[sfox7076]

Went to the NY audio show and ordered a new big 7, no volume control, but with DSD. Now to wait.  I now need to find 45 tubes and one more WE 101 tube.  The guys at the show really indulged my tube questions and requests.  I'm set with rectifiers.  Any advice on 45s?  NU v. Cunningham/RCA?

[wisnon]

Doesn't matter, just snag some vintage 45 triode globes…they are all the same as RCA held patent. Cunningham Cx-345 and RCA UX-245 are most popular.

Vintage WE 101d tube??? that will be over $1K!!!!

I heard that Psvane WE replica 101Ds are very good. $550 a pair on Ebay.

[wisnon]

I am gonna roll with these tubes you see in my post here:

http://audioshark.org/computer-digital-audio-11/ps-audio-directstream-dac-4438-page25.html#post95861

[Geardaddy]

Went to the NY audio show and ordered a new big 7, no volume control, but with DSD. Now to wait.  I now need to find 45 tubes and one more WE 101 tube.  The guys at the show really indulged my tube questions and requests.  I'm set with rectifiers.  Any advice on 45s?  NU v. Cunningham/RCA?

Congrats....great dac

[Lissnr]

Hello sfox7076, It was great chatting with you outside the Lampi room on Saturday...I recognize you due to the "missing 101d" comment and I was telling you about my B7 using Sovtek 2A3's and the Shuguang 274b rectifier. I'm very excited for you and your new B7 you will not be disappointed. My trip with Lukasz, Rob and Fred started with an L4 which hooked me into the Lampizators until I rather quickly jumped to the Big 6 (and loved tremendously) but then inspired my last jump to the B7 (with the optional pre just to know it's there if I want to experiment with it alone), and I couldn't be happier! Though maybe? As I start swapping tubes...?
You're in great hands with the Lampizator crew (above) as you mentioned they are always willing to take time to talk, help, respond...and just be around for you...
As for new ("other") tubes, I'm also going to try the EML 45's and may consider the chinese 101d's too (though I know you have an actual WE)? It should be fun. Good talking with you and congratulations again. Grant

[wisnon]

Grant, go straight for the 345s and 245s vintage globes first...then you can experiment with the rest after.

[sfox7076]

Grant,

Nice to meet you as well.  I found a pair of Cunningham 45s I am getting.  I can also get a pair of "Speed" brand 45s.  Not sure about those as one of the tubes tests a bit weak on the Amplitrex:

Fixed bias mode:

Tube1:  79% emission    92% GM
Tube2:  58%                   69%

Auto bias mode:

Tube1:  94% emission    102% GM
Tube2:  82%                    79%

Any thoughts on that?  The tubes look cool with the mid-30s type label.  The Speed's are 245s.  Does anyone know if the VT-52 variant would work in the Lampi 7?  I know someone who has those.



Shawn

[wisnon]

Lots of (expensive) WE 101ds on Ebay now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-101D-METAL-BASE-BALL-TUBE-IN-ORIGINAL-BOX-/301329117343?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item46289d709f

[Lissnr]

Hi Shawn, I wish I could help you a little more on those particular tubes but I'm not as well versed in them as I need to be. I may start playing with those 101's and as per Wisnon, maybe the 345 and 245's. A relatively new friend of mine recently bought TWO L7's (for both his upstairs and downstairs systems...wow wow cool but I couldn't even imagine!) and I'll be visiting him to hear both systems late in October. I know he made a few exciting tube purchases so that will be very interesting. I'll report back.

[sfox7076]

So far this is what I have tube wise:

Rectifiers:
Western Electric 274b, RCA JAN 5U4G

Signal Tubes:
Pair RCA JAN 2a3s, 1 WE 101D, cash out for a pair of Cuningham 245s.

[wisnon]

Hi Shawn, I wish I could help you a little more on those particular tubes but I'm not as well versed in them as I need to be. I may start playing with those 101's and as per Wisnon, maybe the 345 and 245's. A relatively new friend of mine recently bought TWO L7's (for both his upstairs and downstairs systems...wow wow cool but I couldn't even imagine!) and I'll be visiting him to hear both systems late in October. I know he made a few exciting tube purchases so that will be very interesting. I'll report back.

Hahahaha

Andrew and I go waaay back. LoL 3 or 4 months actually, and he already snagged some 345s and parked the stock tubes. The watchword is "liquid". He even had his tbes playing in Brooklyn, see here:
http://audioshark.org/other-shows-139/2014-new-york-audio-show-5871-page3.html


From Socfan12 at Audioshark:







Read the B7 tube rolling thread and study it carefully for considered opinions.

[wisnon]

So far this is what I have tube wise:

Rectifiers:
Western Electric 274b, RCA JAN 5U4G

Signal Tubes:
Pair RCA JAN 2a3s, 1 WE 101D, cash out for a pair of Cuningham 245s.

Sfox, PM me your number for a chat, if you like.

Cunningham is CX-345, RCA is UX-245. You have Triad, Nat Union, Arcturus and many other equivalents (globes). I think RCA made them all. You also have the ST (coke bottle shaped versions from the 1950s, but those are generally cheaper and the consensus say a bit inferior).

That is a great recti, the EML 274b. Typo, I meant the WE 274b.

Here are some rectis heading my way. i also have 2 other GZ34s I picked up at my local tube guy here:
http://ali-charles-baba.blogspot.ch/

[sfox7076]

My rectifier is an actual Western Electric from 1952.  Non-engraved base. Can get an engraved base (that is a little loose, but tests fine) for $1200.  Not going to do that. 

