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Music reference/ audio research / vpi

Looking for suggestions. Have a Music reference rm-200, and an audio research LS 16. Also have a VPI classic 4/proteus transfiguration. Wondering how the RM – 200 would match up with an audio research ref 6, an audio research ref 3 phono, And maybe Ariel acoustic 7t, or Devore gibbon X? Looking for suggestions. Live in the sticks with very little opportunity to audition much of anything!  While I love my audio research, sometimes I wish there was just a bit more tubey richness.  The Gibbons are supposed to have a more organic sound I’m told…? The phono three should be more compatible with the transfiguration…My phono 5 is not compatible…Trying to develop a plan and go at this one piece at a time… Also wonder about the vac 300.1…? Would think the ref phono three should be my next purchase…?
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pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,213 posts
 
For premium tubes, I recommend you call Andy at Vintage Tube Services 616.454.3467.

He's probably the most knowledgeable and trusted retailer of premium quality tubes.   My only word of caution is that he is a one man show, so it can take several weeks to get your tubes, but you won't be disappointed.

How big is your room and how far out do you have the speakers from the front wall?  My room is 16' wide x 26' long, with the speakers on the short wall, 4' off the front wall to the speaker grill and approximately 7' apart, both angled in to the listener seat, approximately 8'6" from the front of the speakers.  

If you don't have room treatments, I'd address that before you upgrade any tubes or buy a different preamp.   I highly recommend GIK Acoustics... good products, good advice, reasonable prices and excellent service.
fanotunes's avatar
fanotunes OP
33 posts
 

my room is approx. 14 x 20.  speakers are on the short wall. approx. 2.5 feet from back of the speaker to the back wall. approx 9 feet center to center apart. and seating position is approx 14 feet away. have some toe in but not pointed right at the listening position. just got them up and running and will move them around a bit yet for sure. definitely need some room treatment...curtains for example...not sure how much of that I will do as it is my living room. though, I have no wife to answer to... definitely need to make phono stage next thing I address. transfiguration proteus is low output moving coil and my current phono stage is not sufficiently compatible. but I could tinker with some tubes...

addressing clio09's note...I have played with kt-88s from upscale audio. but, ultimately, have migrated back toward RAM tubes which, to me, sound as good, seem to last longer and are more reliable. I am a big fan of Roger. Will never forget how he took the time to walk me thru testing my then recently purchased used amp. I had him on the phone, the amp flipped up-side-down on the kitchen counter and my multi-meter in the amp...so cool! and I lived!

pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,213 posts
 
Roger did a good job repairing, refurbishing and retubing my RM9.   His RAM tubes are a strong value (my RM9 MKII is fully tubed with RAM), but if I were looking for premium NOS tubes, I'd go to VTS or Brent Jessee.  I've purchased tubes from Upscale, but have had some bad experiences... so I will not buy from them again.

Regarding placement of your 40.1's, I recommend you pull them off the front wall more (45" to 50") and try putting them 7' to 8' apart (center to center), then move your listening chair in considerably, as I think 14' is way too far away.  The more you can move them away from the walls, the better off you will be.
clio09
3,360 posts
 
As an FYI, based on what Roger has told me, 6BQ7 tubes haven't been manufactured for a while, so technically they are all NOS. While they are branded as RAM tubes, the stock Roger has are RCA, GE, or Sylvania,
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 

I think I remember Roger saying at an in-store seminar at Brooks Berdan’s shop in the early 1990’s that, though people believe tube brands all have their own distinctive, unique sound characteristics (Telefunken, Amperex, Mullard, etc.), the "sound" of a tube is actually the consequence of it’s electronic performance, nothing more. Two tubes from different makers that measure basically the same will sound basically the same. In other words, there is no mystery involved in what makes a tube provide a certain quality of sound. Yes, different brands were build to somewhat different specs and with somewhat different materials, but it is their measurable behavior that is responsible for their sound quality. Tim de Paravicini (EAR-Yoshino) told me the British tube companies would trade tubes with each other when they ran low of a given model, putting their own brand name on the other maker’s tubes and selling them as their own. Tim said he favours old Mullards because they were the best made tubes.

I imagine there are plenty of Audiogoners who disagree. I know this sounds just like Julian Hirsch and Peter Aczel (after his epiphany) on the sound of amplifiers, but there is a difference. Roger is not a meters-only kind of old-school EE designer, he uses his very good ears to design very good sounding amps (and now direct-drive ESL speakers---the output of an amp’s tubes---no output transformer---are connected to the ESL stators---no input transformer). He also now makes low-wattage single-ended amps, as well as push-pull.

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