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Mal Valve Headphone amp III

Does anyone have any tube recommendations for this amp?

I'm running mine off of a DCS Debussy and Oppo 95 for discs.

I was getting some breakup on loud or complex passages. A slight lack of guts with the Stax 007 headphones but the break up occurs with both the LCD-3 and 007.

I replaced the 4 EF184 tubes with some generic tubes(only ones available), WOW was that awful! Huge amount of noise and ringing from the relay volume board. Replaced them back with the Mal Valve EF184's and everything was good again.

I replaced the 2 ECC81 with some gold Lion tubes and this did ramp up the resolution and transparency (we are talking MAC DADDY, best in the world transparency here!). This was definitely an improvement and the breakup issue seems to be gone now.

I replaced the 4 6V6 tubes with some JJ tubes and that does not work. the sound is OK not great but the gain is too low for the Stax 007 headphones. Turned up to -0db (the Max) the level is audible but very low. I ordered some (4) Telefunken Black Diamond 6V6 and (4) Genalex Gold Lion 6V6GT so I will get back when I get some time here to check them out.

I have several headphone set-ups, 1 with a supped up Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 with some great tubes and I love the sound of it. I could live happily ever after with this amp. The Mal Valve is obviously a step up but the Valhalla is very close and always musical and fun to listen to.

The other setup I use is with a real Krell KSA-5 that has some better caps in it. This is very dynamic and powerful and it does not care what headphones it is hooked to; it makes all headphones sound there best. The effortless power and grace is addictive. The Nichicon Muse caps were a step up and pumped up the dynamics and detail but there can be sometimes a slight harshness but I replaced the the main board caps again with Elna Silmic II caps which do not easily fit in the case but wow the resolution might even be slightly better but the sound is as transparent as can be and very powerful meaning absolutely effortless regardless of the headphone or volume and no harshness at all.

The Mal Valve is getting there now I may try some big buck tubes soon and see what is possible here? I wish to god the Krell amp was fully balanced and set up for the Stax Headphones, that combo would be incredibly transparent. Most detail I've ever heard so far? the MalValve Stax 007 combo, most musical body is a draw between the Mal Valve and Krell. Although the Mal Valve is rated at 12 watts I think and the Krell at 10 the Krell has the most overall power, like screw the headphones lets just hook up some speakers kind of power. I have always thought of selling the Krell, but then I listen to it and jeez it's good, musical nirvana, I still love it.

Funny thing is how good the Valhalla is and how close it gets to the two 45 pound amps.
 The little Valhalla is a giant killer with the right tubes. It's hard to get analytical about the Valhalla it's just so damn transparent and musical, it forces you to relax and enjoy.

Rob
rminsf
6 responses Add your response
rminsf OP
53 posts
 
Well after letting the tubes settle in some I accidentally damaged the left driver of the Stax 007 headphones, not sure how to get that addressed but I do want to try the 009 model.
I've tried about 10 different headphones with the Mal Valve now and a few were simply too low powered to work well with an amp that is this strong, it could do a good job but I was terrified Id hurt my ears or the phones accidentally with any real volume.

The three main phones so far are the STAX  007, LCD3 and HD800S. The HD800S has a thinner sound and different sound that the other 2. The Stax 007 is the transparency KING so far, flat as a pancake frequency response and reach out and touch, you are there, relaxed but intensely detailed environment. The LCD3 has huge punch I used the 8ohm setting and it is not as clear as the 007 but wow do they have life in them, more like the sound of a concert. The LCD3 can do huge dynamic swings and just sound fun. The HD800s sounded thin to me on the 8 ohm setting but on the 32ohm setting it sounds more flat frequency wise and more dynamic overall. It has a very tube midrange like quality, a luscious midrange, meaty and full of stunning detail and life kind of a cross between the LCD and the 007. The micro and macro dynamics are at a world class level here, I'm hearing the music differently than before, like going from MP3 to 192/24. The detail is about the same or close to the stax but with more dynamic contrast to the point it takes the performance into a different dimension. The HD800S does not have as much bottom end meat, it's midrange centric, but it's intensely addicting. I don't want to stop listening and enjoying the music it is just so damn good.The DCS Debussy is giving all it's got, that lush, vivid, saturated detail sound is a perfect match with the Mal Valve pushing the HD800S to the edge of what it's capable of. It's the best sound I've ever heard except when I briefly exchanged the Debussy for the Vivaldi which is a level I din't think was really possible until I heard it for myself. The separation of voices and instruments is absolute, in a chorus I can identify and count each performer, easily!
Rob
rminsf OP
53 posts
 
I have not heard the iF1 iEnergizer Pro at all(but curious). I own the SR 007II but not the SR 007I so I'm not sure about that either yet. I wish Schiit Audio made a Stax amp. I have easily modified a few of their products with huge success. I'm playing with the Valhalla II right now and love it so far.

