-
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Headphone Acoustics Reference CD : By Philips
The Headphone Acoustics Reference CD was produced by Philips specifically for reviewing and testing of headphones and is quite a useful CD to have around. The market price is around $20.00.
Track List:
- JWO Band : Release Yourself
- Primtose Path : Time after time
- Edward Val :Two of us
- Pennellion : Mona was here name
- Barber Shop Boys : Cape God
- L'Imperevu :Handel - The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
- Jazz Gazz :Drive through
- Trio Peter Beets :Let's go
- Jump Beats :Percussions
- Mister Groeneveld :Percussive improvement
- Tramontana :An old friend
- Cantus ex Corde :Kolj Slawajen
- Utrechtsch Studenten :Tchaikovsky-Symphony no.1 part 2
- 28. STS Sound Library :A journey into live sound
| Equipment used in Recording this CD: | |
| Microphones | Schoeps CMC6 with MK2H Capsules |
| Cables | Siltech |
| Recorders | Marantz CDR 640/outside CDR 300 |
| Mixer | Reportimix Eela Audio |
| A/D converter | Weiss ADC1 Gambit series |
| Headphone | Philips HP890/HP1000 |
| Mains cabling | Kemp Elektroniks |
| Mains filter | Kemp Elektroniks |
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Audiotailor "Jade" Tube Headphone Amplifier.
Above: The Audiotailor "Jade" in it's present stage of evolution with a low and high impedance switch on the front panel, two headphone outputs with different sound signatures and green LED.
Evolution:
The Audiotailor "Jade" Tube Headphone Amplifier has come a long way since it's early beginnings, my present version is somewhat different in appearance from the original which "Skylab" had originally reviewed on Head-Fi. A photo of the original review version can be found below and you can see immediately the changes which are apparent.The Jade is made in China, and will sell for $250 – an attractive price. I have not mentioned shipping price since this was not incurred as "Audiotailor" - Mr. Joseph Lau arranged for His partner C.K. Lau of Antique Sound Lab to meet me at my local train station for pick up. Thanks Joseph and C.K. for your help.
The "Jade" Tube Headphone Amplifier is not available on the web and in shops and one must contact Audiotailor through Head Fi to arrange to get a set. The original set came with a Peking "Star" 6N5P and a Electro Harmonix 12AX7 which is used as the driver. These tubes were in fact well partnered as stock tubes. The 6n5P is the Chinese variant of the 6AS7. For my own listening preferences I rolled the Sylvania 6AS7 and the Siemens ECC83 (12AX7) as I like the synergy of these tubes partnered. Burning in is now approaching the 100 hour mark and I am sure once passed the 200 hour mark it will be a stunning amplifier since the performance now is already quite exceptional. With the 6AS7G as it's output tube and the input tube is a 12AX7 - the amp uses one of each tube, meaning that one channel rides on one section of each of these dual-triode tubes.
There are two outputs for headphone, both with slightly different sound signatures, one on the left sounding a bit more like an SS amp and the the one on the right more tubey in character. Naturally I preferred the right hand output. On the left side, the sound was solid, very detailed, with deep penetrating bass, of high resolve, very clear and transparent, and certainly not bright or edgy, but not lush or rich as expected from a tube sounding amp. The sound stage was very well defined, but wider than it was deep.
For the right side the amp displayed a more tubey signature with an open sound sweet highs, slightly richer mids and less deep bass. The sound stage was quite wide and the general sound being warm associated with a tube amp.
This feature is great especially if you have multiple headphones like me and it means that you can mix and match to obtain the best sounding combination for each respective headphone. And of course on the the front panel there is also a high and low impedance switch which will help with those hard to drive headphones, but in my initial listening test I have found that I have not been able to use the high impedance setting since I have been able to drive most of my headphones quite well, except maybe for the Bwyer's which are high impedance. In the original review sample which "Skylab" had, there was no high/low impedance switch on the front panel.
Below is a photo of the original version:
DAC of Choice:
Some of you are going to call me nuts when I tell you that I have taken the digital signal from the CDP to be processed by an old Micromega "Microdac" DAC before sending the analog to the "Jade". The Microdac is quite an old design, but after trying and listening to various DAC's and pairing them up with the Jade, the Microdac was the best combination, it was the most lively, involving and musical combination. Worried about resolution, need not be as there was ample resolve and the sound staging was also excellent adding some needed depth. The Jade already had plenty of width.
There are still many audiophiles out there searching for the Microdac today and it is indeed still held in high regard, fetching even 250 to 300 Euros on the second hand market. Why, because it is musical in nature and more akin to analogue sound then hard cold digital. The Microdac is a DAC using 1 bit PDM Bitstream technology with 256 times oversampling. Sampling frequencies are 32, 44, 48 kHz. Frequency response is 2 Hz - 20 kHz + - 0.2db. Digital input is either via coaxial cable or Toslink, but I prefer coaxial. Oh I did forget to mention that my Microdac is not your run of the mill version since I have upgraded and modified the inside components using Panasonic "Pureism" ele. caps, Holco .1% tolerance resistors and other goodies.
The digital cable between the CDP and Microdac is the XLO HT-4 Silver clad 4N - 1M length (99.994% pure) with OFHC center conductor and features:
Burn-in Tools:
For burning-in I used the "XLO" burn in CD and the "Ayre" Irrational, But Efficacious CD's.
