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Romy the Cat wrote:

I have no idea where this saga with REL leads me. Even though I do have substantial sonic improvement over the original REL version I still do not know if I like this tuner all together. The 50 years all tube tuner with 17 tubes is very freaky thing. I still have some tuner owned noise that I would like do not have. The damn thing sounds very deferent with the change of the few tubes (particularly oscillator and the last tube of limiter). The tube sockets all are garbage and twisting the tubes in their stockers do changes sound of the tuner to a degree. As now REL sounds more or less OK but kind of unstable. My SS tuner beat if with large degree. Perhaps the REL at this point need a recalibration and viewing by somebody who has more RF skills then I do? I am considering it. At this point REL is more pain in ass then results.

Well, what can I say? My SS turners turn out to be WAY more superior then REL, even after two alignments.  If to consider that REL is more sophisticated and more properly made tuner then all of those McIntoshs, Marantzs, Leaks, Scotts and Fishers then it was a good journey into SS vs. tube tuners debate.

It is sad in a way as I had a lot of expectations from REL, furthermore my REL had SS output stage and tube-made were only the RF stages. Still the R&S and Sansui beat it, primary in bass, dynamics and noise. With all sadness I decided to let REL to go. The legend did not prove itself….

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