My octal adaptors arrived from Wayne yesterday afternoon (Thanks Wayne
, super fast shipping & service). I had some other network issues going on, so after installing the adaptors/6SN7's in the MW Transporter, my listening time was hit and miss last night. Got the network issues resolved and started a little earnest listening this morning.
I wish (sort of) that I had some new and great insight to add, but so far my reaction falls right in line with the gang's experience. I initially had my TS round plates installed in my Cary SLI-80 integrated amp, so my first octals in the MW Trpter were a nice pair of Raytheon VT-231's (I had been running some TS blackplate 6CG7's as I tend to like their nice warm sound, sometimes rolling some Raytheon blackplates in which I really like as well). With the Raytheon VT=231's in, it seemed there was just 'more' of everything, plus I had to lower the gain setting on my sub (I have JM Lab Micro Utopia speakers augmented by a REL Strata III sub) by a couple of notches! After an hour or so, I couldn't resist, so I swapped the 6SN7's--putting the Raytheons in my amp and the TS round plates in the Transporter.
OK, the TS round plates are magic!!! Another decent step up, even over the Raytheon's, everything is better--more detail but still incredibly smooth and just so musical. Sounds even more like live voices/music to me.
I also have a couple pair of Ken Rad VT-231's that are well thought of in the 6SN7 world, and need to give them a try----but that would mean prying those TS round plates out of the MW Transporter
, and right now I can't bear to do it!!!
Just for reference, my MW Trptr is only a couple of months old, and I'm running the EML mesh plate rectifier in it (fortunately given my new unit, no issues on the compatibility for the EML rectifier). The EML is a great tube and deserves all the accolades that have been written about it in this thread, however, to me in my system, the step from the 6CG7 output tubes to the 6SN7's made 3x as much difference/improvement as swapping the rectifiers!!
If we find tube combos that consistently beat the EML mesh rectifier and the TS round plate 6SN7's as far as multiple people's preference, I'm going to be amazed. Right now I'm wondering how I can get much better sound; I'm a happy camper!!
Randy