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SDS, Supra, MPX tuberolling, the new global, improved thread - Page 28

post #406 of 780
1/4/07 at 5:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilS View Post
So, basically it sounds like I need to try all three. You talked me into it. I'll have my wife call you when she gets our credit card bill.
It's only the WE 396A's that may be expensive
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post #407 of 780
1/4/07 at 10:42pm
I was doing a little tube searching today and I came across some gold pin 2c51L's. They were branded with some off brand I had never heard off .... and now I cant remember the brand. But I suspect these are some of the much sought after Sylvania gold brand 2c51's.
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post #408 of 780
1/4/07 at 11:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sacd lover View Post
I was doing a little tube searching today and I came across some gold pin 2c51L's. They were branded with some off brand I had never heard off .... and now I cant remember the brand. But I suspect these are some of the much sought after Sylvania gold brand 2c51's.
Is the "gold brand" the ones with the gold pins? The reason I ask is that I have a 5670 that is labeled "gold brand," but it does not have gold pins. To my ears, it was not nearly as good as the Bendix, but that was with the K701's. Might be a different story with the HD650's.
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post #409 of 780
1/4/07 at 11:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilS View Post
Is the "gold brand" the ones with the gold pins? The reason I ask is that I have a 5670 that is labeled "gold brand," but it does not have gold pins. To my ears, it was not nearly as good as the Bendix, but that was with the K701's. Might be a different story with the HD650's.
The Sylvania gold brand tubes originally had gold pins. Later on the gold brand designation seemed to have been borrowed and applied to the standard tubes .... possibly as a marketing tactic to imply higher quality. I wont have these until sometime next week so I dont know how they sound. I do know I especially like the gold brand and gold pin 5687.

The tubes I am getting have true gold pins .... not gold plated pins. The gold extends inside the tube to the internal pin connection. I am guessing these are Sylvania tubes but they could possibly be another brand. I do remember the brand started with an A and they were supposedly from Sweden. I am not very familiar with European manufacturers but I had never heard of the company name before. I suspect a rebrander using Sylvania tubes.

I did get three Bendix 2c51's in this buy too.

I actually like the Tung Sol 2c51 or 5670 the best so far in my Extreme .... which is the only amp I have had these tubes in so far.
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post #410 of 780
1/8/07 at 8:43pm
In the 2c51 genre, I have both a Tung Sol 396a and a Tung Sol 2c51. I tried the Tung Sol 396a in the gain position with the 2c51 adapter, and found it to be very pleasant and smooth, but not as much fun as the Bendix 2c51, which is more dynamic. I'm going to try the Tung Sol 2c51 tonight.

Anyway, anyone know the difference between the 396a Tung Sol and the 2c51? Is the 396a possible a later version of Tung Sol's 2c51 tube? I thought the 396a designation was basically a Western Electric designation.
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post #411 of 780
1/9/07 at 3:14pm
Tried the Tung Sol 2c51 last night. It is a very nice tube, and to my ears quite similar sounding to the Bendix. The Tung Sol 2c51 to my ears, though, is a significant improvement over the Tung Sol 396a, in terms of dynamics and soundstage. Not sure why, but that's what I hear in my system.
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post #412 of 780
1/9/07 at 4:24pm
I got new tubes yesterday, and I have been listening to Mullard CV 4003 + 2* Mullard E182CC combination. I like the combination very much. It is very even over the whole hearing range, and the detail in sound is quite lifelike. The tonal fulness is also very addictive. In comparison Hytron 6SN7GT on gain was quite dry.
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post #413 of 780
1/9/07 at 5:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jahvetti View Post
In comparison Hytron 6SN7GT on gain was quite dry.
The Hytron is one of the driest, coldest tubes I've heard. It may be especially good for comparing output tubes (similar to using the 6BX7 to test gain tubes), but I haven't done much with that yet.
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post #414 of 780
1/10/07 at 7:54pm

7119/E182CC

Can one use the ECC99 JJ as a substitute, which i see being touted as a substitute for the 12AU7.

By the way, I have just tried an RCA 5965 with two Sylvania VT-231s and also with RCA grey glass VT-231s and I like it better than the E180CC and maybe even the 6414. I wonder how the E182CC performs as a driver for the 6SN7s?
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post #415 of 780
1/10/07 at 8:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frihed89 View Post
Can one use the ECC99 JJ as a substitute, which i see being touted as a substitute for the 12AU7.

By the way, I have just tried an RCA 5965 with two Sylvania VT-231s and also with RCA grey glass VT-231s and I like it better than the E180CC and maybe even the 6414. I wonder how the E182CC performs as a driver for the 6SN7s?
The ECC99 has the 12ax7/12at7/12au7/ 6414 series pin out. But the ECC99 was designed primarily as a replacement tube for the 5687/ 6350/ 6bl7gt in driver stages.

Example: 12at7> ECC99> 300B

You can use the tube for input/ gain but the 99 is better utilized as an output tube in a headphone amp vs an input/ gain tube .... IMO.
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post #416 of 780
1/11/07 at 6:37am

ECC99 JJ

I am a bit confused. You are saying: The EC99 JJ was designed as a driver tube in general, but in fact it works better in a headphone amp an output tube. Is that correct?
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post #417 of 780
1/11/07 at 8:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frihed89 View Post
I am a bit confused. You are saying: The EC99 JJ was designed as a driver tube in general, but in fact it works better in a headphone amp an output tube. Is that correct?
You are confusing the term driver tube. The ECC99 is basically a 5687/ ECC182 replacement. The 5687 was used as a second DRIVER stage tube in typical THREE stage amp designs = Input > Driver stage> Output stage. The designs we see with most headphone amps are two stage designs = Input/ gain > Output stage. The ECC99 in the data sheet is recomended for use a driver tube for these THREE stage designs, as an output tube for headphone designs or for use in preamplifiers.

Just like a 5687, you can use the ECC99 as a gain tube but these tubes perform better as output tubes than as gain tubes. The ECC99 varies greatly in quality and can be noticeably microphonic in the input/ gain stage .... and most importantly for you, has low gain / high current. Because of the hearing loss in your one ear you are going to have the same problem you have with 6sn7's not providing enough gain.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/thetu...e/JJ-ECC99.pdf
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post #418 of 780
1/11/07 at 11:06am

6211

I have been enjoying the ECC adaptor for gain for a while.
Recently I was impressed with IBM 6211 with it's sound stage. Anyone had a smiliar result?
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post #419 of 780
1/11/07 at 2:10pm
Just got some bendix 6385's to try
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post #420 of 780
1/11/07 at 7:53pm

Thanks

I am not really looking around for output tubes, as the 6BL7GTA and various 6SN7 VT-231s are both smooth sounding to me. I need to work my way through the 12AU, AV, AT7 tubes to see how well these work. I won't even try the 12AX7.

Actually, I am getting a little tired of the expense of tube rolling, given my affection for VT-231s at $80 and up a pair.

On the other hand, the Mapletree Ear + sounds so good with the RCA TMBP and I just got 3 more of these to last a lifetime. I completely content with this sound. Also, I plan on getting a good solid state head amp and am looking at Naim or Blue Circle since i like and trust the sound and quality of their other products.
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