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Thread: Tubes and horns?

  1. #76
    Senior Member Krunchy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    Well, I got the refund for the Stromberg C amp yesterday and, after discussion with Emma,
    we both agree the Jolida SJ-101 has the most enjoyable sound we've heard with the L200 3 way system.

    2x 12AT7 Electro Harmonix (made in Russia)
    4x EL84 Electro Harmonix (made in Russia)

    They may be the original tubes it came with ... I have a quad set of replacement output tubes I can try later,
    but I'll have to see what's possible with that first pair of tubes ...

    Pull out all the electro harmonix, you'll be in for a very pleasantly surprise, especially if you like the sound you are getting from it now.
    The sound will only improve .
    Just Play Music.

  2. #77
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Krunchy View Post
    Pull out all the electro harmonix, you'll be in for a very pleasantly surprise, especially if you like the sound you are getting from it now.
    The sound will only improve .
    Got any tips on 12AT7s to look for?
    The Jan Phillips 6U8A input tubes I put in the Stromberg were better than the ones it came with and were reasonably priced (TubeDepot)

    Edit 16:30 - I just put an order for a pair of (tested) JAN Philips NOS-12AT7WC from TubeDepot for $25 shipped
    I'm not going to drop $150+ each for glow-in-the-dark cryo-treated Jamaican Black Mullard NOSE tubes ...

    With the Russian 6P14EB (EL84) tubes a music friend sent earlier, I can now swap some fresh tubes in the Jolida and let them age in ... once I get the manual and specs on setting the Bias ... can't wait for the weekend!
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  3. #78
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Oh dear god... tube rolling. HJ, we may never get you back.

    I have a friend who swaps tubes almost hourly... it is certainly interesting and can make positive and negative changes, but it can also distract you from enjoying the system.


    Widget

  4. #79
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    Oh dear god... tube rolling. HJ, we may never get you back.

    I have a friend who swaps tubes almost hourly... it is certainly interesting and can make positive and negative changes,
    but it can also distract you from enjoying the system.


    Widget
    Nope - I have an old box of tubes I found that have probably been stashed for 25+ years ...
    took a quick peek inside and closed them up again.

    I really do like to set the system up and then just sit back and LISTEN ...
    that is the reason for all the up front work!

    In the downstairs system (4341s) I set the EQ once and then forgot it -
    its basically used to bump the low end up for movies -
    so I do try to remember to TURN IT OFF for music, and turn it on for movies and TV ...
    (the 4641 adds a LOT to shows like House!)

    But thanks for the grin and the concern
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  5. #80
    Senior Member Krunchy's Avatar
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    Stigmata

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    I have a friend who swaps tubes almost hourly... it is certainly interesting and can make positive and negative changes, but it can also distract you from enjoying the system. Widget
    Thats funny, there may be some other underlying issues at play there As long as one stays focused on enjoying the system as you mention, tube rolling is not addictive, or at least not highly addictive.


    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    Got any tips on 12AT7s to look for? The Jan Phillips 6U8A input tubes I put in the Stromberg were better than the ones it came with and were reasonably priced (TubeDepot)
    There is probably a bit of a stigma about tube rolling, similar to the audiophile one, I changed tubes once & never looked back, done, sounds good leave it alone (at least in that regard). The usual suspects should be fine, sylvania, mullard, tungsram, telefunken, rca, ge phillips, mazda all make good tubes (ther are others of course), they're not that expensive either (unless you want them to be). I've bought used tubes with low mileage & they sound fine.
    Just Play Music.

  6. #81
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    I've got several 12AT7 tubes if you wanna try some different ones, Heather. My amps use the 12AX7 and 12AU7, so these 12AT7s are just surplus.

  7. #82
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Bit of dancing has transpired ..

    I had thought I'd wait for a higher powered amp,
    but my friend Wilfredo offered me a killer deal on the JoLida that I'd had loaner use of since Christmas.
    It DID sound very nice, so I snapped it up.

    I made a comment on AK on Monday that I'd be selling the Grant Fidelity Tube Buffer & got 4 offers -
    and today I got money via Paypal, so it went postal & on the way after work today.
    It was pleasant - but the JoLida amp sounds so much better.

