I posted in the tube rolling thread but it looks like this has more activity so ai'll post here too. I got my Cabernet about a month ago. When I ordered I had Mick add a switch that allows me to use either 6sn7 or 12sn7 tubes. The vintage 6sn7 tubes have gotten into the stratosphere while the best 12sn7 tubes are just sky high in price...
It took some time for me to get a sound I really liked better than using a passive preamp. Initially the Cabernet really screwed up my system, it sounded terrible! Figured out my DAC was sending 4v via its balanced connection. Switched to RCA cables and got results more in line with what I was expecting.
The general sound is bigger and lusher than with the passive. I'm not quite getting the detail but I think the tonal qualities make up for it. Plus the bass is amazing.
So far I have cycled through a variety of tubes. Mick sent a pair of 12sx7 along with PSVane 6sn7. The 12sx7 are quite good and are a good benchmark to compare the other tubes. The "bad boy" Sylvania 12sn7 tubes seem to turn the vividness up and tightened up the bass. The round plate Tungsol tubes have lived up to their reputation as exquisite all rounders. They sound so... right. Can't put my finger on it but they sound different than the other but so satisfying.
My most interesting tubes IMO are a pair of grey glass Sylvania 14n7 tubes. The 14n7 has the extra copper support rods like the super expensive metal based Sylvania 6sn7wgt. I have never heard of a sylvania grey glass 6sn7 before though. Anyway, these sound thicker, heavier.
I could be happy with any of these really. They sound different but none of them sound bad. I'll eventually get around to trying the PSVane 6sn7, a variety of 7n7, and a few Sylvania 6sn7 tubes of various vintages.
It took some time for me to get a sound I really liked better than using a passive preamp. Initially the Cabernet really screwed up my system, it sounded terrible! Figured out my DAC was sending 4v via its balanced connection. Switched to RCA cables and got results more in line with what I was expecting.
The general sound is bigger and lusher than with the passive. I'm not quite getting the detail but I think the tonal qualities make up for it. Plus the bass is amazing.
So far I have cycled through a variety of tubes. Mick sent a pair of 12sx7 along with PSVane 6sn7. The 12sx7 are quite good and are a good benchmark to compare the other tubes. The "bad boy" Sylvania 12sn7 tubes seem to turn the vividness up and tightened up the bass. The round plate Tungsol tubes have lived up to their reputation as exquisite all rounders. They sound so... right. Can't put my finger on it but they sound different than the other but so satisfying.
My most interesting tubes IMO are a pair of grey glass Sylvania 14n7 tubes. The 14n7 has the extra copper support rods like the super expensive metal based Sylvania 6sn7wgt. I have never heard of a sylvania grey glass 6sn7 before though. Anyway, these sound thicker, heavier.
I could be happy with any of these really. They sound different but none of them sound bad. I'll eventually get around to trying the PSVane 6sn7, a variety of 7n7, and a few Sylvania 6sn7 tubes of various vintages.