Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[dminches]

From where are people buying the Acme 274B?

I don't see options in the US.

 

[adamaley]

Congrats on your new dream Combo

Can you elaborate on the difference between the ACME 300b and the PX25?
Is your PX25 the regular or the RK Version?

Have you ever tried the Takatsuki 274b and Takatsuki 300b as well?

I have never had the privilege to try the Tak 300B, much less combine them the the Tak 274B. I sold my Tak 274B because I was very disappointed with its performance in my system. I am thinking it just wasn't a good fit in any way, or that I hadn't broken it in well enough. Worst case, it was a dud - however the new owner is loving it.

My PX25s are the newer RK versions, and have been my preferred output tubes, even over the KR 242s, which I still have. In my system, gain is a big factor, and both the 242 and PX25 over drive my preamp - the PX25 even less so, and much less so using the 300B heater setting - but it still does on some songs. In the past I had used my Elrog 300Bs and EML 300B XLS (borrowed), KR RK 300B (purchased and sold) in the DAC so knew that the DAC could be distortion free - the only issue was neither of these 300Bs sounded better than the 242 or the PX25s (by indirect comparison).

Long story short, the Acme 300B, as expected, and similar to all the other 300Bs, gets rid of my gain distortion, and sounds better than any other tube to boot. Compared directly to the PX25, it is smoother, and sounds less agitated. I've always felt KR tubes to be a little nervous at some frequencies - something that is hard to put a finger on, but is always there, at least for me. Voices are more fully constructed. The sound has more weightiness, but is still as propulsive and dynamic as the PX25. The kicker - the Acme is more resolving of details and nuance, has better bass (this is a big deal since PX25s bass has been second to none), and throws a deeper and wider soundstage. This is not your father's 300B.

The sonics are so compelling that I bought a pair for my amp, and since the pair in my DAC is borrowed from a friend, since purchased a new pair for my DAC because he won't let me keep these forever :-( Based on initial listening, the Elrogs in my amp are in trouble).

I'm ecstatic because these are new production tubes, and relatively affordable (for now at least), that are doing the business in my system, and that's what I've been searching for.

 

[adamaley]

From where are people buying the Acme 274B?

I don't see options in the US.

http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/psvane-acme-supreme-series-274b-vacuum-tubes-pair/

It'll ship from Canada (Grant Fidelity). There are numerous other legit sources online, though.

 

[Golum]

My two favorite rectifiers would be the 422A and the Acme 274B, with the Marconi U52 a level slightly below those two. The 422A is immensely holographic and revealing, but in my setup it is too much of a good thing. It also doesn't have the soundstaging, image size, separation of the Acme 274B. The Acme 274B to me, is similar to the Tak 274B in terms of the size of the images, separation of instruments and soundstage width and depth. In my system, it just seems to have more of the aforementioned traits and resolves more information than the Tak did and .

The Marconi U52 is similar in tonality to the Acme 274B. Just as warm and maybe not as relaxed - more dynamic. It doesn't have the scale of soundstage or images as the 274B. It also doesn't seem to reveal as much inner detail as the other two.

Between these three, in my system, preference and system matching could take you either way. The Marconi doesn't offer enough different things from the Acme to be considered as viable as the 422A, which brings a different sound and can suit a different mood.

Many thanks for this! Really appreciate the effort and valid inputs. Point is that I might lay my hands on one of those two which are brand new NOS and I was kind of leaning towards Marconi U52 from a very stupid reason - name U52 reminds me on the TV series "Das Boot" ...

 

[Zero000]

Long story short, the Acme 300B, as expected, and similar to all the other 300Bs, gets rid of my gain distortion, and sounds better than any other tube to boot. Compared directly to the PX25, it is smoother, and sounds less agitated. I've always felt KR tubes to be a little nervous at some frequencies - something that is hard to put a finger on, but is always there, at least for me. Voices are more fully constructed. The sound has more weightiness, but is still as propulsive and dynamic as the PX25. The kicker - the Acme is more resolving of details and nuance, has better bass (this is a big deal since PX25s bass has been second to none), and throws a deeper and wider soundstage. This is not your father's 300B.

Check the bolded bit I agree 100%. Excellent post.

