McChanson Valve Amp Owners Thread

[Gazer01]

Hi @Odyssey,

Can’t wait to hear it perform. How does it sound?

[Odyssey]

I didn't hear it. Just saw the amp. I was returning one of Eric's push pull.

[dan-m9]

@Odyssey I may have accidentally brought a McChanson's Mini UltimatE-h last week haha (with L/H voltage switch) and slight tweak Eric will do with UL/Triode switch too  . Many late finishes these days so too late to fire up the speaker setups as have young kids rooms right next to me. Brought the ZMF VC again and have been running them on the McChanson U-Amp this week and loving it with the the 6DQ5 with a few different driver stages etc. Cannot wait to retest all my tubes with the new UltimatE-h and many other driver stage tubes I still have that my U-Amp cannot take (no power tubes under 240v though) and many others ill try to track down to test out in the future  

Edited January 26 by dan-m9

[Odyssey]

Hey Daniel, I saw your Mini Gold Ultimate on the test bench powering Eric's speakers. A lot has happened since the U-Amp days. There are 3 Eric's amps that are best sellers on Head-Fi. He's well known in USA now and Europe.  

 

All of these are super quiet with any headphones, including very sensitive Grados.

 

1) Super Ultimate - KT88, EL34, etc, 200v, 240v, UL (In 240v and UL about 6 watts)

2) Supreme 300b, 2a3 (This is the quiet version of Destiny but with just 5 watts - great for headphones)

3) Universe - similar to Super Ultimate but like U-Amp with the ability to select 3 different working voltages - 200, 240, 300v and 4 way bias adjustments. This can run 6DQ5 tubes too. With high gain drivers and KT170, output power is about 9 watts.

 

This is my Universe with Telefunken EF86, Sylvania 6DQ5, GZ34 metal base.

 

 

 

[dan-m9]

@Odyssey Very nice! Yes I found the Head-Fi McChanson forum and your lovely Excel list of tubes you and other members added to!  

If I listened more id get the Universe  Think ill be very happy with the Mini UltimatE-h, this one is the updated one, so has two power modes 240v and 270v so a bit more power if needed.

[Gazer01]

After having the McChanson tube amp in my rig, I'm finding it so hard to go back to solid state amplification. There's just something in a tube amp that makes you want to sit on your chair and listen for hours. Only downside would be that it'll not be healthy listening that long and being sedentary. 

[BLAH BLAH]

6 hours ago, Gazer01 said:

After having the McChanson tube amp in my rig, I'm finding it so hard to go back to solid state amplification. There's just something in a tube amp that makes you want to sit on your chair and listen for hours. Only downside would be that it'll not be healthy listening that long and being sedentary. 

No one told me?!!

[Odyssey]

On 05/02/2025 at 5:46 AM, BLAH BLAH said:

No one told me?!!

 

Haha. These days I don't spend so much time with my tube amps but Eric's client has one more McChanson amp for me to test. This one is a beast and VERY quiet with headphones. This is as powerful as Eric's speaker amps - KT170 or 300b.

 

The configuration:-

Super Silk o/p transformers - $1000 a pair.

Yamamoto sockets

VCAP cutf and Audio Note Copper caps selectable

Selectable working voltage (B+) - 200/240/300v

4 way bias adjustment - it's semi auto bias

6.3v/12.6v selectable for driver tubes

6SL7 or 6J5 (and their equivalent) selectable

Triode / UL

Test points for cathode and plate voltage

Test points for power tubes bias measurement

Power tubes - KT170, KT88, EL34, EL39, EL12 spez, 4654, EL50, 6550, 6L6GC, 6L6 metal, EL156, 6V6, EL84, 6Y6G, 6K6G, 6DQ5, 6CB5A, etc.

Driver tubes - 6J5, c3g, 5a/152m, EF86, 6SN7, 6SL7, 12SL7, 12SN7, 12au7, 12at7, 12ax7, 5751, etc etc (adapters required obviously for some of them)

Rectifier - 5 volt - GZ34, GZ32, GZ37, U52, 596, 5R4GY, etc. 4 volt rectifiers with adapters.

 

Listening with Sennheiser HD800 and Grado GH1, it's totally quiet in between music. It's pitch black quietness. Impressive. Drives Susvara with ease.

 

The sound - The best bass I have heard in all the tube amps I've heard including Auris Nirvana, WA33, Feliks Audio Envy, WA5, Eric's speaker amps and my Odyssey. Sparkling highs, engaging midrange. Soundstage wide, tall and deep. It redefines what 3D is. Drives speakers with ease at nearfield - even my very inefficient Axis Voicebox S at 5 ohms and 83dB.