Review CD's:
1. Audiophile "Timeless Best Collection" 24 bit / 96khz DSP Mastering URCD;
2. Wild Blue "Jeanne Newhall";
3. We Miss You, Leslie "Chris Babida";
4. Dark Side of the Moon "Pink Floyd";
5. Tubular Bells "Mike Oldfield";
6. Variations "Andrew Lloyd Webber";
7. Hotel California "Eagles" - Japanese CD pressing;
8. 2AM "Danny Summer" XRCD;
9. Natural Elements "Acoustic Alchemy";
10.Breakdown "Paulinho Da Costa";
11.Gold Lion KT88 Vacuum Tube Audiophile Recordings "HECM - Musical Fedelity Recording";
12.Eternity "Angella Christie";
13.Hi-End Audiophile Test Demo "HD Mastering - ABC Recordings";
14.The Tube Hi-Fi Saxaphone " High Resolution Tube Recording - ABC Recordings";
15.Headphone Test Disc "ABC Recordings";
16.Memorial Version 30 years - Tubes "ABC Recordings";
17.Luxman 2009 Demonstration Disc " DSD recording";
18.Blue Skies "Stan Getz";
19.vol.SOUND "S.E.N.S."
More Later!Evolution:
The Audiotailor "Jade" Tube Headphone Amplifier has come a long way since it's early beginnings, my present version is somewhat different in appearance from the original which "Skylab" had originally reviewed on Head-Fi. A photo of the original review version can be found below and you can see immediately the changes which are apparent.The Jade is made in China, and will sell for $250 – an attractive price. I have not mentioned shipping price since this was not incurred as "Audiotailor" - Mr. Joseph Lau arranged for His partner C.K. Lau of Antique Sound Lab to meet me at my local train station for pick up. Thanks Joseph and C.K. for your help.
The "Jade" Tube Headphone Amplifier is not available on the web and in shops and one must contact Audiotailor through Head Fi to arrange to get a set. The original set came with a Peking "Star" 6N5P and a Electro Harmonix 12AX7 which is used as the driver. These tubes were in fact well partnered as stock tubes. The 6n5P is the Chinese variant of the 6AS7. For my own listening preferences I rolled the Sylvania 6AS7 and the Siemens ECC83 (12AX7) as I like the synergy of these tubes partnered. Burning in is now approaching the 100 hour mark and I am sure once passed the 200 hour mark it will be a stunning amplifier since the performance now is already quite exceptional. With the 6AS7G as it's output tube and the input tube is a 12AX7 - the amp uses one of each tube, meaning that one channel rides on one section of each of these dual-triode tubes.
There are two outputs for headphone, both with slightly different sound signatures, one on the left sounding a bit more like an SS amp and the the one on the right more tubey in character. Naturally I preferred the right hand output. On the left side, the sound was solid, very detailed, with deep penetrating bass, of high resolve, very clear and transparent, and certainly not bright or edgy, but not lush or rich as expected from a tube sounding amp. The sound stage was very well defined, but wider than it was deep.
For the right side the amp displayed a more tubey signature with an open sound sweet highs, slightly richer mids and less deep bass. The sound stage was quite wide and the general sound being warm associated with a tube amp.
This feature is great especially if you have multiple headphones like me and it means that you can mix and match to obtain the best sounding combination for each respective headphone. And of course on the the front panel there is also a high and low impedance switch which will help with those hard to drive headphones, but in my initial listening test I have found that I have not been able to use the high impedance setting since I have been able to drive most of my headphones quite well, except maybe for the Bwyer's which are high impedance. In the original review sample which "Skylab" had, there was no high/low impedance switch on the front panel.
Below is a photo of the original version:
DAC of Choice:
Some of you are going to call me nuts when I tell you that I have taken the digital signal from the CDP to be processed by an old Micromega "Microdac" DAC before sending the analog to the "Jade". The Microdac is quite an old design, but after trying and listening to various DAC's and pairing them up with the Jade, the Microdac was the best combination, it was the most lively, involving and musical combination. Worried about resolution, need not be as there was ample resolve and the sound staging was also excellent adding some needed depth. The Jade already had plenty of width.
There are still many audiophiles out there searching for the Microdac today and it is indeed still held in high regard, fetching even 250 to 300 Euros on the second hand market. Why, because it is musical in nature and more akin to analogue sound then hard cold digital. The Microdac is a DAC using 1 bit PDM Bitstream technology with 256 times oversampling. Sampling frequencies are 32, 44, 48 kHz. Frequency response is 2 Hz - 20 kHz + - 0.2db. Digital input is either via coaxial cable or Toslink, but I prefer coaxial. Oh I did forget to mention that my Microdac is not your run of the mill version since I have upgraded and modified the inside components using Panasonic "Pureism" ele. caps, Holco .1% tolerance resistors and other goodies.
The digital cable between the CDP and Microdac is the XLO HT-4 Silver clad 4N - 1M length (99.994% pure) with OFHC center conductor and features:
- Symmetrical coaxial geometry
- Silver-clad, 4N (99.994% pure) OFHC copper center conductor
- Ultra-low capacitance LDPE dielectric insulation
- Bi-metallic shielding (silver-clad 4N OFHC braid + aluminum Mylar® foil)
- for maximum protection against EMI and RFI
- Pressure extruded, high stability protective outer jacket
- Terminated with XLO’s precision machined, 24K gold-plated 75 Ohm RCAs
Burn-in Tools:
For burning-in I used the "XLO" burn in CD and the "Ayre" Irrational, But Efficacious CD's.
