LampizatOr Horizon - Tube Rolling Paradise

[Golum]

As number of happy Horizon owners is starting to increase day by day and within the agreement with Steve I'm opening this thread where we'll be able to discuss and advise regarding the different options in terms of tubes we tried and experienced in Horizon.
Main Lampi thread regarding tube rolling is already massive and kind of difficult to navigate, so separate one for Horizon I believe is a good direction.
As we heard number of tube rolling options in Horizon is limitless so to new or less experienced owners of Horizon, I hope this thread might provide a valuable insight where to start if they want to be engaged in additional tweaking of their units. World of tubes is intriguing for some, for some troublesome but I believe it actually is a beautiful and interesting world which can bring lots of new experiences.

With this I pronounce Horizon tube rolling games open .

 

[Steve williams]

I'm all in with the
6900 x 2 with adapters
RK-KR KT88
RK-KR 5u4g

I tried the Shuguang gx480 which I loved more than the RK 5u4g in the Pacific however the opposite seems true in the Horizon

Also tried KT 170 quad matched set and although no hours on the tubes it seemed lifeless compared to the KT88

WE also tried MELZ Russian steel plate without perforartios I thought this sounded very good but not as natural as the 6900

The one tube which I did like was the Brimar with the yellow T on the glass. This for me was a close second to the 6900. It seemed to convey a sense of increased volume as compared to the 6900 but again for my ears the 6900 was more natural

Also tried many other rectifiers including 274B EML and it too paled as compared to the RK 5u4g

I also have a quad set of Genalex KT77 Red Lion Special edition that at some point I will compare to the KT88 and when I finally can spend time using tubes other than my chosen tube set I do want to burn in the KT170 for a better evaluation

But as Lukasz said, the trials can go on ad infinitum and he emphasizes that once you find the sound you like, "set it and forget it"

 

[Golum]

Getting seriously ready ie doing my homework with dilligence

Tmr 6f8g VT99 Raytheon will arrive so choice of double triodes on hand is already “decent”…rectifiers i have xyz so only pentodes remaining to be solved but might go as per Steve advice with KR KT88.
@dminches - thanks for the TungSol!

 

[Golum]

I see there is quite a discussion which tubes are best for Horizon and are the NOS ones the "right/best" path for it and can the new production tubes despite not having the "glory" of the NOS outperform them. Certain types of course are not available among new production ones (like Bendix 6900) but from the ones which we can get seems like some are done in a proper way.
For example @rau who already rolled quite some different combinations in Horizon loves the CV181 (Brimar). As I was looking into these I stumbled upon review comparing NOS vs NEW of this type https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html where it seems that new production one is a clear "winner".
For sure it does not have the glory and the pride of ownership of the NOS ones, but looking purely into performance I do believe we'll be just fine with the tubes readily available on the market while not needing to cash out tons of $$$$ for them.

 

[dminches]

I see there is quite a discussion which tubes are best for Horizon and are the NOS ones the "right/best" path for it and can the new production tubes despite not having the "glory" of the NOS outperform them. Certain types of course are not available among new production ones (like Bendix 6900) but from the ones which we can get seems like some are done in a proper way.
For example @rau who already rolled quite some different combinations in Horizon loves the CV181 (Brimar). As I was looking into these I stumbled upon review comparing NOS vs NEW of this type https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html where it seems that new production one is a clear "winner".
For sure it does not have the glory and the pride of ownership of the NOS ones, but looking purely into performance I do believe we'll be just fine with the tubes readily available on the market while not needing to cash out tons of $$$$ for them.

On a side note, I thought I read somewhere that the Shuguang Treasures were really speced to be 6SN7s even though they were labeled CV181s.

 

[Alrainbow]

Getting seriously ready ie doing my homework with dilligence
View attachment 89985View attachment 89986
Tmr 6f8g VT99 Raytheon will arrive so choice of double triodes on hand is already “decent”…rectifiers i have xyz so only pentodes remaining to be solved but might go as per Steve advice with KR KT88.
@dminches - thanks for the TungSol!

if i see a pic of a vt99 with a cheap adaptor non woo i will find you and take the h dac lol .

