"The whole thing feels right, bass, vocal and everything is more filled out everything working better together". Based on that description it seems that the preamp is providing "more" not less information. The direct route appears to be omitting significant vital details of your recording. The Einstein is presenting the more complete music signal.
Charles, |
O_holter - I first learned from another A'gon member of the magic of the RCA 12BH7 in the Aria WV5 preamp. He was right on about this vs. the 7602 that I have liked there. I then tried it the CAT JL3 amps in the 12AU7 socket and the same miracle
.wow. And then it made its way to the APL Denon CDP with a major improvement of performance. Alex of APL was telling all not to use this tube in his players due to higher current demands but as this player on had one tube for the 2 channels, it worked mighty fine for years.
The major strength of the RCA 12BH7 is new level of clarity. This amount of grain caused by the other tubes shows how the RCA removes the smearing from note to note as well as lower-level details (percussion specifically) previously hidden.
As for the Einstein vs. the Callisto Sig., these both portrayed space with aplomb which says a lot as so few line stages truly get this right. To hear these two side by side for just a couple hours did not give me enough time to become familiar with the pros/cons or to pick a "winner". There was no WOW factor here like there was when I got the Aria WV5 a year or so later. |
The coolest thing about the Einstein was that you can optimize the tube for each line input
Jafox (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
I forgot about that, an attribute definitely worth mentioning. As for the Einstein vs. the Callisto Sig., these both portrayed space with aplomb which says a lot as so few line stages truly get this right. ....Jafox (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread) Agree, and in our test the Callisto threw a larger but less specific sound stage with more bloom. The Einstein sounded "faster" overall and the extreme highs had more sparkle and drive than the Callisto. Some in the group preferred this and some not. The Callisto and likely the Atma-Sphere can be tuned for more sparkle with tube choice. For Aesthetix, Siemens is an option that delivers predictable results. It's not my favorite tube for that circuit but many people love that combo. |
Very interesting!
Albert - I use very low noise Telefunken in the Io, as you've written many times, these tubes are critical, and they help in the second and third gain stages also. The pair of Siemens is for the Einstein phono input, based on advice from Brent Jessee. I am enjoying the Hytron 12au7. Thanks also to Jafox, I've ordered a RCA 12BH7.
Space with aplomb - yes, and momentum, drive. Very engaging. I am playing the Vermont LP, and especially the 45 rpm bonus single. The sound is glorious, a bell strikes forcefully, the sound hangs on in the room. It may be a coincidence but I've found out that this German preamp likes kraut. Especially, ambient kraut. |
Charles1dad - thanks, you make an interesting point, perhaps my preconceptions are wrong. But to my ears, the Io has the highest resolution. With the Einstein, I may not hear all the small sounds in Zappa's orchestra playing Waka Jawaka, but I get an immense sense of drive and purpose. This is information too. So it may be, you are right, with a superior component you stop thinking of details and resolution. It is "hidden" so to speak.
You also say: "the direct route appears to be omitting significant vital details of your recording. The Einstein is presenting the more complete music signal."
Well - not sure if the Einstein is more resolved or complete, they are both high quality. The main case here, rather, is that the Io needs a preamp to do its best. I don't think it is omitting anything, it is just not optimal as a preamp, even if it has volume.
It is like the Io is offering the "dots" but I need a preamp to draw the "lines" between them. There are always some dots lost (and some false lines) with the preamps I've tried so far, although less so with the Einstein. It is a give and take, as others here have commented. |
Hi O holter,
What i took from your comparision was the Einstein was providing sonic information that the IO alone did not. Those specific qualities you attribiute to the Einstein's insertion were benetficial(necessary?) to draw more emotion and communication. You weren't getting this(or at least not as much) with the IO running solo to your amplifier.
