Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[RDSChicago]

Thanks for the additional recommendations. I'm more than happy to try affordable tubes. Would you expect the 01a's, the 112a, and the 71's to provide the type of midrange magic I am seeking?

They do for me. At the cost of these tubes they are certainly worth a try. Let us know how you make out.

 

[Highlander]

Thanks again for the recommendations, to everyone. Agreed that they are definitely worth a try.

 

[Highlander]

Knowing virtually nothing about 01a's, I am seeing listings like this:

Matched pairs US CUNNINCHAM C 301A 01A 201A GLOBE TUBES

Two, Super Airline GX-201A, globe/balloon, GOLD, match pair, UX-201A, 01A equivalent

Antique Matched Pair STRONG Cunningham CX-301A 01A Globe Balloon Tubes -these are of course exact equivalents to the UX201A/UX-201A, CX301A/CX-301A, 201A, and 01A tubes.​

Are these all truly equivalent tubes for the 01a's you have been recommending?

 

[Golum]

Knowing virtually nothing about 01a's, I am seeing listings like this:

Matched pairs US CUNNINCHAM C 301A 01A 201A GLOBE TUBES

Two, Super Airline GX-201A, globe/balloon, GOLD, match pair, UX-201A, 01A equivalent

Antique Matched Pair STRONG Cunningham CX-301A 01A Globe Balloon Tubes -these are of course exact equivalents to the UX201A/UX-201A, CX301A/CX-301A, 201A, and 01A tubes.​

Are these all truly equivalent tubes for the 01a's you have been recommending?

Yes
Like 12a and 112a are the same. And if possible look for globes as they were earlier production while ST shape came later but still great

 

[cpcat]

Been hot swapping between Tak 274b and RK 5u4g with RK 242s. Cant say I can tell any major difference between the two-major good either way. Tak maybe slighted toward organic and RK 5u4g maybe the littlest toward more open. Wow. These RK 242s sound awesome with both rectis. Just nice to have a choice between best and best.

RK PX25 is up next.-maybe.

 

[RDSChicago]

Just got the Sophia Electric 274b Aqua and am very pleased. Sounds organic in combination with the Lampizator Anniversary Edition EML 45s.

 

[godofwealth]

Just bought a used JJ Audio 300B single ended triode amplifier. It has a high quality ALPS potentiometer, so I can drive it directly from my Pacific. It uses 4 300Bs (2 per channel, paralleled) to produce 20 watts per channel. It’s a beast of an amplifier, weighing almost 100 pounds. Very pretty to look at, and uses the “magic eye” EM84 tube as a visual indicator of volume. On my Quad 2905s, the sound is absolutely enchanting, ethereal midrange and voluptuous tonality. Eliminating my ARC preamp removes a huge veil from the Pacific. Haven’t tried tube rolling yet, just basking in the beautiful sound from the KR 300Bs and WE 274B on the Pacific and JJ 300B tubes on the amp. if you see one, snap it up. Cost me a tad under 2 grand. I’ve heard 20 grand amps that sound a lot worse than this behemoth.

 

[godofwealth]

Ugh, disaster. I’m getting no output from my Pacific. Checked all the obvious things. 300B tubes, low level tubes, tube regulator are glowing, JJ amplifier working fine with my ARC Ref CD8 player, Pacific set to right input etc. Has anyone encountered this sort of issue when the Pacific just stops producing any sound?

 

[Golum]

Ugh, disaster. I’m getting no output from my Pacific. Checked all the obvious things. 300B tubes, low level tubes, tube regulator are glowing, JJ amplifier working fine with my ARC Ref CD8 player, Pacific set to right input etc. Has anyone encountered this sort of issue when the Pacific just stops producing any sound?

So you checked/swapped 6n1p tube? Did you exchange rectifier tube? If recti is dead and all other tubes working (output and anode loading ones) there is just no sound. If recti OK and all other tubes OK than might be digital board if no input is producing sound..

