I bought an HP8 MkII in lockdown (the special addition with upgraded capacitors and (new production) valves). I use it in a vinyl only system with HD800S. Out of the box I preferred it to amplifiers I had immediately prior from SPL, Pathos, and Graham Slee. The designer David Shaw takes the view that tube rolling makes negligible difference to the overall sonic character. Respectfully, I disagree. After 2 years of heavy use I swapped in some new valves. Putting a new production Genelex Gold Lion in the V1 position radically altered the frequency response (for the worse). I put the original EH Gold Pin back in. For me, I really couldn't detect any differences (perhaps beyond expectation bias) in changing the 6SN7s - whether between new production models or NOS Ken Rads. Later, I experimented with NOS in the driver position. Brimar triple mica from the 1950s and an RCA from the 1960s. Both sounded good, somewhat similar, and better than the new production tubes I tried. I certainly haven't gone down the rabbit hole but in my experience the V1 tube can have a very noticeable tuning effect on the overall sound. Later, I bought an Icon amplifier for my speaker system.
"icon" seems to be missing from the video title. I'm a big fan of the brand, running their PS3 phono and Stereo 845 PP integrated. I didn't know they have US distribution, good for them.
Sounds great with ZMFs. But I disagree that this can drive the Susvara at all. Bass already distorts in the first 10 seconds of Malia’s “Touching Ghosts”!
