OTL Asylum

RE: Atma-Sphere MA-1 Burn-In Process--120 hr update

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ACHiPo

In Reply to: RE: Atma-Sphere MA-1 Burn-In Process--120 hr update posted by MRMB on October 01, 2021 at 15:15:33

Thanks Mike! I'm sure the new speakers will further add to it!

Follow Ups:

RE: Atma-Sphere MA-1 Burn-In Process--130 hr update - ACHiPo 08:22:38 10/04/21 (6)
We were out of town for the weekend, so only ~14 hours overnight. Amps continue to improve. Adjectives like "luscious" "juicy" "gripping" come to mind. I find myself paying more attention to the music playing softly while I'm working at the computer.
- Calling it Quits at ~150 hours - ACHiPo 11:01:24 10/05/21 (5)
  After 150 hours of burn in I decided to call it good enough and plugged in my collection of NOS 6SN7s. I put KenRad VT231 pair in the most critical spots closest to the meter (left V1a?), Sylvania VT231s in the 2nd most critical spots (right V1b?), and Sylvania Chrome Dome GTA/B in the remaining 3 spots. Wow the music definitely livened up without brashness, grit, or glare. I'm definitely looking forward to trying full sets of KenRad VT-231s and 5692s. The Sylvania GTAs/Bs will do well in other spots.
  - RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours - ACHiPo 22:00:55 10/23/21 (4)
    Swapped in 5692s for VT-231s and I like them a bit better I think. I've only listened a couple hours at this point, but the music just seems more gripping with the 5692s.
    - RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours - ACHiPo 08:40:43 10/24/21 (3)
      I just realized I left out a couple steps if anyone cares.
      
      I started with a single pair of KenRad VT-231s in V1a--sound better than the Chinese 6AS7GTA in V1a.
      
      I installed 3 Sylvania VT-231s into V1b, V1c, and V2 and a Sylvania 6SN7GTB in V4. Better sound yet. Listened for a couple weeks. Life was good.
      
      Heard short ~1 second static burst in one channel. Tapped on the VT-231s and the pair in V2 were microphonic although they were dead silent and sounded good (when there was no static burst). Used that as an excuse to try out the 5692s, so one pair at a time I swapped 5692s for VT-231s.
      
      None of these changes were earth-shattering. The burn in process was the biggest change, followed by swapping in NOS 6SN7s for the Chinese stock tubes. The difference between VT-231s and 5692 and 6SN7GTs is much subtler--I can be happy with either.
      - RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours - Lew 09:41:47 11/10/21 (2)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours posted by ACHiPo on October 24, 2021 at 09:40:43
        
        The RCA 5692 was once the "cat's pajamas" among 6SN7 substitutes, but it lost favor over time. I used them in my MFA Luminescence back in the 90s, and then in my MP1. I think I also used them as driver tubes in my MA240 amplifiers, once upon a time. I grew to prefer either the KenRad 6SN7GT/VT231 (black glass) or the RCA 6SN7GT gray glass type, over the 5692. But the 5692 may be less prone to microphonics than most 6SN7s, due to its special sturdier internal construction, as you experienced. In the circlotron output stage of my MP1, I use Brimars.
        
        RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours - ACHiPo 11:21:02 11/10/21 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours posted by Lew on November 10, 2021 at 09:41:47
        
        Lew,
        Thanks. I just Googled Brimar--$300@ for used tubes!!! They make the Russian 1548s seem downright reasonable. Pretty daunting especially when 6 are needed at a min.
        
        Evan
        
        Tube inflation - Lew 10:31:20 11/14/21 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Calling it Quits at ~150 hours posted by ACHiPo on November 10, 2021 at 11:21:02
        
        I bought a gaggle of Brimar 6SN7GTY, I think, for reasonable bucks but that was probably 20 years ago. I have no idea what the "Y" indicates. Mine have a brown base and clear glass.

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