Tube Rolling Update in latest balanced Golden Gate...

[Alrainbow]

Have you tried the eml 274 b mesh ?

 

[La Dolce Vita]

I have tried the EML 5U4G mesh but not the EML 274B mesh. I hope to soon...


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[wyan]

Congradulations! It gets better with burning-in.

Ok, so early last week I (finally) received my new Takatsuki 274B.

Wow! The soundstage is enormous, pretty much on par possibly edging out my Western Electric 274B. The sound is heavier, more lush and weighted.

Unfortunately transformer hum kicks up quite a bit but it does not seem to be a disturbance at decent listening levels.

This is a superb rectifier tube for use with Lampi but at $900 it is an investment.

Still in all...great tube! Hope this helps...


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[La Dolce Vita]

I'm starting to notice...thank you for the congrats! [emoji106]


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[murphys33]

I am using a eml 45 mesh with a taka 274b combo. Love it and think this will stay in my system for a very long time

 

[La Dolce Vita]

I am as well - EML 45 mesh globes with Takatsuki 274B... [emoji106]


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[Slapshot]

I'm resurrecting this discussion in hopes of getting some information that would really help me out. Going back a couple years, my dream DAC was a Golden Gate (single ended). I had the opportunity to listen to one performing in a friends system that had the same amplifier and speakers from the same line that I do, and fell in love. Then, when I visited Axpona 2017, eighteen months ago, literally every high end room at the show was using them (even the $1million dollar+ Von Schweikert room). The problem, at the time, was that I simply couldn't come close to affording one.

Jump in time to about ten days ago when someone did me a huge favor and got me the deal of a lifetime on a late production Golden Gate, with every option but balanced (which I did not need, as my preamp and amp are single ended) that was being traded in for a new Pacific. I'll be receiving this shortly directly from Lampizator with a new 5 year warranty after it is fully checked out, and passes all testing.

I've read several other discussions elsewhere and virtually every tube that various owners have found to work really well in the GG is extremely expensive, as in a thousand a pair or more. I will be getting an Emission Labs 5u4g with the DAC, and a pair of the KR PX4's, but no one seems too thrilled about the sound of the GG and PX4's. Everyone universally raves about the special run of Lampizator 45 Anniversay Mesh Globes, but those are long gone, and again, were very expensive. The other most common options that were felt to provide optimum performance were Western Electric 300B's which are virtually unobtainable and cost a fortune, 242's (same as the Western Electric's), Emission Labs 300b mesh and Elrog and Takatsuki 300B's which again, are expensive and ungodly expensive. I went into this purchase thinking I had an excellent pair of NOS 2a3's as an ideal option for my ace in the hole, since they perform superbly in my friends Big 7. I only just found out, directly from Lampizator, that you cannot run 2a3's in the Golden Gate!

Please tell me that there are some at least bearably expensive options left for a pair of tubes for my soon to arrive Golden Gate that will not compromise its sonic capabilities? Any help would be immensely this is my dream dac, and now I'm wondering if I can even afford suitable tubes for it.

JC

 

[wisnon]

Hi JC...

many inexpensive alternatives out there. First off, you can buy quality used tubes from regulars in the Lampi Community. I know Al Rainbow was thinning out his HUGE tube stock and many satisfied forumites have bought from him, especially from Audiocircle and WB Forum.
He should have a pair of EML anniv 45 solid plate DHTs left on his list. ..among other interesting offers.

starting with rectifiers, you can get the Chatam Potato masher for less than $20 at EBay, as well as the double mica 5r4gy for less than $50. Brimar 5z4 is interesting as are pre 1946 rca 5r4gy and blackplate pre 1944 5u4g.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Test-Goo...h=item56b8ba1471:g:ZPoAAOSww6ZbvnEu:rk:1:pf:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RCA-5U4G...h=item3b20947eea:g:m3UAAOSwORxb0ehc:rk:1:pf:0

This cheap Chinese recti is VERY good. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1PC-274B...h=item41cdff5c3a:g:7xUAAOSwdzRbsQjU:rk:8:pf:0


Potentially a great recti for $100: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263604939718?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&fromMakeTrack=true



More to come.

 

[wisnon]

Some more rectifier pictures...most are affordable and spoken about in above post.

First one is the old RCA blackplates, 2nd pic is with the double mica 5r4gy and last is an general assortment. GEC U52 is VERY expensive for a vintage tube.

 

[wisnon]

Now to affordable DHT output tubes...

Psvane UK design 300B : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GD-PARTS...h=item33d59187c9:g:X9kAAOSwdrhZo54~:rk:9:pf:0

White base Shuguang 300b-98 perforated mesh (a reported bargain at the price): No Ebay link found today.