I think the agitation does make them sound exciting, though. But when you hear a valve that is free of this aspect, you know about it.

You could have some resistors installed against your RCA output jacks. I have top of the range AN silver tants on mine. I think it is worth doing if you want to get the best out of your other tubes. Any half decent electrical engineer with experience of hi-fi can do that for you. But try to be mild rather than extreme with the output drop. If you cut it too much you will lose some of the positive virtues of a highish output.

It won't get rid of the KR angry fizz, though (OK that's a little harsh LOL).

 

[adamaley]

Check the bolded bit I agree 100%. Excellent post.

I think the agitation does make them sound exciting, though. But when you hear a valve that is free of this aspect, you know about it.

You could have some resistors installed against your RCA output jacks. I have top of the range AN silver tants on mine. I think it is worth doing if you want to get the best out of your other tubes. Any half decent electrical engineer with experience of hi-fi can do that for you. But try to be mild rather than extreme with the output drop. If you cut it too much you will lose some of the positive virtues of a highish output.

It won't get rid of the KR angry fizz, though (OK that's a little harsh LOL).

Thanks for the advice. Mark of Sablon Audio had recommended the AN Tants also, but I decided to only do mods as a last resort.

 

[dminches]

Long story short, the Acme 300B, as expected, and similar to all the other 300Bs, gets rid of my gain distortion, and sounds better than any other tube to boot. Compared directly to the PX25, it is smoother, and sounds less agitated. I've always felt KR tubes to be a little nervous at some frequencies - something that is hard to put a finger on, but is always there, at least for me. Voices are more fully constructed. The sound has more weightiness, but is still as propulsive and dynamic as the PX25. The kicker - the Acme is more resolving of details and nuance, has better bass (this is a big deal since PX25s bass has been second to none), and throws a deeper and wider soundstage. This is not your father's 300B.

The sonics are so compelling that I bought a pair for my amp, and since the pair in my DAC is borrowed from a friend, since purchased a new pair for my DAC because he won't let me keep these forever :-( Based on initial listening, the Elrogs in my amp are in trouble).

I'm ecstatic because these are new production tubes, and relatively affordable (for now at least), that are doing the business in my system, and that's what I've been searching for.

Your description of the PX25 sound is close to how I would describe it. In addition to what you are saying I found the PX25 to sound too “digital” to me. It reminded me that I was listen to digital music. I don’t feel that way at all about the Tak 300Bs.

Thanks for sharing your listening experiences.

 

[Golum]

Santa like last year when he brought RK242, this year he came with a surprise in form of RK PX25. What a cool guy he is...and yes I’m a tube hoarder or these days more politically correct term is “collector” . How they sound vs regular PX25 - no idea, still need to try, which I’m reluctant to do as visually they don’t work with ACME 274b

 

[Zero000]

One thing you can say about KR valves is they look nice with their pretty markings etc. But that shape with a balloon? Nah, you're right

 

[Zero000]

We could run some sort of tube exchange scheme where members agree to swap tubes with each other rather than wasting £1000s discovering which tubes you like best.

You could post saying which tubes you like to swap for your tubes and see if anyone responds.

Just a thought. Not without some risk but if you don't take any chances in life you must be a boring fellow indeed.

 

[dminches]

We could run some sort of tube exchange scheme where members agree to swap tubes with each other rather than wasting £1000s discovering which tubes you like best.

You could post saying which tubes you like to swap for your tubes and see if anyone responds.

Just a thought. Not without some risk but if you don't take any chances in life you must be a boring fellow indeed.

Why do we need to do that when we have Bonzo? He seems to know exactly which tubes are good and which are bad.

Frankly, I am surprise Takatsuki is still in business after he said they are colored and make everything sound the same.

 

[bonzo75]

Why do we need to do that when we have Bonzo? He seems to know exactly which tubes are good and which are bad.

Frankly, I am surprise Takatsuki is still in business after he said they are colored and make everything sound the same.

Because there are still those who would believe in their own limited set up and sound

 

[dminches]

Because there are still those who would believe in their own limited set up and sound

Says the person who doesn’t even have a setup...

So we should trust your ears and not our own?