 

[iain]

, disaster. I’m getting no output from my Pacific. Checked all the obvious things. 300B tubes, low level tubes, tube regulator are glowing, JJ amplifier working fine with my ARC Ref CD8 player, Pacific set to right input etc. Has anyone encountered this sort of issue when the Pacific just stops producing any sound

Are you getting the correct power from your outlet?

 

[godofwealth]

All‘s well. Shifted to single ended mode with just the rear tubes and one 6N6P tube. Pacific working again fine. Great that I don’t have to burn up an extra pair of 300Bs in single ended mode. Since my JJ 300B amplifier is a (paralleled) SET amp, makes no sense to run balanced in any case. Listening to some classic jazz with my Quad 57s. Sounds incredibly vibrant with gorgeous tonality. Each time I listen to my 57s, I wonder if we have made any progress in loudspeaker design in the past 65 years. Sure, we know how to make loudspeakers “louder”, but not with the sheer tactility and presence of the Quad 57s. With the 300Bs in the Pacific and the JJ amplifier working in tandem, this is one system I can retire with. Who needs more than 20 watts?

 

[plasmod3]

I found a new champion for the dht in the pac! Det 5 tube using the px25 to 300b adaptor. Wow, beats kr px25 by spades

 

[Golum]

I found a new champion for the dht in the pac! Det 5 tube using the px25 to 300b adaptor. Wow, beats kr px25 by spades

Bravo! Glad to hear there are still some undiscovered gems to be used in PAC. Send some pics if possible

 

[plasmod3]

Here you go it's a large monoplate. Very different to a normal px25 nos construct

Sorry about the photo, just got the artesania absolute racks in and my cables are too short so the pac is angled in a very awkward way will try to get better photos

 

[plasmod3]

Another photo of the det 5s

 

[cpcat]

I guess these Det 5s are pretty rare. Nothing on eBay for me at least. It looks like a PX25 and specs are similar to PX25 on Radiomuseum.

 

[plasmod3]

I guess these Det 5s are pretty rare. Nothing on eBay for me at least. It looks like a PX25 and specs are similar to PX25 on Radiomuseum.

Indeed not the easiest to find but they are ou there. Exploring the px25 nos valves are yielding sig dividends for me. I have just rolled a Marconi px25 which is not as good....then rolled onto a gec px25a and it was even better than the det 5! Does anyone else on the forum have a gec px25a to have a try? Am using it with a 274b engraved as well as bendix 6900. Very synergistic

 

[cpcat]

RK PX25
Will be comparing to RK 242 and WE300b reissue over the next several weeks.
Gain on the RK PX25 is around 3db less than RK 242 and 5db more than WE300b.

 

[cpcat]

High quality balance control-I think is very useful, or even mandatory, when evaluating/rolling different output tubes. I have individual channel trims on my active crossover which serves the purpose. Right now am breaking in the RK PX 25 quad and have a slight trim adjustment that seems necessary. I have also noted with other tubes and it isn’t an isolated issue.

I think this may be another reason for a preamp or some other device in the signal path.

 

[cpcat]

10 days-in on RK PX25s. I can say at first the sound was tight and somewhat constrained, the midrange seemed recessed and the highs slightly etched.

Don’t give up on these. After 10 days of continuous operation things have opened up in the mids now - and not only has the mid range constraint vanished, but now there is what I would describe as very generous midrange bloom- in a good very tube- like way. Bass is round but deep and very tube- like as well. In fact, overall, this is probably the most “tube like” presentation I have heard yet. I feel like I’m taking a bath in low-order harmonic.

These are nothing like the RK242.

They run noticeably warmer than the RK242 as well- Class A1 vs A2 makes a difference I guess.

Using RK 5u4g Anniversary edition Recti currently -but will also try the Tak274b soon , which I expect to just draw me further into the organic from my past experience. We’ll see if it’s too much- but usually I can’t get enough of organic so probably not.

Still breaking in so will report back.

I love Lampi.