Review CD's:
1. Audiophile "Timeless Best Collection" 24 bit / 96khz DSP Mastering URCD;
2. Wild Blue "Jeanne Newhall";
3. We Miss You, Leslie "Chris Babida";
4. Dark Side of the Moon "Pink Floyd";
5. Tubular Bells "Mike Oldfield";
6. Variations "Andrew Lloyd Webber";
7. Hotel California "Eagles" - Japanese CD pressing;
8. 2AM "Danny Summer" XRCD;
9. Natural Elements "Acoustic Alchemy";
10.Breakdown "Paulinho Da Costa";
11.Gold Lion KT88 Vacuum Tube Audiophile Recordings "HECM - Musical Fedelity Recording";
12.Eternity "Angella Christie";
13.Hi-End Audiophile Test Demo "HD Mastering - ABC Recordings";
14.The Tube Hi-Fi Saxaphone " High Resolution Tube Recording - ABC Recordings";
15.Headphone Test Disc "ABC Recordings";
16.Memorial Version 30 years - Tubes "ABC Recordings";
17.Luxman 2009 Demonstration Disc " DSD recording";
18.Blue Skies "Stan Getz";
19.vol.SOUND "S.E.N.S."
Sunday, May 3, 2009
PMC Speakers.
PMC AML-1 Active Professional Monitors
These are damn good active monitors, I had the chance to listen to them recently but only for a brief period and was very impressed. Will need to look into them a bit more further. PMC AML-1
These are damn good active monitors, I had the chance to listen to them recently but only for a brief period and was very impressed. Will need to look into them a bit more further. PMC AML-1Saturday, May 2, 2009
Hong Kong: Swine Flu Mutation Gives Unpredictable Toxicity
Footage shot from the scene outside the Metro Park Hotel in Wan Chai - Hong Kong, May 1st, 2009 circa 11:30 pm. This footage is unedited and shows health and safety workers quarantined the Metro Park hotel.
First case of Swine Flu imported to Hong Kong by Mexican Man - confirmed on 1st May, 2009.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Cryogenically Treated Vacuum Tubes: Is it all hype or are they really different?
You may have seen advertisements for cryogenic treated vacuum tubes and the benefits which are supposed to be derived from the cold process and wondered if this is hype or snake oil or does such a treatment really have any effect? I too also wondered about this and did look around, there are many vendors out there providing such treated vacuum tubes but the prices they are usually asking are more then just premium. They will bleed you. After a bit of searching, I came across Cryoset who do such a treatment for vacuum tubes but the prices they asked were reasonable and so decided to take just such a chance and ordered my first cryogenically treated vacuum tubes which were a matched pair of Electro Harmonix EL84 for my Yarland P-100 and a pair of Tung Sol 6SL7GT for my Little Dot Mk VI.
So did I hear any differences when compared to other tubes I had in stock, well I was very pleasantly surprised by the results of the Cryoset tubes and yes there are noticeable differences in the overall sound quality rendered. To put it in a nutshell, the overall detail and SQ seemed to be much better defined and refined with no graininess , even very Small nuances come through with exceptional clarity. The sound staging I have found is more exact and the musical nature of the reproduction has greatly improved. In my own opinion, yes there are differences and the small amount extra paid was worthwhile for such differences.
I have since added a pair of Cryoset Sovtek 12AX7 Long Plates to my collection.
I have no connection with Cryoset and this is purely based on my experience which I wanted to share.
On the technical description of the Cryoset treatment, this is an extract of their information:
The proprietary Cryoset treatment process utilizes a computer controlled, cryogenic chamber to very gradually reduce the temperature of the tubes to 300 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) and holding them there for a minimum of 24 hours. After the extended dwell at this cryogenic temperature, the vacuum tubes are then very slowly brought up to ambient temperature over the next 24 hours and stabilized. The process is a "dry" one that utilizes liquid nitrogen as a cryogen that is flashed into the chamber. The tubes are never exposed to the actual liquid. All these processes are microprocessor controlled under strict and verifiable conditions. Scientists have known for years that material transformations occur when they are exposed to cryogenic temperatures. Many of the early discoveries were more fully explored by NASA engineers who were trying to understand what would happen to metals when subjected to the extreme temperatures of space. Today, a wide range of commercial items from softball bats to race engines are cryogenically treated to improve their performance by enhancing the material properties with "cold treating" or cryogenic processing. This technology brings practical application to audio and other electrical components as well. Cryogenic treatment modifies the micro structure of the metals used in critical electronic components by reducing or eliminating voids and imperfections in the material. Crystal structures (or grains) have been shown to be modified after cryogenic treatment, creating a more uniform or homogeneous micro structure. The thermal dissipation properties of the metals are improved, reducing hot spots and further contributing to extended life and improved performance. In addition, the physical contraction of the metals while under the deep freeze imparts a mechanical compression on the metals that contributes to improved signal transmission quality and speed. The materials used in electronics are highly fabricated and the manufacturing processes used impart or induce stresses in them. In addition, welding and soldering adds additional stress from concentrated areas of heating. Most everyone recognizes that welded components often fail at the weld -- a "weak" spot. The weakness comes from residual stresses inherent in all materials, further exacerbated by manufacturing techniques or processes. Cryogenic treatment relieves stresses and normalizes (or stabilizes) welded and soldered areas. This mechanism is founded in the observation first made by Bose and later by Einstein, that matter is at it most relaxed state when it has the least amount of kinetic energy (or molecular activity). Absolute zero (-459 Fahrenheit) is that point where no more energy can be extracted, or when a material is at its most "relaxed" state. While Cryoset (R) thermal treatment does not get to absolute zero, you can understand how going to minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an extend dwell time enables the material to become more relaxed and stress relieved. The transformations as a result of cryogenic treatment is permanent, and do not change with time.
