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Post by f0re on Aug 23, 2006 0:07:12 GMT
I'll get a used X-can v2 next week and i thought the first thing i should do is to change the stock tubes. I read PinkFloyd's review on the different alternatives and started looking for the Mullard ec88cc tubes. Unfortunately tubestore doesn't seem to have them and i'm puzzled as where i should look next. If they're not available anymore mb i could settle for the Sovtek 6922 unless you have better ideas.
Thx in Advance.
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Post by f0re on Aug 23, 2006 10:00:41 GMT
After some googling around i could find Mullard tubes, but none of them were reasonably priced. Any of you had experience with Electro-Harmonix or Siemens tubes and how they compare with the Sovtek?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 23, 2006 11:10:21 GMT
EH sound very good in the X-CAN, comparable to the sovteks but slightly warmer in delivery. I know a lot of people who claim the EH is the best they've heard so well worth giving them a try! The Mullards certainly are in short supply but you will get them at edicron www.edicron.com/ They used to be about £30 for a matched pair, you'll have to enquire to see what they are now. Let me know if they manage to sort you out with a pair. All the best. Mike. |
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Post by szoze on Aug 24, 2006 10:49:00 GMT
Has anyone tested Tesla E88CC in X-Cans?
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Post by f0re on Aug 24, 2006 19:40:17 GMT
I e-mailed edicron and it seems they have sold out their stock of E88CC Mullard but they suggest ECC88 Mullard instead at a price of 26£ matched, but w/o shipping. Does any of you have experience with this tube and how it compares with the E88CC?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 24, 2006 22:18:16 GMT
ECC88, is equivalent to 6DJ8. E88CC, is the European equivalent for 6922. It's a better specified valve (the E88CC) with regard to microphonics, noise, failure rates etc. Perfectly OK to use a ECC88 in the X-CAN but try to get a well matched pair (Edicron are usually good in that respect)
Mike.
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Post by szoze on Aug 25, 2006 15:18:42 GMT
Mike, why is it important that tubes are well matched if they are E88CC?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 25, 2006 20:20:24 GMT
When I say "matched" I mean get two that measure the same and not one that's half knackered and the other good. It's amazing how many valve dealers send out valves that are mismatched. Two perfectly working, 100% ok valves is what I mean by "matched" in this instance.
Mike.
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Post by szoze on Aug 27, 2006 13:44:32 GMT
Thank you Mike  |
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Post by f0re on Aug 27, 2006 20:05:55 GMT
I decided to order the Mullard ECC88 from Edicron. I'll get my x-can this week and i'll let you guys know what i about the tubes.
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Post by f0re on Aug 30, 2006 14:23:01 GMT
I just got my X-can v2 today. At first i thought it had very little bass, but it was just the tubes being cold. After 30min or so warming up i could hear it. I just bought Alessandro ms-1 headphones and after listening both them and my old AKG K501 unamped i had came to the conclusion that the alessandros were clearly better cans, but now with amping the K501 has come alive and really excels at the mids and higs. The bass is there too. Not too spectacular but pretty decent. They also have better soundstage then the alessandros. The alessandros have better bass though.
I can't really compare the x-can to other headphone amps as this is my first one, in general i think its sound great. On the negative side, when i put the volume to zero i still here some noise and some sound from the left channel. The unit seems to be microphonis too. If i tap the unit i can hear it through my alessandros allthough not the AKG's. Any way to fix this?
On the alessandros the highs can get to my ears if i listen at greater volume. This might just be the volume or am i hearing the JAN Philips tubes here?
So in general i'm very happy how my set is sounding now with Cambridge Audio Azur 640cs CD-player + transparent interconnects + x-can v2 and both of my cans.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 30, 2006 18:56:28 GMT
Happens with most of them and it's "always" the L/H channel.... perfectly normal with the V2 and remember you do not listen to the amp at zero volume so it's not a problem at all.
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Post by f0re on Aug 30, 2006 23:27:48 GMT
I read some head-fi advice and modded the Alessandro pads and now the mids and highs sound alot more open up on par with the AKG's. But the highs on my system are really getting on my ears. It might be that i have a bright cd player but still i think most of it is coming from the amp.
On a second note i received an e-mail from edicron. A matched pair of the ecc88 mullard with VAT + Carriage is 67.09£. I reread the earlier message i got from them and the price 26£ was "ea" propably meaning price per tube. I would've happily paid 26£ + vat + carriage for the pair but 67£ seems pretty steep already. Do you think they could bargain the price a little lower if i asked?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 31, 2006 8:21:15 GMT
£67 a pair? I'd tell them quite politely to f**k off, daylight robbery. They used to sell them at £26 a matched pair so where this £67 figure comes from god only knows.
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Post by f0re on Sept 2, 2006 16:09:07 GMT
I opened the unit for the first time now. Looks a lot smaller than in the pictures. I carefully took off the tubes and checked if they were okay. It had the stock JAN Philips 6922 as i had guessed. Then i put them back using a bit force to secure that they were fully seated. I'm glad to say that the unit is no longer micro-phonic and the hiss i was hearing with zero volume is gone also. The sound i was hearing from the left channel persists but a lot quieter now. I didn't have time to check if there was improvement in sound quality though. Maybe I'll soon have the confidence to replace the capacitors. |
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Post by f0re on Sept 5, 2006 20:18:39 GMT
PinkFloyd, I politely but firmly answered to Edicron's offer. Now it seems Peter Cruh the manager of the company for past 26 years has answered me.
He says they checked their records to see if they ever sold a pair of matched Mullard ECC88 at 26£ and couldn't find any. He also says they never deliberately overcharged anyone. Cruh also makes an offer that if i tell when and who bought a pair at the 26£ within last 3 years he would sell it to me at the same price whatever it was. He also explains that the NOS tubes are more expensive than current production and are highly sought after.
Do you know of anyone who bought the tubes at that price and when?
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Post by f0re on Sept 5, 2006 20:53:54 GMT
Btw.. i read some of your older posts at Head-Fi. Are those reflector tubes still available somewhere?
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Post by szoze on Dec 28, 2006 13:36:56 GMT
Hi
I have tested Tesla NOS E88CC (1970's) in my X-Can v3 for a couple of months and compared them to the Russian tubes. Teslas are better in every respect. The frequency response is much more even. Reflector tubes sound "hollow" in the midrange compared to Tesla. The bass is tauter, firmer and (beleive it or not) deeper with Tesla NOS. I really love the warmth and midrange glow of these Tesla tubes. The treble has even more of this velvety touch to the cymball sound. Wonderful.
I am now changing the capacitors in my X-Can v3, starting changing the polar 10uF capacitors in the signal path. I've chosen to take one step at a time just to hear which upgrade brings the most change to the sound.
Cheers
Szoze
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Post by mbspider on Jan 6, 2007 17:31:42 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jan 6, 2007 23:31:54 GMT
Yes, they are Russian Military grade valves. I used to buy them from Tony when he was charging £5 a pair but since he increased his prices I stopped buying them. You can get the 6N23P (not "EB") which sound the same but are not the military grade versions for around £16 for 5 pairs (10 valves) plenty of auctions like this around |
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