2. amps-preamps
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help me select a single tube to "calm down" a preamp?

I have an Audio Research LS2B. It can get a tad "strident" in the upper mid on some recordings. I am now using a Siemens 7308 / E188cc and this is good, and often great tube for soundstaging and openess, but this tube also is a little noisy, mildly bright at times and is not the last word in bass performance. Would a Mullard suit the bill?.... How about an Amperex?....Your thoughts oh kind tube-0-philes :>)
audioman
audiojudge
guitarman_1's avatar
guitarman_1
4 posts
 
I second the vote for the bugle boy 6dj8
I believe this tube best describes the
sound you are looking for.Although i will
say,telefunkens are the best tubes ever built.
angela100
435 posts
 
3rd on the vote for the Bugle Boy. Just be careful of "fakes".
jvr
105 posts
 
my vote is an amperex bugle boy (select). call andy at vintage tube svcs. he sent one to me and it made all the diff in my ls2mk2. i had a siemans nos.....amperex killed it. telefunken would be a good choice too.

good luck
vincehoffman's avatar
vincehoffman
50 posts
 
Hi Ho there audio pilgrim-

There is only one tube present in an LS2B and the bad news is that no matter what NOS wonder tube you choose you will not be able to get rid of the LS2B's tendency to shout and get nasty on big dynamic swings. NOS tube rolling with the LS2B realized significant gains in air and soundstaging but never really solved the nasties. The problem must lay in some other part of the circuit. Even the direct input running balanced has this problem (unlike the LS5 and other more recent ARC linestages, the '2B isn't actually a true balanced circuit) The LS5 series3 was a huge improvement over the LS2B (and a much better piece than the LS22 & LS16) but offered no practical way to deal with single-ended inputs. I was almost wooed by the SF Line3SE, a really great linestage, but fell in love with the Aesthetix Callisto and it looks like this one is going to stick. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news re- your current pre. Save your dough. Go hunt down something with the LS2B's considerable virtues but without its fatal flaw. There is a recomendation for a couple of options. Happy listening
frap
213 posts
 
Although I am a full tube circuit (including power supply) person, I must say that my original LS-2 (1992), in the Direct mode only, with CD playback, and with MIT Cables to the Amp, did NOT exhibit any of the nasties that have been described above. The circuit, was one of the most Neutral ever made by ARC and was even used by Chesky(I believe)to monitor playback. I ultimately got rid of the LS-2 due to my tube bias, but it worked very well with Telefunken ECC88 Gold pin. I sometimes miss the Neutrality of the LS-2. I rate it high on the ARC list of SS/Hybrid performers.........Frank
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