You can visit Cryoset at: Cryoset Treated Vacuum Tubes To -300 Deg. F
So did I hear any differences when compared to other tubes I had in stock, well I was very pleasantly surprised by the results of the Cryoset tubes and yes there are noticeable differences in the overall sound quality rendered. To put it in a nutshell, the overall detail and SQ seemed to be much better defined and refined with no graininess , even very Small nuances come through with exceptional clarity. The sound staging I have found is more exact and the musical nature of the reproduction has greatly improved. In my own opinion, yes there are differences and the small amount extra paid was worthwhile for such differences.I have since added a pair of Cryoset Sovtek 12AX7 Long Plates to my collection.
I have no connection with Cryoset and this is purely based on my experience which I wanted to share.On the technical description of the Cryoset treatment, this is an extract of their information:
The proprietary Cryoset treatment process utilizes a computer controlled, cryogenic chamber to very gradually reduce the temperature of the tubes to 300 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) and holding them there for a minimum of 24 hours. After the extended dwell at this cryogenic temperature, the vacuum tubes are then very slowly brought up to ambient temperature over the next 24 hours and stabilized. The process is a "dry" one that utilizes liquid nitrogen as a cryogen that is flashed into the chamber. The tubes are never exposed to the actual liquid. All these processes are microprocessor controlled under strict and verifiable conditions. Scientists have known for years that material transformations occur when they are exposed to cryogenic temperatures. Many of the early discoveries were more fully explored by NASA engineers who were trying to understand what would happen to metals when subjected to the extreme temperatures of space. Today, a wide range of commercial items from softball bats to race engines are cryogenically treated to improve their performance by enhancing the material properties with "cold treating" or cryogenic processing. This technology brings practical application to audio and other electrical components as well. Cryogenic treatment modifies the micro structure of the metals used in critical electronic components by reducing or eliminating voids and imperfections in the material. Crystal structures (or grains) have been shown to be modified after cryogenic treatment, creating a more uniform or homogeneous micro structure. The thermal dissipation properties of the metals are improved, reducing hot spots and further contributing to extended life and improved performance. In addition, the physical contraction of the metals while under the deep freeze imparts a mechanical compression on the metals that contributes to improved signal transmission quality and speed. The materials used in electronics are highly fabricated and the manufacturing processes used impart or induce stresses in them. In addition, welding and soldering adds additional stress from concentrated areas of heating. Most everyone recognizes that welded components often fail at the weld -- a "weak" spot. The weakness comes from residual stresses inherent in all materials, further exacerbated by manufacturing techniques or processes. Cryogenic treatment relieves stresses and normalizes (or stabilizes) welded and soldered areas. This mechanism is founded in the observation first made by Bose and later by Einstein, that matter is at it most relaxed state when it has the least amount of kinetic energy (or molecular activity). Absolute zero (-459 Fahrenheit) is that point where no more energy can be extracted, or when a material is at its most "relaxed" state. While Cryoset (R) thermal treatment does not get to absolute zero, you can understand how going to minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an extend dwell time enables the material to become more relaxed and stress relieved. The transformations as a result of cryogenic treatment is permanent, and do not change with time.
You can visit Cryoset at: Cryoset Treated Vacuum Tubes To -300 Deg. F
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
CD Recommendation: Michael Wong - Cool Rhythm (Jazz).
You may know of Michael Wong the actor, but Michael Wong as a Jazz Singer, no! Well the answer is yes he can and hecan really Jazz things up. This is an exceptionally good Jazz vocal album and the recording is quite good also. His renditions of Quando, Quando, Quando and Sway were extremely good and I found myself immersed in the music and the vocals completely. Not at all bad and highly recommended. Kenny Bee happens to be one of his partners in crime on the album.| Product Title: | Cool Rhythm Cool Rhythm Cool Rhythm Cool Rhythm |
| Singer Name(s): | Michael Wong (Actor / Singer) |
| Release Date: | 2007-12-21 |
| Language: | English |
| Country of Origin: | Hong Kong |
| Disc Format(s): | CD |
| Publisher: | Ching Mei Records (HK) |
Track List
01. Mack The Knife
02. Quando, Quando, Quando - 陳慧琳合唱
03. Sway
04. Maneater
05. I've Got You Under My Skin
06. Imagine - 鍾鎮濤合唱
07. Save The Last Dance For Me
08. Pride And Joy
09. What A Wonderful World
10. The More I See You
11. Shanty
And here is a clip of Michael in concert:
02. Quando, Quando, Quando - 陳慧琳合唱
03. Sway
04. Maneater
05. I've Got You Under My Skin
06. Imagine - 鍾鎮濤合唱
07. Save The Last Dance For Me
08. Pride And Joy
09. What A Wonderful World
10. The More I See You
11. Shanty
And here is a clip of Michael in concert:
Audio Technica ATH-ESW9 Recabling With Cello "Strings" Silver Cable.
