[DBT AUDIO]

FWIW dept,: we've got a lot of customers using the boutique tubes like the Psvane, Sophia and LinLai tubes, mostly 6SN7s. The feedback I get on them is they 'have the best character of the best NOS tubes, without the weaknesses'. The only thing we've seen as a downside on them so far is the Sophia unaccountably seems to have a short life even when not pushed hard- under 6 months. This information applies only to the 6SN7; we've not got any feedback on other tubes we use.

We recently tested a set of LinLais here and they worked great. We also tested the 'globe' variant which also worked fine. But a customer of ours had a lot of microphonic problems with the globes he purchased- he actually sent the preamp back to us for repair and all the problems were solved by replacing the defective tubes. Again FWIW the globe version has considerable resonance in the glass structure; if the tube ever develops microphonic issues the glass will exacerbate that, and since all tubes have microphonics to some degree anyway, IMO the globe should be avoided. But with those two caveats the boutique tubes are quite good!

Thanks for that info!

[Tyson]

Tyson, you’re upgrading the X3 crossovers yourself or sending them back to Clayton?  Are these the latest crossovers used by Spatial or aftermarket.  When I say “aftermarket” I’m no insinuating that they are cheap, I’m just asking for clarity on your new adventure!

Updating it myself, with Clayton's guidance.

[DBT AUDIO]

Updating it myself, with Clayton's guidance.

You're the man!  Standing by for updates.

[geerock]

About a year ago I bypassed the stock Clarity Cap capacitor on my X5's and used a VCap Odam. 

The easy way to experiment with caps is to unsolder the Plus lead (right side looking from the rear) of the AMT and run a new external lead from the red WBT binding post up to a capacitor and then to the tweeter. The value is 4uF.

[Tyson]

You're the man!  Standing by for updates.

I guess technically it would be more accurate to say that I HAVE made some updates to the crossover and wiring already (again, with Clayton's guidance).  The parts all came in a few days ago & I cobbled together a 'basic' upgrade. I'll listen to it for a while and then continue to fine-tune it based on what I hear. 

In fact, I'll probably start a new thread so I can go over everything, in detail.

[Daryl Zero]

I guess technically it would be more accurate to say that I HAVE made some updates to the crossover and wiring already (again, with Clayton's guidance).  The parts all came in a few days ago & I cobbled together a 'basic' upgrade. I'll listen to it for a while and then continue to fine-tune it based on what I hear. 

In fact, I'll probably start a new thread so I can go over everything, in detail.

When you do that, can you also let me (or us) know why you wanted these specific upgrades, what you expected to happen and what did happen?

Again, I'm sort of curious about these desires for minute improvements whether it be moving the speakers slightly or making upgrades. It sort of seems like a restlessness which I know I have to fight against at times.

[TomS]

I guess technically it would be more accurate to say that I HAVE made some updates to the crossover and wiring already (again, with Clayton's guidance).  The parts all came in a few days ago & I cobbled together a 'basic' upgrade. I'll listen to it for a while and then continue to fine-tune it based on what I hear. 

In fact, I'll probably start a new thread so I can go over everything, in detail.

Be nice to know from him what does and does not also apply to the X5. I'd think the same other than fitting caps.

[doggie]

Thanks for sharing your experience with new tubes because the masses make you feel like you are buying garbage if your tubes are not NOS.

Users of NOS tubes are definitely a small subset of audiophiles who are a very, very small subset of those who listen to 2 channel home audio. "The masses" might be a bit of a stretch?

So far I have only heard of a few new production tubes that beat out good NOS tubes and those new tubes are way expensive. They also often get low marks for reliability in spite of their excellent sound quality. I do realize that the best NOS tubes can be expensive also. I am using a new Sophia Aqua 274B rectifier in my Baltic 3 DAC. It sounds great and beat out the other NOS tubes that I tried but the rest of my tubes are NOS or "used but test good".

YMMV.

[DBT AUDIO]

Users of NOS tubes is definitely a small subset of audiophiles who are a very, very small subset of those who listen to 2 channel home audio. "The masses" might be a bit of a stretch?

For better context, when I say the “masses” make you feel like you are buying garbage if your tubes are not NOS, I’m speaking from my experience reading a lot of hifi forums and hifi magazine reviews on the topic of tube gear.  I haven’t taken a poll on the matter, but I’m speaking from what I've read.  The expensive hifi buying community is a minority in itself because the masses will buy a basic system for their music listening needs and have no desire to buy the gear that we have.  So, in my experience in the hifi forums and reading tube gear reviews, the hardcore tube lovers rarely prefer re-issued tubes.