[Bigfish]

Oh stop it.    I'm President, not CEO (Dan is the CEO in this analogy, right?).   

Your welcome....please please give us feedback on the DR's after a couple days settling in.  I'm waiting for a bad or average review....and assuming it won't be yours!!
[/quote]

Ted:

Okay, okay Mr. President!  Based on the amount of information you have posted that has helped so many of us late comers with the ModWright Transporter, it is a well deserved title.

As anxious as I am to try the DRs, I am just as excited to install the HIFI Tuning Fuses to hear their impact.  I think I will initially install the fuses with the current Mullard GZ-32 and RCA 6FQ7 combination and then try the DRs.   

Ken

[rpf]

David,

There is a 'Buy it Now' offering for a Mullard GZ37 on E-Bay UK. I have bought tubes from this seller and got what he advertised. It looks like he had 14 and 1 may be left. At 37 pounds it appears to be selling less than the going rate in the US. These were made in the UK so why not buy from the country of origin.

No affiliation with the seller and I have not tried the GZ37 variant in a TP or 36.5.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=320216201525&Category=39997&_trksid=p3907.m29

I don't yet own a Transporter but I've tried that GZ37 (brown base, military stock, late 50s to early 70s) and found it to be good but not as good as the brown or, even better, black base GZ32.

The GZ37 to get - if you have the money - is the 1950 to 1955 Mullard "High Wycombe" Big Bottle one (preferably black base, black plates but they're all good). What works best for me is the High Wycombe in the Sig. Truth Sony 9100 and the black base GZ32 in the 36.5.

Tube World and Tube Audio Products are the only sources I've found of this variant.

https://www.tubeworld.com/index_high.htm

http://tubeaudioproducts.com/Mullard-Brimar/ProductDetail.aspx?CatID=65&ProductID=155

[ted_b]

Mullardtubes.com has the High Wycombe fat glass too, for $275. 
http://mullardtubes.com/Mullard-GZ-37_Fat-Glass_GZ37/?ID=0&ProductID=155

RPF,
have you heard/tried a GZ33?  Some sites call it better than the standard brown base GZ37.  Dunno though.

[zybar]

Mullardtubes.com has the High Wycombe fat glass too, for $275. 
http://mullardtubes.com/Mullard-GZ-37_Fat-Glass_GZ37/?ID=0&ProductID=155

RPF,
have you heard/tried a GZ33?  Some sites call it better than the standard brown base GZ37.  Dunno though.

Tube World has the High Wycombe fat glass for $250 each.

George

[rpf]

Mullardtubes.com has the High Wycombe fat glass too, for $275. 
http://mullardtubes.com/Mullard-GZ-37_Fat-Glass_GZ37/?ID=0&ProductID=155

RPF,
have you heard/tried a GZ33?  Some sites call it better than the standard brown base GZ37.  Dunno though.

Mullard Tubes and Tube Audio Products are the same company.

I haven't tried the GZ33 yet. I've been meaning to ask Brendan or Dan if it is an acceptable substitute in Modwright gear.

[rydenfan]

Mullard Tubes and Tube Audio Products are the same company.

Correct. They are both owned by a pretty cool guy name Alfred. I got my brown bae GZ32 (CV593) and my 6H30 DR's from him 

[zybar]

So has anybody compared a GZ32 and GZ33 or will be comparing them in the near future?

$250 is a lot of cash to just try something out.

George

[rydenfan]

So has anybody compared a GZ32 and GZ33 or will be comparing them in the near future?

$250 is a lot of cash to just try something out.

George

I dont believe the GZ33 was originally named as a suitable replacement. I am going to check with Dan and find out.

Now I just need to convince rpf to send me his High Wycombe fat glass GZ37 to try out 

[rpf]

I dont believe the GZ33 was originally named as a suitable replacement. I am going to check with Dan and find out.

Now I just need to convince rpf to send me his High Wycombe fat glass GZ37 to try out 

No problem David. I have an extra one and I'd like to hear someone else's thoughts on it. Send me a PM with your address and I'll get it out to you.

Rob

[ted_b]

I dont believe the GZ33 was originally named as a suitable replacement. I am going to check with Dan and find out.

Now I just need to convince rpf to send me his High Wycombe fat glass GZ37 to try out 

No problem David. I have an extra one and I'd like to hear someone else's thoughts on it. Send me a PM with your address and I'll get it out to you.

Rob

Rob,
Very kewl.  Thanks. 

David,
No pressure...just a $275 per tube investment, riding on your thoughts alone, no one elses!! 

[rpf]

Rob,
Very kewl.  Thanks. 

David,
No pressure...just a $275 per tube investment, riding on your thoughts alone, no one elses!! 

Ted, I don't mind it making a couple of trips for further evaluation if you'd like to try it out.

[Philistine]

Wow, this tube rolling stuff is spinning my head.
I thought I would share my tube rolling process - it may work for you, it may not, it also might save time and money.

Typically when I put in a new tube it invariably sounds different to what it replaced, my immediate reaction is either 'this is fantastic' or 'this is rubbish'.  What I do to compensate for this knee jerk reaction is try to leave the combination in for a couple of weeks, and then go back to what was in before - this stops me making rash decisions as sometimes a tube that sounds great in the beginning but may start to reveal sonic nasties that I can't live with.  If the tube is so bad it might not make it beyond a week!  At the same time my TP took about 3-4 months to burn-in (not sure what Dan would recommend for burn in time), so I would not recommend making any tube decisions during this time.  As some of these NOS tubes have been lying around for years, they may need time to stabilize their electrical/musical properties.