I have always thought the Audio Technica ATH-ESW9 to be a good pair of wood cans but felt that there was something lacking and the performance could be bettered! So I decided to take the plunge, I have two sets of the ATH-ESW9 headphones and so I decided to re-cable one set with Cello "Strings" silver cable. The cable is a silver core and braid, not your typical silver plated braid cable with a copper conductor. You may well ask is this a bit of an overkill?
Only after the re-cabling can one appreciate how under performing the original headphones were. What can I say, upon listening to the re cabled ESW9's the first reaction was "Holy Moly" and "Wow", it is as though a very thick vale has been completely lift. The overall change in the performance of the headphone is astounding, dynamics, clarity, transients, resolution, imagery, sound staging width and depth have change many fold. The bass is so brilliantly controlled, so tight and gut wrenching impact. It was well worth the effort. Herewith below are photos of my own custom re-cabled ESW9's. I suggest you also try re-cabling yours.
Suffice to say the original cable wa a wet shoe string and not to mince words - a piece of crap.
So looks like I need to re-cable the other pair also? Maybe balanced for my Little Dot MK VI?
Only after the re-cabling can one appreciate how under performing the original headphones were. What can I say, upon listening to the re cabled ESW9's the first reaction was "Holy Moly" and "Wow", it is as though a very thick vale has been completely lift. The overall change in the performance of the headphone is astounding, dynamics, clarity, transients, resolution, imagery, sound staging width and depth have change many fold. The bass is so brilliantly controlled, so tight and gut wrenching impact. It was well worth the effort. Herewith below are photos of my own custom re-cabled ESW9's. I suggest you also try re-cabling yours.
Suffice to say the original cable wa a wet shoe string and not to mince words - a piece of crap.
So looks like I need to re-cable the other pair also? Maybe balanced for my Little Dot MK VI?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Woodworking: A Bamboo Wood Tube Stand.
I made another tube stand, this time it took me much longer since it was made out of highly compressed bamboo block and woodworking was particularly difficult as the compressed bamboo block was very hard. It took me two weeks, but I am pleased with the results. I can place medium sized and small tubes plus all my various adapters onto the stand and the finish of the bamboo wood is very attractive. Some photos below of the finished stand:
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tube Comparison Table
| US | European | Chinese | Russian | Premium Model |
| 6DJ8 | ECC88 | 6N23 | 6N23P | CCa |
| 6922 | E88CC | 6N11 | 6N23P-EV | - |
| 6SN7 | 6SN7 | 6N8 | 6N8P - 6CC10 | B65, 5692 |
| 6SL7 | 6SL7 | 6N9 | 6N9P | 5691, 6SU7 |
| 6267 | EF86 | 6J8 | 6J32P | Z729, EF806S |
| 5687 | 5687 | 6N12 | - | 5687WA |
| - | ECC85 | 6N1
| 6N1P | 6N1P-EV |
| 6AX7 | ECC41, (Cannot replace ECC83/12AX7) | 6N2
| 6N2P / 6SS41 | 6N2P-EV |
| 2C51/5670 | ECC42 | 6N3 | 6N3P / 6SS42 | WE396A, 6854, 6385, CV2831, 5670, 5670WA, CK5670, CK5670WA, CV2575, CV4013, CV5894, CV8247, GL5670 |
| 12AX7 | ECC83 | 6N4 |
| 5751, 4004 |
| 12AU7 | ECC82 | 6N10 |
|
|
| 6BM8 | ECL82 | - | 6F3P |
|
| 6BQ5 | EL84 | 6P14 | 6P14P | N709, E84L, 7320, 7189, 7189A |
| 6L6 | 6L6 | 6P3P | 6P3S | KT66, EL37, WE350B, VT75 |
| 6V6 | 6V6 | 6P6P | 6P6S | KT63, 5992 |
| 6550 | - | 6P27P | 6P27P | KT88 |
| 5U4G | 5U4G | 5Z3P | 5Z3S | U52, WE274A/B, 53KU |
| 5Y3 | - | 5Z2P | 5Z2S | U50 |
| 5Z4 | GZ30 | 5Z4P | 5Z4S | - |
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ella W6 SEPP Tube Headphone Amplifier.
I beleive these are the first pics. of the Ella W6 SEPP Tube Heaphone Amplifier. This is another Sino based product and uses 2 x 6N2 for driver tubes and 2 x 6N6 for finals. I beleive the substitute for the 6N2 is the 6AX7 tube, if anyone knows differently then please send me an email. I do beleive there is no western equivalent for the Sino 6N6, except for Russian equvalents, but if anyone knows otherwise I would be interested to learn.The basic specs are:
Impedance range for phones: 32 ohms to 600 ohms.
Non-distorted output power: >/= 200mW @ 300 ohms.
Max. output power: 500mW @ 300 ohms.
