glitch39
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I would like share my current journey with my Liquid Platinum amp.
Got this amp new. First tube I rolled was a pair USN-CEP 6922. Nice improvement from the stock tubes, but I was not completely happy with them for some reason - they sounded great but the wow factor was not there on this amp. Tried Bugle Boys and Mullards - really, really nice vocals, but I felt the resolution can be improved. I can tell some subtleties were muted on some tracks. Then came Reflektor 6N23P's - great slam and resolution. I thought I had settled then. Then came NOS 6Н23П-ЕВ, which is the "beefed-up" and a step up from the Reflektors - more slam, great resolution, almost SS-like, and these tubes last forever.
Well, I could not leave well enough alone.
Disclaimer - the mods and additional tube rolling I have done below will void your warranty. It may break your amp or cans if the tubes you use are microphonic or generate pops. I used Chesky Demo disc as a control source. I have a custom balanced DAC with zapfilter output stage. It is fed by an XMOS to SPDF converter with ADUM 4160 isolator. Cans are HFM, Senn and Focal. The comments below are for my setup so at the very least, YMMV.
So here goes......
From the original unit
..... it became this ....
There is a post around here on the LP modification. Basically, 7 critical caps were upgraded. After the new caps were installed, I just let it burn in, playing miscellaneous music for several days.
Tried all the tubes above again and confirmed that performance was uplifted. The improvement is obvious. Background noise is dead-quiet, even at max volume with.
Those OTK 6Н23П-ЕВ's could have been my end-game for this particular setup.
But wait.......
I do have tube adapters that I tried before and did not work. I suddenly "remembered" to try them all again.
First was a 6922 to ECC82 adapter. Yes, it is almost 50% less gain but on an efficient can, you are still not maxing out the amp.
IMO, this tube type provided a more focused soundstage. It felt like instruments are next to you. Those trumpets are breathing in front of you. Overall, to me, it has a more intimate presentation. Rebecca Pidgeon never sounded better
Additional notes for each set that I tried:
Mullard ECC82 - vocals that wow you. Really, wow.
Raytheon 12AU7 - really great slam and vocals. It's like a mix of the 6Н23П-ЕВ and a Mullard.
Sylvania 12AU7U - a lot like the Raytheons but more tamed overall.
Next was a 6922 to 5670 adapter. Others have tried this on the stock amp before and have said it worked. But it did not on my stock LP. But after mod, it does work now!
Off the bat, I can hear the improved detail retrieval. There is much more layering in the music. And a much larger soundstage.
Additional notes for the sets that I tried:
WE 396A - everything you heard about this expensive tube is true, if it works in your setup. If orchestral/chamber is my only genre, this will do it for me.
Sylvania 5670 - it will delivers the 5670 characteristics - can't go wrong with this one and it's still reasonably priced.
Do I choose one over the other? No, I do not. I could say there is a clear winner for the type of music I intend to play.
But I do change out the genre and tube rolling is half the fun.
I hope you like this!
Got this amp new. First tube I rolled was a pair USN-CEP 6922. Nice improvement from the stock tubes, but I was not completely happy with them for some reason - they sounded great but the wow factor was not there on this amp. Tried Bugle Boys and Mullards - really, really nice vocals, but I felt the resolution can be improved. I can tell some subtleties were muted on some tracks. Then came Reflektor 6N23P's - great slam and resolution. I thought I had settled then. Then came NOS 6Н23П-ЕВ, which is the "beefed-up" and a step up from the Reflektors - more slam, great resolution, almost SS-like, and these tubes last forever.
Well, I could not leave well enough alone.
Disclaimer - the mods and additional tube rolling I have done below will void your warranty. It may break your amp or cans if the tubes you use are microphonic or generate pops. I used Chesky Demo disc as a control source. I have a custom balanced DAC with zapfilter output stage. It is fed by an XMOS to SPDF converter with ADUM 4160 isolator. Cans are HFM, Senn and Focal. The comments below are for my setup so at the very least, YMMV.
So here goes......
From the original unit
..... it became this ....
There is a post around here on the LP modification. Basically, 7 critical caps were upgraded. After the new caps were installed, I just let it burn in, playing miscellaneous music for several days.
Tried all the tubes above again and confirmed that performance was uplifted. The improvement is obvious. Background noise is dead-quiet, even at max volume with.
Those OTK 6Н23П-ЕВ's could have been my end-game for this particular setup.
But wait.......
I do have tube adapters that I tried before and did not work. I suddenly "remembered" to try them all again.
First was a 6922 to ECC82 adapter. Yes, it is almost 50% less gain but on an efficient can, you are still not maxing out the amp.
IMO, this tube type provided a more focused soundstage. It felt like instruments are next to you. Those trumpets are breathing in front of you. Overall, to me, it has a more intimate presentation. Rebecca Pidgeon never sounded better
Additional notes for each set that I tried:
Mullard ECC82 - vocals that wow you. Really, wow.
Raytheon 12AU7 - really great slam and vocals. It's like a mix of the 6Н23П-ЕВ and a Mullard.
Sylvania 12AU7U - a lot like the Raytheons but more tamed overall.
Next was a 6922 to 5670 adapter. Others have tried this on the stock amp before and have said it worked. But it did not on my stock LP. But after mod, it does work now!
Off the bat, I can hear the improved detail retrieval. There is much more layering in the music. And a much larger soundstage.
Additional notes for the sets that I tried:
WE 396A - everything you heard about this expensive tube is true, if it works in your setup. If orchestral/chamber is my only genre, this will do it for me.
Sylvania 5670 - it will delivers the 5670 characteristics - can't go wrong with this one and it's still reasonably priced.
Do I choose one over the other? No, I do not. I could say there is a clear winner for the type of music I intend to play.
But I do change out the genre and tube rolling is half the fun.
I hope you like this!
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