Valves 6H1P-EB
Jan 20, 2007 15:40:36 GMT
Post by Sol on Jan 20, 2007 15:40:36 GMT
..Wow!
With the famed Pinkie mods ot my X-Can V3, and the Grado 325i, I've been wondering what's been irritating me over the last couple of weeks when headphone listening. There's been a harshness, and a sibilance that's making me wince occasionally.
So, when Rick suggested the minimal cable approach I jumped - I've been on a mission trying cables over the last week.. and I'll do a write up on that when I get a chance ... but the results are in, and actually Mike's mods are now sounding as God intended - the problem was some cables I bought from the net some time ago (unshielded) .
Builiding and installing new cables has brought everything alive again! In fact my whole hifi has benefited from a massive cable swop out - and
I'm using CT100 with silver wire. It would seem unshielded cables throughout is adding a grate to my top end ... anyhow, using the shielded cable throughout works wonderfully well on my set up (I suspect because I have so many power cables running between x-boxes).
Anyhow last night I didn't think my headphone rig could get any better, but obviously they can, because a little box was handed to me by the postie this morning (handed because it said fragile) - the valves were some 1973 NOS 6H1P-EB's supplied from the USSR via Scotland. Beautifully packaged Mike, thanks.
Well bugger me if my headphone rig has just blown me away again - Just to check I rolled the old valves back in and allowed 1/2 hour - nope, definately no comparison, I'm back with the 6H1P-EB: Lush, full, warm, naturally detailed, powerful and dynamic. The music can sit far left and right as it did before, but I've actually got some forward and back now, whereas before, everything seemed at the back of my head. It's a revelation I tell you! Lots of subtle changes across the whole sound - and it add up to a sound that's not manufactu.
In short - everything I could want (well for now). It's been a long time since the music sent shivers up my spine .. something palpable is happening in that modded box - All the gratey tracks are smoothed out, and the extension both directions is stil there.
I've an external power supply, and the rig is running much warmer. So she's working harder
Or maybe it's the amount of listening I've been doing over the last few days! ;D
So .. no more changes to the system for a while ... well apart from the power cables, and a PSU for the Squeezebox, and I may buy a set of Senn HD650 to see what all the fuss is about, Oh and there's the filter block I want to build - jeesh I'm truning into a terminal tinkerer!
Once again - a hearty thanks to Mike for the CT100 link, the valves, the orignal mods, and well just - T H A N K S - I hope I can return a favour one day.
With the famed Pinkie mods ot my X-Can V3, and the Grado 325i, I've been wondering what's been irritating me over the last couple of weeks when headphone listening. There's been a harshness, and a sibilance that's making me wince occasionally.
So, when Rick suggested the minimal cable approach I jumped - I've been on a mission trying cables over the last week.. and I'll do a write up on that when I get a chance ... but the results are in, and actually Mike's mods are now sounding as God intended - the problem was some cables I bought from the net some time ago (unshielded) .
Builiding and installing new cables has brought everything alive again! In fact my whole hifi has benefited from a massive cable swop out - and
I'm using CT100 with silver wire. It would seem unshielded cables throughout is adding a grate to my top end ... anyhow, using the shielded cable throughout works wonderfully well on my set up (I suspect because I have so many power cables running between x-boxes). Anyhow last night I didn't think my headphone rig could get any better, but obviously they can, because a little box was handed to me by the postie this morning (handed because it said fragile) - the valves were some 1973 NOS 6H1P-EB's supplied from the USSR via Scotland. Beautifully packaged Mike, thanks.
Well bugger me if my headphone rig has just blown me away again - Just to check I rolled the old valves back in and allowed 1/2 hour - nope, definately no comparison, I'm back with the 6H1P-EB: Lush, full, warm, naturally detailed, powerful and dynamic. The music can sit far left and right as it did before, but I've actually got some forward and back now, whereas before, everything seemed at the back of my head. It's a revelation I tell you! Lots of subtle changes across the whole sound - and it add up to a sound that's not manufactu.
In short - everything I could want (well for now). It's been a long time since the music sent shivers up my spine .. something palpable is happening in that modded box - All the gratey tracks are smoothed out, and the extension both directions is stil there.
I've an external power supply, and the rig is running much warmer. So she's working harder
Or maybe it's the amount of listening I've been doing over the last few days! ;DSo .. no more changes to the system for a while ... well apart from the power cables, and a PSU for the Squeezebox, and I may buy a set of Senn HD650 to see what all the fuss is about, Oh and there's the filter block I want to build - jeesh I'm truning into a terminal tinkerer!
Once again - a hearty thanks to Mike for the CT100 link, the valves, the orignal mods, and well just - T H A N K S - I hope I can return a favour one day.
I jest not when I say they get a LOT better after 20 - 30 hours usage.... you should notice everything you are noticing now but on a much larger scale. I'm not the only one who finds this to be the case, many people have commented on a "vast" improvement a few days into the proceedings. What PSU are you running with the Russians? I'd recommend something a bit meatier than the stock wallwart as the Russians draw a bit more current.