[Waters95bj]

Hi everybody,    I am a new kid in this circle. But I have spent many nights learning your experiences in using Modwright and I finally joined the club. I received my LS36.5+PS36.5 and KWA150 in early Oct, since then I have put about 65 hours on the combo. So far so good, it did a significantly better job than my replaced McIntosh MA6900 from the first minute. Currently, I am running with all the stock tubes, but very much want to do tube rolling. Learning from your advices and experiences, I am searching for vintage 6H30-DR and GZ34/5U4GB, let me know if you have any good suggestions, the 6H30-DR are getting very expensive  .

My question now is about the Power Cord to use with the PS36.5 and KWA150, also the IC for the combo. I like to get advices from this forum as to your choices on these cables, and their unique sound quality when paired with the Modwiright gears. I am currently using a Zu Varial 1.5M RCA to connect the 36.5+ and KWA, it is so far so good, but I heard many said using XLR cables will bring the best out for this combo. And I know I still have some 300 to 400 hours to completely break in the Modwright amps, so I don't know what I am missing at the moment.

My sourcs are both CD and LP, I use CD for general burn in, but mostly listen to LP when I have time to sit down and enjoy. I have a Music Maker III cart on a Audiomods tonearm (Rega mod arm), and an Ortofon Rondo Bronze paired with a Jelco tonearm. If you are a LP lover, you will know, Music Maker is musical and engaging (using 100k loading), it produce better bass weight, but not as fine and detailed as the Ortofon. So I tends to use Music Maker for vocal, Jazz and simple classical performance, and use Ortofon for Sym recordings play back. My CD sound is relatively a bit more cold than LP. I am using a pair of Canton Vento Ref 7DC speakers, I already have hundreds of hours on it so is fully run in. Typical German speakers, very balanced, detailed and natural, can produce very good bass with its size, IMHO.

So much on my system, I like to be able to feel the emotions of the singers and the instruement players from the music, not necessary making the best HiFi scores but should have enough fine details and good control to produce the closest to original real work from the recordings. On top of that, I guess I like the sound to be a little bit on the warmth side with some mass, but not too much. I tried a Japanese Cyro power cord on the 36.5 and it response to it positively, bass control gets better. I have also put on a Siltech 330i RCA between the pre and power amp, and it improves the two ends extension and better details, but I don't necessary like it better than the Zu Varial which is more comfortable and relaxing to listen to.

Let me know what ICs and PCs that you are using, or have tried before ... many thanks. 

[jazzcourier]

No doubt you will be coming up with some unusual and even off the wall combination of ic's and power cords that sound good to people,and will be completely unknown to you.When i was using this combination i was using a Valhalla pc on the 150 and a Electraglide Synapse 11 on the pre amp.The XLR's are Sine Kosmos.If you ask most manufacturers what cables they recommend they usually go for what ever brand they have struck up an allegiance with for audio shows,and this changes.Not that there is anything wrong with that,but if they had a definite magic bullet to make their  gear crawl up and down the walls,they would tell you.
    As far as tubes for the 36.5 power supply i would go immediately to the best nos pair of Tung Sol  5u4 GB before you spend too much time with others.I have tried RCA's of different vintages and will be trying some Sylvannia some people have spoke highly of just to se if they can better the TS.I have found the difference is very noticeable.The 5u4-g big bottle will give you a less expansive sound and might be interesting to hear a pair down the line.When you get the TS tubes the Dr tubes the right balance of cables you will know it because this amp is going to make you stop wanting to buy other pre amps.It is that good.Enjoy your amps!

[Waters95bj]

Thanks Jazzcourier,
I am very comfortable to stay with the Modwright combo for many many years. I think these boxes has much bigger potential than their price tag, I will have to pay at least double (maybe more) the price to get something better than LS36.5+ and KWA150. I don't prepare to spend this money, even if I have this money, it may be better to get a new CD transport/DAC, a better phono amp, and the list goes on and I believe the Modwright amp will be at the very end of my list.

Therefore, I only plan to spend some money for 36.5+ tube rolling, get some better power cords for the combo, and a good IC to connect the two boxes. By the way, forgot to mention I am also using a PS Audio PPP, I will plug my LS36.5+ power cord to the PPP, and plug the KWA150 directly to the wall socket. I believe most people will do it this way, if you happens to do it differently and get better result, please share the details.

Thanks. 

[jazzcourier]

Whether or not it is an option for you in your location-dedicated lines with a separate box for them.Going directly into the wall without a power conditioner has proven to be the quietest and cleanest sounding option.You will get many different comments on this.Initial investment was about 1600 $.No a/c fridge heater or any other hum or noise or interference.Just the way it works for me.

[DigiPete]

Waters95bj

I have the LS36.5 DM and KWA 150 like you.
I use balanced cables from the LS to the KWA.

I have had great success with grover cables, from groverhuffman.com

These cables are very transparent and neutral, no sound really.
But the amount of detail unleashed was amazing, but not artificial sounding, if that makes any sense.

Great bass, mids and treble. What more could you ask for? Detail, prat, yes.

Anyway for the price they are a steal, and I think you would have to spend into the thousands to beat them.

I got some 6h30p-DRs from an ebay seller in Russia, and they were just as promised.
I also use a std mullard 5AR4 f32 code, and the combo sounds great.

I use a tara labs reference power chord, nothing special, but it was a bit better sounding than an iron lung jellyfish, and the lower level tara labs power cable as well.

Just my two cents.
Best of luck on your quest.


Cheers,
Pete

[Waters95bj]

Pete, thanks for your sharing. I also found 6H30 DR tubes from Russia seller on ebay, $225 for a pair of 86' made. And Turky seller, $220 for 4 tubes with date code 0902. And other offer from online store on the web from $80 to $200 each, all NOS before 1990. The range is too big and I am actually a bit confused. Will there be fake DR tube in the market?

I will check out the grover cable, thanks.

[Philistine]

I too am using Grover's balanced XLR's from my 36.5 to a pair of KWA150's, IMHO the cost performance ration from Grover's cables is untouchable



 

[dminches]

How long did you feel it took for the cables to break in?  I just bought a pair of phono (TT to pre-amp) interconnects and a regular pair of RCA interconnects.

[DigiPete]

I think around 50 hours. I usually just plug them in, turn the system on for several days straight, then start listening.

but even out of the box they sound decent.  Make sure to get his Sx models (latest) as these are the best sounding he has ever made IMO.


If you PM me I can let you know what Ebay seller I bought my DRs from.
I believe they are 85 or 86 vintage. I think i paid a similar amount as well from a Russian seller. Got them and they were brand new, and authentic.

Cheers
Pete

[jriggy]

I have a pair of Grovers IC's (RCA's) from transport to pre. Took way more than 50 hr's to break in for me. the highs calmed very nicely after 200 to 250 hours it seamed. Maybe less. It was a year or so ago.

[DigiPete]

I have a pair of Grovers IC's (RCA's) from transport to pre. Took way more than 50 hr's to break in for me. the highs calmed very nicely after 200 to 250 hours it seamed. Maybe less. It was a year or so ago.

That may be, I think I put a week on the cables, so my 50 hour number is probably suspect, more like 200, seems about right