Syd,  as usual you're way ahead of me.  I paid for mine on Saturday but for some reason ebay/paypal didn't use the 200+ cash in the account or my Credit Card as they usually do...they paid with an E Check from my bank that wasn't debited until Monday and who knows how many days it will take to clear to the seller.  In other words, my tubes haven't even shipped yet.

I'm eager to hear your impressions.  Mark.

Syd,  I did buy from the same seller as you and Will.  If anyone still wants these tubes he's relisted the Quad ad.  Mark.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6P3S-E-6L6-6L6GT-Matched-Selected-Quad-Gold-Grid-NOS-N...

Quote:


Thanks for the link.  I jumped on the band wagon and ordered a quad at $69 delivered.

Initial impressions. Very clear, bass a little polite but good. Lots of detail. Long way to go before they bloom.

Syd,  are you talking Mullard 12AU7?  and a Brimar what?  rectifier...5R4GY?    And were talking just the ZP3? With new Russian tubes in the Torii. Mark.

A 10hr loop of Aphex Twin today. Imagine being tied to the chair through that.   :-[

The tubes have 20 hrs on them. Hendrix Isle Of White : The bass is monumental Drums snappy, delicate, with air, the snare is vibrating at times, Hendrix guitar is very detailed. The next 80 hrs should be good.

Mark, your `60s and `70s sets........
Think mine are `81, if that the date written on them.

Troubador JJ Cale : Love JJ, lots of clever layers. I do like the new presentation. I dont like to say it but I`m connecting in a +ve way, expecting new details.
Syd.

Yes they`ve definitely turned a corner Mark. It`s good not to faff around and just enjoy. I thought they might be underpowered but my settings are now back to normal and the volume level is where I like it. They are drawing 40 ma.

Hi bvictor, just read a great write up for the Shuguangs. Bet they look nice in the Rachael and well worth the money. I wish all power tubes were decorated. If only they could have forseen them being on show back in the day
The 6P3S-E`s are a follow up to some tubes some of us bought for the CSP`s, a 6n1p-E, Russian made as well. They are excellent and a low price. Both have those small dish getters with a dimple ( flying saucers ) The 6P3S-E have 2 getters. Bit of a long shot, they have had good reviews and are shaping up on the right track.
I read about the detail your Shuguangs are capable of. Now that would be something if the 6P3S-E`s could get somewhere near.
Syd.

Oh, I see you have the ZMA. So you have 4 Shuguangs.
lol this is the ZMA thread. I got hijacked into here. Honest.

I could write a lot about them Archie, they went through a number of changes. The bass was light then warmed up but got in a muddle behind the drummer, like he had a cloak over him. 20 hrs gave them a listenable take but something was missing. 40 hrs and they got involving. I`m on about 50hrs+ and wont be taking them out. They are just starting to deliver the goods. Last night was another milestone when I played H. Wolfs Lon. Sessions. I`ve been nailed to the listening seat for a while.
As always it`s a credit to Decware that I can monitor all the improvements with confidence.
And of course Mark who flagged them up.
They are on my saved searches so I can spot a `60`s set.

Still waiting on my Russian tubes. Must be coming on a slow boat from...Romania or wherever.

Tubes showed up today. Good, sexy midrange. Smooth treble. But you give up bass and attack compared to KT66

Not bad for the money.

Bass isn't bad, it's just not big and punchy like with the KT66. I think the attack on the KT66 is nicer, which also makes the bass better.

But for what I paid, these are pretty good tubes! And they haven't drifted after 30 hours of playback! I may have to keep these in storage, and pick up another pair for guitar amp use.

I'm already back to my stock KT66, and I put my GE Labeled Telefunkin (at least the sticker says Telefunkin on it - I have no idea what they really are). I have them in the PI section, and they really liven up the music. Everything sounds...I don't know, happier. Brighter and more airy without being edgy or piercing. I really need to figure out what these tubes are and buy a backup set! It's rare that a tube makes more than a slight difference in my system - so this is one I'd like to stock up on.

When counting hours for the purpose of breaking in tubes, do the total hours count or just the hours the amp is playing music?  My amps seem to be on 2+ times as long as I play music through them.

Thanks Will. That's what I figured but I was hoping it might be differnt with tubes.  I am liking these Russian 6P3s-Es.  After a few more weeks I might try my GL KT66s again to see if I'm missing anything.  Sure doesnt' seem like it.

Archie,

Sounds good. I am listening to the GL KT66 in the MKIV now. I really like that tube. For me, though I like tube sets with different overall tonal characters, my "requirements" for sound balance have become so specific, I really am glad to have selection of nice rectifiers, VRs, inputs and power tubes. You Mystery folks have two inputs and power tubes, right? Less tubes to have to own, and less adjustment potential too. But then the bias must be a nice tuning tool.

I recall the manual saying that the OA3s are not to be changed to another regulator type, like OB3 in the Mystery. But since the VR is in front of the inputs, and the input/phase tubes drive the power tubes, it would seem to me a tube that might be fun to explore. I have a number of OA3s, and they all shift the Toriis in their own ways...different. I wonder what Steve would think of trying different OA3s? If the amp ships with those pictured, they look like black based RCAs, really nice tubes, but also they have a particular flavor that is its own within the tube type.