We used the Rectifier and some of my 2a3s on Saturday in the Lampi room.  The 274b really sounded great.  It was much more open than the stock rectifier.  The 2a3s were not as good as the 45s.  They do have to burn in though.  They had not been heated in 50 years (other than to test them on an amplitrex).

The 5U4s are from 1950s military shipments.   

Bought the Cunninghams 345s but have not gotten them yet.  Don't want to spend $550 on a WE101D, but would spend $400 if I could find one that tests NOS like the other one I have (It's ST shape).


I will pm you later.  Seems like you have it all.
Shawn

[sfox7076]

Looking at the picture above, that in fact may be by WE in the Lampi (I brought it to try out).

[wisnon]

Cool about the WE recti.

OK, the WE 101d you seek is not tennis ball but ST shape! Yes, $400 is the normal higher price for it, but with tube inflation, who knows. Tennis balls are a lot more.

The Unobtanium 10th anniversary EML globe may be the best of them all.

[Gopher]

Shawn's 274B was a killer tube in the mix.  Their price is a little rich for my blood but I think I will try a PSVANE 1:1 replica for my own Big 7.

[wisnon]

Hi Shawn, I wish I could help you a little more on those particular tubes but I'm not as well versed in them as I need to be. I may start playing with those 101's and as per Wisnon, maybe the 345 and 245's. A relatively new friend of mine recently bought TWO L7's (for both his upstairs and downstairs systems...wow wow cool but I couldn't even imagine!) and I'll be visiting him to hear both systems late in October. I know he made a few exciting tube purchases so that will be very interesting. I'll report back.

Yes, I put him on to the Globes. I was put on to the by the UK crew, Justin and Greg and posted the long treatise here in the rolloing thread. Then I read the confirmatory post by Luan and AL also bought and confirmed.

[wisnon]

Shawn's 274B was a killer tube in the mix.  Their price is a little rich for my blood but I think I will try a PSVANE 1:1 replica for my own Big 7.

WE is da NAME to have...but oooh the prices....and who knows if its fake.

[Lissnr]

Hi All, Just wanted to take a minute and mention again how revolutionary my experience(s) with the Lampizator dacs has been. After my first exposure to a Lampi G4L4 I literally couldn't believe how much more information in such a more natural way I was getting from this dac (my system is highly revealing featuring TSW refurbished Apogee pure ribbon speakers).
I was hooked on the Lampizators' ability to make music really "REAL" in my room. I purchased the dac and thoroughly admired everything it did for my system.  Quite quickly I admitted to myself there were 'more evolved' models up the ranks and soon bought a brand new Big 6.
 All I could say was wow.  Walls disappeared, 3d imaging materialized, and the music was simply 'present', as naturally as could be. I never wanted to give it up as it was almost too good to be true. Many other lampizator owners followed the Level 5 route as it appeared to offer better flexibility and features (it does) and I have never actually heard one so I can not attest to its sound quality though reports all sing its praise and it's easy to believe. But the Big 6 truly was a niche product. It was Lukasz's version of what HE ( the "Creator") felt was his pride and joy 'best effort' and I believed him. It was. I would really regret giving it up to move up the line again.
So I'm done, right? Right?
Audioholicism. Sounds nasty? It is.
Big 7? Even newer advances? Prices going up eventually...DHT's! DHT's??? Yes.
I did it (it was very very difficult at first...) But I wrenched the B6 from my heart and went for the B7 (oh the trauma...) And I'm here to say today...
I loved my Big 6 and it will always be my first 'lost love', but the Big 7 simply does it all. No prisoners. No nonsense. Just downright MASTER OF REALITY (I'm an original Black Sabbath fan from way back fwiw). What does a Big 7 do?
Presence! Definition. Clarity (though Natural and UNforced). Tonal colors like a rainbow. And Space...Huge Space...the walls melt, the musicians seem to invite you up to join them with a nod of their head while you seem to sense them looking right at you as they sing or play or just flow to the tunes they are  making for YOU...it's uncanny.
I can't get over it. 35+ years as an audioaddict and it has all come down to this. All I can say is the warning I'm tempted to put on my room entrance to read something like this:
"CAUTION experienced audiophiles only! You must be a seasoned listener to comprehend the level of reality you will be exposed to in this room... all others will be potentially shocked in disbelief "
OR something along those lines...get it?
This thing is amazing. Thank you Lukasz. Thank you.

[Sligolad]

Presence! Definition. Clarity (though Natural and UNforced). Tonal colors like a rainbow. And Space...Huge Space...the walls melt, the musicians seem to invite you up to join them with a nod of their head while you seem to sense them looking right at you as they sing or play or just flow to the tunes they are  making for YOU...it's uncanny.
I can't get over it. 35+ years as an audioaddict and it has all come down to this. All I can say is the warning I'm tempted to put on my room entrance to read something like this:
"CAUTION experienced audiophiles only! You must be a seasoned listener to comprehend the level of reality you will be exposed to in this room... all others will be potentially shocked in disbelief "
OR something along those lines...get it?
This thing is amazing. Thank you Lukasz. Thank you.

I have been struggling for some time Lissnr trying to summarise my experience with the Big7 since I changed from my Meitner MA1 about 2 months ago and I have to say you really nailed it above.
Trying to avoid all the old cliches was difficult so thanks for capturing it all above and saving me a lot of effort...it is one serious machine and a real step into another world for me.
For anyone looking to see the innards of the beast see my pics here:

http://www.tirnahifi.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2966

Cheers, Pearse.