 

[wisnon]

The reported gem pictured here.

Cheap and cheerful new manufacture 101d tube: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-Mat...h=item4d54694215:g:vHEAAOSw~AVYnyXg:rk:5:pf:0

Vintage DHTs

NU 45: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-vintag...=item5b4e12e0c7:g:z2IAAOSwy~Jbynfl:rk:11:pf:0

Sylvania Greenleaf 6a3: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1947-SYL...h=item44241e2f16:g:6bEAAOSwXDtbYUjA:rk:1:pf:0

You can always sell your 2A3s to finance KR4a3 which will work.

Below is a list of Tubes AL has for sale at good prices and he probably will even negotiate a bit:
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=158993.msg1698487#msg1698487

http://www.audioshark.org/showthread.php?t=14792&highlight=tube+sale

New and lightly used tubes for sale!

Time to pare down! Culling my enormous stash built up over the last few years for headamp and Dac tube rolling days.
All tubes either new or very, very low hours on them.

Eml tubes
One pairs of EML 25th anniversary globe (solid plate) 45 $900 pr (unobtanium, 1 pr left)
Two pairs bottle head eml 300B $450 pr
Two 5U4G mesh recti $225 each
One pair bottle head 45 $400 pr

Ps vane
One set of WE replica 101D (metal base) $375 pr
One set of WE replica 275 $220 pr
Two sets of we replica 300b $500 pr (Great sounding)
One pair of WE replica 274B $130 each

Nos 1 set testing as new VINTAGE WE 101 tubes $600 pr
with brass adapters to fit standard 4 pin two thin, two thick.

One pair rca 2A3 testing new $175 pr

Sophia electric
One pair princess 274B recti $100 pr
One pair of princess 300b $950 pr
One pair of princess 45 carbon $225 pr

Kron
2 pairs KR px25 $500 pr (Great tube)
1 pr KR px4 $550 pr

Prices without shipping costs (extra, if not local pickup). Text me to arrange purchase if interested.


Mike also may have some tubes left:

http://www.audioshark.org/showthread.php?t=14920&highlight=tube+sale

I took three large boxes of tubes on trade. There are some real gems if anyone is interested in making an offer:

1950’s RCA brown base 5U4G
NOS Western Electric 422a (3)
KR Audio 242 (4)
Psvane Replica 101D WE (4)
Marconi 5U4G (3)
Lampi Anniversary KR 5U4G
Sophia Electric 274b
Emission Labs 5U4GM
GM Delco 5U4G
JAN 5u4G (2)

 

[joeinid]

Norman,

Thank you so much for posting that great information. Very much appreciated.

 

[wisnon]

You are most welcome Joe.

 

[shadowlight]

JC,

Here is the link to the 300b-98b Shuguang Mesh that Norman posted about. I recently purchased a pair and it came with red lettering and according to the seller the factory seems to go back and forth between white/red lettering. The base is white and the construction looks similar to me.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-Matc...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Where are you located? I have bunch of pre-world war RCA rectifier along with the Haltron with double disk at the top (sorry, blanking out tube term) that I can ship to you for you to try. Just PM me if you would like to try.

 

[shadowlight]

Norman, are you aware of any good 45 globe tubes that do not cost arm and leg to run in B7? I am keeping an eye on the NU that you posted about.

 

[wisnon]

Norman, are you aware of any good 45 globe tubes that do not cost arm and leg to run in B7? I am keeping an eye on the NU that you posted about.

Yes of course, Cunningham CX345 and RCA UX245. These are real old (like 1919 mnfg date) and I picked up a pair locally for cheap.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-...h=item46884841d5:g:Ty0AAOSw96Zb0m25:rk:2:pf:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RCA-Radi...h=item4687e56b86:g:qx0AAOSwFmRby28S:rk:1:pf:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-vintag...h=item5b4e1d9ce0:g:DyIAAOSwjNdby8ix:rk:5:pf:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-vintag...h=item52122adcd6:g:i6sAAOSwVRxby8lh:rk:8:pf:0

 

[shadowlight]

thx Norman.

 

[Slapshot]

Norman,

Thank you so much for posting that great information. Very much appreciated.

My personal thanks, Wisnon/Norman, for the assistance. I've read your always knowledgeable and helpful contributions, over the years, in so many forums of consequence. I almost feel honored that you felt my situation worthy of your involvement. Thank you so much! Being able to purchase this Golden Gate DAC was a dream for me. And then it suddenly seemed like every tube complement that was able to optimize its sound quality was suddenly beyond me.

Thank you for bringing hope to me in being able to make this amazing, world class DAC work, as it is capable of, in my system.

JC

 

[wisnon]

it was a pleasure JC.