Ordered some NOS valves to replace the stock Chinese jobbies in my CDP on Saturday from the US..... Picked them up this morning on the way to work and can't wait to give them a bash tonight........ Im just hoping my jaw drops with elation, will post the outcome tomorrow although i am aware they may take a day or two to settle in...... wish me luck. :cheers:
1st time rolling
- Thread starter Mr Beachams
- Start date
Well, i'm not sure what to think....... Its deffo not a night and day upgrade and i'm not sure i like the change, Bass weight has gone and i notice a definate change in overall volume.... there is added detail in some places and a loss in detail in others , voices sound nice but also sound rounded off making the sound less organic than the stock tubes, I think i will leave some signal running through them for a day or two and hope things open up as i dont think i could live without the weight im used to hearing....... Maybe someone else could describe things in better way than me but at the end of the day, if it dosn't work out the way i was hoping I havn't lost a fortune.
Welcome to the dark art * of valve rolling , some yer win some yer dont. Oh yeah and some go phut !!.
* It isnt an art its suck it and see.
* It isnt an art its suck it and see.
I swapped the stock JJ tubes in my Croft pre-amp for Mullard, to be honest I thought the difference was very subtle, perhaps a tad more natural. Sometimes you notice the difference more once you go back though. I kept it in and have the stock as a spare as it is nice to have it there but I wouldn’t go spending too much time or money messing with tubes. For some it pays or they just find it fun but I prefer to listen to music.
also volumes. I've had some valves not make much difference at low volumes, it's only when you crank it that you can hear the difference :rockout:
Swapped some valves on my preamp, sound improved after burn in, 36 hours was recommended- before use.
Well I have stuck Mr Marley on repeat and cranked the CDP output to max and will leave it playing all night ready for the morning test 🙂
Well what a differance 48hrs makes, have had my CDP playing continuous to burn these babies in and thought now was a good time to have a proper listen. Seeing that Bob was already in the tray I set my normal CDP output to 35 and pressed the play button..... Straight away i was pleased to hear some added detail, I say added maybe I should say 'Clearer' as the stock tubes were never lacking in that department, the Bass had gained a lot more depth although still not as deep as the stockies...... Vocals have been moved forwards a little and very precise...... In fact I started to enjoy the sound. Then i put on Jeff Buckley and although the sound was very detailed from Bass - Mids and Highs i felt something was missing..... so time for an A-B test, It was only at this point I worked out the problem and for my ears the most important..... EMOTION, for all that extra detail the new tubes gave me they lacked emotion, in comparison to the stock tubes the newbies sounded sterile/clinical.
The stockies are back where they belong and the newbies will be going on flea-bay, if you dont mind me repeting some of your words..... Its ok to try and improve things and in the short term you might think you have succeaded, but before you make your mind up.... listen to what you had and liked before you make your decision....short term gain may not be long term enjoyment.
The stockies are back where they belong and the newbies will be going on flea-bay, if you dont mind me repeting some of your words..... Its ok to try and improve things and in the short term you might think you have succeaded, but before you make your mind up.... listen to what you had and liked before you make your decision....short term gain may not be long term enjoyment.
Great posts and not a waste of time at all.... People spend way too much time wondering 'what if' and never being 100% satisfied. You can smile in the knowledge the stock valves are for you.
Mr Beachams said:
This is a key element in understanding the reason for different preferences. Those who prize it above all else, will give up a little detail etc to get it.
Give me emotion every time.
Cno
The funny thing is..... it was Jeff's rendition of ''Hallelujah'' that did it.... The Hi-Fi gods work in mysterious ways
I don't have a valve amp, but what's wrong with using the valves that the equipment was actually designed to use?
Are you not inviting trouble by changing operational characteristics by using something not calculated for in the original design?
Are you not inviting trouble by changing operational characteristics by using something not calculated for in the original design?
Overdose said:
Its not my Amp ive been playing with...its my CDP, changing valves as i understand (im new to this) can bring improvements or change the tone of any said equipment, as all valves have a code to them that determines their electrical charateristics, buying a different 'Brand' shouldn't cause any problems.... The valves i bought were Russian jobbies and only $20 +postage for a matched pair ..... If i was inclined to be a ''Detail is everything'' kind of guy then i would have kept the new valves inplace, but im not and have kept the stock tubes for reasons i posted earlier.
Mr Beachams said:
I see. Regardless of the equipment though, valves are used for signal amplification (sorry, pedant mode initiated).
How do you go about choosing replacement valves that are supposedly going to give an improvement, as opposed to doing the opposite? Is it a case of trial and error, or is there some kind of claculation process going on? I wouldn't have thought that the designers arbitrarily installed one particular type of valve, but the amount of people seemingly engaging in valve rolling would suggest that they might as well do so.
Trial and error mate, you can research ya kit online and see what others have done via their valves but its not a science as such...the ones i chose were ment to be the same as WE (Western Electrics) of which i have heard of good results..... but the WE's are $90+ plus carriage..... as i said before there was an overall gain in definition and detail.....but at the sacrifice of emotion/realism...... so where my CDP is concerned, if it aint broke im not gonna fix it.
ICE lmao! you mean NICE 🙂 your more than welcome to come have a look and listen...... just bring some Guiness with you :cheers:
Mr Beachams said:
Guiness? :hand: Now a nice medium cider and we're talking. :beer:
I did a search for Morel and ICE speakers were the top search returns. I've since found their website and the hifi and separate driver range. They do look the business, mind.
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