Happy day 
@hottyson
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Holy cow, already? Man how time flies. Thanks pennstac!
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(post deleted by author)
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Hi everyone,
I currently have a nice speaker system in the lounge Exposure DAC > Sugden A21SE Amp > Totem Sky Speakers and am very happy with it.
Before buying the speakers in the loounge I had a little headphone setup which is a Topping D50 DAC > Schit Modi Amp > Hifiman 4xx headphones.
I am in the UK and at the time I used to go on other headphone related communities. I’ve been doing some reading and youtubing over the weekend and found these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2bz2XfhcTM&list=PLcQ0MjJxnave50CoqLQvCU5t6V_orTac6
Getting Started: How to Navigate the Headphone Hobby
Before I go waste money on anymore amps, headphones or DACs how best to learn about sound and how to determine what type of sound I actually like? I thought about attending my first CamJam in London this year as a great way to test a lot of headphones without wasting dealers time. I could write what I like down in a notepad and try to write down why I liked it and what I disliked. Then maybe come back and find measurement reviews on headphones.com to reveal if I like “warm” “bright” or something else. (I am sure you can pick up my greeness here)
I have watched a lot of videos on youtube from the gentleman on The Headphone Show, and while I enjoy it I am lost and couldn’t use a review to decide to blindly order something.
TLDR - How do I learn how to describe what sound headphones I like then how do I go and find that headphone for me?
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Honestly the best way is to buy and try. Or go to meets or shows and try.
And as you try things you can see where your preferences align with some reviewers or fellow community members, but even then it can be hard. Most likely you won’t have the same chain as your preferred reviewers/community members or your taste will change as you progress through your journey.
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This is to address the first part of your question, re learning how to describe what you hear. I’d love to simply link to a page with a succinct synopsis, but I can’t think of any. So rolling my own:
Hopefully, we all know that
- bass = low pitched sounds,
- treble = high pitched sounds, and
- mids (mid range) = in between the two.
You’ll run across a lot of sound descriptions like warm, dark, and bright. It’s far simpler to talk about too much/little bass, too much/little treble, and too much/little mids. But people are going to use their habitual vocabulary, so
- Warm = medium to extra bass, hopefully normal mids, plus “relaxed” (slightly reduced) treble
- Bright = not-extra bass, hopefully normal mids, plus any amount of extra treble
- V-shaped = extra bass and treble with normal to reduced mids
- Dark* = significant reduction/deficiency in treble, often includes roll-off of treble, meaning the highest pitches are missing or extremely weak
- Cool* = significant reduction/roll-off in bass, often includes roll-off of bass.
(*Dark and cool are less frequently used terms.)
— or at least the above is how I’ve come to make sense of how people use these terms. (Others will disagree, which is part of the problem.) All the above vocabulary describes pitch ranges with the technical term being frequency response.
But audio reproduction includes other dimensions as well. Some of the most frequently discussed are:
- Dynamic range = degree to which quietest to loudest sounds are all accurately reproduced
- Slam or punch = impactfulness of a given sound
- Timbre = (pronounced tam-ber) degree of accuracy of sound reproduction, to what degree a given musical instrument, voice or any other sound producer sounds like it does during live listening
- Detail = the quietest sounds that can be heard plus the most subtle aspects of a given sound that can be heard
- Spatials = the combination of the next two:
- Sound stage = the locations specific sound sources are arriving from in 3-D space
- Imaging = precision of placement of sound sources within the sound stage.
Please take a few minutes to describe your speaker set-up and your headphone set-up using the above vocab. Don’t stress about it, just whatever comes to mind. To help with future purchase advice, include any changes to how your current headphone system sounds you would like to have.
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Not a small footprint, but check out WA2 - it’s got pretty much everything else you’re looking for there and it’s absolute magic with the Atrium. Hope you end up enjoying the tubes, and my condolences in advance to your wallet 
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@Pablo67
Adding a few more entry level OTL’s to your list:
-
Bottlehead Crack:
~11x7" footprint
DIY, have someone build it for you (Etsy), or buy used
My recommendation. My first OTL that sounds fantastic with ZMF 300ohm dynamics -
Eufonika H5:
~14x8" footprint
Sold on Etsy, from Poland
I haven’t heard this, but people seem to like it
Both only use 1 power tube and 1 driver tube so tube rolling is approachable for a first tube amp
Both under $1k no matter which route you go, leaving room for a few tubes to experiment with
Edit: NITSCH Piety is pretty good. Bottlehead Crack (esp. with speedball and decent tubes) is a much more jaw-dropping experience IMO.
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I just ordered a used Eufonika H7s. The Eufonikas seem to all have similar specs and slightly different configurations. Stock there is a double triode that can be replaced with an adapter and two triodes.
The H7 that I have coming uses 4 tubes stock, I’ve seen some with 2. Their website is in Polish - Google can translate, but does not seem to give much of a history of types, development or support for older models, nor does it show the full range.
However it seems that any and all of them are pretty good, and a step above the Schiit Vallalla 2. I guess I’ll find out for sure in a week or so.
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You said both H7m and H7s. The H7m uses four tubes and is dual-mono. Click on Etsy’s right side details/description panel for detailed tech specs. I’m intrigued, as my stinkin’ Crack doesn’t have great channel separation. My Crack cheeks touch all the time and stick together through thick or thin.
If it is the H7m, the current MSRP is $790. You may well be in the $1K performance tier.
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OK, here is the original link, to the Etsy page
Eufonika Model H7M Headphone Amplifier WITHOUT TUBES - Etsy
So it is the H7M.
My used buy is looking better.
