Tube Rolling w/Crack

[Dr. Toobz]

Angelo, so you like the E80CC as a driver in the Crack, what brand do you have? A friend offered a couple of phillips mini-watts, maybe I should take him up on that.

Cheers,
Shawn

It's an Amperex tube, made in Holland, per the label. It also says "premium quality" and has gold-plated pins.

I recently swapped in a 1950's Sylvania 12BH7, a 2009 Electro-Harmonix 12BH7, a 1960's 5963, and a 1960's RCA clear-top 12AU7 to see if what I am hearing is just my imagination. It's not. The E80CC has, by far, the deepest bass, biggest soundstage, and most extended treble of all. Not a bad investment!

[gh0st]

It's an Amperex tube, made in Holland, per the label. It also says "premium quality" and has gold-plated pins.

I recently swapped in a 1950's Sylvania 12BH7, a 2009 Electro-Harmonix 12BH7, a 1960's 5963, and a 1960's RCA clear-top 12AU7 to see if what I am hearing is just my imagination. It's not. The E80CC has, by far, the deepest bass, biggest soundstage, and most extended treble of all. Not a bad investment!

According to the list on page 1, E80CC is 'sort-of-drop-in'. Does that mean with speedball installed it's good to go without any other circuit mods? I'm about to go 7236 powertube + cleartop 12AU7 driver, but this might be a nice alternative...

[Laudanum]

According to the list on page 1, E80CC is 'sort-of-drop-in'. Does that mean with speedball installed it's good to go without any other circuit mods? I'm about to go 7236 powertube + cleartop 12AU7 driver, but this might be a nice alternative...

Check back on page 14 for starters, Paul J addresses the E80cc thereabouts.

[gh0st]

I read Paul's comments, although that part of the thread seems to deviate away from being Crack-specific, or at least is inconclusive.

It sounds like a few people have used them with success, I'm just wondering if they modded their circuits to accommodate the spec differences of the E80CC or not.

[s1]

I read Paul's comments, although that part of the thread seems to deviate away from being Crack-specific, or at least is inconclusive.

It sounds like a few people have used them with success, I'm just wondering if they modded their circuits to accommodate the spec differences of the E80CC or not.

+1 I too would be interested to find out it there is any modification required .  I have the speedball upgrade.

[jrihs]

re: E80CC ...I noticed impoved sound with the speedball installed using this tube...at least to me. It was juicier (tube-like?) and more detailed. I like it. But I still prefer most of the older euro, high dollar 12au7's...for the moment.

[petercintn]

Since I've had this built I've been using the Sylvania 6080WC and an Electro-Harmonix ECC82 that doc sent me.  I had an RCA 6AS7G and a Tung-SOl 12AU7W that I didn't like as well.  I received a Rohre Siemens E82CC and I'm not sure but I think it is brand new, not NOS.  Could be wrong, don't know enough to really tell.  Still, it has brought out the bass to where the RCA now sounds great with this little wonder.  In fact now the RCA sounds better than the Sylvania.  I'm not impressed with the bass response with the Tung-Sol or the Elctro-Harmonix with the RCA so the 6080 sounds better to me with those two. 

But I am rocking to this Siemens E82CC and RCA 6AS7G sound.

[BNAL]

I just got the CBS 5814A in and really like it with the 5998. I like it better then the Mullard 4003 so far. This seems to be the best combo with the 5998 that I have heard. I will have to give it a try with the 6AS7G and 6080s in have.

I think the next tube I want to try is the Sylvania 12BH7.

The amp has been so much fun.

[jrihs]

I just got a sylvania 12bh7 and I like it ALLOT better than the RCA I have. Better in all respects, including price...

[dwilli852]

Just rolled in a NOS RCA 12AU7 clear top. Good sounding tube with the RCA 6AS7G. Really brought out the treble and loss a little on the bottom end compaired to the EH and Phillips Mini watt. I'll give this one a little time but still think the Mini watt is my favorite so far. Want to try a 12BH7 and E80cc but keep getting out bid. Some of the prices are just crazy.

[Noskipallwd]

Received the Phillips Miniwatt SQ E80CC tubes from my bud today, really like this tube in the Crack. It mates well with the 5998. Produced a small increase in gain. Probably the largest change in sound of any variant I have tried, all the rest seem very similar with small changes evident. Although this tube has high detail and resolution I don't find it cold and analytical at all. The Crack has an easier time driving the AKG K702s with this tube installed, and the HD650s really sound great. Thanks to Dr. Toobz for the tip.

Cheers,
Shawn

[Laudanum]

Just rolled in a NOS RCA 12AU7 clear top. Good sounding tube with the RCA 6AS7G. Really brought out the treble and loss a little on the bottom end compaired to the EH and Phillips Mini watt. I'll give this one a little time but still think the Mini watt is my favorite so far. Want to try a 12BH7 and E80cc but keep getting out bid. Some of the prices are just crazy.

Ive got a bunch of the Rca 12AU7 cleartops years ago.  I really liked them in one piece of gear and based on that, assumed they were great tubes so I stocked up (well maybe 10 or 12 stashed away).  That ended up being the only piece of gear I use them in.   Tried them in Crack but not my favs. with either 6AS7 or 5998 (although I thought better with the former).   They catch some heat now as way overrated (Joes tube lore pumped them up years ago)  but I still think they are a good tube in the right application and in Crack, would be dependent on the source and your phones and your ears, etc. etc. etc.

Only thing I would like to try is an E80CC but not so much as to pay the asking prices Ive seen so far.  But no rush, I am very happy with several of the driver tubes I have for Crack.  Plus, the relatively small fun-money budget has some wants other than small signal tubes right now  :-)

[dwilli852]

I have a pair of Tungsram E80CC's coming out of the Ukraine. Don't know how they sound but the price was right. I'm too cheap to pay a $100.00 per tube. We had what I called the Junk Store with bins of old tubes your pick 2 for a buck. The hunt for a 12BH7 continues.

[Laudanum]

I have a pair of Tungsram E80CC's coming out of the Ukraine. Don't how they sound but the price was right. I'm too cheap to pay a $100.00 per tube. We had what I called the Junk Store with bins of old tubes your pick 2 for a buck. The hunt for a 12BH7 continues.

I guess it depends on what you want to pay, a bit of luck and even what risk is acceptable to you.   Liking the 12BH7's, I recently picked up a Hammond labeled tube as a spare.  Clearly Sylvania manufactured. Oval grey plates, O getter.  Probably 1960's.  All of 12 bucks shipped.   It was listed as a used, strong testing tube.  Good lettering.  Probably a pull and worth the risk for me at only 12 bucks.  Keep looking, you'll find one.

[gh0st]

just took delivery of a '60s Sylvania 7236, Sylvania 12BH7A and cleartop RCA 12AU7A to help burn in my new beyer T1s... life is good

One thing that's giving me a headache though is the high gain of the setup (especially the 12BH7s if I'm not mistaken). The T1s are 600ohm, but I guess they must be fairly sensitive with it. I replaced the stock volume pot with a TKD 100K stepped pot, and my DAC has a not-especially-hot output of 2.25V RMS, but with the T1s the loudness of the steps goes something like:

1: quiet
2: normal(ish)
3: loud
4: very loud
5-21: unusable

...somewhat short of ideal. Is it acceptable to put fixed resistors before the pot to bring down the input a bit? If so, does anyone know the particulars of doing this?