The Mal Valve is interesting. I wish they didn't use that EF184 tube in there but OMG does this thing sound amazing then you get it set up right. Very Powerful with the best of the tube sound but very balanced and articulate like transistors. Often with transformer on the output you get a softer somewhat unbalanced sound but with transformers on both the input and output here I can't hear a thing but tight punchy powerful dynamic sound no matter what headphones you use. Cheaper headphones easily compress and you hear their limitations instantly, awkwardly. Some headphones I was eager to try sound awful lol after hearing the Stax and LCD's. without getting loud the amp pushes the cheap ones to there limits easily or so it sounds. The Krell KSA 5 just makes everything sound it's best.
peter_s
1,335 posts
 
Interesting posts!  I'll have to check out the malvalve amplifier. Interesting that you prefer the SR007ii to the SR007i - I've read many that prefer the 007i. Have you heard anything about the new iFI iEnergizer Pro for the Stax?  I'm hoping it has more juice than the Stax 727ii amplifier.  Still looking for a budget friendly solution to power my SR007's.  
rminsf OP
53 posts
 
OK having a little fun now trying different headphones with this set up. More on that later, if you have looked up anything on the Mal Valve you know it’s extremely versatile. I have it hooked up to my OPPO 95 (balanced, it sounds better than the 105 to me) and my DCS Debussy (also Balanced). the Debussy like the Vivaldi sounds best using it’s 6V output so there is plenty of gain there.

Honestly, probably the single best headphone in the world is the Stax SR007 II or the SR 009. The problem with the SR007 II is it is very hard to drive so you get that stunning, reach out and touch transparency that nothing else can come even close to, my LCD3’s are no match on this either. BUT... on the dynamics you hear the strain of the amp unlike most other Stax designs. This is exactly what I was hearing with the Mal Valve tubes, I think it was actually clipping? Especially in the bass. When I upgraded the preamp tubes to the Gold Lion ECC81 the transparency and dynamics both improved several notches but then I could still hear the amp struggling with the SR007 but no longer with the LCD3. Then I upgraded the output 6V6 tubes to the JJ, better and worse, great base, good power not as great mid range and treble. The transparency was gone too. Then upgraded to the Telefunkin and Gold Lion 6V6 tubes. WOW, Power and dynamics galore, transparency (Gold Lion) Harmonics (Telefunkin) It’s all there.

Now with the the all Gold Lion tubes settled in a bit, That SR007 II restriction is completely gone! They sound Dynamic and completely uncompressed, effortless.(read, reaching for the volume knob all the time) It’s the most natural wonderful sound I have ever heard to date. OMG the bass is equal to my Krell KSA 5! There is a couple more tubes I want to try but jeez I’m not sure it can get better than this? The SR007 is also comfortable to wear. Sorry for so many posts but this has been a journey for years in the making.

Being in HiFi for so many years of my life (12 to 53) and I’ve owned and listened to so much, I am very lucky in that regard. It still comes down to a few components that really surpass the hype and deliver that live music punch and transparency. AND, sound musical and natural. When the equipment is right it just gets out of the way. I can’t find a single issue with this system other than cost maybe to criticize about this setup. I did try the Mal Valve with the Vivaldi DAC I have and yes that is truly the best sound I have ever heard in my life, but if you never heard the Vivaldi you would say the same thing about the Debussy, it is the real bargain in digital audio. Some of the MSB DACS have more detail (almost unreal stunning detail) but for me the DCS seems to be the most musical.
rminsf OP
53 posts
 
A few notes about the 6V6 Telefunkin and Gold Lion tubes. The Telefunkin is more more substantial looking and has heavily saturated harmonics which is amazing on the piano and violins as you just kickback and try and take in all the great complexity of it.

The Gold Lion has more you are there presence, DYNAMICS and is very even handed with everything. It's hard to describe the sound it's just so right; like it was meant to be. 
rminsf OP
53 posts
 
OK have tried a couple other 6V6 tubes now with the Gold Lion ECC81 and Mal Valve 184's in there.

With the Gold Lion 6V6GT it really sounds much better, much more balanced and deeply harmonic compared to the JJ tubes. The sound is now far beyond what the original all Mal Valve tubes offered. Transparent in the extreme with the Stax 007 phones. The Stax 007 usually sounds very transparent but restricted on dynamics compared to the LCD-3. But now it sounds unrestricted, very punchy and fast, balanced.

With the Telefunkin 6V6 tubes. Very close to the Gold Lion 6V6GT, hard to tel them apart and even more so as the hours add up. The telefunkin trades a slight amount of ultimate transparency with the Gold Lion for slightly more harmonic richness. The bass is coming more into the game as the hours add up. I think it would take 50 hours or so with each to get them into shape and I suspect they will be very close after that.

I's have an ever so slight high frequency graininess or edge at a particular high frequency which very well may be coming from the EF184 tubes? I'm going to order another set from Mal Valve. I also want to keep trying more pre and power tubes. This rig with the DCS DAC is some of the best sound I've ever heard, more and more it's getting hard to tell what it sounds like, it just sound like you are there.
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