The ad I responded to is
FINAL PRICE DROP Eufonika H7m OTL Tube Amp w/ Upgraded Tubes | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org
And all the tubes are included. Sure looks like a reasonable deal. I felt pretty good about the owner, who is a good communicator and used to be a member here.
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Good luck. Be super duper careful using these hot and stabby electric garden amps…no pets or kids or even wives prone to vigorous dusting. I go volume down and power OFF when swapping headphones on the Crack. I go volume down on the Decware.
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I think I’m going to position it at work, no pets, no wives, If I had any kids, it would be a surprise, and they’d be about 50 years old. Considering my name, I should be OK with a Stabby amp. No not Pennstac, my actual name.
But your post raises another question, one regarding spousal maintenance. How often do you vigorously dust your wives prone?
PS - I’m an idiot. I don’t even have the amp yet. And I went on eBay…
Rare Platinum Matched Pair JAN-CRC 6AS7G RCA Tubes, 50’s Black Plate, Mil Specs
I’m just sure I’m going to need these… Because the previous owner didn’t spring for them but used adapters. At least these are in a somewhat reasonable price range from a well known seller with 100% positive. Some of these tubes cost as much as the amp. Not that this is news for anybody.
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Spring 3 has a slightly higher performance ceiling IF you’re willing to buy/use HQPlayer.
If not then I’d go for the WANDLA.
Also, if you’re heading to CanJam NYC, this was just announced and will be there! The spatial enhancement may be much more of a benefit than the difference between the two DACs for many people
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There were recently some 7236 tubes on EBay that look great around $100. Not sure if your amp is compatible, but if it is, they might be worth considering. I think people overlook them in favor of the 5998 and 421a, both of which are great, but I actually listen to the 7236 the most, and they tend to be much cheaper than those other two while still delivering high power in a tube that is compatible in place of 6AS7, at least in the Woo Audio amps. Definitely check your amp’s specs before dropping one of these in, but if you can, it might be a fun tube rolling upgrade without shattering the bank and possibly your marriage 
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I don’t know what I don’t know about tubes. The OE tubes (which are working fine) that came with my H7m are the 6N13S. I see on your reference on ETSY, that the bare bones no tube version calls for a 6080 tube in place of the 6N13S. From what I can tell the 6080 is similar, but isn’t manufactured now, they’re all vintage. I have 4 6080s included that the previous owner passed along.
The 6AS7G appears to be almost identical to the Russian made 6N13S. It’s like an alternate name for it.
@Promee suggests the 7236, which may possibly work, but from what I can tell it needs fixed bias and the other 6N13S/6AS7G are cathode bias. The Eufonika does auto-bias, so it’s not something I’m planning on tinkering with. Also, the internal resistance may be quite different.
I don’t know much about the other tube, the 6N1P except that it has a higher heating current than most of the generally talked about “compatible” tubes. It looks like the smartest rolling upgrade is 6N1P-EV High Rel version. Not sure what High Rel is but I see a lot of Military spec 6N1P-EV that are supposed to be ruggedized, so maybe it’s high reliability.
Finally, it seems that the 6BQ7A is almost right, but is less linear. Maybe someone more tube-smart can educate me. Finally, with my current HD-6xx headphones, not sure how much this matters. I see some other 300 Ohm headphone in my future.
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6N13 (or 6N5S, the military version) are pretty decent, especially for the price and availability. RCA 6AS7G are warmer, less detailed, but readily available and less expensive. That would be a good option to try a different sound without breaking the bank. The Chatham or Tung-Sol 6ASG are a little more refined and a clear upgrade from the RCA or 6N13S. They’re getting harder to find and more expensive but still pop up on eBay fairly often. Sometimes they’re rebranded as G.E. - look for the same internal construction. GEC 6AS7G are nearly unobtanium and the most expensive by far. Great sound but this would be the very bottom of the 6AS7G rabbit hole. IMO Chatham/Tung-Sol are the sweet spot for improved sound without bonkers prices.
6080’s have quite a few options. GEC 6080 (most expensive but very nice, balanced, detailed) or Mullard 6080 (less expensive, warmer, slightly less detailed) are both good options. Langrex is a reliable source that has a decent stock. IMO don’t be afraid to buy used, especially from a reputable seller. Here’s Langrex current 6080 stock: You searched for 6080 - Langrex
Tung-Sol 6080’s are another decent, relatively lower cost alternative.
GE, RCA, Philips, and Raytheon 6080’s are nothing special, not worth getting IMO.
5998’s are usually close enough equivalents. You should be able to check with the amp builder to confirm based on the data sheets they’ll work ok. Also getting a lot more expensive but sound great.
These are just a few of the more common power tubes. One thing to ask the amp builder is how much of an influence power tube rolling is expected to have on sound. Some circuits power tubes make minimal differences, while others can be fairly substantial. Synergy with driver tubes can also be a big thing. One power tube might sound just Ok with one driver, but phenomenal with another. That’s part of the fun (or nervosa?) of tube alchemy 
Hope that helps!
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I wear glasses and have used both the Ananda (open back) and the DCA Aeon X Closed, the Ananda on a daily basis. Both are very comfortable, and neither is bothered by the glasses. In both cases, the ear cups are quiet compliant and soft.
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Can’t believe no one responded to this.
This is like the most hilarious and thought provoking post I’ve ever read on this website.*
Love it. Thanks for posting, I appreciate this before my work Wednesday.
*in my sleepy and post-vino state.
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I’d absolutely love to own a set of those tubes. They do provide a higher voltage output and act as a more powerful power tube for compatible amps like our beloved WA22. 🫶🏼
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