Forums - Tube rolling for "C-EX"

steve_f

Ex Member

Tube rolling for "C-EX"
01/03/07 at 16:25:02

I hate tube rolling. I am using my C-EX with Horn Shoppe Horns and a Transcendent Sound preamp. I'm getting great detail, but not that fluid depth that Zens are famous for. A bit thin might be the description. I know that the TS pre is very neutral. The Horns are the new version and sound very good with my other amps. I know the Zen is a very good amp; perhaps my rather live room is influencing the system signature. The amp has a Sovtek 6922 driver. Suggestions please.

Steve F

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Mike W

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #1 - 01/03/07 at 16:59:44

What you said "it might be the room" would be my first guess.

Couple of questions

Does it change the sound when the preamp is removed from the system?

Current production 6922's such as the JJTeslas are good with the Russian 6H23n being a very very good tube. Of course the NOS stuff is good but I ususally don't spend the dollars. You might get some recommendations from others on that.

The tube lineup I used the most in my EX modded Zen was a JJ 6922, Russian 6P14's and a JanCetron tater masher in the recitifer

Good luck cause one thing with my EX modded Zen I never heard was thin.

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veryoldcat

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #2 - 01/03/07 at 20:50:48

I'm very fond of the 6n15n-eb (the military sv83) that Decware now uses as stock in the SE84 series of amps, and my Parker 98's sound the best with these of anything so far. I like the way this particular tube sounds so much (cryoed), I wouldn't change to another amp if it couldn't use 'em Wink

However, I'm with Mike on the room thing. If there's something disadvantageous about the room set up, NO amount of tube rolling will correct for that. I hope you have those Horneshoppes in corners.

The SE84's are very good low but that's not their biggest of the big thing; I doubt you'd wanna start a low-end war with 'em, or sell them as sub-amps.

Karl

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steve_f

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #3 - 01/03/07 at 21:22:10

Mike & VOC,
The sound is much better with a preamp. I am going to switch rectifiers as several people suggested the Jan, and Mullard 6922 driver (too expensive for me) Some people like the Russian military sv83 some like EL84' s. I am not going to make room changes. My other amps work fine. That's where things get a bit confusing.

Steve

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veryoldcat

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #4 - 01/03/07 at 21:49:27

[quote author=steve_f link=1167845102/0#3 date=1167859330]Mike & VOC,
The sound is much better with a preamp. I am going to switch rectifiers as several people suggested the Jan, and Mullard 6922 driver (too expensive for me) Some people like the Russian military sv83 some like EL84' s. I am not going to make room changes. My other amps work fine. That's where things get a bit confusing.

Steve [/quote]

I also feel my Select has a lot more authority in the lows and low mids with a pre. Wouldn't use it without.

Karl

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Eli Duttman Ex Member	Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX" Reply #5 - 01/03/07 at 22:02:18 Steve, You can try a 6n1p-ev as the driver. You are correct about desireable NOS 6922s carrying an insane price tag. The JJ E88CC (6922) is voiced closer to W. European NOS than Russian tubes are. FWIW, I like the JJ a lot in a SE84B. So, you have 2 affordable "rolling" options for the driver.
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Doorman Ex Member	Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX" Reply #6 - 01/03/07 at 22:31:11 FWIW, I've found tube rolling the 12au7's in my GG pre to have no effect, though maybe I've not found "the" tube? Don
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selmerdave

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #7 - 01/03/07 at 23:08:47

Hi Steve,

Sort of a silly question, but do you know that the power tubes are okay? I don't think a Sovtek 6922 was ever a stock input tube so my guess is you got it used, and perhaps the power tubes (which are certainly the first to go) are done.

Also with the room, you might not need to change your room so much as push the speakers into the corners a bit as Karl suggested. I wouldn't say that what works for one amp necessarily should work for another amp, the way amps and speakers interact will vary and I don't think should be used as a measuring stick for comparing amps for example.

Dave

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Joel

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #8 - 01/05/07 at 18:03:10

Steve -
I've done LOTS of rolling in a CEX. I found the Rectifier and input to have more effect than the power tubes. In the rectifier I would try a 5R4 Potato masher, or a 5V4 NOS (my favorite) either can be found at a reasonable price. For the input my first suggestion would be a military Cryo 6N1P for speed and slam, or anything in the Amperex family for warmth and staging. The 6N15, or 6N14 are excellent power tubes, as well as the JJ EL 84, some like the new TAD, but I haven't tried that. That JJ can be gotten Cryo at Cryoset (as well as a JJ 5AR4 that sounds great, but tends to have under sized pins) as cheap as you can buy it without the cryo elsewhere. Give me a call if you need help with sourcing, or I can loan you a few tubes to try. Ed can tell you how to reach me.
You can pretty much tune the sound to your taste, it sounds complicated, but it's actually fun. The Sovtek 6922 is my last choice for anything.
Joel

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steve_f

Ex Member

Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX"
Reply #9 - 01/11/07 at 03:43:07

Hi Guys,
I've been so busy lately that I forgot to check on my own topic! Thanks for all of your imput.
Dave, the amp was supplied with the Sovtek 6922. The amp was purchased new, by me, from Decware. Nobody has modded it in any way.
Joel, thank you for your kind offer of help. I'll talk to Ed soon.
Don, you are right about the GG pre. It seems to work great with every tube brand.
Take care,
Steve

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Mike W Ex Member	Re: Tube rolling for "C-EX" Reply #10 - 01/11/07 at 13:42:23 Quote: I don't think a Sovtek 6922 was ever a stock input tube so my guess is you got it used, That is what was in my new C EX as well.
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