Finally traded my ET3 for ET3SE

[skroudo]

Originally Posted by ronenash

I finally traded my loner ET3 for the ET3SE that arrived this week. With 48 hours of break in the SE sound has more resolution and clarity but still lack the sound stage depth and coherence I had with the fully brocken in ET3.
With what I hear now I am sure it will be a killer preamp once fully brocken in.

Will keep you update.

Congrats on your new ET3 SE.

I'm looking forward for your experience with the SE, I'm looking into upgrade/trade my ET3 to the SE, for now CJ asking for $2100 to upgrade my ET3 any tips will be appreciate

[ronenash]

Originally Posted by skroudo

Congrats on your new ET3 SE.

I'm looking forward for your experience with the SE, I'm looking into upgrade/trade my ET3 to the SE, for now CJ asking for $2100 to upgrade my ET3 any tips will be appreciate

So far there is a big improvement in clarity, detail and high frequency air. At this point its not consistent since the caps are still breaking in. Soundstage depth is not as good as with the non SE version right out of the box but continues to improve with break in. I will update in a 10 days after I get some hours on it.

[skroudo]

Originally Posted by ronenash

So far there is a big improvement in clarity, detail and high frequency air. At this point its not consistent since the caps are still breaking in. Soundstage depth is not as good as with the non SE version right out of the box but continues to improve with break in. I will update in a 10 days after I get some hours on it.

Thank you, it will be a useful information.

[Jerome W]

Mazal Tov Ron !

[Rafale]

Originally Posted by ronenash

So far there is a big improvement in clarity, detail and high frequency air. At this point its not consistent since the caps are still breaking in. Soundstage depth is not as good as with the non SE version right out of the box but continues to improve with break in. I will update in a 10 days after I get some hours on it.

Bravo and Congrats Ron.....It is as a bottle of great wine, need of aeration before giving its full potential

[CDLehner]

I had a tough decision when I bought a used ET-2, for just shy of what a new ET-3 would have run me. Since I couldn't put them head-to-head, I tried to get a lot of opinions about how they stacked up...and the impression I walked away with was that it was practically a coin-flip between the two.

In the end, I decided a new ET-3 would be there for the taking for some time to come; an ET-2, in good shape and at a fair price...not so much. I'm happy with my choice...but think of the ET-3SE as the next logical step, were I to continue to move up the C-J ladder.

So I'll be curious about any comparisons and feedback, between ET-2, ET-3, and the SE. Congrats Ron!

[Puma Cat]

I don't know anything about the 8080 tube that it is in the ET-2, but the ET3/ET3 SE shares the sweet and musical 6922 tube that is used in the ART/Pr16/Pr17 and ET-5 and GAT. I would also think the Teflon caps in the SE would give the ET3 a slightly more neutral sound than the ET-2, but that's a guess. The ET-2 like the CT-5 is a lot prettier.

[CDLehner]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

I don't know anything about the 8080 tube that it is in the ET-2, but the ET3/ET3 SE shares the sweet and musical 6922 tube that is used in the ART/Pr16/Pr17 and ET-5 and GAT. I would also think the Teflon caps in the SE would give the ET3 a slightly more neutral sound than the ET-2, but that's a guess. The ET-2 like the CT-5 is a lot prettier.

Yeah; the 8080 is a "mysterious" tube.

[Puma Cat]

Yeah, it's one one of the few that I have yet to hear...

[ronenash]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

I don't know anything about the 8080 tube that it is in the ET-2, but the ET3/ET3 SE shares the sweet and musical 6922 tube that is used in the ART/Pr16/Pr17 and ET-5 and GAT. I would also think the Teflon caps in the SE would give the ET3 a slightly more neutral sound than the ET-2, but that's a guess. The ET-2 like the CT-5 is a lot prettier.

The 8080 is a single triod tube as opposed to the 6922 which is a dual triod. It has very similar characteristics to the 6922. You need to use one per channel whereas with the 6922 you use one for both channels.
The best 8080 tube was the Mullard. I managed to get two of those from CJ to use in my LP125m. They were old PV14 tubes. The original Mulard 8080 is very hard to find these days.