PutPineappleOnPizza t1_j261gya wrote on December 29, 2022 at 10:33 PM

Reply to comment by Pigman232 in Might be a basic bitch but i’m happy! by Pigman232

Imo the impact of tubes is so small that most things you read on here seem very overexaggerated. I can only speak about my Xduoo TA-26 which is very subtle, but I think I've seen the same things being said about the schiit tube amps so do your research before more or less wasting money. Also NOS tube hunting is a hot mess, so much money to waste with potentially little to gain, tubes break, some are bad from the start and you can never tell beforehand what you might get, how long that tube ran in another device and so on. Get a Tung-Sol or a JJ 6SN7 (really love mine, had to find an in stock replacement after my Tung-Sol decided to whistle like a tea kettle).

But imo, try before you buy, if you can. Also, if you really want to get a good opinion on tubes, try them in a blind A and B test. There might be a chance that you won't hear any difference because some tube amps today are just that clean.

That being said, tubes look amazing, feel kinda cool and it's just something else. But don't trust anyone on here. It's always hurr durr tubes on and whatnot. Stuff like "the 6XX on tubes is godlike" and similar sentences baited me into all of this and yet there doesn't seem to be a huge difference that justifies the price you pay for a proper tube amp.

I can't say things about more expensive amps, but I am more than sure that it will be similar (btw if anyone with a totl tube amp is reading this, feel free to tell me your experience, I'm very curious about all of this).

Have fun experimenting and have a good start into 2023 :)

Edit: fixed a typo

Porkanddiesel t1_j2bobtd wrote on December 31, 2022 at 1:39 AM

How do you like your TA-26? I’ve been using a Schiit Vali 2 for the last 6 years with HD-6XX’s and just got a Magni Heretic to play around with too. I’ve got a slew of tubes for my Vali including the converter to use 6SN7’s and another converter to use those Western Electric style tubes. I DO find different tubes make a difference and it’s most noticeable in soundstage and high end sparkle. I don’t bother with any expensive rare NOS purchases and just seek either reasonably priced new tubes or tested balanced triodes used tubes on eBay. Being a hybrid tube amp it only uses a small percent of the tubes function. I am however eying a TA-26 for my HD-6XX’s. Have you used both SS amps and TA-26?

PutPineappleOnPizza t1_j2cz2fx wrote on December 31, 2022 at 9:08 AM

I have used my FiiO K5 pro ESS and the TA26 and I think they are very similar to each other. The TA26 improves the low end a bit and maybe, just maybe makes everything a little more dynamic. But the changes are so subtle that there is almost no difference if I'm honest.

Also, the TA-26 suffers from potentiometer crackling, an issue nobody talks about in their fancy reviews. I swapped it once for a better potentiometer, soldering and all that, but the issue persists.

I still love this amp, but it sure is not what the reviews say. Tube rolling makes not much difference on the TA-26. Tung-Sol, EH Gold, RCA NOS, Foton 6H8C's from the 60s, JJ 6SN7.. They all sound very similar to each other. The NOS tubes are a little bit less punchy and flatter, but still so close to the rest that any differences are highly debatable.