Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, Rawhide!!!
. . . ahm . . . whoops, sorry, got carried away . . what I was thinking of was 'rolling valves'. Thinking about all the posters on here who are trying to change their hifi sound with new amps, speakers, then cables . . . often with expensive and mixed success?
How about moving on to some real amplification . . . proper amplifiers, modern valve amps are the bees knees . . . then you can not only change your interconects but the valve quality and manufacturer as well, its called 'valve rolling'. There are companys out there dedicated to supplying, valves, dozens of different makes at all sorts of prices, offereing all kinds of sound, tweakers heaven . . . 
I'm waiting for a matched set of 4 to arive, 'KT88 Gold Lion's', a re-issue of a vintage valve with a reputation to die for, at a fair price compared with cable prices per meter!!!
CJSF
If you want to change how your setup sounds, how about using the tone controls or an EQ?
Easier, quicker, cheaper and can be changed on the fly.
Hi,
I did some tube rolling with 6cg7 in a preamp and I was amazed at the sonic results.
Cheers
Steve.
Here you go, as I was typing the thread they arived, amazing service, I did not order them untill 4pm yesterday. They are now installed and the initial biasing has been done, amp is warming up, its going to be fun over the next few days as they burn in.
. . . to me, a work of visual and hifi art, part of my nostalgia and history, Gold Lion KT88, premium quality, hand tested:
If you want to change how your setup sounds, how about using the tone controls or an EQ?
Easier, quicker, cheaper and can be changed on the fly.
Valve rolling in not about changing the sound, its more detail, better control, better soundstage . . . just for startes 
Cant do any changes on the fly with my Icon valve amp, it weighs 25kg!!!!
IME I found more changes in the small signal tubes than the power tubes of the amplifier when tube rolling, minus changing the tube type (El34 to KT88 to KT120 for example)
Maybe you should get rid of the passive crossovers.
A bit of history you might enjoy...
http://blip.tv/uxstars/blackburn-mullard-tube-reel-1266769
(about 32 minutes long)
Does it explain why it's called rolling? Can't fathom why it's called that.
Maybe you should get rid of the passive crossovers.
Not sure who that is directed at, not really constructive towards the subject of tube rolling......
I'm having this same quandry myself at the moment.
I'm currently having the pot replaced on my AR SP9. I can't remember the last time I changed the valves and I have no idea what is actually in there. I'm a listener rather than a tweaker!
I thought I'd upgrade the valves. Simple I thought. 
I hadn't realised the whole valve thing could be so complicated!!!
There are whole web fourums dedicated to this stuff.
Oh. And they need to be balanced...............
Sovtek and Mullard seem to get good reviews, but they can be expensive.
I'm looking at 6DJ8 but the 6992 seem to have superceded them (that might sound like I know what that really means. I don't!).
The quest continues............ 
If they are matched do you have to replace all of them if one blows up?
As far as I am aware, the 6922, 6DJ8, E88CC, CV2482 are all the same style valve.
The ECC88 is a Mullard special version of the E88CC IIRC for example.
I used a couple of those in my Decware, the 6922 being the one I prefered if I remember correctly.
Most of those, depending on age/condition and the brand can be had for around £15-£20/ea so its cheap to try some. Plenty of NOS and Vintage ones about.
Maybe you should get rid of the passive crossovers.
Not sure who that is directed at, not really constructive towards the subject of tube rolling......
Its directed at those who want more detail, better control, better soundstage 
If they are matched do you have to replace all of them if one blows up?
I would have thought not as critical as one is in the phono stage, and one in the line stage.
Not that they would be at all likely to 'blow up' 
If they are matched do you have to replace all of them if one blows up?
I would have thought not as critical as one is in the phono stage, and one in the line stage.
Not that they would be at all likely to 'blow up'
When I looked them up on google that seemed what to be all the comments were about, blowing up and they are only guaranteed for 3 months?
- Login to post comments
A bit of history you might enjoy...
http://blip.tv/uxstars/blackburn-mullard-tube-reel-1266769
(about 32 minutes long)
Marantz M-CR603 + AirPlay • Rega R3 loudspeakers • iPhone 5 32GB • iMac • Apple Airport Extreme 802.11n • Panasonic TX-L32D25B • Sony BDP-S390 • Ruark Audio R1 Deluxe • Humax HDR-Fox T2