Having left the unit on for 24 hours after putting in the new Gold Lion ECC82, I decided that this enough time for a better listen to the unit in my system. I am not stating a very long review because I only listened to one album, bot before and after, i.e. Pink Floyd's Wish you were here. I felt that the recording was not going to let me down, and I could just concentrate on the music. One tell tale sign for me that I am impressed, it the inability to move once the album staterted. I didn't want to miss one single note. I think that it is also important that you know an album well enough in the first place in order to at least have a sense of what you expect.
So, in a word, this tube (and maybe the unit itself) has the clarity that I am looking for. Bass is not only well defined, but I hear no strain for it. In that aspect, things are the same before and after. Midrange is a touch better when it comes to sibilance, and that is always appreciated. The treble is not more open, but there does seem to be better extension. I hear higher up than normal. Yes, this may be a bad thing for someone with exquisite hearing, but I am more than happy for this improvement. No doubt, I need to listen to quite a few more albums, but this is my initial impression.
So, in a word, this tube (and maybe the unit itself) has the clarity that I am looking for. Bass is not only well defined, but I hear no strain for it. In that aspect, things are the same before and after. Midrange is a touch better when it comes to sibilance, and that is always appreciated. The treble is not more open, but there does seem to be better extension. I hear higher up than normal. Yes, this may be a bad thing for someone with exquisite hearing, but I am more than happy for this improvement. No doubt, I need to listen to quite a few more albums, but this is my initial impression.