Akikido LSA/HPA 9-Pin or Akikido Octal which one?

atwageman · 18th November 2009, 01:41 AM

Akikido LSA/HPA 9-Pin or Akikido Octal which one?

If you were going to build a preamp and these two were your only choices, which one would you build?

I'm thinking of building both, but like some opinions especially from those that have built either or both. Unit would be used with a CD player, am/fm tuner, and maybe a tape deck.

I'm leaning toward the octal, mainly because I have some 6SN7 tubes.

Kashmire · 21st November 2009, 04:22 AM

I love my Aikido equipped with 6CG7 (9-pin). I'm sure the octal version with 6SN7 would sound good, too.

A lot of people - the octal elites - would say the 6SN7 is better than the 6CG7. I can't argue either way. Broskie from TCJ thinks this way, and I tend to respect his opinion. I happen to like the 6CG7. I've learned how to use it properly. You can also try the 12AU7 from several different makers, which has similar properties (gain) but some people don't like the sound. (I'll be first in line for a Blackburn 12AU7. The octal folks should be jealous.)

Besides, the 9-pin version allows you to "tube roll" like crazy. Especially the output set (second stage) of the Aikido allows for endless tinkering.

piero7 · 21st November 2009, 01:19 PM

6cg7 or 6sn7 are electrical the same tube

Shoog · 21st November 2009, 02:05 PM

I heard a version of the Aikido using 9pin ECC86, which is fairly low on the overall tube pecking order, been opomised for 12V on the plate. Brilliant sounding. It matched/bettered my own version of the FVP5 which was running at over 350V.
My point is that the circuit seems to be so good that its almost immaterial what valves you actually use. I would attribute the difference in my preamp and the ECC86 Aikido more to the fact that I am using a really crappy plastic volume pot - which was degrading the performance of my preamp far more than the difference in tubes. So I would build it with whatever is easily at hand and which offers the most scope for tube rolling - which unfortunately points towards 9pin.

Shoog

Stixx · 21st November 2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

My point is that the circuit seems to be so good that its almost immaterial what valves you actually use.

But the circuit definitely lets you hear the difference between tubes...
After I finished my Aikido headphone amp it was using EH 6CG7 (6FQ7) in the first stage for a while and then replaced them with RCA 6CG7.
A night and day difference!

Kashmire · 21st November 2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

6cg7 or 6sn7 are electrical the same tube

True, they have the same electrical specs. However, just as an EH6CG7 and RCA6CG7 sound different, the 6SN7 also sounds different. The octal elites usually refer to the 6SN7 always sounding better. I haven't found that to be true, although I've never tried a $300 NOS RCA Redbase 6SN7GT from a rare stockpile ...

Quote:

tube rolling - which unfortunately points towards 9pin

Why is that unfortunate? (unless you have some rare NOS octals) For new tubes, 9-pins sound just as good. The 9-pin technology is also improving, as evidenced by Blackburn.

Quote:

the circuit seems to be so good that its almost immaterial what valves you actually use

Yes, in a way. The circuit is so good, it makes good tubes sound like great tubes. Great tubes sound even better. It "raises the bar".

Karsten Sømand · 21st November 2009, 06:02 PM

Hi Stixx!

I take it you selected the latter for future use?! BTW, was it the clear top or black plate type?

Karsten

Stixx · 21st November 2009, 06:34 PM

Hi Karsten,

these are RCA clear top...

Karsten Sømand · 21st November 2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stixx

Hi Karsten,

these are RCA clear top...

I can see on your smile that you are quite satisfied with the sound

Karsten

88man · 21st November 2009, 08:29 PM

Now that they're finally in stock, I see that the tube selection for the Octal line Preamp kit is different. The input tube can be 6SN7, but the output tube is 12SX7. Can I still use my (4) Sylvania 6SN7GTB for the input and output tubes?

Is there an audible difference in the All-in-one vs Dual mono with custom PSU and a CLC filter?

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21st November 2009, 04:22 AM	#2
Kashmire diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Midwest	I love my Aikido equipped with 6CG7 (9-pin). I'm sure the octal version with 6SN7 would sound good, too. A lot of people - the octal elites - would say the 6SN7 is better than the 6CG7. I can't argue either way. Broskie from TCJ thinks this way, and I tend to respect his opinion. I happen to like the 6CG7. I've learned how to use it properly. You can also try the 12AU7 from several different makers, which has similar properties (gain) but some people don't like the sound. (I'll be first in line for a Blackburn 12AU7. The octal folks should be jealous.) Besides, the 9-pin version allows you to "tube roll" like crazy. Especially the output set (second stage) of the Aikido allows for endless tinkering.

21st November 2009, 01:19 PM	#3
piero7 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Matera	6cg7 or 6sn7 are electrical the same tube

21st November 2009, 02:05 PM	#4
Shoog diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Eire	I heard a version of the Aikido using 9pin ECC86, which is fairly low on the overall tube pecking order, been opomised for 12V on the plate. Brilliant sounding. It matched/bettered my own version of the FVP5 which was running at over 350V. My point is that the circuit seems to be so good that its almost immaterial what valves you actually use. I would attribute the difference in my preamp and the ECC86 Aikido more to the fact that I am using a really crappy plastic volume pot - which was degrading the performance of my preamp far more than the difference in tubes. So I would build it with whatever is easily at hand and which offers the most scope for tube rolling - which unfortunately points towards 9pin. Shoog

21st November 2009, 06:02 PM	#7
Karsten Sømand diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Outside Copenhagen	Hi Stixx! I take it you selected the latter for future use?! BTW, was it the clear top or black plate type? Karsten

21st November 2009, 06:34 PM	#8
Stixx diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Southern Germany	Hi Karsten, these are RCA clear top...

21st November 2009, 08:29 PM	#10
88man diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boston	Now that they're finally in stock, I see that the tube selection for the Octal line Preamp kit is different. The input tube can be 6SN7, but the output tube is 12SX7. Can I still use my (4) Sylvania 6SN7GTB for the input and output tubes? Is there an audible difference in the All-in-one vs Dual mono with custom PSU and a CLC filter?

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