 

Aside from a tube rollers dream amp, this amp has the sound quality to match and is very quiet. HD800 sounds different from this amp. It has impact, body, texture and is an astonishing experience. Susvara has never sounded better. Grado GH1 is ecstasy with this amp. 

 

This may be Eric's last amp because retirement is overdue several years ago.

 

 

[Odyssey]

I got back my Silver Universe tonight. Eric replaced the 1/4" headphone output because it was playing up - left channel no sound until I wiggle the headphone jack. It's now perfect after the replacement. I sat down to listen with my dac Yggdrasil connected to both amps and playing through Apple Music, I find no difference between them. This is interesting because strictly speaking, the black Universe should sound better because it has Super Silk and xlr input (with balance transformers - 4v) while the silver Universe has just standard Silk and rca input (2v). Both sound astonishing. Talk about impact and punch. You have to experience these amps. It's like your aural senses has been steroids fed.

 

Black and silver Universe side by side. Black Universe has STC 5a/152m, Tesla 4654 and Mullard GZ37. Silver Universe has Telefunken c3gs, Philips Miniwatt 4654 (with the German Eagle symbol of WW2 and the infamous SS symbol), Mullard GZ32. I try to use tubes so that neither amp has any advantage. I do love these 4654 tubes. Imo they are even better sounding than Philips Miniwatt EL34 metal base. I have quite a few pairs of them:-

 

Philips Miniwatt 4654

Tesla 4654 (2 pairs)

Tungsram OS1 (PE06/40P)

Philips PE06/40N - octal pins whilst the Tungsram has ducks feet. They do sound different though. Tungsram sound better to my ears.

 

These amps are not cheap. The silver cost $5700 without tubes but with the expensive VCAP cutf and Duelund CAST cu-ag hybrid silver/copper coupling caps. The black cost probably $6300 because of Super Silk and Yamamoto sockets - it has VCAP cutf and Audio Note Copper caps. Imho caps makes a big difference - you get what you pay for. I've tried many including the cheaper Russian variety for 3 months. Tried also Miflex kpcu-01, Mundorf Supreme S/G/O, Jupiters PIO Copper. Duelund, Jupiters, Audio Note and to an extent also Mundorf, are outstanding caps but my favourite is VCAP cutf - outstanding resolution and clarity - but the price is an equally astounding US$600 a matched pair. Obviously you can get these amps with cheaper caps. It's up to the customers.

 

[Crakers]

12 hours ago, Odyssey said:

 

Haha. These days I don't spend so much time with my tube amps but Eric's client has one more McChanson amp for me to test. This one is a beast and VERY quiet with headphones. This is as powerful as Eric's speaker amps - KT170 or 300b.

 

The configuration:-

Super Silk o/p transformers - $1000 a pair.

Yamamoto sockets

VCAP cutf and Audio Note Copper caps selectable

Selectable working voltage (B+) - 200/240/300v

4 way bias adjustment - it's semi auto bias

6.3v/12.6v selectable for driver tubes

6SL7 or 6J5 (and their equivalent) selectable

Triode / UL

Test points for cathode and plate voltage

Test points for power tubes bias measurement

Power tubes - KT170, KT88, EL34, EL39, EL12 spez, 4654, EL50, 6550, 6L6GC, 6L6 metal, EL156, 6V6, EL84, 6Y6G, 6K6G, 6DQ5, 6CB5A, etc.

Driver tubes - 6J5, c3g, 5a/152m, EF86, 6SN7, 6SL7, 12SL7, 12SN7, 12au7, 12at7, 12ax7, 5751, etc etc (adapters required obviously for some of them)

Rectifier - 5 volt - GZ34, GZ32, GZ37, U52, 596, 5R4GY, etc. 4 volt rectifiers with adapters.

 

Listening with Sennheiser HD800 and Grado GH1, it's totally quiet in between music. It's pitch black quietness. Impressive. Drives Susvara with ease.

 

The sound - The best bass I have heard in all the tube amps I've heard including Auris Nirvana, WA33, Feliks Audio Envy, WA5, Eric's speaker amps and my Odyssey. Sparkling highs, engaging midrange. Soundstage wide, tall and deep. It redefines what 3D is. Drives speakers with ease at nearfield - even my very inefficient Axis Voicebox S at 5 ohms and 83dB.

 

Aside from a tube rollers dream amp, this amp has the sound quality to match and is very quiet. HD800 sounds different from this amp. It has impact, body, texture and is an astonishing experience. Susvara has never sounded better. Grado GH1 is ecstasy with this amp. 

