Dk Design VS-1 mkII what tubes are you using??

I got my VS-1 Mk.2 a few weeks ago. It sounds so amazing that I decided to splurge on some very exotic tubes. I bought a matched pair of Siemes CCA (the early 60's version) for $300/pr and a pair of the Mullard CV2492 for $160/pr from PartsConnexion.com. This is indeed a ridiculous amount of money to spend on tubes, but after having tried both I feel that it was worth every penny.

Here are my observations.

Siemens CCA: The bass, dynamics, resolution, and overall musical presence was elevated to an astonishing level in my system. In fact with the CCA tubes and this amp, I have never heard such bass or dynamics. The system takes on a certain kind of pace that I just get goosebumps running down my spine. Its like audio virtual reality. The CCA tubes make a dramatic imporvement in sound quality making this amp sound, well, better then any other amplifier I have ever heard before at any price.

Mullard CV2492: The Mullard had a completely different presentation that was an interesting contrast to the CCA tube. With the Mullard the sound took on a presentation that was very lush, warm and liquid. It was like the tube was really highlighting the midrange and placed a higher emphasis on things that happen in the midrange. This tube was really massaging my ears. For those who prefer a warmer, more laid back and sweet presentation should definitely go for this tube.

Overall, I could not believe what a difference these tubes made in this amplifier. To be honest, both tubes were equally as amazing, but if I had to choose, I prefered the musical excitement from the CCA.

I am using the Russian tubes which were used in the MIG fighter craft (6H23N-EB Vacuum Tube).
They holograph noticibly better than the original--and I do not consider soundstage changes for the better, to be ANY form of coloration, so long as it doesn't streeeetch the voices or instruments into larger versions of their normal sound.
The change is one of everything floating within its own acoustic space, in a more definite and interesting way, not phoney, but real sounding.
This DK is the real thing. I too am amazed at its quality. It is a steal at twice the asking price. I am so pleased to see a company (relatively new in this arena) do such a wonderful job.
It does sound, as the reviewer stated in one review, like the Gryphon Callisto, only better. How is it better?
When I owned the Callisto, I asked Fleming Rasmussen (the designer) about using a tube pre amp with his integrated, going through the pass through, hoping that I could achieve what DK has done.
What strikes me as interesting, is how much difference the tube rolling made with this integrated. When some companies talk about integrateds and how the pre stage is relatively unimportant (hence pass through pre amps) I always cringe. This integrated is REALLY open for all kinds of fun experimentation with tube changes.
One can easily 'tune' in the best sense, this piece, to sound perfect with his or her system by spending a few dollars on tubes. It has at least the same effect as changing an entire preamp!
Good listening, and for anyone new to the DK, it is one SERIOUS PIECE OF AUDIO GEAR!!!!
Larry R. Staples
LSA Group
Founder/Designer

Hello friends. I bought this amplifier in Argentina and I had it shipped down directly from the company. I was very skeptical at first and plus I was about to buy an all Krell system with Sonus Faber speakers from my local dealer. However, after speaking to Daniel Khesin (I believe he is the DK in DK Design Group, although he was very humble about it) at DK Design Group I felt like the guys there were passionate and were also extremely knowledgeable about audio in general.

Daniel Khesin generously offered to send the unit on a 30 day trial so I can evaluate it at home without risk. Getting the unit through customs was fairly easy, in fact DHL came straight to my door and simply collected the duties right at my door, so I did not have to go anywhere. I also ordered a pair of Amperex 6922 tubes from a website on the internet.

I have to say that I am simply amazed by the sound of this amplifier. I took the amplifier to my dealer in Buenos Aires and this amplifier sounded better driving Sonus Faber speakers then Krell monoblocks that cost about US $12,000. This dealer was very astonished by this and he also contacted DK Design Group about becoming a dealer.

I don’t know how to speak the Audiophile language but I can say that this amplifier just makes music come alive in your room like no other component I have ever heard. The ergonomics are also outstanding, as this amplifier has a very nice modern look. The build quality is also exceptional and this piece weighs almost 50 kg!

I believe I was one of the first to buy a DK amp, I own the MK I version ( I took a risk and purchased it for $1000 new on ebay and had it shipped from the USA to Spain when there was absolutely no info available on the internet - in fact, I think that the first post here on Audiogon was mine!) I am still happy several months later. I use the Siemens CCA tubes. I like the slightly more neutral sound that they provide as opposed to the lusher richer sound you get with other tubes.

As a follow up, last night I was listening to a wide variety of music on the DK unit.
This Integrated,(I almost feel blasphemous calling such a precision piece integrated, as if it somehow diminishes its performance)--makes music fun again.
It does not 'clarify' things...it does not give 'more slam' it does not give any of the prototypical audiophile descriptions of performance, it just works, and better than my list of well knowns, Krell, Mac, Ayre, AR, cj, (sorry Bill and Lew), et. al.
All bets are off. At $3K don't hesitate; it has the power in my thousands of cubic feet room to fill it with sound, and it's music.
Peter Cincotti, Rod Stewart, the movie D'Lovely, are all rendered wonderfully, and in a way I thought had been lost in some ways, with all the techno babble, and advancements, we're back to the basics. It just sounds right.