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DK Design NOS Valves?

I now have had the opportunity to roll a few sets of tubes.
Standard: Sounds OK. lacking a little in resolution and at the extremes. Also not that much air around voices and instruments.
JJ Tesla Current Manufacture: Much like the standard Japanese but with greate bass depth and just a tad more detailed.
Philips JAN NOS: Smoothest midrange but lacking in basss weigth and in the tope end. However if you really are put off by digititus this may be the valve for you.
Tesla NOS from the 70's: Don't mistake for JJ Teslas. Bone crunching bass, highly detailed, great depth and imaging.
A little thinner through the mid range than Philips.
Siemens: Leaving the best to last. Same incredibly bass as the Tesla's but with greater resolution. In fact these are the most resolving tubes, giving great detail without hash or harshness. Amazing air bewteen instruments and voices make everything sound more life like. Good imaging. Depth of images not as deep as Tesla's but imgages are more 3D.

Would love to hear of other peoples experience.

By the way, the purchase of and placement of the amp on a Spider Rack from Finite Elements (German) has made the most dramatic improvements of all the tweaks I have tried.
What are some of the racks that others are using?

For those who are so interested my set up at the moment is:
Finite Element Spider Rack
Audionet Art V2 Cd Player (also German)
DK Design Integrated Amp V2 (replaced Audio Research Valves Separates)
Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor on dedicated stands.
Cabling is DK Design Interconnect and Osborn Datalink Speaker Cable.
padre_power
procalc
7 posts
 
According to DK Design Group the 6922s will last 10 years with normal use. Normal use is probably defined as listening 2 - 3 hours every day. I had an Audio Research pre-amp with 6922s a few years ago (can't remember which model) and I never replaced the tubes in the 5 years that I owned it.

According to TubeDepot the Cryo Mullard will last longer then other tubes. This could of course be a bunch of baloney. I don't know why freezing a tube will make it sound better and last longer, but they swear by it.

In any case if these tubes last me 10 years or even 5 years, I will definitely get my moneys worth. Did I mention how amazing this thing sounds?
hantrax
36 posts
 
FYI: I just listed my brand new CV-2492's at dramatically less than $160 just to blow them out. Check it out. . .
oldpet
295 posts
 
711 Smilin
Where do you find enough Amperex pinch waist d getter from the 50's that will allow you to collect them? C'mon share your secret. ;-)
711smilin
513 posts
 
Oldpet, I spent hundreds of hours obsessed, and waisting my life. Calling around the world, and spending $$$$$. I was frickin nutz!!!!
711smilin
513 posts
 
Mdconnelly-with the DK, the tubes stay so cool, I can run the amp for 48 hours, and they still stay cool to the touch. I betcha they will never burn out at that pace, at least, not in your lifetime.
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