Golden Gate DAC arrives.

[wisnon]

I would say 101d for the large scale classical stuff I like as long as it is balanced with a smooth recti. 101d + fast / detailed recti is too much in my system thus needs balancing. For jazz, I like the eml 45 mesh as it has terrific bloom on sax and is smooth as. The 242 were not compatible with my GG as they over drove the output stage but they worked terrifically in Ked's big 7 - in fact they made the big 7 come closer to GG. I have ordered the eml 45 globe mesh anniversary too. I need to get the Elrogs also...

You nailed it about the 242....as I happened to have a B7 and GG at the same time to test with.

You are getting all the top notch tubes there, Bill.

I have the EML mesh 45, vintage NU 45, replica 101d, vintage REAL WE 101d (ST shape) and EML 300b. I love the EML 300b and all the 45s. I just got a set of VT52s that I will try when I get back home as well. The rectis you pair them with do matter.

 

[Zero000]

Interestingly since I changed to solid state Accuphase amps recently my taste in valves has changed. Which does show valve rolling really is a fine tuning activity dependant on the rest of the system and you.

For the most part the better examples do shine through as they did before. Just not all.

Going to swap back to valve amps for a week or two soon though. Just for the sake of change, really.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Interestingly since I changed to solid state Accuphase amps recently my taste in valves has changed. Which does show valve rolling really is a fine tuning activity dependant on the rest of the system and you.

For the most part the better examples do shine through as they did before. Just not all.

Going to swap back to valve amps for a week or two soon though. Just for the sake of change, really.

+1.

agree and think the same way. it only makes sense that the degree of tube coloration from a source that is 'right' for any system has to do with it's neutral balance to begin with. so while I'm in love with the Elrog-Tak-GG and feel it's hit's the right spot for my darTZeel SS preamp and amplifier combination, I can see that an all tube amp-pre front end might find another GG tube combo closer to optimal.

and maybe different sounding solid state gear than darTZeel would push one another way.

of course we all have personal tastes which do have an influence on what our ideal is too.

for the record; I don't hear any tube coloration now from my GG with the Elrog-Tak. what I hear is 'like vinyl'......a complete absence of any digital evidence.....which is what has me enthralled.

 

[Alpinist]

+1.

agree and think the same way. it only makes sense that the degree of tube coloration from a source that is 'right' for any system has to do with it's neutral balance to begin with. so while I'm in love with the Elrog-Tak-GG and feel it's hit's the right spot for my darTZeel SS preamp and amplifier combination, I can see that an all tube amp-pre front end might find another GG tube combo closer to optimal.

and maybe different sounding solid state gear than darTZeel would push one another way.

of course we all have personal tastes which do have an influence on what our ideal is too.

for the record; I don't hear any tube coloration now from my GG with the Elrog-Tak. what I hear is 'like vinyl'......a complete absence of any digital evidence.....which is what has me enthralled.

That's great news, Mike! If I ever purchase a Lampi GG, that's the tube combo I would run with.

Best,
Ken

 

[andrew_stenhouse]

+1.

agree and think the same way. it only makes sense that the degree of tube coloration from a source that is 'right' for any system has to do with it's neutral balance to begin with. so while I'm in love with the Elrog-Tak-GG and feel it's hit's the right spot for my darTZeel SS preamp and amplifier combination, I can see that an all tube amp-pre front end might find another GG tube combo closer to optimal.

and maybe different sounding solid state gear than darTZeel would push one another way.

of course we all have personal tastes which do have an influence on what our ideal is too.

for the record; I don't hear any tube coloration now from my GG with the Elrog-Tak. what I hear is 'like vinyl'......a complete absence of any digital evidence.....which is what has me enthralled.

Wow. That is a milestone.

The Elrogs are amazing - they transformed a Wavac I heard not long ago.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi Rudolph and fellow GG fans,

I received the Kr 300b balloons. Obviously they are new tubes so the character might change a little. Overall, I am not too excited about these tbh - yes they have a shed load a bloom on vocals, and yes they project a very 3D soundstage, but the punch and drive of the 101d has gone. I started with the eml 274b recti with them, which does not work as the eml is laid back and smooth anyway so paired with the 300b balloons is too much. Replaced the eml with the Kr 274b, which is a rocket powered recti - like a super charger. Things are better this way round for sure. I ought to try the Philips military spec 5u4rg as that is the cleanest recti I own.
Early days and I see promise with tone, bloom and soundstaging but not trading that for the lack of punch, speed and focus. So - maybe I need a 300b with more bite and punch - any recommendations? I should receive my Px-4 on Monday with any luck. Maybe the Px-4 will strike that balance?

Well I got round to revisiting the Kr 300b balloons with the Philips nos recti. They have opened up beautifully after leaving them to burn in over night. Massive soundstage with huge weight - not as spooky as the Px-4 but insanely enjoyable with the GG r2r PCM engine. There has not been too much noise about the new r2r PCM engine perhaps because hardly anyone has it, but I am sat hear getting the best red book I ever heard - really a long way above the original PCM IMHO.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Boys, i DEARLY DEARLY hope yr Elrog 300B's hold up. It was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE that the 845's I used from them failed twice in 9 months - 3 pairs in less than a year mean I would never go near the company ever again, despite how stellar the SQ was.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Boys, i DEARLY DEARLY hope yr Elrog 300B's hold up. It was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE that the 845's I used from them failed twice in 9 months - 3 pairs in less than a year mean I would never go near the company ever again, despite how stellar the SQ was.

a dac is a much less stressful environment than use as a driver tube in an amplifier. the tube is not going to be pushed.

no one buying the Elrogs is doing it blind. the info is there for all to see.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hopefully. Elrog Withdrawal Syndrome can send a grown man to tears.
I'm now on GE '48 NOS 211s, and miss a little of that Elrog magic, just not the strife. Well over half a year in, and no sign of failure.
Good luck, y'all.

