Tube Rolling w/Crack

Hey so I am building the BH Crack.I needed some help with which tubes to buy.I was hoping if you guys could help me get started.Just shoot out some names of both input and output tubes.Nothing too expensive for starters.Some cheap-bang-for-buck.
I am looking for following sound signature :-
1.Pure analytical sound with insane instrument separation and detail.
2.Pure musical sound with smooth juicy mids and large soundstage,etc.

Headphones :- hd650, dt880/250 pros
Dac : -  ODAC.

Let me know.

Thanks.
 
Hi a popular input tube choice for the HD650 is the RCA 12AU7 clear top it is both widely available and inexpensive and a good place to start.

For the driver tube a good bang for your buck one would be something like a Chatham 6as7g. The Philco 6as7g I tried was also nice and from what I can gather where apparently manufactured by Amperex.

RCA 12au7 clear tops are easy to find on ebay and are often branded Conn just search ebay "12au7 clear top". 

The Chathams turn up regularly and you might see some change from $20 for both tubes on ebay.

http://www.vacuumtubes.net/prices.htm have the Chathams 6as7g's for $20 each by the way

You will find that at the budget end having both 1 & 2 on your list will be challenging its not to hard to have either 1 or 2 on a budget, but not both at the same time so one or of them will be a slight compromise at the budget end.

Have a read of Nick Tams superb Multi 6080/6as7g post to get a handle on tube options for the Crack. It was original posted on the old BHF and in the move to the new website became truncated and a lot of the info was lost. But this link should show original post in full.


http://the-key.enix.org/~krystal/review-tube-bottlehead.html















 
I received a clear top RCA 12AU7 from my kit. Installed it and there's no sound from the right channel. There's also a lot of buzzing noise.

Replaced it with another tube and the problem went away.
 
Hello, I read the entire 60 pages of the tube rolling thread and searched T1 on the forum.
Still could not really find a clear answer so I thought I would come out and ask.

I currently have a stock Crack + Speedball - no modifications other then aesthetics.
They would be used with a Beyer T1 and a  5998 tube. (Possibly a 7236 as well)
What would pair well with the 5998 tube, or does it even matter?
I read on the forum that 12BH7A are good for T1's because (and I agree) they are quite bright.
I also read that E80CC but am worried about the modifications needed. (I am also confused if you actually need to modify it for an E80CC)

Does anyone have any recommendations for this headphone? Thank you in advanced!
 
Kanae707 said:
Hello, I read the entire 60 pages of the tube rolling thread and searched T1 on the forum.
Still could not really find a clear answer so I thought I would come out and ask.

I currently have a stock Crack + Speedball - no modifications other then aesthetics.
They would be used with a Beyer T1 and a  5998 tube. (Possibly a 7236 as well)
What would pair well with the 5998 tube, or does it even matter?
I read on the forum that 12BH7A are good for T1's because (and I agree) they are quite bright.
I also read that E80CC but am worried about the modifications needed. (I am also confused if you actually need to modify it for an E80CC)

Does anyone have any recommendations for this headphone? Thank you in advanced!
Click to expand...

I found that the Sylvania 12bh7a's were a fantastic pair with the T1's. However, I would still recommend implementing the resistor mod to run the tube at the optimal plate voltage as it is very simple and can be done for well under $10!

The e80cc is also quite nice with the T1's as it has a superior detail retrieval compared to the 12au7 but is definitely brighter than the 12bh7a's (which are also great for data retrieval). If you decide to get a e80cc I would implement the resistor mod too!

If you're in a modding kind of mood I would highly recommend retrofitting the crack to run the 5687 tube as the T1's match the Sylvania GB5687 better than any other tube I've tried the T1's with! In fact I run my HD800's with a 5687 tube (RCA's) too! It's quite the project (still very cheap) but the results are fantastic!
 
