Supratek Owners Thread

mr_slate -

Yah, I think we all get the same feeling of satisfaction with our gear from Mick. For me, simply speaking, it's virtually life changing. Music just sounds so GOOD. Addicting. It draws me in so deep. And with Spotify broadening my horizons and exposing me to artists I haven't heard before I keep falling in love with the music all over again. And again.
You used the words Glorious, Huge sound stage, across the front wall depth, Rightness and Weight.
Yeah. Yeah! It has raised the bar for me. My new standard for how a system should sound is simply that it should sound IN-CRED-IBLE. If the music doesn't blow your mind (speaking to the notional beginner) then your system isn't at the *right* level yet. Although I DO realize that for all of us, it's a journey.
I recently got a new dac, and now I find myself listening more and more and more and more and streaming and playing cd's and vinyl and, and...
Sorry. Got carried away a bit. Just 'cause I'm sittin' here listening and it's sounding SO GOOD.

Was walking around fortune town mall in BKK when I stepped into a non assuming shop and was shocked to see a full Supratek setup, owner said it was a ten anniversary models, pre with two mono blocks playing on some cabasse speakers, what a sound, was invited to listen for over an hour before I had to go to other appointment, some of the best sound I have ever heard, the owner offered me the setup for a very reasonable price, if I had a house in Thailand, I would have bought the amps on the spot.
the owner was unbelievable friendly and knowledgeable, he put on a lot of great music, from jazz to classical and everything sounded sublime, very realistic and also very impressive bass, the speakers he said was about 89db, not a brand I know much about but they sounded bigger than they looked, 2 x 6 inch drivers, seamed to go very low when necessary.
i never thought I would have the opportunity to listen to Supratek amps, without and before buying them unseen/heard, but now I hope some day to own the brand, also I think they look better in real than on websites.
all in all, an unexpected and wonderful experience. A big thanks to the owner for the good conversation and listening session, a pleasure indeed.

Cool story. 

@dentdog et al How has your tube rolling gone? Which of the Sylvania chrome domes did you try? Came across a head-fi thread that says you have to be careful with the GTA and GTB models - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-6sn7-identification-guide.209782/. Not sure what to make of it re the Chardonnay, which I have on order. Also note in one post he says the term chrome dome is incorrectly used for some models now. There are also some 6SN7 reviews/shoot-outs posted (see below). Looking around the Grant Fidelity/Psvane site, they found the Shuguang WE version and the Psvane one’s to be very close. One pays more for the better versions partly because of the warranty but also because they are found to be the best of the best, upper 10%. Same type of thing that Upscale Audio does. The ones costing less at eBay or Chinese store sites are made out to be part of the rest. Don’t know if the latter is true, as it may be a matter of luck of the draw, or maybe the stores are just not getting the cream of the crop. But then there’s the WE Plus version with the carbon fiber coating that’s been lauded. Lots of choices, and some not necessarily dear.

- http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html
- http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_pt2_e.html (follow up) -- the CV-181 is a misnamed 6SN7
- http://www.dehavillandhifi.com/6sn7_vt.htm

Hello to everyone in this thread! Just my 2 cents about tube rolling. I am a proud owner of a Chardonnay/Sauvignon (upgraded Chardonnay to Sauvignon with custom headphone output) pre and a pair of Malbec mono-blocks for about 14 years. I have been through various 6SN7 tubes, from rare NOS (round hole) 1578 to Sylvania NOS, Tung - Sol, anything, you name it, I have always come back to the original EH 6sn7 that came with my pre (not the golden pin ones). Each tube had its own positive traits but there was always something special that I was getting with the stock ones. For example I had the best transparency and bass from the 1578 but they didn’t have the mid range magic that I was getting from the standard EH. I have been using the preamp connected to a Weiss MEDEA+ using Kimber Kable 1036 interconnects. I use EL34 for my amps (again the stock ones) and my speakers are the original Tidal Piano. By the way, I am still using the stock rectifier tubes. Everything works just fine after thousands of hours of enjoyment.

I have been using this system for many years without any need to upgrade to something more expensive. I also have got over my tube rolling compulsion, partly due to how good the system sounds with stock tubes and partly due to the gain/feedback combinations of the system. My Malbecs have variable negative/positive feedbacks. If I want different sound signature I can achieve it by changing the feedback levels of the Malbecs and the gain on my preamplifier. This way you can have a relaxing sound (two scales of negative feedback, no positive and low gain on the pre) that extends from the rear walls to the front of the speakers, or a more in-your-face, punchy sound (one scale or no negative feedback, a bit of positive feedback and higher gain from the pre) that sounds as if it is coming in front of the speakers. Or increase both positive and negative to the point that the amps sound almost like solid state. I am using EL34 for the amplifiers. I am using the system in a huge room, but still the bass I get is good: deep, punchy and refined.

This coming year I will also start experimenting with LP playback as I have bought a couple of thousand LPs through the years and still I haven’t got a record player to enjoy them! Of course, the phono will be from Supratek. I wish to everyone here a happy new year full of music enjoyment!

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