Tube Possibilities (yes, that's right)

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Sunshyne

I'm trying to in the near future... If I can just get some matched at7's for my c2200. They seem harder to find than the ax7's. Then I'll throw in some input. I really want to try the Mullards or Tung-sol in the preamp.

That would be an interesting comparison. I've become aware of new production CV4004 Mullards as well. Tube rolling wasn't supposed to be part of the deal here; but I do wonder if those CV4004s are any better than the regular new production Mullards I have now. I need to be careful. . .

[Sunshyne]

I ended up with the all Mullard's in the c2200. I'm not sure I hear much difference all though I have not done a lot of listening. Maybe a little drier... I'm curious as to the difference in materials and construction between the two.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Sunshyne

I ended up with the all Mullard's in the c2200. I'm not sure I hear much difference all though I have not done a lot of listening. Maybe a little drier... I'm curious as to the difference in materials and construction between the two.

I think most tubes need to get about 30 hours on them, then they'll begin to sound like what they're going to be; after more hours they settle in. The Mullards I have were stronger in the low frequencies when they first went in; that's smoothed out now.

[prepress]

Perhaps a dangerous question. Has anyone ever compared Psvane tubes to Mullards? I don't want to be a tube roller, but what little I've read suggests they may be good on dynamics. I still like my new production Mullards, but these Psvanes were brought up in my preamp thread and I'm a bit curious. The Psvanes are about the price of Gold Lions, so the hit to the wallet wouldn't be outrageous.

Maybe the curiosity will pass, but for now I'd be interested in any comparisons between the Psvanes and Mullards I can find.

[prepress]

I did some minor research on the new production Mullard CV4004 on Upscale Audio's website. The only difference between them and the regular new Mullards is the CV4004 is short-plate, as opposed to the regular one being long-plate, which may mean the CV4004 is a bit quieter. Does anyone have experience with both to offer a meaningful comparison?

[prepress]

For the tube experts . . . which tubes, if any, are really good on dynamics, in your opinion? I have no complaints on music with the 2300, but things seem to lack punch on the video side (I have a dual purpose system, you understand). DVDs don't have the same impact as before when the preamp was solid-state, though they still sound good overall.

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by prepress

For the tube experts . . . which tubes, if any, are really good on dynamics, in your opinion? I have no complaints on music with the 2300, but things seem to lack punch on the video side (I have a dual purpose system, you understand). DVDs don't have the same impact as before when the preamp was solid-state, though they still sound good overall.

I'm curious how you are using the C2300 for video. Are you just using it for two channel? Two channel plus sub? There's a lot of information on the center channel in a 5.1 channel system and I'm wondering how you're getting all the info in/out of the C2300.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

I'm curious how you are using the C2300 for video. Are you just using it for two channel? Two channel plus sub? There's a lot of information on the center channel in a 5.1 channel system and I'm wondering how you're getting all the info in/out of the C2300.

It's a 2-channel system; no sub. My BD player, a Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD, is set to decode audio to two-channel and feeds the C2300 via Kimber Hero IC. I also make sure to select stereo or Dolby 2.0, or DTS in the disc's menu, if necessary (the 09 downmixes DTS to 2 channel). The 2300 feeds MC501s via Transparent MusicLink Plus ICs, then Kimber 12TC feeds the speakers.

I should mention the ARC LS3 I used before has no tone controls, on top of being solid-state; I use a +3 setting on the bass trim of the C2300 currently. That helped, as did the Hero IC (which replaced AQ King Cobra, which replaced the Hero previously, though that was with different tubes than the current Mullards). Not the dynamics really, but the sound filled in a bit more.

Still, I wondered if there's a tube known specifically for strong dynamics. If there is and it isn't too expensive I might try it.

[prepress]

While the Mullard/Hero combination gave nice detail, it was hard/bright at upper frequencies depending on the source material. Clashing cymbals, gongs, orchestral crescendos and such sounded "white" (I'm not quite up on the terms to use). Again using my Moody Blues concert at Royal Albert Hall DVD as test material, at my usual volume setting (42 on the 2300) I'd come away with a headache after a few numbers in.

So I removed the Mullards and re-installed the warmer JJ ECC803s tubes in the line stage. I also took the Mullards out of the MM section and re-installed the stock tubes. I don't know if the line stage JJs are the previously installed pair (I should mark the boxes), but playing the same DVD yielded no headaches. The sound was smoother, still with nice detail. Van Alstine uses JJ tubes (not these necessarily, I don't know) and they are described as musical. I agree. When I took them out of the 2300 the first time it wasn't because I didn't like them; it was curiosity about other tubes.

What this change may do is mitigate the urge to move to Transparent interconnects.

[bart]

Charles, I'm following your venture into tubes with utmost interest.
I'm changing to tubes myself next week, and I don't know anything about them...