Distortion: /= 86dB
Frequency Range: 10Hz to 120KHz
Power Supply: 220 V AC 50Hz
Power Consumption: 70VA
Tube Rolling:
For the 6N2 it is almost damn near impossible to get hold of ay 6AX7 tubes and I am still a bit weary as to whether the 6AX7 is a direct drop in replacement even though various sources on the web have indicated that it is. Looking for this tube is like looking for a real live dinosaur or dodo.
So the next best possible thing to do with such limited tube rolling options for the 6N2 is to replace them with a matched pair of Russian 6N2P-EV from Voskhod. The 6N2P-EV (EV Designator) is said to be the top cream of the crop for 6N2P's and are premium quality which should have some difference over the existing Chinese 6N2's. The 6N2P are Double Triode Tubes, made in the Russian Voskhod factory for military equipment in the year 1987. The 6N2P (6Н2П) is very similar to the ECC83 /12AX7 but it has a slightly different pinning arrangement. These are NOS.
"6N2P Data Sheet"
The Voskhod 6N2P-EV tube data measured are:
As for the 6N6 tubes, this is an even bigger headache, there appears to be no western equivalents which one can choose for rolling. So staying with the Russians, I have decided to replace the Chinese 6N6 tubes with the Russian "OTK" 6N6P ( 6Н6П ) from NOVOSIBIRSK of the the year 1985, these are also military grade tubes. These are NOS.
NOVOSIBIRSK "OTK" 6N6P Tube Parameters:
We await the arrival of the Russian tubes. 24/04/2009: After considerable difficulty, I was able to locate and secure 1 pair of Westinghouse NOS 6AX7 tubes from the States!
Tube Adapters: 12AX7 to 6N2:
Whilst awaiting for the Russian Tubes to arrive, I have also contacted Alex Shen in Taiwan who makes tube adapters and he will be sending me a pair of 12AX7 tube to 6N2 socket tube adapters by next week similar to the ones pictured below. At first I had thought about rewiring the sockets for 12AX7 tubes, but upon review the use of such adapter will allow me great flexibility with tube rolling options, there are also a vast array of good sounding 12AX7 tubes such as the Telefunken, Siemens, Mullards etc:
All tubes tested at :
Ua = 250V
Ug1 = -1.5V
Test results:
S = 2.0mA/V
Ia = 2.0mA
| Name | 6N2P-EV |
| Type | Double triode,hi-durable,long-life |
| Application | LF voltage amplification |
| Cathode type | oxide,indirect heating |
| Envelope | glass,miniature |
| Mass,g | 15 |
| Filament voltage,V | 6,3 |
| Filament current,A | 0,315-0,365 |
| Anode voltage,V | 250 |
| Anode current,A | 0,0014-0,0032 |
| Anode power,W | 1 |
| Grid1 voltage,V | minus 1,5 |
| Steepness,mA/V | 1,6-2,65 |
| Reverse grid current,uA | 0,05 |
| Microphnic noise,mV | 100 |
| Gain | 85-115 |
| Socket type | rsh8 |
As for the 6N6 tubes, this is an even bigger headache, there appears to be no western equivalents which one can choose for rolling. So staying with the Russians, I have decided to replace the Chinese 6N6 tubes with the Russian "OTK" 6N6P ( 6Н6П ) from NOVOSIBIRSK of the the year 1985, these are also military grade tubes. These are NOS.
NOVOSIBIRSK "OTK" 6N6P Tube Parameters:
| Filament voltage,V | 6,3 |
| Filament current,A | 0,59-0,81 |
| Anode voltage,V | 120 |
| Anode current,A | 0,02-0,04 |
| Anode power,W | 4,8 |
| Grid1 voltage,V | minus 2 |
| Steepness,mA/V | 8,1-13,9 |
| Reverse grid current,uA | 0,5 |
| Microphnic noise,mV | 100 |
| Gain | 16,0-24,0 |
We await the arrival of the Russian tubes. 24/04/2009: After considerable difficulty, I was able to locate and secure 1 pair of Westinghouse NOS 6AX7 tubes from the States!
Tube Adapters: 12AX7 to 6N2:
Whilst awaiting for the Russian Tubes to arrive, I have also contacted Alex Shen in Taiwan who makes tube adapters and he will be sending me a pair of 12AX7 tube to 6N2 socket tube adapters by next week similar to the ones pictured below. At first I had thought about rewiring the sockets for 12AX7 tubes, but upon review the use of such adapter will allow me great flexibility with tube rolling options, there are also a vast array of good sounding 12AX7 tubes such as the Telefunken, Siemens, Mullards etc:
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Poem: Fallen From Good Grace.
Fallen From Good Grace.
Yesterdays and yesteryear's good
grace has long been gone
far from your mind and away
from your heart.
Trample on a thin line that now
remains and stomping on what
is left of ties and bonds that were
once close, tight and dear.
Closed is your mindset to any
attempts for repairs to any relationship
that once was, like weak mortar
crumbling before your very eyes.
A bitter and sour taste remains
as the grapes have not turned to
sweet wine. You curse each
day as a new dawn breaks.
Your lips are tainted with scorn
which you eagerly embrace like
a new found friend, forgetting
those that you now leave behind.
Your spirit seems so possessed to
rid yourself of your very past,
leaving no signs of those you put
in your trust, but all trust is now lost.
