MHDT Orchid or Lampizator Amber 3?

I placed the Shuguang Treasure cv181-z in the stock Orchid with the adaptor and did not like the sound at all. Very bright, forward and lacking warmth and bass. The cv181 already had 50 or so hours on an FYI.

Next I performed my upgrades on the Orchid and put the same cv181-z back in and boy does it sound fantastic now! Best I’ve heard the Orchid sound for sure. This is with only a hand full of hours on the upgraded parts.

The stock unit sounds far better with the Western Electric Tube most owners have vs rolling in the cv181-z. The upgraded Orchid sounds better with the cv181 vs the Western Electric and is the best I have heard the dac sound to date. It will only get better with burn in. The upgrades seem to be mandatory to get the most out of tube rolling .... at least the 6sn7s and Shuguang Treasure c181-z varieties.

The Shuguang cv181-z pulls .6 amps of current on the fills like all 6sn7 tubes and is in fact a direct replacement. The cv181 label given by Shuguang is really pure marketing as NOS cv181s actually pull .9 amps of current, not .6 amps.

MHDT states you can try 6sn7 tubes as they may well be ok to use. Please understand the .6 amps the filaments draw is right up against the ceiling MHDT suggests for filament current draw. So roll 6sn7s at your own risk🙂. My friend’s unit has run for many days and hours with absolutely no issues. The tranny does not even get warm. It stays cool. No signs of stress on the Orchid.

The sound is just wonderful with the Shuguang. Very special.

I finally received my NOS Mullard ECC189/CV5331 (6DJ8 variant) a couple days ago. Without any burn in on the tube, I was loving what I was hearing. With a couple days of running the tube 24/7, things are sounding glorious. I had no interest in making any changes to my grannyring modded Orchid dac (with SR Orange fuse and Western Electric tube), but after reading rx8mans' posts and others on another blog who had tried a 6DJ8 variant tube, my inquisitiveness got the better of me. So I ordered the adapter and the Mullard tube, and now my Western Electric tube is in storage. I have to say - and I know it is a cliched statement - but listening to tracks I know very well is as though hearing them anew.  Liquid, smooth, inviting, lifelike, effortless, revealing of subtleties are all just some descriptors that come to mind. No need to modify the top plate; the Mullard sticks its' little head out of the top. I have no idea how this tube would sound in an unmodified Orchid dac; as I had written in a pm  to Bill (grannyring), it is my suspicion that his mods allow changes such as these tube types to really reveal what they are capable of, with the reduced noise floor of the dac. Actually, that is something that continues to amaze.....how 'quiet' the dac is, in the sense that the music emerges from a kind of sonic void.  Like a silent/stillness from which the sounds emerge. Beautifully addictive.

I am hearing the same thing here @stewg. It is remarkable how good this dac can be made to sound.  Right now it is my favorite dac! The resolution and purity coupled with the silent background and huge soundstage is so compelling.  I have not heard a better dac than this Orchid (outfitted with the upgrades and cv181z Tube)  at any price.  Period.  There, I just said it 🙂.  

Funny thing is is I have some other ideas on how to extract even more out of this wonderful design.  I will update all on my next round of potential upgrades to the power supply and beyond.  What a fun dac and brilliant design.