 

This may be Eric's last amp because retirement is overdue several years ago.

 

 

I really hope it's not Erics last amp . Hopefully he's around for many more years 

[Odyssey]

25 minutes ago, Crakers said:

I really hope it's not Erics last amp . Hopefully he's around for many more years 

 

Nothing is forever. If you want an amp from Eric, get it now. He has the parts and chassis to make one more Universe. He's even thinking of making it for himself.

 

However if you want a 300b amp, you can get one from him too in the design of Universe. It will be a superb 300b amp. I just know it. If you want to engage me in the conversation with Eric, just include me in the email correspondence.

 

c3g or 5a/152m with 300b tubes are a superb combination. You have the drivers already.

[wen]

New GT EL34 valves, sound very sweet after burn in, thanks @xlr8or

[wen]

Next listening session, 6FD7 instead of 6EM7, keep rolling.

[wen]

Changed the RCA 5V4G for a NOS Brimar GZ32 , sounding much more mellow combined with the other changes I made previously 

[krazywaffle]

12 minutes ago, wen said:

Changed the RCA 5V4G for a NOS Brimar GZ32

Nice! What amp is that in?

[wen]

@krazywaffle it's a McChanson

6L6GC EL34 PP UL timE Amp, 25wpc, Eric Chan hand makes them in Sydney.

[krazywaffle]

4 minutes ago, wen said:

McChanson

6L6GC EL34 PP UL timE Amp, 25wpc, Eric Chan hand makes them in Sydney.

Nice one mate. I’m very familiar with Eric’s work, own a few of his amps. Haven’t heard his UL timE amp but am quite impressed with his U Amp, dual mono 6v6/6sn7/ez80 ultimate-h preamp/amp, and 6S3P LINE buffer amp (and currently considering a set of monoblocks) 

[wen]

I had an Elekit TU-8200r valve amp, 8wpc 6L6,. nice polite, but just didn't quite "do it". Eric's amp absolutley rocks, this was his own amp he used to test gear with, many up grades, very happy with it.

[dwbasement]

17 minutes ago, wen said:

I had an Elekit TU-8200r valve amp, 8wpc 6L6,. nice polite, but just didn't quite "do it". Eric's amp absolutley rocks, this was his own amp he used to test gear with, many up grades, very happy with it.

If you want to try gz34, pm me. As if your amp can use gz34 too

[krazywaffle]

Nice one mate. The U Amp I have was his prototype used when developing the concept. Great tube rolling fun! Drives my stack of 99dB speakers beautifully. Low end is devine.

[krazywaffle]

Anyone on this thread own McChanson monoblocks? If so, what has been your impression? Do they use the timE transformers or Silk transformers? Planning to go with a SET design optimized for 6V6 family power tubes (using 5V GZ32 rectifiers and 6SN7 drivers) to maintain a wider range of AUS-made tube rolling options than 300B design.

[Crakers]

2 hours ago, krazywaffle said:

Anyone on this thread own McChanson monoblocks? If so, what has been your impression? Do they use the timE transformers or Silk transformers? Planning to go with a SET design optimized for 6V6 family power tubes (using 5V GZ32 rectifiers and 6SN7 drivers) to maintain a wider range of AUS-made tube rolling options than 300B design.

I didn’t know Eric made mono blocks, I’d also be interested in some , might have to speak to him. I absolutely love my McChanson Ultimate headphone amp which at 3W also drives my speakers nicely but am looking for another separate amp for my speakers, thinking about getting one of his 300b amps but some in mono locks would be nice  

[couchy]

11 hours ago, krazywaffle said:

Anyone on this thread own McChanson monoblocks? If so, what has been your impression? Do they use the timE transformers or Silk transformers? Planning to go with a SET design optimized for 6V6 family power tubes (using 5V GZ32 rectifiers and 6SN7 drivers) to maintain a wider range of AUS-made tube rolling options than 300B design.

Hi, Eric built me some 300b monos around 10 years ago  which sound super . Brilliant amps. I just built the timber surrounds last weekf or them.

[krazywaffle]

8 hours ago, couchy said:

Eric built me some 300b monos around 10 years ago  which sound super . Brilliant amps

Nice one mate! It seems you monoblocks use his timE transformers. So you are happy with their performance? Debating about upgrading to Silk transformers but not sure this is worthwhile or how much it changes the “McChanson sound”?

[couchy]

Hi Very happy with these monos.  I dont know about the silk transformers  but I love these monos . Eric also built me  a preamp to go with them. I also built the timber trim.