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Author Topic: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7  (Read 18434 times)

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Anaxilus.

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #40 on: July 03, 2012, 01:27:52 AM »
Make note of his tube setup or post a pic plse.  I want to compare the HE6 w/ his S7 rig versus my S7 and HD800 setup.  I've never been able to hear the HE6 sound nearly as interesting versus the HD800 as you described so I'd like to AB the two rigs in August.  I've never tried the HE6 on the S7, only the WA5, Burson 160, Lyr and a few others.  They never really did it for me on those setups.



« Last Edit: July 03, 2012, 01:30:00 AM by Analixus »
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Elysian

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #41 on: July 03, 2012, 01:43:28 AM »
Driver: Tung Sol VT-231 CTL-6SN7GT (looks like NOS)
Behind the drivers:
  x2 Rogers 6SN7 GTB (looks like NOS)
  x4 Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH (looks like reissues)

Haven't tried tube rolling yet.  There are places where I think the signature can be improved, and I haven't tried swapping sources or tube rolling yet.  With this particular configuration, I'm finding the HE-6s much more interesting than the HD800s.  HD800s performed well but were were too uninvolving for me.

So far, I haven't been able to replicate the HE-6 distortion issues that the WA5-LE had.  Haven't heard the WA5.  HE-6 was nice on some tracks on the WA5-LE, not so much on others.  HE-6 technically performed better on the Trends TA-10.2SE, but had some issues (shortened extension on notes, felt a little too truncated at times).
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Anaxilus.

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #42 on: July 03, 2012, 02:56:39 AM »
So you had issues w/ the HE6 on the WA5 too.  The bass was loose and slow while being thin overall at the same time.  Very impressive feat.  I heard the same thing from the Lyr, Burson and some Audio GD setup that did nothing for me.
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Questhate

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #43 on: July 03, 2012, 04:04:44 AM »
Quote from: Elysian on July 03, 2012, 01:20:22 AM

I think CEE TEE mentioned you're in the area.  Would be happy to demo the HE-6, or loan them out once I'm done setting up the dynamic rig.


Awfully nice of you to offer. I may have to eventually take you up on this, although it can end up being an expensive proposition.  ;D
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Elysian

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #44 on: July 03, 2012, 04:36:04 AM »
I only heard the HE-6 on the WA5-LE, but I'm not surprised to hear the WA5 was also insufficient.  The WA5-LE was ok but was a bit too loose for my tastes, especially with 4:4 dance music.  The Trends tightened things up but was too solid-state sounding.  I liked the HE-500 on a WA6-SE more than the HE-6 on the WA5-LE.

I went through some dark ambient earlier, and am now flipping through tribal house and breakbeats I used to spin.  Still no issues with distortion or sloppy bass.  Images are still reasonably tight, and I like what's happening with ripple effects across low-end frequencies.  I don't remember the HE-500s having this kind of clarity in the bass.  Even Sasha's "airdrawndagger" is doing some really nice things, which usually sounds boring on most digital setups.  I've finally run across a few tracks that aren't quite there (like UNKLE - A Wash of Black, Steve Porter - Nordica), but this is the closest I've heard a dynamic get.  I'd like a little more low-end grunt.  Still pretty darn impressive.  After hearing the HD600s and LCD2s through the S7 at the meet, I wasn't expecting this.

Classical isn't where I'd like for it to be, but I'm pretty resigned about that with every headphone that doesn't start with a SR-00.  Maybe the First Watt will solve things.

Quote from: Questhate on July 03, 2012, 04:04:44 AM
Awfully nice of you to offer. I may have to eventually take you up on this, although it can end up being an expensive proposition.  ;D

Just let me know when your wallet can take the punishment ;)  Though, I think it's pretty criminal that you can get a used HE-6 for less than a used LCD2.1.
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Elysian

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #45 on: July 06, 2012, 06:45:08 AM »
Well... I liked the HE-6 on the S7, but it unfortunately can't compare to the First Watt J2.

Maybe a different tube configuration will help, but the impact, clarity, decay, soundstage... pretty much everything is better on the First Watt.  I was hoping to dispel the belief that you didn't need a good speaker amp or Dark Star for the HE-6, but I have to throw the white flag up on this one.

Sorry for any false hope.
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Marvey

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #46 on: July 07, 2012, 03:52:25 AM »
It has nothing to do with speaker amps or Dark Star. The J2 is a simple design, directly coupled, and has very few components in the signal path. I doubt the Dark Star (or the vintage receivers so often recommended) would sound nearly as transparent as the J2.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2012, 04:06:17 AM by purrin »
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n3rdling

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #47 on: July 07, 2012, 04:01:28 AM »
J2 is quite sexy.  I should build one for the speakers...
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Marvey

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #48 on: July 07, 2012, 04:09:11 AM »
Are the detailed schematics even out for this?
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Elysian

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Re: REVIEW: Eddie Current Super 7
« Reply #49 on: July 07, 2012, 04:38:23 AM »
Quote from: purrin on July 07, 2012, 03:52:25 AM
It has nothing to do with speaker amps or Dark Star. The J2 is a simple design, directly coupled, and has very few components in the signal path. I doubt the Dark Star (or the vintage receivers so often recommended) would sound nearly as transparent as the J2.
I would be really curious to put a HE-6 and LCD-2/3 through the paces on the J2 vs Dark Star.  I'm skeptical that the Dark Star would sound nearly as transparent, based on reading the informal design reviews of both amps.  Even the HD800 sounded pretty good on the J2, and we'll be trying a LCD-2.2 on the J2 tomorrow.

Is the S7 a more powerful amp than the BA?  How do people quantify that, anyway?  WPC?

Given that the J2 is an in-production model, I don't believe Nelson has released the detailed schematics yet (the manual was just an essay).  I believe some folks are trying to figure it out on diyAudio, but even with the B1s, the DIY models reportedly don't sound as good as the ones from Nelson's kitchen table.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/151909-firstwatt-j2-60.html#post2656881
Quote (selected)
Just for clarity, I find the lack of an official schematic discourages commercial
cloners, so there is no such thing.

Better that you guys exercise your DIY muscles anyway.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2012, 04:41:09 AM by Elysian »
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