Lost to an ego that has no time,
no time for anyone except those
that serve your purpose now and for
for a short time they will serve you best.
But soon you will betray your self
with your own selfish scheming ways,
betrayal seen so clear that integrity
will not find a home to rest.
You will reap the harvest of your
own doing and pay so heavily that
price will be your very own timely
and truly welcome demise.
This poem was written about a person who I once thought I knew quite well, but on the contrary it turns out that I did not know him at all. One day he showed me his inner side - just a plain liar and scoundrel. Needless to say there was a parting of ways for I did despise what I did finally see with my very own eyes. Such a fake and full of conceit.
Jazz Recommendation: Steve Cole Tenor Saxophonist.
Steve Cole was born on 17 August 1970, he is an American progressive smooth jazz tenor saxophonist and has released five albums starting in the late 1990s. Most of his albums have been very well-received. He is also a professor/adviser of music business at Columbia College Chicago.
Cole was born in the city of Chicago, Illinois and began to play music at a very ripe young age. His musical background training was classical, following after his father with the clarinet before he decided to switch to the saxophone in high school. While at Northwestern University, he studied classical saxophone before changing his field to economics, eventually earning an MBA from The University of Chicago. After leaving school, Cole returned his focus to music; in particular, jazz.
In 2001 he hit the charts with the Grover Washington jr & Bill Withers classic "Just The Two of Us" from the star-studded tribute album "To Grover, with Love", produced by renowned keyboardist/arranger/producer Jason Miles. The album eventually made it to no. 4 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums. The track covered fantastically by Regina Belle, Steve Cole and George Duke has become a jazz classic.
So without much ado, here are a few select videos from Steve:
Cole was born in the city of Chicago, Illinois and began to play music at a very ripe young age. His musical background training was classical, following after his father with the clarinet before he decided to switch to the saxophone in high school. While at Northwestern University, he studied classical saxophone before changing his field to economics, eventually earning an MBA from The University of Chicago. After leaving school, Cole returned his focus to music; in particular, jazz.
In 2001 he hit the charts with the Grover Washington jr & Bill Withers classic "Just The Two of Us" from the star-studded tribute album "To Grover, with Love", produced by renowned keyboardist/arranger/producer Jason Miles. The album eventually made it to no. 4 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums. The track covered fantastically by Regina Belle, Steve Cole and George Duke has become a jazz classic.
So without much ado, here are a few select videos from Steve:
Friday, April 17, 2009
Here's Tim : Tim Weisberg.
Of course we are staying with jazz and here are a few cool tunes from an amazing flutist by the name of Tim Weisberg who is another of my favorite smooth jazz artists:
Dave Koz
I found this interview clip on another of my favorite saxophonists - Dave Koz. Enjoy!
and a few others from Dave:
and a few others from Dave:
CD Recommendation: Waltz for Debby [HYBRID SACD] .
The SACD version offers considerably improved sound quality over any of the original CD remastered versions. The hiss you heard originally from the CD and the LP versions is almost virtually gone. This overall presentation offers greater clarity and depth in music reproduced.
However with the clarity this makes the background sounds of the audience with their chats, laughs and silverware more noticeable giving the lively realism of a club jazz jamming session and the listener feels that he/she is sitting in the club. Such realism was not possible or captured in the original version that well. This is remarkable since the remaster came from tapes made from master tapes more then 41 years ago before the advent of the CD. The jazz club ambiance is superb.
In the 60's the Bill Evans Trio were the hottest thing on the jazz scene, and the recording of their live session so many years back is still hot today.
This is a true jazz lover's album and a must for any collection if you are to be considered a jazz buff. Comparing this SACD edition to the XRCD leaves you speechless since the amount of information resolved by the SACD is just mind boggling.
Here is a rare clip of the trio:
"Bill Evans Trio - Waltz For Debby"
However with the clarity this makes the background sounds of the audience with their chats, laughs and silverware more noticeable giving the lively realism of a club jazz jamming session and the listener feels that he/she is sitting in the club. Such realism was not possible or captured in the original version that well. This is remarkable since the remaster came from tapes made from master tapes more then 41 years ago before the advent of the CD. The jazz club ambiance is superb.
In the 60's the Bill Evans Trio were the hottest thing on the jazz scene, and the recording of their live session so many years back is still hot today.
This is a true jazz lover's album and a must for any collection if you are to be considered a jazz buff. Comparing this SACD edition to the XRCD leaves you speechless since the amount of information resolved by the SACD is just mind boggling.
Here is a rare clip of the trio:
"Bill Evans Trio - Waltz For Debby"
and of course track 1 on the album - "My Foolish Heart"
On Imeem:
Waltz For Debby - Aebersold
My Choice of Attache Case: Zero Halliburton "Premium P4-SI 4" Wide Silver Aluminum"
For work, my choice of Attache Case is the Zero Halliburton "Premium P4-SI 4" Wide Silver Aluminum" case. The list price is US$595.00. I have been using the Zero since 2003 and it is probably the best attache case that I have had. In the past I have had some leather cases but none were built to last like this one. The web site is "Zero Halliburton"
I also have another Zero Halliburton black aluminum camera case which I have used since the 1980's till now and still solid as a rock. These are great cases and if I were to get a third it would still be a Zero.
