@wisnon & @Alainbow -15 dB leaves the preamp dial at 9:30-10 for medium volume, unless the recording is particularly soft. It's not until the mid 20s -dB that the preamp nears the 12 o'clock position on most recordings. I'm not sure about the PrimaLuna. It's gain is 9.7 db. and nothing is mentioned about passive. The linked write up does say the point of a preamp is to lower the received signal.'s gain. https://www.primaluna-usa.com/dialogue-premium-preamplifier (at the bottom of the text under "Smartgain Design." This is a temporary situation, as next month I should be receiving a Supratek preamp with about 20 db gain. Thanks,
I have a berkeley dac reference and I use a pre-amp with it..The max volume it goes is 60 db and I always leave it at 56 or 57 db.. At max levels it becomes brighter sounding.
I'm wondering if solid state and tube dacs differ on this score. Right now things sound better with the TRP lower and the preamp higher, just the opposite of the Directstream.
Do Western 350bs work in these? I don’t know the voltage put on the plates by the TRP. If it takes a regular 6V6 I imagine it would be fine. I may have some of those to sell too. I have moved on from most pentodes.
XF1 and XF2 date codes are the ones to get. They are sought after, but not uncommon. They came in almost every Dynaco ST-70 made. They last forever as well.
Do Western 350bs work in these? I don’t know the voltage put on the plates by the TRP. If it takes a regular 6V6 I imagine it would be fine. I may have some of those to sell too. I have moved on from most pentodes.
XF1 and XF2 date codes are the ones to get. They are sought after, but not uncommon. They came in almost every Dynaco ST-70 made. They last forever as well.
My favourite tube combo to date is the ACME 274B rectifier with the Genelex KT 77 reissues. I have tried quite a few more pentode tubes which have included;
Shuguang EL 34
GEC KT 66 smoked glass -
Mullard EL 34 original
Siemens EL 34
RFT EL 34
EH 6CA7
In all honesty all of the combinations will work but the best bang for buck is the KT77 reissue, these are very easy to get hold of, supplied brand new with a warranty. The NOS tubes can potentially be a bit hit and miss on quality and they can be very expensive to say the least.
If I were to recommend a combo it would be the ACME 274 and Genelex KT77. I do also like the way in which the EH 6CA7 delivers the music, the bass is not as full as the Genelex and the highs are not as sweet but it does deliver quite a punch sound.
Next up I will try the Tungsol 5881 either a NOS pair or the reissue's. I also have a pair of 6V6GT tubes at home but as of yet I've not tried these as Im not sure they are compatible. Anyone no if they will work in the TRP?
Just had confirmation from Lampizator that for TRP owners who want to try the 6V6GT tubes then this is fine, so tonight I will try the pair I have in the TRP and report back
My favourite tube combo to date is the ACME 274B rectifier with the Genelex KT 77 reissues. I have tried quite a few more pentode tubes which have included;
Shuguang EL 34
GEC KT 66 smoked glass -
Mullard EL 34 original
Siemens EL 34
RFT EL 34
EH 6CA7
In all honesty all of the combinations will work but the best bang for buck is the KT77 reissue, these are very easy to get hold of, supplied brand new with a warranty. The NOS tubes can potentially be a bit hit and miss on quality and they can be very expensive to say the least.
If I were to recommend a combo it would be the ACME 274 and Genelex KT77. I do also like the way in which the EH 6CA7 delivers the music, the bass is not as full as the Genelex and the highs are not as sweet but it does deliver quite a punch sound.
Next up I will try the Tungsol 5881 either a NOS pair or the reissue's. I also have a pair of 6V6GT tubes at home but as of yet I've not tried these as Im not sure they are compatible. Anyone no if they will work in the TRP?
Hi Lee, Just a note to say that I echo your assessment of the 274B/KT-77 combo. The 274B was the first one I purchased after getting my TRP. Then I began trials on the Gold Lion KT 66, 77 and 88's, and also the EL-34 and 6CA7's that came with my TRP. No question the 274B/GL-KT77 is a great combo. But like all of us here, curiosity got the best of me and I ordered the KR 5U4G RK recti. It delivered on Monday and I am still breaking it in. First blush---Big Sound, tad warmer, not nervous like the 274B can be at times. Much better than the 274b when it comes to older rock/pop cd's.
So I kind of like both the 274B and KR RK with the GL KT77's. Depends on my listening preferences of the day. I will see if this changes after 100 - 200 hours of on-time. I may also start playing with some of the special/new production EL34 and 6CA7 variants out there. I'm not that connected here with the used/nos tube suppliers, so I've just decided to stay away for now. So i'm interested in your take on the Tungsol reissues. Thx!
Hi Ed
I agree with you that I also like both, the ACME 274b and KR RK 5U4G as well
I listened to the KT77 a few times in my systems and always found them awesome but I don't own a pair. That is about to change as I just ordered a pair of the no-brainer cheap, available and excellent sounding Genalex KT77 Gold Lions
I hope to get them soon to compare them with my other lot and with the NOS and new production 5881 I'm currently conditioning for a friend of mine
Just had confirmation from Lampizator that for TRP owners who want to try the 6V6GT tubes then this is fine, so tonight I will try the pair I have in the TRP and report back
I ran these tubes last night in my TRP they were RCA smoked glass 6V6GT, my thoughts to these was a very hard sounding tube in my system, they lacked the bass that the KT77 has. I also felt the soundstage was narrower on the width, all in all these did not do very much for me.
I will give them another go at the weekend, Ill let them run in the Dac for a good hour or 2 with some music playing just to get some more hours onto them. Im fairly sure they have been used by my friend who gave them to me to try as he had been using them in his amps prior to me using them
What differences did you hear between those two? I've been using a U50, which has been my favorite so far, and just received an anniversary RK 5U4G, which according to the previous owner wasn't fully burned in. I'm using it with a pair of early 1970's KT66's, and have a pair of Mullard EL34 xf2's to compare coming Saturday (thanks for the tip, Sfox7076).
What differences did you hear between those two? I've been using a U50, which has been my favorite so far, and just received an anniversary RK 5U4G, which according to the previous owner wasn't fully burned in. I'm using it with a pair of early 1970's KT66's, and have a pair of Mullard EL34 xf2's to compare coming Saturday (thanks for the tip, Sfox7076).
I would say the ACME 274b is a bit airier and the RK 5u4g is a bit denser and tauter but both on a very high level.
I love both and it is imho more a matter of taste and/or system synergy.
But I didn't revert back to the RK 5u4g for quite a long time now because I got so many new output tubes to try and I don't want to have more than one variable at the time.
I also got my own pair of new production Genalex KT77 Gold Lions just 10 minutes ago and I will have to burn them in properly what takes quite some time and effort. But I can do that in exchange with a brand-new new production pair of TungSol 5881 tubes
