Golden Gate 2 Reactions
- Thread starter Mr P
- Start date
Thanks. I’ll check the price of RK recti. I guess it should be similar to the Takatsuki one.
It's much cheaper. Khonfused too had both the older KR and the Tak, and he too said while there were differences his preferences weren't strong either way.
Hence my point. Output valves make much more difference, including in Al's system. He has many rectis and many output valves but I can't afford all that so I will have to make choice.
Al has 'em all, except new RKs. LoL
Recti pecking order for most tubes in his system is:
WE274b/Tak 274b
KR5u4g
Mazda 5r4gy
all the rest
For his EML mesh 2a3:
Shuaguang 274b
Mazda/WE
Tak
all the rest.
So jealous...
Your Dac will be da bomb! and you will have the must have tubes too. Buckle up!
Putting in the EML mesh 2a3 and the PX25 makes a bigger difference in his system than changing from the KR to Tak to Westinghouse. There might be a pecking order, but they all are fine
Today I received my new Lampizator Golden Gate Gen II in single ended, Volume version.
As I like 300b tubes, I start with Psvane 300b black treasury out of my tube stock, the recti is a Kron 5u4g, Lampi edition.
Other tubes will be checked soon, after my final speakers are installed (hORNS Universum are on the way)
My GGII SET (built date 12.2017) is fitted with the small Triode heater tubes. I decided for the new Volume/Pre option, as my Koda Preamp has no remote.
Listening to digital let me skip very often, so I need a remote, many CDs have different levels, so I need to adjust the Volume too often ....
my first impression is very good, unfortunately my GGI is sold since a time, so I have no direct comparison.
here are some pictures:
As I like 300b tubes, I start with Psvane 300b black treasury out of my tube stock, the recti is a Kron 5u4g, Lampi edition.
Other tubes will be checked soon, after my final speakers are installed (hORNS Universum are on the way)
My GGII SET (built date 12.2017) is fitted with the small Triode heater tubes. I decided for the new Volume/Pre option, as my Koda Preamp has no remote.
Listening to digital let me skip very often, so I need a remote, many CDs have different levels, so I need to adjust the Volume too often ....
my first impression is very good, unfortunately my GGI is sold since a time, so I have no direct comparison.
here are some pictures:
as I was originally planning for Gryphon Poseidon, my current amps have a lot of power. So the 15' bass of the UNI III will fly 
I recently bought CAT Convergent JL3 Statement monos with KT 150 tubes.
the 15' woofers from the 97db Zingali like the CAT Power a lot!
They CAT Statement amps do play very fine with GG II, even without an additional Preamp.
So the often critical GG output impedance fits to CAT amps.
Still, having the Koda Preamp in between is much better !
The Universum horns are just getting build, hope, they will arrive in 4 weeks.
the GGII has Mundorf caps and is a DSD 512 version
I recently bought CAT Convergent JL3 Statement monos with KT 150 tubes.
the 15' woofers from the 97db Zingali like the CAT Power a lot!
They CAT Statement amps do play very fine with GG II, even without an additional Preamp.
So the often critical GG output impedance fits to CAT amps.
Still, having the Koda Preamp in between is much better !
The Universum horns are just getting build, hope, they will arrive in 4 weeks.
the GGII has Mundorf caps and is a DSD 512 version
Psvane 300s are really not up to the level, sorry. That said Shakti went through all the main tubes when had his GG1. I guess he should try the new ones now and he doesn't seem restricted by budgets.
Shakti I have the special EML 45s, PX25s and 242s. I can get them over after June if you don't manage to source them before.
Sorry Ked, but I said the Psvane UK design. Different beast to ANY other Psvane...a word to the wise...
Last time I ended up with KR 242, combined with the Kron recti, Lampi edition.
I liked the Elrog 300b , but the Erlog and the KR242 were completely different .
So I have to wait for the final set up to make the judgement.
Ked,
thanx for your kind offer, depending, what I can try before , I might ask you for help.
But I will try to find a good tube match in May, when the Universums get their burn in hours.
I like the Psvane UK 300b as well, a real bargain!
The better Versions of the Fullmusic 300b (Carbon plate signature version for example) are also a nice match.
