Darkvoice 336 + 336i Tuberolling [ tubes ] - Page 6

What british tubes were you referring to if you dont mine me asking?

i was hearing Bendix too, said to be very expensive.

Just wondering my options....never hurts to try new things. (omg just noticed we have a 580 smile icon, KICK*****)

Indeed it's always good to try many tubes. I have tried about 20 kinds of 6SN7's so far, and still going strong

RCA Arears

An RCA 6AS7G gray plate in the rear brings ease, smoothness and expansiveness to the DarkVoice--not as "hard" or "tight" sounding as the GE, and a nice, "relaxing" compliment to 6SN7GTB front tubes. The Svetlana 6H13C and Sylvania 6AS7G are some great rear tubes to have on hand, too: very clean, detailed and neutral.

The RCA 6AS7G gray plate rear/Westinghouse (similar to GE) 6SN7GTB front gives a nice, full airy sound with decent bass.

Remember, the number of 6AS7 tubes on hand x the number of 6SN7 tubes on hand = the total number of rear/front combinations possible with the 336i. For example, 7 different rears and 12 different fronts gives you 84 unique combinations. Wow, this is what I like about the DarkVoice: it's so versatile for relatively minimal expenditures on tubes!

Another Great Tube Compliment for the 336i

JAN-CRC/RCA 6AS7G black plate in the rear, with the 1952 Sylvania "Bad Boy" up front is a terrific combination. Very dynamic and detailed, with deep, powerful bass. Bob James' "Hi-Fi" SACD (a compilation of his more popular compositions) sounds super through the 336i and Beyer DT880's. [Just got some new PS Audio XStream power cords, too: w/silver coated, solid core copper conductors. They've brought some nice added detail, frequency extension and sense of space to the sound (although sacrificing just a tad of mid/bass weight and warmth), compared with the DIY, ErnieM cords I was using before.] Want to try the RCA 6AS7G gray plate, or possibly the Svetlana 6H13C, in the rear before the end of the day.

FYI, there's a British dealer on e-Bay selling NOS Mullard 6080's (for about $25USD/shipped). You bet I'd like to try one. The two, other 6080's I've tried so far (GE and RCA) tend to sound a bit overly "coiled" and either unresolving or unopen with the DarkVoice (although the GE6080/Sylvania 6SN7GTB sounded very nice, as I recall). If these Mullard 6080 tubes offer that rich, pure and tonally textured sound that other Mullards are known for, they're certainly worth a go-round with the 336i!

One "downside" to owning a nice tube amp like the DarkVoice is that you can spend more on tubes than you spent on the amp. So far, I've spent probably half the purchase price of the 336i on tubes. But, it's been a fun, educational and rewarding experience all-tallied.

I really like the RCA GTB and RCA 6AS7G combo...been listing to that...however pata was nice enough to send me a GE 6SN7GTB which im going to try later..

So far i have 4 tubes (2 front and 2 rear) + the stocks

Btw, thanks Pataburd for the tubes =)

Just checking out the GE and the RCA rear....really nice combo...very nice mellow laid back sound.

Glad you like the GE 6SN7GTB up front, Mr. HighLife. The GE's are very versatile and consistent performers up front. The RCA 6AS7G gray plate has wrought the most apparent changes in the rear: very smooth and expansive compared to every other rear tube I've tried to date, and very different from its 6AS7G black plate cousin. The Sylvania 6AS7G is probably the cleanest and most balanced rear tube I've tried so far, with the Svetlana 6H13C following a close second. The GE 6080 and the RCA 6080 provide a bit leaner and tighter sound: I like the GE 6080 (rear)/Sylvania 6SN7GTB combination; the GE provides good dynamics and controlled bass in this application.

The Svetlana 6H13C/Sylvania 6SN7 "Bad Boy" combination has been my favorite pairing so far.

Right now, I am waiting for a Mullard 6080 from England. : )

HighLife, you're really racking up the posts! Your reply rate on Head-Fi has surpassed mine by about a factor of three. Don't forget to devote ample time to your studies! : )

AHAH, i know right, i cant stay away from the boards hahaaha....

thanks a ton for the tubes, having a great time testing them out myself.

More thoughts to come when i try my RCA 6080 in the back the GE 6SN7GTB in the front.

BTW, whats the " Bad boy " ?

AFIAK, that term refers to a Sylvania 6SN7GT with 1952 vintage and has green writing that has a bottom getter and a clear top. Here is a pic of one from the photo galleries: http://photo.head-fi.org/showphoto.p...o=4752&cat=575 .

Happy Listening!

From Brent Jessie's Website:

"6SN7GT / G:
This is the original version of this tube. It may be found in all three sizes of glass envelope. The Sylvania Tall Boy types have two triangular shaped plates facing each other mounted high in the tube, with either a top or bottom getter. Later GT versions were in a medium glass envelope with a green label and 3-holed, T-shaped blackplates with bottom getter, sometimes called the "Bad Boy" 6SN7, and are sought after for their excellent sonics. The Bad Boy tubes are virtually identical to the military VT-231 from the early 1950s and are currently a less expensive alternative, but this could change as the Bad Boy fad catches on!"

can anyone suggest which tubes will go well with the W1000?

To improve/maximize the sound stage

toanaldino,

The RCA 6AS7G gray plate--make sure it's the gray plate--will expand the soundstage more than any other rear tube I've tried to date (including the RCA 6AS7G black plate, Sylvania 6AS7G, and RCA, GE or Mullard 6080). Bass control and extension suffer somewhat, although the positive, soundstaging elements of the RCA 6AS7G gray plate more than offset these relatively minor losses. Up front, the Sylvania 6SN7GT will open up and focus the soundstage, too, as well as provide some of the bass extension and control sacrificed as-per the RCA 6AS7G. SuperPredator has had excellent results pairing the (expensive) Tung-Sol 6SN7GT round plate with the RCA 6AS7G gray plate.

My findings are based on experience w/the ATH-A900LTD.

PatABurd

thanks Pataburd,

most of the RCA 6AS7G on ebay are black plate, where can you I find the grey ones?