Kanae707 said:
Hello, I read the entire 60 pages of the tube rolling thread and searched T1 on the forum.
Still could not really find a clear answer so I thought I would come out and ask.

I currently have a stock Crack + Speedball - no modifications other then aesthetics.
They would be used with a Beyer T1 and a  5998 tube. (Possibly a 7236 as well)
What would pair well with the 5998 tube, or does it even matter?
I read on the forum that 12BH7A are good for T1's because (and I agree) they are quite bright.
I also read that E80CC but am worried about the modifications needed. (I am also confused if you actually need to modify it for an E80CC)

Does anyone have any recommendations for this headphone? Thank you in advanced!
Click to expand...

I would agree with the above post and also add with the T1's you will be in for nice surprise if you ever get the urge to swap out those electrolytic coupling caps for film ones and change standard volume pot for a stepped attenuator.
 
Without going to much into modding your Crack I would use the combo of a 5998 and a Mullard CV4003.  It is a 12AU7.  I have DT880 600ohm which like the T1 are pretty bright.  This combination really helped with that.

Also, with the above posts, was is so nice with the Crack is the almost endless things you can do with it!  Good luck!...Dave
 
I know its the tube thread but if your running with the T1 I would really recommend later trying the standard mods of volume pot and film output caps bypassed with a inexpensive Russian Teflon they really help refine the top end of the phones and takes the T1's to a whole different level.

Everyone raves about how good a match the Crack is with HD650.  But with a few mods the Crack can be a epic a match with the T1's as well.
 
I just got a pair of Bendix 6080wb slotted graphite plates and I'm absolutely blown away! The bendix is the most articulate tube I've heard on my set up yet (I've heard a couple of new things on an album I've listened to a million times)! They beat all the tungsol 5998, tungsol 7236, the we421a, and the gec 6as7g in terms of speed and accuracy and really jive with my hd800s. I also really do enjoy the warm sound it provides but I wish there was a tad bit more bass presence (like the GECs). As it stands, the Bendix is my go to tube for all music besides those that are brighter in nature (usually rock albums) and those that are recorded poorer; in those cases my GEC is the tube on my crack.

I highly recommend this tube as it is truly unbeatable in it's price range!
 
I just picked up a NOS 12AU7 RCA clear top which cost 1/5 what I spent on a NOS Mullard 12AU7

I'm thinking this RCA is a very nice tube

Anyone have any meaningful experience with the RCA 12AU7 clear top they would like to share?

I listen through HD600 cans with Cardas wires

My output tube is a 5998- makes me wonder if there's any $20 output tube that's also very, very nice

 
Back in the day of the Foreplay preamp, the RCA cleartop was consistently highly regarded.

There's a thing I've observed over the years, which is often nobody will agree on their favorite tube but most will agree on their second favorite. The RCA cleartop often occupied that "everybody's second best" spot.  :^)
 
That is an interesting observation. Its also nice to see a highly regarded tube that doesn't cost big bucks, not often that happens.
 
The RCA 12AU7 clear top cost me a whopping $12 delivered to me door.

I like there observation- everyone's 2nd favorite tube. The clear top is certainly a very good tube!

I have a NOS GE 6AS7GA on its way in. That was under $20. I'm hoping that's another good and inexpensive find.
 
So I got my GE nos 6as7ga. Total investment of that and the RCA 12au7 clear top under $35. A very small bit bright, and not as layered as my Mullard 12au7 and Tung Sol 5998 combo, but damn, great results for less than$35. It's an easy to live with combination
 
I have had the Mullard CV4003 paired with my TS 5998 for the last week and I must say that my search for a 12AU7 is over.  Its combination of smoothness and transparency can't be beat, IMO. It doesn't take away from all the things the 5998 brings to the table, but rather enhances them. It rounds the edges off the 5998, which sometimes could be bright paired with other tubes. It is a surprisingly quiet tube as well, and allows you to hear through to the recessed layers of tracks. Lovely.
 
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