rodman999994,051 posts
10-08-2019 9:34am
Sylvania...two hole, bottom-gettered
I have a quad of the 2-hole bottom gettered now and they do sound nice and airy for sure. Used them for years on three different amps. Keepers for sure. But, with AP cables, maybe a change is in order.
Back to AP Crystal Solo ICs:
With the new and 1/2 way broken in interconnects (2 pairs), these tubes put me right on the edge of where I want to be. One pair mixed with another pair of full copper ICs in-stream is really nice. Add two pairs in the path and wow, it’s amazingly open, detailed, massively deep sound stage - but I lose a bit of lushness as it seems none of the signal gets rounded off (as designed). Why? What comes in is what comes out (as designed as I take it now). Nice, just more than I’m use to with hi-reso music content, even with a 16-bit ladder tube DAC . So, a few more considerations to try:
1) Let the AP ICs burn in some more beyond 150 hours (yes, likely).
2) Try some different (softer) input tubes on the preamp later; next. Premium Full Music 6SN7s are next.
3) Let my QS mono 120 tube amps, caps, burn in more past 300hrs (eliminate other variables).
An audio colleague friend of mine is reminding me again about "patience" when adding/changing components, tubes, cables, and letting things settle in. Even after 45 years of this with audio, every day is a new day of learning with audio it seems, and that’s what keeps it fun and interesting too.
**
Mixing Analysis Plus Crystal Solo cables within tube audio gear has been a new experience so far. Looking forward to more "experimentation", and now with these AP cables as others noted in this thread. :)
**