LampizatOr Horizon - Tube Rolling Paradise

[dminches]

In order to run balanced you need functioning tubes is all 4 sockets.

 

[Steve Williams]

In order to run balanced you need functioning tubes is all 4 sockets.

That’s somewhat ambiguous. I always thought a matched quad.But many say use a different set in the right bank and now a more reasonable suggestion from Christoph.
im happy at SE. My OCD nature needed something rather than nothing in the right bank. I think christoph made an interesting comment. If it were me using balanced I would use a matched quad rather than mix and match.

 

[dminches]

I have asked @LampiNA to comment. Electrically you don’t have to use 4 of the same tubes but that’s what I have always done. We now know others are mixing and matching.

 

[christoph]

Ha, yes, different channel flavors sure could be funky. that is why they are positioned where they are. the back pentodes are the left channel. front are right channel…

Which side would you say in your experience is the leading one sonically?
I would guess the left one.

Have you tried to swap the Bendix and the Cheever to the opposite side?
And with what sonic result?

 

[christoph]

That’s somewhat ambiguous. I always thought a matched quad.But many say use a different set in the right bank and now a more reasonable suggestion from Christoph.
im happy at SE. My OCD nature needed something rather than nothing in the right bank. I think christoph made an interesting comment. If it were me using balanced I would use a matched quad rather than mix and match.

But this option opens another countless possibilities for the ones going balanced. I quite fancy that

If we find out which side is sonically the more determinating one, we can place the better/rarer/more expensive tube there and place a more accessible one where it doesn't matter too much. As long as the sonic penalty is not too high.

 

[Willgolf]

It would be interesting to get the viewpoint of Lukasz Fikus on the last couple of thread pages.

 

[Sampajanna]

Like this.

 

[Tuckia]

I look on with twisted curiosity at the tube orgy on display. Oh well, as long as we don’t start making adapters for transistors to jam in the sockets it’s all in good fun. Actually, I do have some SS rectifiers…. I don’t recommend it however.

 

[christoph]

Like this.

But have you tried swapping the Pentodes to the other bank?

I'm very curious which side contributes more to the sound.

My guess would be the left bank but it could very well be that both banks contribute to the same extent and that it doesn't matter which tube sticks in which bank and only the sum counts.

 

[Steve Williams]

I just don't know if I agree with a mix and match for running balanced . If it were me (I run SE not balanced) using balanced I would only use a balanced quad but that's just me

 

[LampiNA]

I just don't know if I agree with a mix and match for running balanced . If it were me (I run SE not balanced) using balanced I would only use a balanced quad but that's just me

In my experience, I tried mixing 2 RS1003s with 2 KT170s in hopes of being able to share 2 of a matched quad with a friend, also running balanced with his Horizon. I was hopeful after reading of others mixing in balanced that the difference would be negligible, but the sound I got was pretty strange and 'off' it felt bright and phasey and I discontinued the experiment after within half an hour and didn't really test further.

Lukasz had said both sides matter, fwiw.

 

[Steve Williams]

I still would always use a matched quad if I were running balanced

 

[Sampajanna]

But have you tried swapping the Pentodes to the other bank?

I'm very curious which side contributes more to the sound.

My guess would be the left bank but it could very well be that both banks contribute to the same extent and that it doesn't matter which tube sticks in which bank and only the sum counts.

I haven’t tried switching yet. The sound with the mix is great. I am not having any of the issues mentioned above with phase or bright issues. It sounds incredible. Perhaps it was the KT170s? Now several dozen tube configurations down the line, I recently threw those things back in and they are so terrible (relatively)—harsh, bright and rough. Can’t believe I sat with those things in for so long…. I will compare 4X 1003, 4X OS1 vs a mix soon. But so far the mix is sounding epic. I emailed Lukasz to make sure that this is ok from a tech perspective. Soundwise, it is excellent indeed

 

[christoph]

I haven’t tried switching yet. The sound with the mix is great. I am not having any of the issues mentioned above with phase or bright issues. It sounds incredible. Perhaps it was the KT170s? Now several dozen tube configurations down the line, I recently threw those things back in and they are so terrible (relatively)—harsh, bright and rough. Can’t believe I sat with those things in for so long…. I will compare 4X 1003, 4X OS1 vs a mix soon. But so far the mix is sounding epic. I emailed Lukasz to make sure that this is ok from a tech perspective. Soundwise, it is excellent indeed

Please also try swapping banks to find out if the left bank is more important for the sound or if both banks are equally important and it doesn't matter left or right.

Oh, and why not try mixing, one each left and one each right, cross-wise so to say

 

[Sampajanna]

Haha. I will try. My first order of business is
1) 4X OS1
2) 4X 1003
2) Mix

Let the testing begin!

 

[christoph]

Haha. I will try. My first order of business is
1) 4X OS1
2) 4X 1003
2) Mix

Let the testing begin!

I'm very curious about your findings

 

[Zappadaddy]

Well today was a totally new experience for me but once again proves the point that “everything matters”. Yesterday using the TP adapters with the c3g/s tubes smoothed out the sound. It became less aggressive or in you face ( if that makes sense) It was very engaging and there was clearly a layer that had been removed. I found that I was able to nicely get the volume of my Horizon from 59-61 without any glare. Clearly this adapter removes distortion as there was no fatigue at higher levels. I was into it

Todsy however was tge icing on the cake. Laszlo was kind enough to include two grounding cables which took all of 2 minutes to install.i really did not anticipate anything major to gesr but today the sound stage was so low and virtually zero tube noise. The sound today was emotionally engaging. I was back at 62-63 on the Horizon VC so I was running full signal most of the time. There was zero distortion. But what really amazed me was the deep bass and how it held together One track in particular is Duende by Bkacklight Syndrome. In fact I was introduced to that song well over 20 years ago at THE Show in Las Vegas by member KeithR . The deep bass in this track between 16-40 seconds into the track is what I call the true test of the ability of one’s speakers to resolve this without getting tubby and breaking up. I have to say that in all the years I have played this track I have never heard such tight resolution of the bass guitar listening with the two adapters grounded to the grounding post on the rear of the Horizon.

Kudos to TP adapters. Laszlo and Tibor have once again convinced me. These are really beautiful. Bottom line is to use the grounding wire but listen first ungrounded and then grounded. I think everyone will be in for a treat

Duende by Bkacklight Syndrome, can not find this on Qobuz, is it correct name?

 

[takacs75]

It’s on Qobuz

 

[Zappadaddy]

Duende by Bkacklight Syndrome, can not find this on Qobuz, is it correct name?

got it, I know this song Back light Syndrome - Duende.....and with Valvo it is totaly different song, awesome....even with ordinar adapter,,,next step experiment with c3g and PT14 all with adpaters from Laszlo

 

[Zappadaddy]

It’s on Qobuz

yes, I know this song long time, it is included in my playlist Ultimate hifi test