Based on your description The Einstein is doing " something" very right and desireable. It seems to mimic more closely what one would experience in a live setting. If the IO is more resolved and detailed then why does it not retrieve/convey the vital qualities(information) as the Einstein does? Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you wrote, it seems the Einstein is giving you more music.Do you make a distinction between "detail" and musical information?
thanks,
Charles, |
The Io's strengths are not at all detail or resolution that often is heard in the upper octaves. If you want a phono stage that is simply a leader in the class of portraying space and magic in the upper bass to upper mids, this is it
..in spades! It can be so addicting. But hearing modern designs with far fewer gain stages and passive components, you then quickly learn what the Io gives up in clarity, better delineation between notes (especially piano as they are not so exaggerated) and more appreciation to the upper octave instruments, and percussion. |
O_ holter, What tube are you talking about sounded more solid state?, Also, what have you learned that sounded best for 12ax7 tube sockets?, and, If you do not mind, please give your full impressions of the 5814 cbs Hytron tube, A note here, I do not like tubes that do not have the tube magic, my tast is, if a tube sounds to revealing like 6h30 tubes, It sounds like solid state, I have so much resolution now, I would be crazy to get more!, this is because of the cables I have, I do have tube magic going on, However, they are stock tubes, and believe I may can get even more magic if possible. |
Charles1dad & Jafox, have you heard the Io Eclipse (not Signature), over a prolonged period of time? I have not heard a better phono stage, although I have not done a lot of comparison. Many reviewers agree. Of course, there are others, newer, better in some respects and so on, but for now, with my tastes, I am satisfied. The fact that it needs a preamp is no mystery. I dont get fifty percent of the signal from Io, fifty from the Einstein I get 100 percent from the Io, or almost 100. A good thing about the Einstein, precisely, is that it doesnt add much on its own. My ears confirm what Fremer and other reviewers of the Tube have written. The question, which is best, is therefore less relevant for me, than: do they fit together? Changing tubes the last days has improved the sound. I am getting more positive. I am now trying Siemens 6922 in the phono inputs and Telefunken 12au7 - perhaps the best so far. I will post more on the Hytron and the RCA later.
Audiolabyrinth: it was the Tube (the preamp), not a specific tube, that was solid-state-sounding, according to earlier comments. I agree with what you say about magic, or musicality. All the tubes discussed above are NOS (Siemens, Tele, CBS Hytron, RCA). In general I would say that the best thing you can do is to get rid of the stock Russian or China tubes, and invest in NOS from a serious source, starting with the most sensitive tubes. The biggest change, for me, was going from stock Russian 12ax7 to Telefunken in the Ios gain stages, some years ago. Selecting between NOS is more a matter of taste. What kind of preamp, phono or digital source do you use? Too many 6h30 stock tubes with too much resolution? This sounds like a curable problem, although I have no direct experience with that type of tube. |
Hi,
I've heard my friend's (Jwm, see his system page) IO Eclipse with the dual power supply version often. To be clear, I wasn't trying to be argumentative at all and I enjoy reading your thread comments. Reading what you've written it just seemed as though the IO was omitting important characteristics that the Einstein revealed(and this got your attention). It was only my interpretation based on you comparative comments and nothing more. I'm sure that your system sounds terrific.
Charles, |
Thanks! The enjoyment is mutual. Looking at your system, I feel I might have gone your way too, into SET, after I quit solid-state, but I was sort of hung up by OTL - but enjoying it a lot so far. I guess it is no coincidence that it excels with 'big' type of recordings, like the Pink Floyd: Pulse LP box. I have SET at my cottage, an integrated Ming Da MC34A, modified by Roar Malmim / Musical Innovation here in Norway to great effect, it became much more clear and linear especially in triode mode. Although this is of course "beginner level" compared to your system, it sounds very good. The presentations are different from my home system, but mainly, the best music shines through on both systems. |
"Sort of hung up on OTL" - this could be better explained. I had the Krell FPB600, the Dynaudio Consequence mk2, and should have been happy ever after. Trouble was, I wasn't. A main reason was, the Krell and the Consequence speakers only came into their own on high volume levels - too high for me. The Krell needed juice to get into true class A operation and then the complex 5-way speakers needed a lot of juice too. Fremer commented in a letter "get another Krell", he was right, but the speakers could not take biamping. So I sold the system. I had heard an OTL amp, Italian Graaf, at a friend's place, and liked it. I then got a small OTL amp for my desktop, the Audiotailor Jade. As I have written on the Headfi thread on this preamp, I think it deserves a prize. Listening through AKG 701 headphones and active single-driver Sony desktop speakers, I gradually came to the conclusion that this was really a big step up in musicality, including unrestrained clarity, compared to my big solid state rig. So I bought the Atma-sphere MA-1s even if I had never had the chance to hear them, and for me, this was a good choice, even more so with the 3.2 upgrade. |
Hi O holter,
I can appreciate your audio evolution, I once had a Symphonic Line SS amplifier and it was pretty decent. My present SET based system is honestly two levels above and beyond in terms of enjoyment,realism, true musical emotion and involvement. I believe that you've moved in a better direction and are very happy with your outcome . congratulations!
