Thread: WTB EML or KR Audio tubes

Originally Posted by Mike

Bill - that's EXACTLY my wish for the PX25 too. When are you getting your PX25's?


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I have not purchased yet - sorely tempted but not pulling trigger till I hear feedback from someone I trust or I can audition.

There are different, non-KR PX25s and 242s that sell for mega bucks. One day...

I ordered a pair of KR px25, not sure yet when they arrive, maybe next week.

My two GG should be back then as well.

Lampizator 5U4G rectifier
I know there are a few out there, is everyone feeling the magic,like Mike is?

Originally Posted by JAB

Lampizator 5U4G rectifier
I know there are a few out there, is everyone feeling the magic,like Mike is?

I am getting that one too.

Originally Posted by wisnon

What did you do to your 2 GGs?

I sent them off to a wellness trip in lovely Warsaw...

Originally Posted by khonfused

I ordered a pair of KR px25, not sure yet when they arrive, maybe next week.

My two GG should be back then as well.

Cool - keep us posted. They have same gain as 242 - Lukasz confirmed this to me today.

Originally Posted by JAB

Lampizator 5U4G rectifier
I know there are a few out there, is everyone feeling the magic,like Mike is?

I think it is fab so yes.

Ordered the Kron Px-25 too so will see how these are.

I ordered a pair of the KR 242 that I am expecting to have by the end of week. I wasn't aware of the compatibility issue with my SE GG, so they are going to be sold.

Originally Posted by wisnon

ALRainbow may be interested if his Gen 2 R2R Dac is compatible. Give him a few days to check...

Also, you can check the max voltage output on your GG. If its less than 700mv, then you are good. Less than 500mv even better.

Thanks for the reply. I am looking at the spec sheet as I write this. "Absolute max signal volume" 394 mV. Is this the correct spec?

The KR tubes actually fall in a class of their own, in my case they uplifted performance over 25%
So worth every dollar, I'am keep to try their limited edition 5U4G, what did you guys pay for it anyway?

Originally Posted by wisnon

From Lukasz.

To all the users of DHT series DACs: (Lite 7, Big7, Siebener, Golden Gate)

The 242 Tube as such is “compatible” with the circuit and will not damage the DAC and the DAC will not damage the tube.
This concerns all DACs without tube-type toggle switch, and those that have it - in the 101D, 45 position not the 300B or 2A3 position.

HOWEVER the tube 242 is significantly louder than others (also more subjectively dynamic sounding) which may cause:
1. In amplifiers that have analog passive volume control - will require turning them down by two hours
2. Amps having digital or transistor active or opamp active or chip active volume control - may cause saturation and clipping
3. In DACS equipped with volume control will require turning the volume down by 10 dB.
4. Passsive attenuators, transformer volume controls, resistor ladd

ers etc - will just love the increased signals.

If we did not fit the DAC with this tube originally - you are experimenting on your own and don’t be mad at us if you don’t like the result.

Best regards,

LampizatOr Team

What way can I find which of the 4 is my Pre Amp?

What is your pre amp?

Originally Posted by deuter

The KR tubes actually fall in a class of their own, in my case they uplifted performance over 25%
So worth every dollar, I'am keep to try their limited edition 5U4G, what did you guys pay for it anyway?

Your general statement is not true for me. I did not like the KR45 at all. I just got the Lampi KR 5U4G and will compare to other rectis.
I will get the px25 next week.
I did not order the 242.

I just wanted to exchange the KR for my Takatsuki recti and noticed that the plastic center of the tube had broken off and is now stuck in the DAC now.
The recti still functions, but I am not sure how to get the plastic out of the dac, so that I can pit another recti inside. Take a knife and pull it out?
What is the plastic center for? Just to stabilize the recti in its seat? It does play with the broken off plastic.

Just put in once and it broke....be more careful than me

Thanks for your input.

Aligning is not a problem with the Lampi Kron 5u4G cause the printing is straight to the front when put in correctly.
So I guess I just leave it like it is.

Sound is really wonderful with this recti.

Interested in knowing the difference with the Tak

Originally Posted by khonfused

What is your pre amp?

The ME15 very similar to this:

http://www.me-au.com/me_14_data_2.jpg

Originally Posted by bonzo

Interested in knowing the difference with the Tak

I prefer the Taka by a mile. I could sell all other rectis and just keep the Taka. It's so much better, there is no competition.
This is my recti for the Golden Gate.

And yes, I like the Kron too, I think it's a good recti and I enjoyed listening with it the last few days, but the Taka is endgame material.
It's unbelievably good.

Originally Posted by khonfused

I prefer the Taka by a mile. I could sell all other rectis and just keep the Taka. It's so much better, there is no competition.
This is my recti for the Golden Gate.

And yes, I like the Kron too, I think it's a good recti and I enjoyed listening with it the last few days, but the Taka is endgame material.
It's unbelievably good.

Coild be an upgrade later on for me from the EML 5U4G but not know, spent enough on the DAC already.

Next might look at speaker upgrades but hard to do that with ATC SCM40's

I was told this will fall under the warranty as this happened to other people too, including Lukasz...
Kron will repair the recti in due time.

I got mine second hand, but if I had to buy it new I would most likely buy it here as they even have a German bank account.

http://pricejapan.com/front/e_good_i...85&category=17

From Lukasz's facebook page:

One of the rarest tubes in current production - KR242. And the most expensive too. The main quality factors are: directly heated cathode, dual zirconium getters, great Telefunken design improved upon by KRON in Czech Republic. This tube is relatively small, very powerful, with high micro and macrodynamics. It makes lazy and boring systems jump to life like the adrenaline injection did in Pulp Fiction movie to Uma who OD'd. It is particularly suitable to balanced Big series DACS from Lampizator because it has the smallest heater current from all DHT tubes so it wont stress the heater PSU. Currently the waiting time for the next manufacturing slot is 1 year but we bought the entire stock to make tons of money this time around.