If anyone has any other tube advice I'm open to try other techniques and ideas.

[ted_b]

Phil,
Good comments.  I do almost the exact same process.  The best conclusions are reached when the 2-week tube comes out.  It's funny, but for all gear this seems to follow suit.  It's easier to hear what's missing than what's been "added".  I also wholeheartedly agree on break-in comments, for the TP and the NOS tubes.  I made a huge mistake 9and commented on it in an ealrier review) by not allowing NOS tubes to settle in for 75 hrs or so.

[rpf]

As my few comments on the "High Wycombe" Big Bottle GZ37 were in another thread, I should probably specify why I like it.

Of the rectifiers I've tried in the Modwright Sig. Truth Sony 9100 and LS 36.5 (including the Mullard GZ32 (brown and black base), GZ34 (std. black base), GZ37 (std. brown base and High Wycombe); RCA 5U4GB, and 5V4), the High Wycombe stands out for it's smoothness, bloom, musicality and enveloping soundstage.

It is more extended at the extremes than the regular GZ37, more relaxed and musical than the GZ34 (I have not heard the metal base version however), and "bigger" and yet more resolving than both.

In contrast the Mullard GZ 32 is tighter and more focused with better imaging than any of the other tubes. I've found one each of the black (definitely better than the brown) base GZ32 and High Wycombe GZ37 (with the former in the linestage and latter in the source) to be the best combination of virtues.

[rydenfan]

I dont believe the GZ33 was originally named as a suitable replacement. I am going to check with Dan and find out.

Now I just need to convince rpf to send me his High Wycombe fat glass GZ37 to try out 

No problem David. I have an extra one and I'd like to hear someone else's thoughts on it. Send me a PM with your address and I'll get it out to you.

Rob

Rob,
Very kewl.  Thanks. 

David,
No pressure...just a $275 per tube investment, riding on your thoughts alone, no one elses!! 

Great Rob, thanks!! 

Damn Ted, that is some serious pressure 

[Bigfish]

Ted, Dave, Phil, everyone, are you using tube dampeners on the ModWright Transporter Tubes?

Thanks,

Ken

[rydenfan]

Ted, Dave, Phil, everyone, are you using tube dampeners on the ModWright Transporter Tubes?

Thanks,

Ken

I personally do not.

[CometCKO]

Wow, this tube rolling stuff is spinning my head.
I thought I would share my tube rolling process - it may work for you, it may not, it also might save time and money.

Typically when I put in a new tube it invariably sounds different to what it replaced, my immediate reaction is either 'this is fantastic' or 'this is rubbish'.  What I do to compensate for this knee jerk reaction is try to leave the combination in for a couple of weeks, and then go back to what was in before - this stops me making rash decisions as sometimes a tube that sounds great in the beginning but may start to reveal sonic nasties that I can't live with.  If the tube is so bad it might not make it beyond a week!  At the same time my TP took about 3-4 months to burn-in (not sure what Dan would recommend for burn in time), so I would not recommend making any tube decisions during this time.  As some of these NOS tubes have been lying around for years, they may need time to stabilize their electrical/musical properties.

If anyone has any other tube advice I'm open to try other techniques and ideas.

This makes good sense to me too.  The only thing that I would add, is that there are often significant interactions between tube types, so sequential testing might not reveal the best solutions for your system and your taste.  For instance, I really like the RCA clear tops with the Mullard GZ34 rectifier, and I prefer the 6H30-DR with the Tung-Sol 5U4.  When used the other way around (e.g. RCA/Tung-Sol) I like the result less well than the other combinations.  This process also brings back "losers" from previous combinations in ways that may showcase or enhance their strengths.  Plus it's fun to do, altho detailed listening notes help a lot.  I'm still acquiring alternative tubes, but it's getting harder and harder to displace my champions, so the process seems to be working. 

I guess source material matters too.  Small jazz combos might be better served with some combinations while multi-orchestra extravaganza's or electronica might benefit from others.  Whatever floats your boat.

HTH

Frank

[ted_b]

"Detailed listening notes".  Good one.  I can honestly say that I'm currently overwhelmed by my tube rolling.  I've only just gotten into this tube hobby since the 36.5 and TP, very late in life.  I've gone too quickly and lost a lot of interaction data.  I need desperately to take good listening notes.  The tubes interaction, combined with pc's and cables, combined with two units (source and pre) is almost too much.  I must get much more process-oriented.  Thanks for the good tips.

My fuses arrived today but I'm sorry to say that I have two big demos coming up (speaker cable and amps) that have a short half life, so I'll forego changing fuses until after they are demo'd and leave.  I look forward to my VP's reporting back their own feedback. 

Oh, and I used to use Herbies tube dampers, but for whatever reason I don't currently.

[Philistine]

Ted, Dave, Phil, everyone, are you using tube dampeners on the ModWright Transporter Tubes?

Thanks,

Ken

I have a couple of the Herbies lying around, they are probably last on my list at the moment.  All the tube rolling/combo stuff has a bigger impact on the sonic performance (I think) .  The problem with the MW TP is that its too addictive - I work from home and take the odd break  which can stretch into an extended listening session.