 

[wisnon]

Boys, i DEARLY DEARLY hope yr Elrog 300B's hold up. It was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE that the 845's I used from them failed twice in 9 months - 3 pairs in less than a year mean I would never go near the company ever again, despite how stellar the SQ was.

THe Elrog 845 are known to be unfixable. Not the same as the 300b.

 

[Audiocrack]

Hopefully. Elrog Withdrawal Syndrome can send a grown man to tears.
I'm now on GE '48 NOS 211s, and miss a little of that Elrog magic, just not the strife. Well over half a year in, and no sign of failure.
Good luck, y'all.

I fully understand your concern. Till recently I never dared to touch any Elrog tubes although I had the Elrog company already on my audio radar screen about two years ago.

That said, looking at the technical specs only the Elrog 300b tubes should be a perfect fit with the GG dac. I have played this combo for about 30-35 hours or sonand sofar so good. But I also mentioned on this thread that Thomas of Vinylsavor has his doubts due to (at least) two failures in the past. So I suppose - as always - the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

However, just to be on the safe side I picked up a pair of Takatsuki 300b tubes. I am wondering: does any of our members have experience with the GG and Takatsuki 300b tubes?

 

[Audiocrack]

I fully understand your concern. Till recently I never dared to touch any Elrog tubes although I had the Elrog company already on my audio radar screen about two years ago.

That said, looking at the technical specs only the Elrog 300b tubes should be a perfect fit with the GG dac. I have played this combo for about 30-35 hours or so and sofar so good. But I also mentioned on this thread that Thomas of Vinylsavor has his doubts due to (at least) two failures in the past. So I suppose - as always - the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

However, just to be on the safe side I picked up a pair of Takatsuki 300b tubes. I am wondering: does any of our members have experience with the GG and Takatsuki 300b tubes?

Btw, the GE 211 tubes are very fine tubes. I used those for many years with my Kondo Gakuon amps.QUOTE]

 

[wisnon]

MikeB from Audioshark has Takat 300b experience, i think.

I heard some vintage WE 101d tubes yesterday in AL's system and it sounded mighty good. He has Infinity IRS V speakers (similar to Genesis 1.1) and with certain Redbook cuts from the SUPERCD (and other demo disks), it was glorious...putting a smile on AL's face. Solo de Batteries, Solo de Bass, Yuri Honing Trio - Walking on the Moon, Kodo Giant drums, Chie Ayado -Tennessee waltz, Mussorsky-Gnomus, OZ Percussion Group - Jazz Variants and Marcus Miller - Pluck....to name a few. The "unobtanium" EML Anniversary Globe 45 (Solid plate) were very special too.

 

[Audiocrack]

MikeB from Audioshark has Takat 300b experience, i think.

I heard some vintage WE 101d tubes yesterday in AL's system and it sounded mighty good. He has Infinity IRS V speakers (similar to Genesis 1.1) and with certain Redbook cuts from the SUPERCD (and other demo disks), it was glorious...putting a smile on AL's face. Solo de Batteries, Solo de Bass, Yuri Honing Trio - Walking on the Moon, Kodo Giant drums, Chie Ayado -Tennessee waltz, Mussorsky-Gnomus, OZ Percussion Group - Jazz Variants and Marcus Miller - Pluck....to name a few. The "unobtanium" EML Anniversary Globe 45 (Solid plate) were very special too.

Did you prefer the nos WE 101d to the EML Anniversary Globe 45 (solid plate) tubes Norman? What amps is Al using for the Infinity IRS V loudspeakers? Pretty sure I like his Infinity very much!!

Enjoy your holiday in the USA!

 

[wisnon]

In the current setup., I cant say for sure as they are both wonderful. Both were low microphonic, critical due to some electrical issue he had and the location of the Dac in between the bass towers.
The bass was spectacular, BTW. If the solid plate Anniv were this good, I shudder to think how good the Mesh plates limited edition will be...His Elrog 300b were out on loan, so we could not test. He has tons of tubes, but we only tried the tubs mentioned, plus the Psvane UK design 300b and he put in some 6a3s as we left. He reminded me how underrated the Sylvania 6a3s are...

He was using some Aragon SS amps and the Dac as preamp. He wants to try separate preamp to reduce the gain and have more volume play. This is a completely rebuilt B7 HeadDac with latest R2R PCM.

 

[RubenV.]

Anyone else heard the latest R2R PCM engine?

 

[spiritofmusic]

I think Audiophile Bill has.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Anyone else heard the latest R2R PCM engine?

Rudolph (Audiocrack) also has it so perhaps he will chime in.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I think Audiophile Bill has.

As Marc says - yes I do indeed have the latest r2r engine. It is wonderful and a huge leap over the original PCM. I have been listening to it solidly for the last 2 days. I have to admit that I keep smiling at what I am hearing from bog standard red book. It is so fast and dynamic but with all the musicality you get from the dsd engine. With the 300b, the combination is just right for my tastes - you get a healthy balance of resolution, sped, dynamics, and oodles of musicality.

 

[RubenV.]

I noticed on the Lampi site that the Big 7 has this new r2r engine also. Would it be possible to have an existing Big 7 updated to this new r2r engine? Maybe someone here knows, otherwise I will contact Lampizator myself.