My GGII was ordered without tubes, so I am just using some tubes out of my stock. Good enough to give some hours to the GG2.
GG2 is already waking up, I do enjoy!
I liked the Elrog 300b , but the Erlog and the KR242 were completely different .
So I have to wait for the final set up to make the judgement.
Ked,
thanx for your kind offer, depending, what I can try before , I might ask you for help.
But I will try to find a good tube match in May, when the Universums get their burn in hours.
I like the Psvane UK 300b as well, a real bargain!
The better Versions of the Fullmusic 300b (Carbon plate signature version for example) are also a nice match.
My GGII was ordered without tubes, so I am just using some tubes out of my stock. Good enough to give some hours to the GG2.
GG2 is already waking up, I do enjoy!
today was a perfect day to integrate the GG2 in my set up.
So I tried some different tubes, collected from friends. I seems, that I am a hard lover of 300b tubes, as I am a mid range maniac.
Best performing tube (so far) was the TJ Full Music 300b / SE , which costs in Europe 1000,-eur / pair., The EML 300b had far too much bass in my set up, the Psvane WE 300b was just a little bit too sweet. (all with KR recti)
But I was still not fully satisfied, so I started to have a deeper look in the placement.
The GGII was staying on the original rubber feets on a HRS M3x platform (on HRS S1 Rack)
In theory the HRS M3x likes rubberfeets. But in this case, the sound was still too dull. I was expecting a higher resolution from a GGII.
I changed to the HRS Nimbus feets, which are 2 rubbers plus alloy.
Unfortunately the GGII was still not performing better, I had the feeling, that the GGII was even loosing some more resolution with the Nimbus feets directly connected to the ground plate.
My GGII was delivered with the BAZODRUT metal feets (like all GG1 too)
(if you are interested in this feets, BAZODRUT sells them in polish allegro)
http://allegro.pl/bazodrut-ustroje-...=67f87cf7-3431-11e8-98d2-246e9683afa8#thumb/1
The Bazodrut feets immediately improved the resolution, but I do not like the unstable placement of the GGII, due to the 3 metal balls.
The sound was now also a little bit to nervous, like using a cheap high resolution 101d tube...
So I added 3 unknown tuning feets under the 3 "half" Bazodrut feets, which are screwed to the ground plate.
This feets are similar to ebony wood blocks , but they are from a hybrid material.
Sonic Balance now was good, but still some resonances in the higher region were easy to identify.
The HRS M3x platform has a granite Topplate, so HRS s recommending the Nimbus feets not only to dampen the unit ground plate, but also to dampen the granite top plate of the M3x.
So I placed 3 of the Nimbus rubber discs (2 corner, one center) to the HRS M3x base and the resonances immediately disappeared.
after this, I repeated the tube rolling on another level
Still, my personal favorite so far is the Full Music 300b/ SE, but more tubes to come !
After the GGII experience today , I have to say, that the differences between some of the tubes were smaller, than the sonic differences between all the feets I tried.
Now I have the first time the feeling, that my investment in Koda Takumi K10 and CAT Statement amps was a very good one,
I never heard my Zingali speakers so good with digital frontend.
So I tried some different tubes, collected from friends. I seems, that I am a hard lover of 300b tubes, as I am a mid range maniac.
Best performing tube (so far) was the TJ Full Music 300b / SE , which costs in Europe 1000,-eur / pair., The EML 300b had far too much bass in my set up, the Psvane WE 300b was just a little bit too sweet. (all with KR recti)
But I was still not fully satisfied, so I started to have a deeper look in the placement.
The GGII was staying on the original rubber feets on a HRS M3x platform (on HRS S1 Rack)
In theory the HRS M3x likes rubberfeets. But in this case, the sound was still too dull. I was expecting a higher resolution from a GGII.
I changed to the HRS Nimbus feets, which are 2 rubbers plus alloy.
Unfortunately the GGII was still not performing better, I had the feeling, that the GGII was even loosing some more resolution with the Nimbus feets directly connected to the ground plate.