Originally Posted by bonzo

From Lukasz's facebook page:

One of the rarest tubes in current production - KR242. And the most expensive too. The main quality factors are: directly heated cathode, dual zirconium getters, great Telefunken design improved upon by KRON in Czech Republic. This tube is relatively small, very powerful, with high micro and macrodynamics. It makes lazy and boring systems jump to life like the adrenaline injection did in Pulp Fiction movie to Uma who OD'd. It is particularly suitable to balanced Big series DACS from Lampizator because it has the smallest heater current from all DHT tubes so it wont stress the heater PSU. Currently the waiting time for the next manufacturing slot is 1 year but we bought the entire stock to make tons of money this time around.

The description is very accurate and inline with my observations in the tube.

For someone reason when soon good tubes come on sale I get the urge to buy but stop myself as I don't want to change the sound I get via the 242 and will not change it what that means is the 300b will just be sitting in the cupboard catching dust.

I like the way he described the boring recordings jump to life, I would say that applies to the whole chain.
My speakers are very analytical and the didn't excite me when I firsts for them.
Things changed quickly when I first got the lampizator win the Psvane hifi 101d and then the 242 just made my ATCs a different speaker all together.

Pne finds it hard to believe the scale of the sound from these small slim tubes.

Originally Posted by Germanboxers

I would NOT buy from them. I purchased a Tak 274B from them over 6 weeks ago and it hasn't been delivered, nor have they responded to repeated emails asking for some update. I filed a paypal dispute over a week ago and pricejapan haven't responded to it either. Very disappointed! They literally took my $970 and walked away!

Fair enough and I fully understand. But there are reports that it does take time and eventually it will be delivered.
Please report back what the final outcome is.

I bought my Taka 300B and 274B one year back. It was slow at that time. It seemed that Taka is under limited production. And pricejapan bought from their distributor at Japan first (that distributor won't accept paypal though). That is probably why the delay.

Anyhow, I use Psvane 101D replica and Brimar 5z4gy for background music. And for serious listening, I use Taka 274B. I have yet to find another output tube pair that could compare to Elrog but then again my two Elrog pairs (early production) failed. I am using 10Y(VT-25) now. Still miss Elrog very much.

Are you sure you have enough Lampizator? Looks like you could need a GG.

Bonzo is that your system or was it a Lampi shootout at the Bonzo corral? Would love to hear your impressions on those Lampizator amps, are they the GM70?

Originally Posted by Narayan

Bonzo is that your system or was it a Lampi shootout at the Bonzo corral? Would love to hear your impressions on those Lampizator amps, are they the GM70?

Hi not my system, but my Lampi is in there. The speakers are hoRNS fp15. If you want to read more about the hORNS, read associated links on this thread My hORNS Universum review

These hORNS fp15 are like Audio Note AN-E speakers, but much better IMO.

I am no expert on the Lampi amps, yes the are GM70. I first heard them at the UK distro, and compared them to some 14w amps on his DIY horns, the Lampis were better. Then we compared them to 35k Ming Da amps on the hORNs Universum, where the Lampi amps sounded a bit laid back for that system, but I understand that can be changed by using different tubes. On this system, they were excellent. This is a very good system for smaller rooms, the music just flows.

I understand the 211 amps are really something, but I haven't heard them yet.

More pics

All, I would say the following.

When Rob picked me up at the station, on the way back he mentioned that he had preferred the px4 to the px25. I was skeptical because wasn't px25 supposed to be just like the px4 on steroids?

But no, they are indeed quite different. We started with the px25 and the EML mesh 5u4g recti. I did not think that was dynamic enough, so changed the recti to KR 5u4g. Yet the system did not take off. We then added the Elrog 300b. Immediately, their was a big jump in tone. There was a sparkle around the Oboe, the chorals were projecting out more and decaying better, and the sound was embracing us. As later on we switched rectis, we found that the Solid plate of the 5u4g made it more dynamic, but the mesh plate of the EML 5u4g gave it more air. The air supplemented the air of Elrogs and made them sound better on the vocals. The Elrogs lost nothing on dynamics.

From Elrogs, we moved to the px4. Surprisingly the px4 sounded nothing like the px25. The tone on px4 for excellent. In fact, on the Bach Cello recording from Mike Valentine's Chasing the Dragon CD, the px4 just shot over all the others. It was incredible how much details and variations on the cello were being heard, and how realistic it sounded. It was also the best tube on rock. The later Robert Plant's husky voice from the NO Quarter album (a collaboration between Page and Plant in the 90s), showed that Px4 were doing the huskiness, full bodiness, and the details of the hurdy gurdy and the drums better than all other valves.

Px4 to me sounded best with KR 5u4g, but others preferred it with the EML mesh 5u4g. This is quite a preference thing. I think Elrog should be part of every arsenal if one can afford it, to add the sparkle on some classical pieces, it makes some instruments like oboe, violin, and flute, stand out, but I don't see Elrog as a stock valve. I think, and this seemed unanimous, that px4 was the best valve, apart from being an all rounder.

The 242s did not stand out on the GG like they had done on the Big 7 and at Bill's so I think it is more of a gain play. We will repeat this at Bill's. Funnily enough, at Bill's the KR 5u4g was a better match for 242s than the 274b, here it was the opposite.

The KR 45s, which I did not like at Bill's sounded great in this system.

Hi Ked,

what does the rest of the system consists of?

I think at this point it's important to consider system synergy as you've done this comparison with horn speakers.