    I bought a Carver TX-2 tuner that matches the Carver C-1 preamp.
    I sold the Technics tuner and shipped it out late this afternoon also.
    Now I'm waiting for the TX-2 to arrive for the occasional radio usage ...

    Haven't had much time for listening since I put the Jolida back in place Saturday for good ...
    hopefully I'll find some time over the coming Holiday weekend!

    Its really become an enjoyable system ...

    'Spose I need to sell all that Dahlquist stuff, too!
    Top picture shows the Jolida amp with the cage removed - this is one of the first generation apparently ...
    And yes, I have not rolled tubes yet (!!)
    But now I have the manual and the Fluke is nearby ...!

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  8. #83
    Senior Member pathfindermwd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Krunchy View Post
    Thats an elegant little unit pathfindermwd
    Thanks Krunchy!

    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    Bit of dancing has transpired ..


    It was pleasant - but the JoLida amp sounds so much better.


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    Thanks for the heads up Heather! I'll be looking for a tube amp now... I think they would go really well with my bi-amp-able L100S's and the Adcom 555 for the bass.

  9. #84
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Got my tax refund a couple weeks back. Salted most of it to saving, but decided the tubes have been such a pleasant upgrade,
    I thought I'd jump from a 20w/ch amp to a 40w/ch amp ...picked it up today in MD - the Jolida JD202Brc (remote control).
    Mike says give the tubes 200+ hours to break in - so I'll leave it on for the next 10 days or so before we do any real critical listening - but so far ... wow!


    A pair of 12AX7 and a pair of 12AT7 tubes, those feed quad EL34 output section.

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    2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
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  10. #85
    Senior Member pathfindermwd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    Got my tax refund a couple weeks back. Salted most of it to saving, but decided the tubes have been such a pleasant upgrade,
    I thought I'd jump from a 20w/ch amp to a 40w/ch amp ...picked it up today in MD - the Jolida JD202Brc (remote control).
    Mike says give the tubes 200+ hours to break in - so I'll leave it on for the next 10 days or so before we do any real critical listening - but so far ... wow!


    A pair of 12AX7 and a pair of 12AT7 tubes, those feed quad EL34 output section.

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    "Wow" sounds pretty great! Hope you will let us all know more of your impressions when they get broke in.

  11. #86
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pathfindermwd View Post
    "Wow" sounds pretty great! Hope you will let us all know more of your impressions when they get broke in.
    Will do - still cookin'!
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  13. #88
    Senior Member Krunchy's Avatar
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    That turkey done cooking yet?

    Looks sweet Heather, is that a headphone jack I see on the unit? Ooh that could be a lot of fun.
    Just Play Music.

  14. #89
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Krunchy View Post
    Looks sweet Heather, is that a headphone jack I see on the unit? Ooh that could be a lot of fun.
    Actually, its an Aux input - like for an iPod or something similar. But - the tubes have broken in fine. It came with all Russian tubes - 2x TungSol 12AX7s, pair of 12AT7 and quad EL34 - the later 6 ElectroHarmonix. I did some tube rolling already - swapped in the Jan Philips 12AT7s I got for the other Jolida, then swapped a pair of Jan GE (NOS) 12AX7s ... so only the output quad is the Russian EH tubes now. This week I have been playing it through a pair of DCM TF600s I brought home Monday - somewhere near the Magnepans and Dahlquists - yet different. Transmission line speakers. Very nice with acoustic music, hammer dulcimer, Gary Burton & James Taylor - that John Zorn Alhambra Love songs is quite nice! They're not quite as nice with Led Zep or classic Crimson ... Eargle on Everest & the Telarc 1812 digital canons suffer - I'll just have to play bombastic stuff like that on the biAmp monitors downstairs.

    (They came with black painted Oak caps which I sanded down and restained with Watco Danish oil - Cherry)
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  15. #90
    Senior Member Krunchy's Avatar
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    Seems like you are on your way Heather, its a good thing you have a couple of different sets of speakers to accomodate different types of music. It'll be interesting to see how this amp sounds with JBL's. YOu did a nice job on the DCM's, they look very nice.
    Just Play Music.

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