Congrats
Want one
Itās not half bad. Iām actually pretty surprised. I am going to give it a week or two to see if I want to keep it. I only stream for background music and to discover new albums/artists so I donāt need anything fancy.
First of a couple of incoming backup tubes.
This one is actually a very nice example. Brimar 5R4GY rectifier tube that came off the production line 2nd week in June 1956.
Thereās just something I find so appealing about tubes, really must try and have a listen one day.
Very trueā¦ itās the age, the history as well as the beautiful sound they create. That tube is nearly 70 years old, never used until yesterday, and worked a treat. It only needed a dab of superglue gel to secure the base as the old glue had become a little brittle. I have two of these now but probably need another 3 or 4 to make sure I have a lifetime supply.
Thatās incredible when you think about it, how long do they last usually?
@Mark63 Good question. Iāve seen a number of people suggest the Brimar 5R4GY may last 2-3 years subject to use. The Mullard GZ34 rectifier has been known to last 40-80k hours so one would certainly cover it
Thankfully, the Brimar tubes are reasonably priced!
Iām waiting on a GEC KT88 that will be my first spare for a nice pair of NOS power tubes I have. They last approx 20k hrs and most likely more but, they come at a priceā¦ about Ā£800 a pair and going up rapidly as numbers dwindle. However, to balance that out my other favourite power tube costs Ā£35 each as it isnāt as well known as an audio tube but also sounds amazing, and very different too. Tubesā¦ Funny old game
The last 6 months or so I have bought a CH Precision l1 (integrated amplifier) with the optional streaming module,a NEO Quattro base,and a Chord Sarum t speaker cables.These replace my CD555/PS555DR,552DR,500DR,6 shelves of fraim,and Super Lumina full Loom.A drastic downsize with no loss in SQ.So far no regret, no more cable dressing or is the glass the right way up or whatever. Have been listening to music more now than did before.Listening through Quobuz and discovering new music every day.Happy with what Iām hearing.
Ooo, full report please!!
Thatās quite a spread in both cost and lifetime! Thanks for the info, fascinatingā¦ maybe one day Iāll try one
Nice, will be interested in how you get on with it. 156 or 136?
Had an interesting chat with Mike at Puritan, seems very down to earth and helpful, may get a demo unit to try once my boxes have run in. Also spoke to Audio Consultants and they rate it highly, comparable to far costlier models and apparently no loss in dynamics etc.
Iāve had 156 for some months now. Highly recommended. Bonus is it has individual DC blocker on all connections so my slightly humming transformers became silent.
Ah, have you felt you lost anything at all with it in your system? Can assume by the fact that youāre still using it that the benefits outweighed any losses ā¦ if there were any?!
Do you use it on a dedicated line?
I see you use Powerlines, have you tried their cables? I have an Ultimate and really like it, a very different way of decoupling/isolation and with dissipative shielding, not to mention itās impossibly flexible, reminds me of a slinky! When I opened the box I half expected it to uncoil and start hissing at me
Iāve only had positive results in my system Have not installed a dedicated lineā¦yet. But itās on my to-do list.
I use all Powerlines from the 156 to Naim boxes and Farad3 for my EE8. Currently have the standard Puritan power cable from wall to the 156 but had the Ultimate on loan and really liked it. It is CRAZY flexible. The standard cable is very good though for its price. Iām also curious in comparing Ultimate to Powerlines from 156 to my Naim boxesā¦
Never had a cable coming anywhere near that in terms of flexibility. Love it! I will most likely upgrade to Ultimate sooner or later. Currently on my watch list
Thatās good to hear, thanks @Blackbird ā¦ definitely on my list to try in the new year then.
I had planned on installing a dedicated line this year but weāve started talking about moving so thatās on hold for now. I live in a town on a modern(ish) estate and the variable mains quality is quite annoying. Maybe the Puritan will help with that.
Yes the Ultimate cable is well worth trying, on my old system I found it gave me some of the extra clarity and quietness Iām experiencing with my new boxes, quite a noticeable improvement for me. My Powerline is currently on my 332 so itāll be interesting to swap it and see how it works on there.
Oh you have a power conditioner on a Naim system. Thought that was a big no-no?
Adages and maxims are the big no-nos.