I also have another Zero Halliburton black aluminum camera case which I have used since the 1980's till now and still solid as a rock. These are great cases and if I were to get a third it would still be a Zero.
size
13 x 18 x 4.5 in.
33 x 45.7 x 11.4 cm
Premier Specific Features
Ultra handle – durable and comfortable
Luxurious leather interior
Console lock conceals triple-digit combination and single-button release mechanism
Two expandable file pockets
Five additional pockets for complete organization
Offered in silver, black, gold, & cabernet
series features
Heat-tempered aluminum shell has the strength of steel at only one quarter the weight
Triple-digit combination lock for added security
Interior organization keeps your belongings where they belong
Extra strength hinges withstand pulling of over 400 pounds
Innovative neoprene gasket keeps out dust and moisture, providing unrivaled protection
Manufactured in the USA
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
"Signature Series 77" Coaxial Digital Audio Interconnect Cable with Canare's Remarkable "True 75 Ohm" RCA Connectors
The digital coaxial cable that I am using between the CDP and the Havana NOS Tube DAC is the "Signature Series 77" Coaxial Digital Audio Interconnect Cable with Canare's remarkable true 75 ohn RCA male connectors terminated at both ends.
All generic RCA type audio plugs and cables have been around for over 50 years, but the old solder-type plugs typically have a low impedance of about 25 ohms only. They exhibit extremely poor return loss performance, bad VSWR, even when mated to high quality cable due to improper impedance matching. Some of the most expensive "high end" cables still rely on connector designs that are both electrically and mechanically inferior, in the end the true performance of the cable is not fully exploited and what would be a superior cable is let down due to connector to plug impedance mismatching leading to overall degradation.
Enter Canare's true 75 ohm RCA male plug, this is currently the only known true 75 ohm impedance RCA manufactured for digital signal transfer purposes and was the first and is still the industry standard.
I am no stranger to the Canare 75 ohm RCA plug since I have used them on many of my other home grown DIY silver digital cables in the past. As a radio operator, I am faced with impedance matching issues of transmission cables on quite a frequent basis and understand the importance to obtain proper impedance matching from the very start.
With proper impedance termination in mind for the digital signal between the CDP and the Havana I choose the Cable Solutions" Signature Series 77" Coaxial Digital Audio Interconnect Cable with Canare's remarkable true 75 ohn RCA male connectors terminated at both ends. They are impedance matched to ensure flawless digital audio performance. They have a usable bandwidth of over 200 MHz and VSWR is typically less than 1.1:1 from DC to 200 MHz! The design ensures highly consistent, reliable connections. You know that you have read advertisements about some digital coaxial cables with rated bandwidth up to several Ghz, forget it as the connectors they use will never allow such a performance (It's pure BS) , the high VSWR would never allow this and in essence what you had read is marketing hype! To perform at such high frequencies, they would need to use true microwave connectors such as the SMA or SMB types.
The Cable:
Oversized 7.7mm Canare precision coaxial cable is selected and used, this high-performance cable features two layers of braided copper shielding, joins Canare's 75 ohm impedance matched connectors and fully sheathed terminations in the quest for bit-perfect digital audio. The infamous Canare DigiFlex Gold cable assemblies use a smaller, 6.1mm, single-shielded, version of this cable and received acclaim and raving reviews. This higher calibre version cable would win the DigiFlex Gold probably quite easily. For the price asked I have not heard a better digital cable! US$39.00 and well worth every single penny since the results are worth much much more then this price, it can put many so called digital coaxial cables to shame. Check out the photos of my cable:-
Enter Canare's true 75 ohm RCA male plug, this is currently the only known true 75 ohm impedance RCA manufactured for digital signal transfer purposes and was the first and is still the industry standard.
I am no stranger to the Canare 75 ohm RCA plug since I have used them on many of my other home grown DIY silver digital cables in the past. As a radio operator, I am faced with impedance matching issues of transmission cables on quite a frequent basis and understand the importance to obtain proper impedance matching from the very start.
With proper impedance termination in mind for the digital signal between the CDP and the Havana I choose the Cable Solutions" Signature Series 77" Coaxial Digital Audio Interconnect Cable with Canare's remarkable true 75 ohn RCA male connectors terminated at both ends. They are impedance matched to ensure flawless digital audio performance. They have a usable bandwidth of over 200 MHz and VSWR is typically less than 1.1:1 from DC to 200 MHz! The design ensures highly consistent, reliable connections. You know that you have read advertisements about some digital coaxial cables with rated bandwidth up to several Ghz, forget it as the connectors they use will never allow such a performance (It's pure BS) , the high VSWR would never allow this and in essence what you had read is marketing hype! To perform at such high frequencies, they would need to use true microwave connectors such as the SMA or SMB types.
The Cable:
Oversized 7.7mm Canare precision coaxial cable is selected and used, this high-performance cable features two layers of braided copper shielding, joins Canare's 75 ohm impedance matched connectors and fully sheathed terminations in the quest for bit-perfect digital audio. The infamous Canare DigiFlex Gold cable assemblies use a smaller, 6.1mm, single-shielded, version of this cable and received acclaim and raving reviews. This higher calibre version cable would win the DigiFlex Gold probably quite easily. For the price asked I have not heard a better digital cable! US$39.00 and well worth every single penny since the results are worth much much more then this price, it can put many so called digital coaxial cables to shame. Check out the photos of my cable:-
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