 

[Golum]

if i see a pic of a vt99 with a cheap adaptor non woo i will find you and take the h dac lol .

You rather send me Woo adapters with those 242s

 

[shadowlight]

I wonder what folks are going to do with the various dht tubes everyone has for the dac that use dht like pacific, gg2, big7.

 

[cpcat]

I wonder what folks are going to do with the various dht tubes everyone has for the dac that use dht like pacific, gg2, big7.

Send them to me!

 

[shadowlight]

Send them to me!

I could use some of those tubes also in my Big7+

 

[Crashem]

I would love to hear some superior combos using currently produced tubes. Starting to collect some NOS tubes for my incoming Horizon. Luckily, I have a decent collection of 6sn7, 6dj8, and EL34's. However, I think it would behoove us to have a couple of currently produced combos that anyone can get. So any advice appreciated from current Horizon owners.

For example, I would love to hear some comments about the Linlai Elite 6sn7's

 

[takacs75]

I would love to hear some superior combos using currently produced tubes. Starting to collect some NOS tubes for my incoming Horizon. Luckily, I have a decent collection of 6sn7, 6dj8, and EL34's. However, I think it would behoove us to have a couple of currently produced combos that anyone can get. So any advice appreciated from current Horizon owners.

For example, I would love to hear some comments about the Linlai Elite 6sn7's

I’ve just ordered a pair. I will have them in a week. We will see

 

[Steve williams]

Arriving today is a matched set of French CSF 5687 which are reportedly 6900 beaters. Thats a mighty assumption so I had to find a pair to see if such is the case. They use the same adapter as the 6900

 

[dminches]

Arriving today is a matched set of French CSF 5687 which are reportedly 6900 beaters. Thats a mighty assumption so I had to find a pair to see if such is the case. They use the same adapter as the 6900

What happened to “set it and forget it?”

 

[Steve williams]

I was telling rau that it is unlikely I will ever use them but I was convinced by several that they are worth a try. When does your set arrive

I truly am mesmerized by the sound I have now with the 6900's

 

[dminches]

I was telling rau that it is unlikely I will ever use them but I was convinced by several that they are worth a try. When does your set arrive

I truly am mesmerized by the sound I have now with the 6900's

I haven’t bought a pair. I wrote the guy and he never responded. I will find a pair somewhere else down the road.

 

[Steve williams]

I haven’t bought a pair. I wrote the guy and he never responded. I will find a pair somewhere else down the road.

He replied to me immediately as well as to rau

 

[dminches]

He replied to me immediately as well as to rau

If you haven’t already you need to listen to some 6SN7s. I have always preferred them over the 9 pin small tubes. That doesn’t mean they will sound better in the Horizon but my plan is to try a bunch that I already own.

 

[Steve williams]

If you haven’t already you need to listen to some 6SN7s. I have always preferred them over the 9 pin small tubes. That doesn’t mean they will sound better in the Horizon but my plan is to try a bunch that I already own.

TBH my experience is that the changes are not profound but subtle with every tube change we made. The one tube that did seem to pop when we played it was willgolf's Brimar 6060 with Yellow T. You have to find the exact combination that sounds best to your ears in your system

 

[Steve williams]

TBH my experience is that the changes are not profound but subtle with every tube change we made. The one tube that did seem to pop when we played it was willgolf's Brimar 6060 with Yellow T. You have to find the exact combination that sounds best to your ears in your system

David

to quote Lukasz. .......there are any bad tubes to use. The Horizon just sounds great. So yes for me it IS set it and forget it. I did this purchase only because many believe it is a more musical tub than the 6900. I love the 6900 because the sound is "natural " to my ears. Nothing stands out. Top to bottom linearity