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Getting crowded on the desk! (Read 9696 times)
morp
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Getting crowded on the desk!
09/23/20 at 01:53:15
 
Tiny Radials just arrived Smiley

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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #1 - 09/25/20 at 03:18:24
 
Morp, yeah that IS tiny! How do they sound with your Taboo MK III?

Btw, interesting tube application for the input position......I can't make it out, what tube is that? How does it compare with a 6922, 6N1P, etc?
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armstdav
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #2 - 09/25/20 at 03:53:34
 
Piezoman,

I'm guessing it's the Shuguang Treasure Series 6SN7-SE globe sitting in a 6SN7 to 6922 adapter. As I've stated elsewhere in these forums, in my Torii Mk IV I preferred my NOS 6SN7s in a 6922 adapter to any 6922, 6N1, 6DJ8, 7DJ8, or 7308 I tried. More body, better bass, less sibilance on bad recordings, just bueno all the way around for my tastes. I never tried the globes, but I'm not surprised Morp is running them. Definitely worth a listen!

David
Unabashed 6SN7 fan
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #3 - 09/26/20 at 06:20:28
 
Hi guys,

David is 100% right, it's a 6SN7-SE Treasure Globe:
https://psvanetube.com/wordpress/product/treasure-globe-6sn7-se-pair-gf-limited-...
special-edition/

You can read about my journey with them and impressions in the 'Broken Tube' thread:
https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1598629088

Short answer on sound: All systems are a balance and these Treasure Globes can be too much of a good thing if the other components in your system emphasize weight and texture. Initially, running it with a 274B rectifier, I found the sound too slow, too muddy, too thick and weighty. After swapping to pure silver cabling on the headphones, and changing from a Gungnir MB (R2R DAC) to a more revealing Chord Qutest, my system is back in harmony and sounding how I'd like it.

I don't have much experience with other 6SN7 tubes other than this one as this was an impulse buy at a good price. For this tube, I agree with all of David's descriptors - it's also better balanced, more nuanced, more sweet sounding. It's better than any 6922 I've tried, but again completely dependent on the rest of your chain and the preferences of your ears.

David, are there other 6SN7s you'd recommend trying? The EML 274B Rectifier takes care of most of the bass I need, so it'd be great if you have a recommendation for sweet mids and highs.

Thanks,
Richard
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #4 - 09/26/20 at 06:34:53
 
Forgot to respond to the Tiny Radial question! I've spent 5-10 hours with them so far, they have not been burned in, and I have next to no experience with speakers, so take these with a mountain of salt:

1) They absolutely flat out disappear. I can sit 1.5 ft away from them and I don't know the sound is coming from them. It's crazy and I've never experienced anything like it (plays tricks with my brain). In many ways, it feels like you're in a mini concert hall since you can't pinpoint where the sound is coming from, it's just enveloping.

2) For most media, my Taboo can drive them at 12-2 o' clock to as much volume as I need for night listening. When watching Youtube TV, which has terrible sound quality, I need to crank the volume almost all the way to achieve suitable volume.

3) There is a quality to them (maybe it's the Decware sound?) that feels 'right' and in line with how I feel listening to music with headphones out of the Taboo. It doesn't sound the same, but there's some quality that carries through.

4) They sound musical, but lean and ok detailed at the moment. This could be due to:
- Not being burned in
- The Taboo not having enough juice to power them properly
- Their placement on a plastic computer desk that is not perfectly flat and is prone to vibration
- Their placement next to a window, in a room with 9ft ceilings
- low-mid level Kimber wire
- Tubes. The tubes I'm using are optimized to my headphone setup, not to speakers. They'd almost certainly gain definition/clarity if I swapped in the NOS Telefunken 6922 for instance.
- Comparing them to headphones that are 5-10x their price

I'm excited to continue the journey with them, tube roll, try them connected to the HT receiver downstairs, and listen to them burn in. Incredible value and workmanship at the price they're being sold for.

Thanks,
Richard
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armstdav
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #5 - 09/27/20 at 04:39:44
 
Morp,

My go-tos are 50s and 60s Sylvanias and RCAs. Cheap, long lasting, and both sound great with the Sylvanias having a little more detail and the RCAs a bit more lush. There are lots of high dollar NOS out there too which I'm sure sound great, but I just can't bring myself to $100 or $200 per tube. For new production my favorite is the Electro-Harmonix; if NOS went away I could live with them.

