Supratek Owners Thread

I think it’s a bit early for me to give the wide range evals that you are looking for but will try to shed some light as far as possible. Bear in mind that I’m just a listener, not a golden eared evaluator.
So far I’ve tried Sylvania 1952 Bad Boys-nice even response, musical but maybe could have better bass. Then the Psvane C181T 11, very nice smooth with good bass. Newly acquired Ken Rad 6SN7, a nice surprise here, very clear vocals, great bass, good horns. Two nights listening. Going to go back and forth for a couple of months and settle on my go to.
Have also some GE 6SN7s and Sylvania chrome domes, as yet untested. Given a few months I could probably do better. Heck my Gen 3 is just now passing the 40 hour mark but it certainly is a great improvement on previous pre.
Most definitive impression is the Ken Rad bass. My speakers have built in active subs, plus I have a pair of REL 212s so when bass it there I know it for sure. Side two, DSOTM at the end I heard bass I had no idea existed. 
And when I mentioned output tubes to Mick I think he brought up the Psvane tubes. Not necessarily a definitive recommendation but alluded to them being good.

Thanks Dentdog.

One comment is that it appears that the marketing department of various Chinese tube manufacturers have become very good at developing variations that reference well-regarded 6SN7 varieties of the past. There are so many out there now!

I'm interested in learning about the relative longevity of the new production tubes. Anybody having problems with the Psvanes, or Black Treasure tubes or...any of them?

Hi there Supratek owners and interested parties!

I received my Cortese LCR gen 3 back in the fall. So far it's still running the stock tubes that Mick installed - probably around 150 hours on it. I thought I'd just let it run a few hundred hours before I started swapping tubes. If I was going to use one word to describe it "stunning" seems appropriate.

I've had a few other changes with the latest being a new Grado Aeon 3 MI cartridge installed over the weekend. I was running the Grado Statement v2 which was really wonderful - the Aeon 3 is noticeably better. In a word glorious! Huge sound stage across the front wall with depth, air and a seemingly "rightness" and "weight" to it.

The change in my system with the addition of the Cortese and Aeon weren't cheap and while I try not to think about - it is easily the very best audio I've heard - anywhere. Of course YMMV....

In a way if that's the goal then maybe the additions were a good value. At least I like to think of it that way....  :-o
I put together some pics of my virtual system for those interested.
Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

mr_slate -

Yah, I think we all get the same feeling of satisfaction with our gear from Mick. For me, simply speaking, it's virtually life changing. Music just sounds so GOOD. Addicting. It draws me in so deep. And with Spotify broadening my horizons and exposing me to artists I haven't heard before I keep falling in love with the music all over again. And again.
You used the words Glorious, Huge sound stage, across the front wall depth, Rightness and Weight.
Yeah. Yeah! It has raised the bar for me. My new standard for how a system should sound is simply that it should sound IN-CRED-IBLE. If the music doesn't blow your mind (speaking to the notional beginner) then your system isn't at the *right* level yet. Although I DO realize that for all of us, it's a journey.
I recently got a new dac, and now I find myself listening more and more and more and more and streaming and playing cd's and vinyl and, and...
Sorry. Got carried away a bit. Just 'cause I'm sittin' here listening and it's sounding SO GOOD.

Was walking around fortune town mall in BKK when I stepped into a non assuming shop and was shocked to see a full Supratek setup, owner said it was a ten anniversary models, pre with two mono blocks playing on some cabasse speakers, what a sound, was invited to listen for over an hour before I had to go to other appointment, some of the best sound I have ever heard, the owner offered me the setup for a very reasonable price, if I had a house in Thailand, I would have bought the amps on the spot.
the owner was unbelievable friendly and knowledgeable, he put on a lot of great music, from jazz to classical and everything sounded sublime, very realistic and also very impressive bass, the speakers he said was about 89db, not a brand I know much about but they sounded bigger than they looked, 2 x 6 inch drivers, seamed to go very low when necessary.
i never thought I would have the opportunity to listen to Supratek amps, without and before buying them unseen/heard, but now I hope some day to own the brand, also I think they look better in real than on websites.
all in all, an unexpected and wonderful experience. A big thanks to the owner for the good conversation and listening session, a pleasure indeed.