Charles, |
O_holter, Oh No, you are confussed with what I tried to say, I use to have a very exspensive Ayon digital player that had 4 6h30 tubes that were Russian tubes stock, I bought another vincent digital player, same model that I had before the Ayon player, I did this because the vincent is way, I mean way more musical and real sounding for less money!,the vincent digital player has stock harmonix tubes and then chinese tubes, and then an american tube in the power supply, I have two 12ax7 tubes, one 12au7 tube, and a rare 6z4 tube in the power supply, This player has real tube magic to the sound, 3-dimensional, huge sound stage, very deep, tall, and wide, puts the Ayon to shame!,thats why I bought it the second time, I regreted tring to move up the tube digital food chain, The vincent model is the cd-s7, they just discontinued it, I got the last one in america that my dealer held for me, believe it or not, I learned the hard way, It's not about how much a componet cost, It's what the componet does! |
The resolution I was speaking of are my cables, I have a small fortune in cables! |
I have a bat 10se phonostage and it made a major improvement when I inserted Telefunken E88CC / 6922. I purchased them from Kevin at Upscale audio, perhaps this could work for you. Enjoy the music. |
Audiolabyrinth please, let's keep this discussion to the thread title and not get another multi-page historical lecture on your cables. |
I have still not received the RCA that I ordered due to advice from Jafox. For the last days, I have been listening to Einstein The Tube with the NOS Siemens/Halske 6922 and Telefunken smooth plate 12au7.
Playing the Beach Boys: Pet Sounds LP (DCC Compact classics edition, remastered by Steven Hoffman LPZ 2006) today, I felt it sounded a bit thin, analytical, disembodied. I changed to the CBS Hytron, and felt it was better, at least with this kind of music, on home ground so to speak. This is certainly a good-sounding tube in the Einstein context, also with Siemens in the phono inputs. Perhaps less treble clarity than with the Tele but the whole more like the way it was meant to be heard. +1 to Albert Porter. This is just one test, maybe my experience changes over time. But the Hytron stays for now, until the RCA arrives. Thanks to all for valuable advice.
|
I wonder if Einstein The Tube mk2 would sound even better with a bit less gain (it has no gain adjustment, just 12db). This may be influenced by the tubes I use. Not sure, is the RCA 12bh7 tube equal to other 12au7 variants, regarding gain? I noticed no difference in gain, changing from the Telefunken to the CBS Hytron. Perhaps I could try something else, to check if the less gain hypothesis is true. |
Charles1dad - "true musical emotion and involvement"
Well said. Nothing else matters really. |
Needfreestuff - I was adviced by Brent Jessee (audiotubes.com) that the Siemens 6922s he sells, NOS from the 60s, were almost as good as Telefunken, with a similar sound, for less cost, so I bought them, and use them now for the phono inputs on the Einstein (two tubes). It may be, that Telefunken would have worked better - I don't have them. I followed his advice, since he was right regarding the Io, I got the ultra-low-noise Tele 12ax7s that I asked for. |
O_holter, I enjoy what you are saying about tubes, A learning exsperience for me, great stuff, thankyou for your time here! |
|
Re tube matching in Einstein The tube mk2:
Brent Jessee who sold the two Siemens tubes for the phono inputs, and the Telefunken 12au7, has mailed that these are really NOS and need to be broken in. Whereas the CBS Hytron I bought on Ebay has been used,, broken in, "mellowed". Brent suggests: Give them another 50-100 hours to see if they calm down and bloom more.
So, I need more time. |
I look forward to what you say, I really want to know the outcome of the Hytron tube, like, is it what the both of us like?, we both like emotional and musicality, so I trust your impressions. |
Audiolabyrinth - CBS Hytron - I have not A/B tested much, but what I can say is, it stays, compared to the stock Jan Philips. Very enjoyable, although perhaps the one I got is a bit used, I dont know. My system now is very chameleon-like, the "sound" changes according to the recording - like it should.
