's (originally 6550's). The sound became much fuller and more enjoyable. Funny, last time I did this the EL-34 amp won hands down, but that was with a different CD player in the loop. Will this never stop!!! I was totally convinced that the EL-34's were the best thing out there and now I've decided I like the KT-88's better. BTW, I used to be totally happy with my system until I heard a better one. Thanks F1...
madmax

dorokusai

I use the Stimulator 3000 Vaccuum Tube....oh crap, did I say that aloud? You mean audio tubes, ugh.

BlueMDPicker

I usually just roll-up a twenty.

organ

I still can't get enough of my triode strapped EL-34. Power is cut down by half but the sound is just killer. I've heard the same thing about the KT88 sound around the net. More power than EL34, especially bass. Does your amp allow you to switch them to triode?

The Electro Harmonix EL34EH are my favorite but I'm really starting to enjoy the JJ E34L A LOT. I was pumping Queen at full blast earlier today and it was one hell of a trip! Very tubey sounding. For some reason, I didn't like them with the LSi9 but they sound amazing on the Klipsch. The most 'tubey' bass and mid-range bloom from all the EL34 I've tried. The most dynamics too. Give them a try on your Jolida. They can be biased a little hotter too. The asylum inmates reccommend up to 20% more bias than a regular EL34.

The Shuguangs were quite impressive too but after a while they sound more like SS.

Which EL-34 were you using on the Jolida?

Maurice

madmax

No triode switch on the Jolida. The EL-34's I have been using lately are the Tesla very dark blue/purple tubes. Fairly rare as mine are the only pair I've ever seen.

Edit: Hmmm... maybe I should listen less and dust more.

HBombToo

Originally posted by madmax
The EL-34's I have been using lately are the Tesla very dark blue/purple tubes. Fairly rare as mine are the only pair I've ever seen.

Edit: Hmmm... maybe I should listen less and dust more.

could those be classified as, "Big Blue Bad **** Tubes".:p

HBomb

organ

Very cool! JJ purchased Tesla many years ago and they're producing the JJ E34L in clear, red and blue glass. How do the Tesla's sound?

Maurice

madmax

I've read some articles about my blue tubes, quite different than the newer red or blue ones. Lets put it this way, $225 for the quad was an absolute steal. They are very smooth, quiet and revealing. The lower treble holds back a bit causing the sound to be perceived as very clean and pure. The bass is a little flubby while still powerful and pleasing. The midrange is awesome, especially on simple things like a singer with a guitar, CSN&Y, soft Cheryl Crow, etc but still reasonable on newer stuff like No Doubt. Actually they do everything quite well. I have newer mullards (CV-somethings) for the pre-driver tubes and Telefunkens for the preamps.

mhardy6647

I use very old Philco 2A3's in my Bottlehead Paramour single ended class A monoblocks. I bought these used, inexpensively, and they sound very good IMO, easily bettering the Sovteks I was using before.

BlueMDPicker

Very nice, Chuck. I haven't had the chance to hear any of Jolida's gear. Have you ever been to United Home Products in Annapolis Junction? I see their ads on AudiogoN and their address just happens to be the same as Jolida's. What's the connection, do you know?

RuSsMaN

Those JJ's are cool, my friend has a set in his new Dodd Audio monoblocks. I think that's what Gary puts in all of them.

Me, I run 6BM8's in my 8w push pull, and KT88's in my 100w push-pull. All my preamps are 6DJ8/6922, short of one that uses 2 12au7 and 1 12ax7.

Cheers,
Russ

madmax

I'll have to hear those someday Russman. These blue tubes are not the ones JJ makes. They have been out of production for many years. Anapolis Junction? Nope, never been there although I did see that Jolida is there.

organ

Madmax,
Yeah, your tubes are very rare. In fact, I've never seen them for sale anywhere. I was just saying how it's cool that JJ continued to produce their tubes in blue after purchasing Tesla.