David
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #6 - 09/27/20 at 07:29:35
 
Thanks David! I now remember you posted something like this in the 'Broken Tube' thread as well. My apologies for forgetting and making you type it twice.

I'll check out those Sylvanias and RCAs immediately Smiley

I also have 12AU7 -> 6922 and dual 6J5 -> 6922 adapters coming if you have any recommendations for those.

Thanks again,
Richard
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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #7 - 09/27/20 at 16:54:25
 
Great thread, morp!

I honestly never entertained the idea of using a 12AU7 with an adapter in the input position. That's intriguing.

The only application I use a 12AU7 now is in the ZRock2.
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Lon
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #8 - 09/27/20 at 16:57:20
 
In my Taboo and SE84UFO3 Monoblocks (both with the Anniversary mods) I can use 12AU7 types. . . without adapters.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #9 - 09/27/20 at 17:00:31
 
Lon, we have the same amp in the Taboo. I didn't know that regarding the 12AU7. Silly me  :-/
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Lon
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #10 - 09/27/20 at 17:20:33
 
Yes, I don't know if Steve intended that or not. . . . He mentioned that one aspect of the version before ours was that he moved the amp from a 12AU7 type to a 6922, but I find 12AU7 works quite well, as do 12AT7 types--one of my favorite tubes for the amp is a 6211. Another is the 6085.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #11 - 09/27/20 at 17:33:04
 
That's a kind of revelation to me. Thanks for sharing that, Lon.

The possibilities seem almost endless.

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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #12 - 09/27/20 at 20:13:33
 
Thanks Lon! That's also a surprise to me since I thought I needed an adapter to use a 12AU7 in the input slot of the Taboo. Since I have an adapter anyway, I'll probably try it both ways and see if it sounds different at all.

Brad, I thought you knew you could try different tube types in the input slot and that's why you had so many 12AU7s that you were listing! I was so curious what you had found in the input slot that was so much better.

But yes, overall mind blowing that with and without adapters, so many tube types are available. Long journey ahead.

Lon, are there any particular 12AT7, 6211, or 6085 tubes you recommend?

Thanks,
Richard
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Lon
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #13 - 09/27/20 at 20:19:40
 
My main experience and favorites on all those tube types are Amperex though I do like Tungsram for the 6085 as well and RCA for the 6211.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #14 - 09/27/20 at 20:29:11
 
Ok Smiley on it!
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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #15 - 09/27/20 at 20:54:59
 
morp,

I based my knowledge on the single 12AU7 input for the previous amp I had.......a Rogue Chronus Magnum. The Mullard, Siemens and Amperex are loved by many across the board, including members here.
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #16 - 09/27/20 at 23:10:27
 
Thanks man! I can't wait to try them in the input slot.
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armstdav
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #17 - 09/28/20 at 03:46:17
 
Morp,

No experience with the 12AU7 -> 6922 and dual 6J5 -> 6922 adapters, although I was considering the 12AU7 -> 6922 because I have some Conn Organ 12AU7s that I love in my phono preamp, and they were going to be the next experiment but I sold my Torii before it happened.

David
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #18 - 09/30/20 at 04:12:21
 
Thanks David! I'll report back as I try other tubes.

Specifically, I just received some 12au7 tubes from Piezoman and they sound really good slotted right into the 6922 input slot in the Taboo. So far, I've tried the Mullard and the Amperex - good clear sound that's at least as good as most of my 6922s. I haven't done much listening yet, but as I do more I'll try to post more impressions.

Thanks,
Richard
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piezoman
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #19 - 09/30/20 at 21:21:57
 
Richard, how are you enjoying the Amperex, Mullard, and Siemens?

Brad
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morp
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Re: Getting crowded on the desk!
Reply #20 - 10/01/20 at 05:37:44
 
Thanks for checking! So far, I have spent time with the Amperex and the Mullard and they sound great - clear, clean and musical. I don't think I've found the right balance yet with them, but I'm working on it and excited to continue the journey with 12au7 tubes and other families.
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