The Hytron that I bought was advertised thus: "Vintage CBS Hytron 5814 A Black Plates D-Getter Stereo Tube 1959" (from Greengirl613 at Ebay). Seller said it measured 3100/3060 on his Hickock 6000a. It sounds very good to my ears. I paid only 37 usd - so it was a great buy for me (btw - ridiculous how the 12ax7 have become uber-expensive, and good that 12au7 can still be more reasonable).
But as noted, the Telefunken 12au7 is probably not broken in yet, so my ranking may change - even if it is a bit hard and harsh for now, it may outperform the Hytron. That has happened with Telefunken tubes in my system before. But for now, I very much enjoy the Hytron.
It feels like it has some extra magic when the music is in the same terrain, like, I play Booker T and The MGs: Right now, the Sundazed LP (one of their good reissues), and wonder, was it the same tube sitting in Booker's organ?
Jafox - I have four RCA 12BH7s on the way, not arrived yet.
Will be very interesting.
Probably I wont be able to give a good comparison until August. |
Not sure, is the RCA 12bh7 tube equal to other 12au7 variants, regarding gain? The gain, or mu, is the same however the 12BH7 is based on the 6SN7 tooling. If you examine the 12AU7 you will see that it is a 6SN7 plate structure that has been sawed in half. The 12BH7 is the whole thing and IME a better sounding tube. The filament specs are double that of the 12AU7- you might want to check with Einstein before using the tube in your preamp. |
Thankyou O_holter, great post, this will be interesting to see if the Telefunken's are as good as the Hytron tube, @ Atmasphere, wow!, you are saying that we may or may not can use a 12BH7 tube in place of the 12au7 tube, I believe that was information was of grave importance!, thanks, welcome back to the thread. |
Thanks Audiolabyrinth, I agree. Atmasphere, grateful for your warning note, I am checking with Einstein. Jafox noted earlier in the thread that the 12BH7 may work fine even if the specs are not quite right, but he does not say that he tried it in the Einstein. |
Not sure if you heard about the German brand Octave. I had the HP500 SE for a while than sold that and purchased the Octave Jubilee preamp. Before I purchased the Octave Jubilee, I tested the Einstein preamp. Though it was good, and bass was articulate, I feel the Octave Jubilee is better due to its ability to create uncanny realism with music. I use a pair of Mcintosh MC2301 300 watt tube amps with the Jubilee. Previously, I had Octave MRE 130's which I used with all three preamps. The Einstein was better than the HP500 SE, however not the Jubilee.
Good luck
Audioquest4life |
Two days ago I got the RCA 12BH7A black plates. Wow! Best so far. The sound stage is larger, more bass especially. This really engages the room, I can hear it from the next room (kitchen) too. Ive never heard Pink Floyd: Pulse (the LP box) this good, with such a great being there factor. Or the (incredibly ambitious) first Ambrosia LP. "Nice, nice, very nice" - indeed!
I have checked with Einstein, will I be OK using a 12bh7 in the 12au7 position, but the answer wasnt quite clear, so Ive asked again. However I hear nothing wrong and the trafo temperature seems about the same.
So for now, using Io Eclipse as source and the pair of Siemens Halske 6922s in the phono inputs of the Einstein, the RCA 12BH7A moves to the top of my list, even better than the CBS Hytron. Both of these sound better in the 12au7 position than the Telefunken (needs more break-in) and the stock Sylvania green label 5963. So thanks to Jafox (and Atmasphere) for bringing the 12bh7 into the discussion. The gain seems to be about the same, with the RCA / CBS / Tele / Sylvania I have tried (no change of the volume control) - but the music *feels* larger and more present with the RCA.
An interesting effect of this discussion is that I have stopped worrying about (1) was it the right preamp and (2) is it too solid-state sounding. Instead I am enjoying it a lot - the tube investigation is exciting. This preamp really changes personality, so when people write, I heard the Tube but preferred preamp X, I am wondering what tubes were in the Einstein.
Audioquest4life I would love to hear an Octave Jubilee one day. I have read many of your comments, very helpful and informative, in this forum. Are you still using the Io Signature as input to your preamp? |
Jafox - sorry, I see now that you did try the 12bh7 in the Einstein. I guess it is fine, but I want to double check with them.
Albertporter - power cable - yes, I have seen other users reporting this also. I will change from the stock cable, but it requires that I put the angled stock cable plug, made to fit the underside of the preamp, on the new cable, it is not just plug and play. So suggestions for a good cable are welcome. The seller suggested Nordost Heimdal. I am using JPS, Wywires, Kimber etc other places in my system, but truth to be told, the power cable area is not the one I associate with the most improvements, perhaps because I have a dedicated audio grade 25 ampere / 240 volts AC line already.
