Grant Fidelity Audio - Read Only

[igrant]

A customer has reported that the GE JAN 5654W is an excellent upgrade. I have ordered some in. Time to Roll

From a thread on the net.

[Yashu]

I ordered a pair of the recommended tubes... Cross your fingers.

I have the new 6j1s coming from you and the GE JAN 5654Ws coming from ebay, so it will be an interesting time when I get them.

I will be able to directly compare.

I am excited, this is the first time I have ever rolled tubes. I keep wishing that I had a tube amp, something around ~40w, but the tube buffer seems to become a better and better invenstment as time goes on. I can't help but recommend it to anyone that wants to test the tube waters, and now I can finally say that the tubes can be rolled, which may persuade more people to buy the product. That was always the downside, we all thought that the 6j1 was the only tube we could use.

I am very curious to see how these other tubes sound.

I am going to post my results on other forums, maybe get some more people to see the value in this device. For the price, it's such a good deal. The new model design even makes it more attractive to new buyers I think. Having all the matching aluminum and logos really makes the product look complete and well built. Not to say that my G-rant is not well built, I am only saying that the new one looks, frankly, awesome. I don't see why anyone would want the MF buffer over this one now.

I think if this works out, that you should put these tube options in the official literature... Tube guys LOVE to roll tubes, and for the price of the B-283, it is hard to pass up if you have a SS system and want to inject a little tube sound.

I have a SS class A preamp, and I don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon, and I think many people are in the same boat. They have a pre that they love, or a SS setup that they love (like a DAC, the B-283 works wonderfully when attached to a DAC), and the B-283 would be perfect for this kind of setup, which is, what most people have that can't afford super expensive tube preamps and amps.

[igrant]

I have the GE JAN 5654Ws installed in one now, sounds different, haven't had time to do any serious listening to A/B the finer details.

Rolling is fun and I can only imagine what directions I can go in with the B-283 down the road with different tube designs, balanced, more connectivity etc. We will always have the B-283 as is too It's a keeper.

The A-88 is an excellent choice for studio work. Ultalinear mode is very accurate and sounds a lot like our Pure Class A 80 watt SS amp (for half the price , Triode gives you the full beauty of Class A KT88 tube for when your not working on making music. Then again I like making music with the tubes on the fronts now.

[Yashu]

I just got my GE JAN 5654W tubes in today and have been listening a bit. I warmed them up with some TV shows and now am into the music...

They do sound different. I actually like the 6j1, oddly enough, but these have not really settled in yet, so I can't really say. I want to say that maybe the 6j1 rolls the highs off a bit more and that is why these don't seem as "pleasant", but like I said... not broken in.

I was just happy that they glowed right up and didn't make anything explode. When I get my new 6j1s in the mail, I will be able to do a more direct comparison. It would not be fair to compare them with the stock ones I have since one is basically going out.

Maybe I should have bought the non milspec versions of these tubes, perhaps they would have been a bit softer? I don't know a lot about tube rolling. There are so many options now, hehe... it was so easy when it was thought that there was only one tube that worked. Anyway, I will keep updated on the situation.

BTW, I was pimping the b-283 on AudioAsylum, and this information really helped put the B-283 out ahead of other buffers like the X10v3, with it's hardwired nu-vista tube. Maybe someone will read the discussion there and buy one of these. Tube rolling is like... hmm... it is certainly something that everyone wants to try at least once.

Everyone was trying to say find the original single tube yaqin buffer... but this new information, and the new look, makes the B-283 much more attractive to those guys.

[igrant]

Much thanks, you on my list for specials

I have 2 untits set up with with the GE JAN 5654W's and the other stock 6J1's, both broken in, I'll try and do some testing, but may not have time until the new year.

[Yashu]

I have done some testing and here is what I have found. I have not gotten the new 6j1s but I can tell you that I am not liking the milspec ones.

The problem is some kind of feedback ringing, I have tried dampening with silicone rubber, but it makes no difference. These things are very microphonic, but I don't think that is even what causes it. I am not sure what does at this point, all I know is that it doesn't do it with the 6j1s.

The old 6j1s are still working ok when dampened with the silicone.

I guess I will go down and try the next on the list of pin compatable tubes. They don't cost very much.

Here is what I want to know, when you get to testing the GE JAN 5654W, let me know if you hear anything like that... ringing or something, like a high pitched whine. I thought my hard drives were starting to die, but on closer inspection it was coming from the speakers the entire time.

That kindof sucks, but I guess that is a part of trying to roll... sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I could have just got a bad tube in the mail, so that is why I am curious if you hear it too. Mind you, I have the original G-rant, so I don't know if the new one is the same electrical design.

The AEG F95 is going to be a tube I will be looking for... and maybe one of the others, 6AK5, EF95, 403A, 6F32, CV 4010, or brilliant M8100. I am sure I will find something that works, but switching back to the 6j1, it sounds better, sweeter.

