Which tubes for Dodd ELP

Face
Face Posts: 14,340
edited September 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
What tubes are you guys using for your ELP's?

I'm using jj e88cc's and am disappointed by the sound. The mids are muffled and the top end is really lacking. The only thing that's acceptable is the low end.

So what tubes would you guys recommend for better overall SQ and some more high end tilt.

Any other tweaks recommended before I rip mine apart?

Thanks,
Mike
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited September 2009
    Just sell it to me.. Problem solved.:D
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,259
    edited September 2009
    leroyjr1 wrote: »
    Just sell it to me.. Problem solved.:D

    You beat me to that post, I was thinking the same thing.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    Bah with both of you! :D
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited September 2009
    I don't know what tubes but I think you should also try Big Mama Clarity caps upgrade. :D
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    megasat16 wrote: »
    I don't know what tubes but I think you should also try Big Mama Clarity caps upgrade. :D
    Only 10uf Claritycap ESA's fit...just barely too. ;)
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited September 2009
    I think the tubes are not the problem. The problem is that you can't replace all the caps so it sounds dull. :D

    Instead of Tubes, May be Caps Rules! :D
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited September 2009
    Telsa.

    End of story.



    Oh. And bugle boys. Its a toss up.



    Nik
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited September 2009
    The tubes that have sounded the best in my ELP are some Groove Tube 6922s, Phillips JAN 6922s and maybe the best are some Amperex 6DJ8 Bugle Boys.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited September 2009
    Mike owes this bad dog to me so if he sells I've got dibs.:D In my limited time I liked the JAN6922's myself.

    I get the feeling I'll be waiting awhile.:D
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  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,901
    edited September 2009
    i second nos teslas. have the caps bypassed with sonicap platinum caps.
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
    Puritan PSM156
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited September 2009
    When I had the ELP I found the Bugle Boys to sound the best. They just had a warm musicality, with a very satisfying low end punch.

    I also had a pair of Teslas and a pair of Tesla Gold Pins. I found those two to have a fairly similar sound. They were somewhat neutral sounding, and were almost a little overly analytical sounding IMO. The Tesla Gold Pins sounded similar, but were a little bit brighter sounding.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    Thanks all!
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • blakeh
    blakeh Posts: 491
    edited September 2009
    I've only rolled three pairs of tubes into my ELP because once I heard the Bugle Boys, I was sold. There might be better out there, but I'm not willing to spend $500 trying the theory out.
    /COLOR] [U][URL="http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=68366"][COLOR="Blue"]My Rigs[/U][/COLOR][/URL] [COLOR="Red" Balanced Audio Technology | Revel | Dodd | Monarchy | PS Audio | MIT | Polk | Etc.
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited September 2009
    Man...you had to bring up the ELP didn't you?:p

    I was practically set on getting a Dared SL-2000A for my next pre-amp...but now I'm thinking about how absolutely sweet that ELP sounded when I had it...
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited September 2009
    Yes, Bugle Boys or any of the better Amprex tubes.

    The JJs aren't bad. If they're new you might want to get them some time.
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited September 2009
    Hey Mike
    How many hours do you have on those tubes? Just curious.
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited September 2009
    Also, I had a conversation with Brent Jesse a couple weeks ago regarding tubes for my pre-amp. His deal is if you buy tubes from him you can try them out and if they don't fit your fancy you can trade them in for others to try or pay a nominal re-stocking fee. That seems like a great way to go.

    http://www.audiotubes.com/
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited September 2009
    When I had my ELP, I found the old Tesla E88CC white lettered NOS tubes sounded the best,YMMV
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    NJPOLKER wrote: »
    Hey Mike
    How many hours do you have on those tubes? Just curious.

    50 plus however many were on them when I received the unit.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited September 2009
    It no match for the Manley..........different levels, possibly the MLP with some Telefunken smooth plates is where you should look, much more bandwith, seperate power supply, your trying to put entry tube gear on hi-fi ears or heaven forbid fix one of those ipod computer thingies that intriques you.......time to stop playing around in the corner with your school toys and move on.

    The cheap **** JAN Green were not bad, I used the Bugle Boy as my final pick before passing it forward. I used the JJ, they were just OK, not bad though.

    RT1
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    Don't worry Ted, it's not going in my dedicated 2 channel rig.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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