I have also read about two other worthwhile tweaks - putting some extra feet under the stock feet, and some damping at the top of the trafos. These are not so easy for me, since the Einstein stands on a rather confined second shelf in my rack. But I will do a power cord upgrade.
I have done one tweak of my own. Since the Einstein has less than an inch of clearing from the top of the trafos to the shelf above, I bought a 12V computer fan, and installed it behind the preamp. Using 4.5V transformer plus an extra resistor, the fan speed is down to 200 rpm or so. I have to help it going, when plugging it in. It is absolutely silent even when I listen close to the rack. I can plug it into another AC line, different from my dedicated audio line. The effect is that the trafo and chassis temperature of the Einstein goes down 10-15 degrees C (from 75 to 60). I don't want too much "kool-aid" effect, since the sound seems to become poorer, so this is why I have adjusted the fan speed even further down. |
Hi O_holter, interesting news about the RCA 12BH7A Black plates tubes, question- what the sound stage presatation like?, Is it up front and personal, forward sounding, or in the middle of the room and deep sounding?, oh, and about your fan, scrap that idea, get you a small battery powered fan that is quite, I believe I am going to have to invest in one myself, My amp seems to heat the house, the amp gets HOT, However, I want to keep alot of the heat off the amp, I do not mind Heat of pure class A operation, to me, It's like a jet engine going off, kinda awsome, cheers. |
Hi Audiolab, for now I am just enjoying the system including the 12BH7A, listening to two new Rainbow boxes I've bought, Munchen 77 and Rockpalast 95 (even if its not always my style, Ritchie Blackmore's guitar is a joy). I associate the tube with some xtra feeling of big music, you are there. So 'middle of the room deep sounding' yes check. 'Up front personal' well I think some yes check also. It is like the whole thing sounds bigger than with the 12au7s, and therefore also more detailed. Perhaps I hear some grunge also, but it may be the recording, etc. I have three more 12bh7s on the way. But I have to switch back to the CBS and burn in the Telefunken before I can say more. In my case A/B testing is a bit difficult, and I prefer to listen for longer periods before changing. |
Audiolab - too hot - jet engine - I know this feeling well having owned a Krell Fpb600 that operated in class A only at high volume. So in a sense music came alive only just before the neighbours knocked on my door.
Ventilation: I use a Noctua NF-A14 PWM 140 mm premium fan, 300 1500 rpm, adjusted down to 200 or so. Can't hear it.
Since the system and preamp setup now sounds very good, I have started vinyl recording - and a thread here:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1403989480&openmine&zzO_holter&4&5#O_holter |
Do I get a delivered pizza for the 12BH7 tip? 8-)
It truly is an awesome tube In every place I have tried it.
And the beauty of this is its low price compared to the others it seriously outperforms. Sometimes we just get lucky with value. |
So what is the pizza adress? Send a mail. |
I guess, with each combination of quality preamp between a top class phono stage and amps / speakers, what you hear resembles "editing". The preamp is a bit like the "editorial board". You fellow A-goners have told me how I can ease up a bit on the "Teutonic" aspect of this preamp - and yet get even larger dynamics and stage. Very grateful for this. |
Seems there are a lot of suggestions; mine is to audition an Ayre KXR, Can be found used for around $11K. Now that the KXR Twenty is out, maybe less. |
Now the Telefunken 12au7 is back in (instead of the RCA 12bh7) and is getting housewarm. I think it will be fine. Very interesting this also. Which one I prefer? Later. Listening to the Dire Straits studio albums box, I bought the last copy in the shop, sounds good, but not sure it was worth it, since the originals sound good too. Also, today, I got the three extra RCA 12bh7s with handwritten measurements from the Ebay seller. Nice. Will try later.
Twb2 - even if I stay "teutonic" for now, and enjoy experimenting with tubes in the preamp I have, I am grateful for suggestions, they can be useful in the future. |
I believe that you're doing fine with the Einstein and tube rolling options. I'd be surprised if you preferred the Ayre to what you have now. You're on a good path with your current direction. If you can directly compare these two, go for it. My bet would be that you'll keep the Einstein.