Aside from the ring, the GE JAN 5654W was almost too clinical, yeah I only had it going for a few days, but I don't think the ring was going to go away with more burn in.

[igrant]

Did you order from the guy on eBay I mentioned?. I have them in the old B-283 and worked fine, no ringing, but then again I wasn't really paying a lot of attention, as in not working with it, but was listening as background music.

Just did a quick check and sounds fine, not harsh or anything, no ringing and I'm in a typical computer composing setup with monitor and speakers within inches of the B-283.

Maybe bum GE tubes?

[Yashu]

Well... maybe bad tube(s). That is possible. It was one channel again, like it would switch when I swapped the tubes. They were very microphonic in general, a little tapping would cause a nice ring. Only the 6j1 did that when it was starting to die.

I did not catch you name drop a guy from ebay, so I looked on my own, but this guy was pretty legit. He had like 19 of the tubes, I got two, and he had many many more types as well. I think he was some kind of a surplus store.

I like the sound of the 6j1 though, oddly enough. Even the GE tube without the whine, I didn't like it as much as the 6j1. The 6j1 is actually pretty warm sounding, and it *may* roll the hf off a bit, but I don't mind that. I don't know how it compares to other tubes, but that is what I have so far.

[igrant]

sounds like the same guy, but old tubes are a crapshoot. I ordered 4 and he sent 2 of a different type to check out too. Some people are nice when they what your up to

I'll ship them (2 GE's and 2 of the other ones) to you and you can test for us all. Kind of a thanks for spreading the word.

Merry Xmas. Any links to your music?, if so post in the musicians corner if you want, I'd like to start making csome noise there.

Ian

[Yashu]

I want to post some of my music, but I don't have a place to host it right now.

I used to, well, I still have a domain for the name I produced under, but I ran into problems where it was very easy to go over my limit of bandwidth when I would host my music. It was insane. I haven't made music seriously in a while, but when I did, my domain would get 10,000 hits a month and a lot of that was mp3 downloads, so right now, I am just using it for e-mail and such.

I am not sure where to put it. I will figure something out, maybe post a track every now and then, I can still probably do that.

My domain, I don't want to write it because it is a common name, and so it gets so much traffic just in spam that before my host company upgraded their filtering, it would go over the limit just in spam. They now reject it BEFORE it gets counted as traffic, but some months it still gets close.

If I ever get serious about music again, I will probably get better hosting. I can host some downloads on my home computer, but not sure how much traffic this site would get.

What if the GEs that you send do the same thing? Do we say that it could be a fault in the b-283? I hope not. I like the idea of doing a real test, that is, if there are no tube problems... hehe. I probably got them from the same guy, I wonder if he has the other types that you listed.

[Yashu]

I bought a couple more types... they are so cheap it is hard to pass up the chance to test. I think I have become addicted. I see a tube amp in my future.

[Yashu]

Ok, I wrote a huge review of some new tubes last night and posted it as an edit to my previous post. What happened to it?

[igrant]

[Yashu]

ok it's not letting me post my review... I can't type more than this sentence or it will give me an error.

[igrant]

[Guest]

Here is the review I intended to post a while back, with some edits.

-------

Basically, I ordered another set of tubes from the ebay surplus guy. This time, however, they were a matched pair of 6AK5Ws or the non milspec I don't remember, anyway... they came in a matched set. An A and B tube, so what better for the two tube B-283.

This time, no glitches, no ringing, no distortion, and they came just in time because my 6J1s have just about had it, one of them anyway. It takes about 3 hours for the pops and crackles to go away on the bad tube and then there is still some distortion.

Anyway, the 6AK5Ws are burning in, and so far so good. Here is the review in short: 6AK5W, they sound a little forward, with quite a lot of low end presentation as well. I can't quite put them against the GE JAN 5654W because of the bad tube, the ringing, but ringing aside, I did get enough of an idea of their sound, and it's close to the 6AK5W, but I like the 6AK5W better, at least so far. I think they aren't quite as harsh on the HF, but then again, I had a bum tube so it could have been some glitch.

Compared to the 6J1s, I prefer the 6J1s so far... I think some people would like the 6AK5W better, but I like the muted sweet sound of the 6J1. I appreciate it's position as stock tube, because I feel like it does a good job of putting forth the "tube sound" that I think people are buying the B-283 to get. Unfortunately, since my 6J1s have seen better days, these are all I have and I am giving them a total workout. I don't mind their sound, and I think I like the idea of having several tube options, and I cant wait to burn in the new 6J1s that are coming in the mail.

I had written more with a more articulate nature, but since that got lost in the abyss, that is my short review of the 6AK5W. Basically, they have a good midrange, great low end, slightly harsh HF, and a tad larger soundstage. The 6J1 has a good midrange, a warmer sound, slightly less low end presentation and a sweet muted HF that I think does a good job taking the edge off certain things, a soundstage that is still open compared to all SS. So far, no one thing is better than the other, but it's good to know there are options to tailor sound.