My GGII was delivered with the BAZODRUT metal feets (like all GG1 too)
(if you are interested in this feets, BAZODRUT sells them in polish allegro)
http://allegro.pl/bazodrut-ustroje-...=67f87cf7-3431-11e8-98d2-246e9683afa8#thumb/1
The Bazodrut feets immediately improved the resolution, but I do not like the unstable placement of the GGII, due to the 3 metal balls.
The sound was now also a little bit to nervous, like using a cheap high resolution 101d tube...
So I added 3 unknown tuning feets under the 3 "half" Bazodrut feets, which are screwed to the ground plate.
This feets are similar to ebony wood blocks , but they are from a hybrid material.
Sonic Balance now was good, but still some resonances in the higher region were easy to identify.
The HRS M3x platform has a granite Topplate, so HRS s recommending the Nimbus feets not only to dampen the unit ground plate, but also to dampen the granite top plate of the M3x.
So I placed 3 of the Nimbus rubber discs (2 corner, one center) to the HRS M3x base and the resonances immediately disappeared.
after this, I repeated the tube rolling on another level
Still, my personal favorite so far is the Full Music 300b/ SE, but more tubes to come !
After the GGII experience today , I have to say, that the differences between some of the tubes were smaller, than the sonic differences between all the feets I tried.
Now I have the first time the feeling, that my investment in Koda Takumi K10 and CAT Statement amps was a very good one,
I never heard my Zingali speakers so good with digital frontend.
Congrats on the GG2 and especially on the coming Universums
I know it is hard to compare the GG and the GG2 from memory, but could you try to say a few words to the 2 DACs?
I would love to have more words to compare the 2 DACs, but my gear is too different, just the speakers are the same. The complete performance has improved from Air Tight to Koda/CAT. Every CD sounds better now, than known before.
The only relation I can build, is the comparison with my analog gear.
My Micro Seiki RX 5000 with Sperling Motor, FR 64s tonearm, vdh Stradivarius cart and Thoeress Phono was able to outperform the GG1.
A good friend of mine compared today some CD and LP on the described Micro and the GG2.
We both agreed, that the GG2 is now the new benchmark in my set up to make the Micro Seiki 5000 analog set up better.
Would mean, that the GG2 is a step better than GG1.
But as we all know, may be the tubes on GG1 on that day were just not the best ones or just too knew.. I do not remember, which tubes were used in GG1 that day.
Looking into the tube comparison scheme I did on GG1 and GG2, I would say, the GG2 is more neutral blended. Combining the GG1 with FullMusic 300b/c or with Kron PX4 was (in my ears) mostly to sweet, so my preferred combination was Elrog 300b. With GG2 the Fullmusic 300b /c or 300b/se or Kron PX4 just sound right. So my assumption, that GG1 is a little bit more lean, less rich in the lower mids.
depending on the individual set up GG1 or GG2 would be the better fit (or the tube rolling have to be started again, to fine tune the sonic signature)
having said that, I only can speak about the sonic signature, not about overall performance in terms of resolution, as my total set up is too different.
The only relation I can build, is the comparison with my analog gear.
My Micro Seiki RX 5000 with Sperling Motor, FR 64s tonearm, vdh Stradivarius cart and Thoeress Phono was able to outperform the GG1.
A good friend of mine compared today some CD and LP on the described Micro and the GG2.
We both agreed, that the GG2 is now the new benchmark in my set up to make the Micro Seiki 5000 analog set up better.
Would mean, that the GG2 is a step better than GG1.
But as we all know, may be the tubes on GG1 on that day were just not the best ones or just too knew.. I do not remember, which tubes were used in GG1 that day.
Looking into the tube comparison scheme I did on GG1 and GG2, I would say, the GG2 is more neutral blended. Combining the GG1 with FullMusic 300b/c or with Kron PX4 was (in my ears) mostly to sweet, so my preferred combination was Elrog 300b. With GG2 the Fullmusic 300b /c or 300b/se or Kron PX4 just sound right. So my assumption, that GG1 is a little bit more lean, less rich in the lower mids.
depending on the individual set up GG1 or GG2 would be the better fit (or the tube rolling have to be started again, to fine tune the sonic signature)
having said that, I only can speak about the sonic signature, not about overall performance in terms of resolution, as my total set up is too different.
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