Charles, |
Thanks! My thought also. I have become more concerned with the music lately. I think its a sign that the preamp is doing its job. |
O_holter,
You're absolutely right! As my system has evolved over time, the more immersed in the sheer joy of music I became. The hifi/audiophile concerns withered significantly. That's why I feel that you're doing it right with your recent choices. Superior components will undoubtedly "connect" you emotionally towards the pure pleasure of the music you love.
Charles, |
Another little test. After two days with the Telefunken 12au7, I switched to the RCA 12bh7 that measured best of the three I got recently. The effect was much like the first 12bh7 I tried (replacing CBS Hytron). The soundstage seemed a bit bigger and closer. More bass. I do like the Telefunken sound, but it feels more closed in. Too early to say since it needs more break-in. Also I should try the Hytron again. It seems like a mid-alternative between the more closed-in but detailed Telefunken and the bigger sound of the 12bh7. But if I had to grab just one tube and be done with it, it would be the 12bh7. |
What I find interesting about tube rolling is that the effect, in my experience, is often bigger than the effects of changing power cords, feet etc. At least it seems so in this case. I would say that the effects of changing the 12au7 tube in the Einstein are clear, like lifting the component half a class higher. "A-" to "A" in Stereophile (but I hate "classes" and all this easy divisioning). I know I can help with a better power cord (or damping etc) also, but it is usually smaller increments. It is somewhat paradoxical that an already "engaging" component sounds even better with a "bigger-sounding" tube, but it seems to be the case. Especially at moderate-to-high volumes. |
As I am testing I am rediscovering vinyl - always a good sign - and now, George Harrison: Learning how to love you, from Thirtythree 1/3 (Dark horse K56319). How come this has been overlooked, while Something is regarded among the world's best pop songs ever? (perhaps because the rest of the LP is often marred by me-too disco arrangements?) It is not as strong as a song, but it is in the same mould, carrying it further, and sounds absolutely marvellous. |
What I find interesting about tube rolling is that the effect, in my experience, is often bigger than the effects of changing power cords, feet etc. Yes yes yes yes yes! So happy you like the RCA 12H7. It is a special tube. I never heard a tele 12au7. But I tried many other 12au7's and 7602 and the RCA is the king for me. Once you get your system tuned with tube rolling, then cable differences start to make a big difference. Start with IC from pre to amp, then put in a nice conditioner like the Running Springs. And then a top power cord into that. Then power cords for preamp and and IC from sources to pre. Finish with power cords to amp and finally speaker cables. This is the order for which things made the most difference as I did all the updates. |
Trying to sum up:
Audiolabyrinth: "It's not about how much a componet cost, It's what the componet does!"
Agree, well said! It is shown in this thread also. By changing a tube, not so expensive, I've made an expensive tube preamp sound better.
Charles1dad: "Reading what you've written it just seemed as though the Io was omitting important characteristics that the Einstein revealed(and this got your attention)."
Plus one for the best attention in the thread - and willingnesss to deliver a different opinion.
It got me thinking. Perhaps I overrate my Aesthetix Io, since I have not compared much. Although from what I have heard, I like what I have. It is not about "resolution" in the narrow sense, but musicality in a wide sense. For me, the Eclipse version needed 300 or more hours break-in. But from there, it was no comparison with the Mk2 that I had before (never tried the signature version). I did not look back. |
Hi Jafox - yes, I am verifying the 'clarity' that you spoke about. My impression is that everything becomes a bit larger. So even if a 12au7 may sound prettier etc it does not reach the same level.
Many thanks for further upgrade advice.
I already run a JPS Superconductor 3 from the Io to the Einstein, and a JPS Superconductor FX from the Einstein to the MA-1 amps. The SC3 is clearly the best cable of these two. Both cables are XLR / balanced, and according to some tests, balanced cable into amps don't make a big difference. It may be, better cables can be found, in the Einstein context, my impression is, these do OK.
I use the stock Einstein power cable. If I get a new one, it will need to have an angled plug, fitting the bottom of the preamp (or i must change to the stock plug myself).
I have a dedicated line for my system, have not noted big benefits from a power conditioner - don't know if the Einstein would like it. For now it is plugged into a PS Audio Quintet, that goes into the wall. I have not experimented with power cables so far. |
I think Atmasphere, above, gave a nod to the 12bh7 as the better sounding tube, and that my listening notes say the same. |