 

[bonzo75]

Says the person who doesn’t even have a setup...

So we should trust your ears and not our own?

You should trust your ears when you hear your components optimized which might not necessarily be in your place. Anyway you don't get this, so let's not discuss further. If you ever fix up trips to Marty and Al who are in your area to go and roll some tubes we can discuss further because you would have actually heard something. Not to mention I rolled more tubes than you did in my own set up four years ago

 

[dminches]

You should trust your ears when you hear your components optimized which might not necessarily be in your place. Anyway you don't get this, so let's not discuss further. If you ever fix up trips to Marty and Al who are in your area to go and roll some tubes we can discuss further because you would have actually heard something

What makes you think that my system isn’t optimized? You keep going back to that. You have never heard my system while others who I think have good ears and good experience with tons of equipment have. I have a fully treated room done by a professional acoustic engineer. I have had the east coast Vandersteen dealer in my room a dozen times. He has never had an issue with my setup.

I really need to understand how you have an opinion on my system.

 

[bonzo75]

What makes you think that my system isn’t optimized? You keep going back to that. You have never heard my system while others who I think have good ears and good experience with tons of equipment have. I have a fully treated room done by a professional acoustic engineer. I have had the east coast Vandersteen dealer in my room a dozen times. He has never had an issue with my setup.

I really need to understand how you have an opinion on my system.

You still don't get the point. Lampi, or Any other component, like a cart, which can be set up with different permutation and combinations, sounds different in different systems. As does a speaker with different amps in different rooms. If you really want to understand a component, you have to hear it in different conditions to understand how far it can go and what is the optimal way to do it. It does not matter what valve sounds best in your system, till you understand what different combinations we possible. So unless you have an unlimited budget and can line up all the valves, and ten different sets of downstream electronics, to find the optimal way, I suggest traveling locally to someone who has alternative Lampi set ups is easier.

What is more concerning is that you don't get the point

 

[dminches]

You still don't get the point. Lampi, or Abu other component, like a cart, which can be set up with different permutation and combinations, sounds different in different systems. As does a speaker with different amps in different rooms. If you really want to understand a component, you have to hear it in different conditions to understand how far it can go and what is the optimal way to do it. It does not matter what valve sounds best in your system, till you understand what different combinations we possible. So unless you have an unlimited budget and can line up all the valves, and ten different sets of downstream electronics, to find the optimal way, I suggest traveling locally to someone who has alternative Lampi set ups is easier.

What is more concerning is that you don't get the point

Do you realize how offensive you are? You don't know me at all but you are willing to pass judgement on what I know and what I have heard.

I have heard the Lampi DACs in a dozen systems with a plethora of tubes. Do you really think that all I have heard is MY Big 7?

Second, you think that by touring the world and hearing different systems that you are conducting controlled experiments? When you hear a Lampi in someone else's system how do you know what is truly driving the sound? Is is the room, the interconnects, the amps, the speakers, the wires, etc etc etc. The only way to truly understand all this is to first get familiar with the setup and then change 1 thing in a system that you have heard for months. Or maybe I am just slow.

See, that's what I have done in my room. I listen to my play list and then change only the tubes.

It is concerning that you don't understand this point.

 

[bonzo75]

Do you realize how offensive you are? You don't know me at all but you are willing to pass judgement on what I know and what I have heard.

I have heard the Lampi DACs in a dozen systems with a plethora of tubes. Do you really think that all I have heard is MY Big 7?

Second, you think that by touring the world and hearing different systems that you are conducting controlled experiments? When you hear a Lampi in someone else's system how do you know what is truly driving the sound? Is is the room, the interconnects, the amps, the speakers, the wires, etc etc etc. The only way to truly understand all this is to first get familiar with the setup and then change 1 thing in a system that you have heard for months. Or maybe I am just slow.

See, that's what I have done in my room. I listen to my play list and then change only the tubes.

It is concerning that you don't understand this point.

You started it read up. Possibly you don't understand recordings and transparency. Post 571 was uncalled for

 

[dminches]

Ked, you have been demeaning me in this thread for weeks.

 

[dminches]

Possibly you don't understand recordings and transparency.

And why would you think that?