Lector

[MF 1000]

There might be only me and Lurch (John) on here with this kit at the mo , but after acquiring my 4 box Digidrive & Digicode setup last week I thought I'd start a thread on here.

Hugely impressed with mine comfortably out guns my previous Roksan DP2 /Trichord Pulsar DAC setup which was no slouch and a relatively expensive combo if purchase new (approx 4K as I recall from magazine articles) 

Only downside is a 3v output from the DAC, but with my low gain DHT Preamp it's not an issue.

plus side is a great soundstage and really plumbs the depths in bass weight and detail too.  It did benefit from using a 'foo' digital interconnect that really let it sing.

 

[Lurch]

If not already fitted grab yourself some EH ECC81 TRIPLE MICAs well worth it. Have them in my lector and made quite a difference over the standard tubes. 

 

[MF 1000]

I've not looked inside my DAC yet John ...maybe I'll have a look this weekend - thanks for the 'tip' 

 

[MF 1000]

Is the access to the DAC via the 4 socket head cap screws on the front John ? 

I was looking on line and the JJ ECC81 gold pins look a good buy too ? 

 

[wizmax]

I have 2 pairs of matched NOS ECC81s, as tested by Henry (toprepairman) last October - all 4 test 100%. One pair are new shield Mullard 12AT7WA with date codes of 83-27, the other pair are Phillips MiniWatt ECC83 marked Tk2 F4CL I owe you a favour so they would not be expensive.

I have now fitted your upgraded Wilmslow crossovers to a second pair of KEF 104Ab that I recently purchased and very good they sound too. 

 

[MF 1000]

I'd forgotten about the crossovers Robin ....glad your enjoying them

Pm me about the valves 

 

[Lurch]

Is the access to the DAC via the 4 socket head cap screws on the front John ? 

I was looking on line and the JJ ECC81 gold pins look a good buy too ? 

Yep the 4 allen screws on the top.

I have a pair of JJs here you can try if you want, just pm your addy and I will post to you.

 

[MF 1000]

Cheers John 'top wamming' ....pm on its way 

 

[MF 1000]

Had time this morning to install the different valves into the Digicode DAC.

Four screws on the base allow the top to slide off to reveal the three circuit boards inside 



Taking one valve out reveals they are 'Chelmer' branded - unknown origin ? 



As I had a mix of Mullard and JJ valves (but only a pair of each) I replaced the valves in a dirt if matched pair setup with one Mullard & one JJ for each channel.

Here's the valves installed 



leaving the lid off to allow a quick change of valves it was on with Yello Touch CD ...track 4.  Jane ...who wasn't paying much attention to my tweaking (maybe this Is half unsighted - ROFL) immediately said that's crisp.  Listening to the whole track with the thunder at the end seemed to show tighter deeper bass too.  A quick swap of valves back to the chelmers .....and it was immediately apparent that the hi hat cymbals weren't as crisp - 'mushy' Jane described them and at the end the thunder wasn't as deep/tight.

So the change of valves is a positive improvement....but is that down to the Mullards or the JJ's ??

The other positive was slightly less gain than with the chelmers

Just noticed the layer of dust on the circuit board ......out with a soft brush layer I think.

And thanks to Robin & John for the opportunity to hear a different set of valves in this DAC

 

[Lurch]

Maybe it's just one make that's doing all the enhancement, or maybe it's the combination of the two in each channel that's providing the magic. 

I'm happy with my EH Triple MICAs and in no rush to have the JJs back so just keep listening. 

 

[MF 1000]

Cheers John ....I might do some testing with 1 chelmer & 1 of the Mullards/JJs in each channel and see how it affects the sound signature....might help to show which valve is driving the change.

 

[MF 1000]

The spooky bit was when I opened up the DAC there is a build/test label on the inside of the chassis panel ......19 Feb - my birthday ....LOL 

 

[MF 1000]

Cheers John ....I might do some testing with 1 chelmer & 1 of the Mullards/JJs in each channel and see how it affects the sound signature....might help to show which valve is driving the change.

Had some time over lunch to do some tube rolling.  My plan was to refit one chelmer valve per channel and listen to what effect the Mullards or JJs had.  Fussy in was the JJs and using the same Yello test track ...the crisp hi hat was still there - but the thunder rumbles at the end of the track weren't as deep.  Swapping out the JJs with the Mullards and it was almost the opposite ....hi hat (whilst better than the twin chelmers) wasn't as crisp as with the JJs but the thunder rumbles returned.

So it would seems that the JJs were good for top end and the Mullards for the bass.....I even tried swapping the valve positions for each channel - the effect was the same.  

So it appears to be a 'golden combination' between the two valves fitted into each channel Mullards & JJs that gives the best of both worlds

 

[Huntergatherer]

Anyone got ant Knowledge or thoughts regarding the earlier 7 series versus the newer 707"s

 

[Lurch]

Think the 707 uses a, newer chip set but the 7 is still superb, love mine. Even more so now having swapped the pair of seimens 81s (not EH as I thought) for a used matched pair of 70s Telefunkens. 

The TFKs are a revalation, tighter, deeper, more nuanced bass combined with sweet mids and more detailed airy treble. The whole sound seems to have expanded with more space, weight & richness. Best £45 I've ever spent on hifi as its taken my 7 to another level. 

 

[MF 1000]

Just ordered a pair ..will see how they perform in combination with the Mullards or JJs in my 2.24 DAC 

 

[MF 1000]

1st of the Telefunkens arrived today ...annoying as the other one is only due to arrive next week  

 

[MF 1000]

2nd Telefunken ecc81 arrived today and I’ve just spent an hr tube rolling various combination of the JJ’s, Mullards and Telefunkens in the two sockets per channel in the Digicode.

Replacing the JJ’s with the Telefunkens ..initially sounded duller but allowing the valves to warm up/burn in ( depends on how long since they were last used etc) let them start to sing ....swapping back to the JJ’s and there was a slight losses of top end detail.  A swap back and it had returned....so the Telefunkens do reveal some detail/texture in the mid/top end of tracks ( I was mainly listening to How How - Yello).

A quick check on the impact of the Mullards by swapping them out with the JJ’s didn’t really have any noticeable effect .....so I’ve settled on the Telefunken/JJ combination fir now.  Of course I’m wondering if two Telefunkens per channel could reveal some more detail ......

 

[Lurch]

@MF 1000 Keith, you still wanna try 4 TFKs? If so I've pulled mine as Slav (mac72) has introduced me to something even better, Valvo 6201 (df6 code). They are magical in my Lector. He initially sent me a pair of NOS to try (which I had to return) , I loved them so he sent me a pair at 80% NOS as a freebie to keep and has since scored me a pair of NOS ones. They're not cheap (circa £120 a pair) but I think they're well worth it. 

Can also loan you the 80% pair of 6201 if you want, just PM me  your address again.