From the Mystery Amp manual:

"This amplifier is designed to operate with a 50ma bias on each output tube.
Running higher bias currents for any length of time will overheat the power supply
transformers and could cause pre-mature failure. We recommend no more than
60ma per tube at any point. Running less is not an issue for the power supply but
doing so will reduce the power output of the tubes and change how they sound.
Some will use this technique as an esoteric voicing tool."

Stone,

I have been working my way through the input sections, starting with the phono stage (using RCA triple Mica) then the preamp (http://www.upscaleaudio.com/amperex-7308-vintage-gold-pin/).  

Taking a bit of your advice I bought a pair of the nationals and put them into the preamp slots of the ZMA.

Mostly I listen to Classic 70's hard rock and big band.  I never felt I had understood the term "relaxed" before, but I totally felt that the nationals transformed the ZMA so I was experiencing the relaxed sound.  Great highs and a really wide soundstage.  The downside I experienced was that with rock I lost a lot of the PRAT.  It seemed this is a trade off that works fine with music with singers and the big band sound but is not acceptable with say ZZ Top.  

Granted I only have 10 hours of burn in on the nationals but I moved them over to the preamp in the output stage to burn in.  They actually sound pretty good there and I get a lot more PRAT out of the entire system.  I may leave the there but I will revisit moving them back to the ZMA after some more seasoning.

Quote:


The lack of PRAT is why I didn't like the nationals. Good sound, but I lost something that the ZMA does well.

IMHO - I'm going for air and detail with silky top end. I'm still looking for that.

I've had the 6N23P's back in the A12 an B12 positions for a couple days now, with my CSP3 of course with the Tube compliment detailed above.
As great as the 6N23P's are and I will enjoy over the weekend before taking them out..........I need/enjoy more of the top air extension and deep, deep bass the Nationals produce being driven into by my CSP3. Awesome to Tube Roll!  Solid State sucks!

I am glad I have a Cryoset Quad of the 6N23P's in my On-deck Circle. Enjoy them enough to rotate in for sure.

I finally put my Ediswan CV2492 / 6922 from Upscale in my A12 an B12 slots of my ZMA. I have 10 + hours on them from last night and today. No hype in my opinion from customer reviews for this tube!  I like! I will see what I think of them 100 hours from now.

Over 70 hours on the Ediswan's. Love um'.

Oh yeah, I have one KT66 wavering slightly. Nice, we can see that with a ZMA and its most bodacious meters! I bet I have 1500 hours plus on my ZMA.

I will replace the quad KT66's, put in my new matched cryoed/quad 6N23P's from Cryoset....get a feel for the original sound again before returning my Ediswan's back to the Input stage.

I think my 0A3's are still hardy?

I just replaced a quad of Gold Lion KT66 from Cryoset in my ZMA with the exact same tubes. This new quad of Gold Lions don't seem to bias like the last pair. Can't get them below 62ma. This will be a problem I think. I see you guys talking about the Tung Sols, maybe I go back and try them again.

Added a pair of Upscale Audio NOS Platinum Cryogenic Ediswan's for CSP3 Outputs (see tube sig's below). With them running into my ZMA Ediswan Inputs........no looking back!

Highly recommended. If you get them and don't like them....I will most likely buy them from you..... . PM me, I'll check back in a month or two. I would not mind having an Insurance pair (or two), 4 to 5000 hours down the road to replace one or both of the pair's I'm running.  







Listening Room:



Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew

Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation

Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC

****Shunyata Research ZiTron Alpha Digital Power Cord****
{you need to experience the next level it can take your DAC}

Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder
***************************************************************
W/Steve's Output Transformer's/kicking to the curb quite a few superb DAC'S!
***************************************************************
(@ -20 Ref Level, 0.0 Input volume and @ 16/192)
{also @ kept/-20 Ref Level & -.5db or -1.0 Input volume Level}


WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030

Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps
(NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC for Input Tube~NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 for Output Tubes & 5U4G-C Rectifier)
****************************************************
10 of 10 for Input tube & 9 of 10 voltage for Output tubes
Volume adjustment usage at 25% to 35% of usable volume
****************************************************

WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030

Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier
(NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 in my A12 an B12 positions~6N23P-EV's for Inverter Tubes~JAN Sylvania 0A3's & Tung-Sol KT66's)
ZMA adjusted at 25% to 30% of usable volume

***************************************************
Kimber Select KS6063 Speaker Cable 8ft WBT-0681-Ag Spades
***************************************************

Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified)




Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross
(Gutted: 3kHz/18dB/Octave, Linkwitz/Riley Crossovers....with all crappy parts = gone)

XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA
PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3
(Transport, ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output)

PS=the: NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 /Inputs = ZMA are breathtaking.............. .

NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC for Input Tube/CSP3 ~ not taken for granted neither......... .
NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 for CSP3 Outputs = Stellar!

Stone, my power tubes are really tired - what are you using for power tubes on the ZMA?