Thanks for sharing the sound quality. Looks like we have the same taste in EL34. I like my sound the way you described but with more mids. So far the JJ E34L gives me that sound. I really like the tubey bass too. Once you get tubed, there's no going back to transistors:D.

Russ,
Yeah, I can't get enough of the JJ's. They're amazing. I really like Electro Harmonix too.

From the signal tubes you listed, is that last pre the Radii? My ASL was a little bit on the noisy side when connected to SS amps and the guy at he repair centre told me the circuit was designed for current production tubes. NOS will be noisier.

Maurice

madmax

Originally posted by organ
Once you get tubed, there's no going back to transistors:D.
Maurice

So true. I feel like all I can hear is noise when I listen to SS at a reasonable volume. I'm torn because for years I listened to equipment rated anywhere between 400w to 1200 watts. My SDA-SRS were bi-amped at 4 x 1200 watts. There is a certain sound (dynamics) that has which cannot be duplicated. Tubes on the other hand are so freakin engaging that once you start listening you cannot stop. One day I will have seperate systems for each so depending on my mood I will pick power or quality. Kinda like a 2 speed.

madmax

organ

I agree. One thing I noticed about my system when it comes to tubes vs ss is that upper bass (warmth/dynamics/slam) is much better with tubes. For some reason SS just skips this part but it always wins when it comes to bass extension. Another thing is the 3d imaging. Sound just soar out of the speakers with tubes but sounds flat when I use a SS amp.

I'd like to have a "2 speed" system too. Just need another room to set up the LSi9 and NAD amp.

Maurice

F1nut

Somebody say tubes???

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by F1nut
Somebody say tubes???

My God, what is that?

F1nut

One of these.

BlueMDPicker

madmax and organ,

Have you tried a tube/mosfet hybrid power amp? Counterpoint amps are addictive once you've owned one. They're the best of both worlds and have a sonic signature all their own. The warmth and imaging detail I like with tube gear is there with better bass extension than a SS amp.

My EE preamp has two sets of outputs, so I take one to the SS 200 Delta then on to the SDA SRSs, the other to the Counterpoint SA-100 with Polk Monitor 11s. With the EE tube CDP as sole source component, it gives me the option to go tube-tube-SS or tube-tube-tube/mosfet. The former wins in depth and width of soundstage, the latter in richness of vocals and bass extension. I find that if there's a selection I just can't get into the groove with, a quick switch to the other setup is a cure about 8/10 times.

Mike

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by F1nut
One of these.

F1nut,

SWEET

Is that a multi channel amp?

madmax

I've not heard that type of setup. The most I've done is hooked up some Soundcraftsmen mosfet amps up to my tube preamp. That was pretty good. So much stuff to try and so little time...

Yea, we said tubes...

madmax

500 watts per channel of glorious tube power if I remember correctly! And there are four channels here for biamping!!!

F1nut

Steve,

2 channel only at 240 wpc.

Chuck,

Ah, some VTL's...nice.

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by F1nut
2 channel only at 240 wpc.

Only 240 wpc That looks sweet...

organ

Mike,
Never heard a MOSFET with tube pre. If I ever decide to upgrade the NAD amp for my LSi9, I'll check out Counterpoint. This will be far in the future. So far I'll be looking at Bryston, Krell, MF and now Counterpoint. How's the slam/dynamics on the CP?

F1,
Damn! Is that your ARC amp???? The guts on AR always looks pretty with all those tubes placed sideways. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Madmax,
What output tubes are in those monsters? I bet you wouldn't even need to turn on the heat during the winter. That's a killer set up. However, I'm glad I don't own something like that. I'd have to rob a bank just to get cash to re-tube a single amp.

Maurice

F1nut

No, not mine. Pulled the pics from a ad on Audiogon, it can be yours for only $4k. Not sure where MM got the VTL pics, but I know they aren't his.

madmax

No, they aren't mine. At one time I made a bid of $6K for them. Of course they went for more. (whew...)
madmax