Tubes aren't that hard to find if you know what to look for, and I have one surprise coming, so stay tubed... err... tuned.

On another note, at first I was sad that the B-283 got a makeover, because the new one looks very nice, but I have swapped tubes out a bunch of times over the last week, and it's nice having the tubes in an unobstructed area where it is easy to change them out. The blue glow gives it a vintage look too, so I have come to appreciate the ol' G-rant, besides, it's certainly a rare little item, conversational piece.

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Ok, this is the addendum. I have been playing with tubes and configurations since then... I still am in the Raytheon camp, they have a great sound, softer top end then the GE tubes, and still plenty of low end performance. The GE tubes, both 6AK5W and 5654Ws have quite the amount of detail and bottom end, but to me they are edgy compared to the Raytheons. I have had some problems with placing the tube buffer between my pre and my amp. I notice that there is a ringing sound, maybe some kind of resonance with the way the pre and amp connect to each other, so what I did was place the B-283 directly off my DAC instead. This proved to be the best placement so far for these non stock tubes. I don't get any ringing and the sound of the particular tube I am using seems to present itself a bit more. When I get the 6J1s I will do a comparison with those as well, but I have left the Ratheons in for days now and am happy with them. They come in matched pairs, and seem like the perfect fit for rolling with the B-283.

I basically completely rearranged things to try and combat that resonance problem, and moving the buffer around didn't help, only taking it out from between the pre and main in. I don't know what it causing it, perhaps the strange input impedance of the amp itself, and the fact that the buffer is basically plugged into the amp directly, so anything, even minor, is going to be amplified to the fullest extent of my amp, whereas between the DAC and the pre, my lower than average output voltage of my DAC is brought closer to what it should be, and this gives my digital front end the "oomph" it needs to really shine. I still adjust the pre out gain down a few DB, to match my amp, and to use as much of my pre's class A gain as possible, keeping the AB amp biased towards A for a greater spectrum of listening.

I am recommending the matched 6AK5W Raytheons as a good tube to try, with the GE tubes seeming a little too edged for my tastes. I have tried both GE 6AK5W and 5654Ws now, and it seems to be a GE thing. I am not sure if they need to be broken in for weeks, but after a few days, I really was craving the Raytheons, so that is what I am using now, and putting the buffer right off the DAC has done the most good when it comes to giving a little tube warmth to the digital source. The 6J1s, they have, like I said, a soft mutest quality that actually sounds quite nice, and they did sound good between the pre and the amp, but I think they might even sound better configured in this new way, and I will test that when I get them. I want to keep breaking in the Raytheons and see where it takes me until them.

There is one missing piece to this puzzle, and that is a set of tubes I ordered a while back, Mullard CV4010s, and they are coming eventually, but the guy sent me the wrong tubes, two completely different brand and models of 6AK5Ws and 5654Ws, so the vintage mullards are going to have to wait. I am excited about them because they will be the oldest tubes I have yet tried, and they are harder to find as well, but the ones I have sound pretty good so far.

All in all, I am happy with the B-283, and with all the components that I rearranged to cure the resonance problems, I now have it prominently placed on my desk, and the cool blue light of the faceplate, despite the logo malfunction, looks quite nice, I do have to say so.

Stay tuned for more... I know I have rambled, but I have been putting my thoughts together from two separate review posts that I tried to make a little while ago when the board was going wonky. I can say that I crave more tubes, maybe a tube amp, one with a faceplate that matches this b-283 would be pretty sweet, I know that the old brand Yaqin had the blue glow faceplate, maybe there are some like that kicking around that I can eventually take a chance on. Tax returns are coming up, hehe... it's hard to find money for our hobby sometimes.

[igrant]

Thanks Yashu for the great work on this. Got a favourite yet? Still have to the 6J1's out to you. Did you send the 6N1's back?

[Yashu]

I had two tube mixups in the same week period, so basically, the 6N1s are going back on thursday and the other mixup is going back that day as well.

I ordered some Mullard CV4010s and got something else instead, but just got the right thing today, and so all mixup tubes are going back on thurs when I get off work. I have them packed up and ready, but haven't had the time to send... it's been a long couple of weeks. I hope you don't mind, but they are coming back, not to worry. The other guy is probably asking the same thing, although what he sent wasn't worth as much as the 6N1s, I still should have been on top of it all, but when work swamps you with overtime there is barely time for even music O.O hehe, yes... now that is not fun.

I actually took a half day today because I was so stressed. The mail guy dropped the Mullards off and so I plugged them in and they are warming up. I will make a review whenever I get time, hopefully on the weekend sometime. I am not going to let work steal three in a row.

[igrant]

What's a weekend?

[igrant]

Yashu, rec'd the 6N1's thanks. I have come 6J1's out for cryogenic treatment and when I get them back will send you 1 set treated and 1 set untreated for you to play with.

Supposed to make quite the improvement, doing a complete set of GF tubes and then will try the whole B-283