Darkvoice 336 + 336i Tuberolling [ tubes ] - Page 60

I have been using the DV336i for a few months with my HD650's and love
the sound I am getting.

However, I will soon be receiving a pair of RS1's and am wondering if there is
a tube combination that would work well with both of these very different sounding headphones.

I am currently using a GE 6080 and Sylvania "chrome dome" 6SN7GT, which
sound infinitely better than the stock tubes.

Any suggestions?

There are just too many variables to give you a "strict" guideline. However, I would recommend any of the tubes on this list + a RCA-JAN 6AS7 or a 5998 for the rear.


Here's a "do-able" list to complete. Nothing to extreme in the price range, and they give extremely musical sound's.

Disclaimer: This is not a top ten lis...


There's variables such as hearing sensitivity, cables, CDP, music, etc. etc. so there's "no must have" tube combinations for you, or anyone. "You 'gotta try 'em all..."

I would suggest investing in a Tung-Sol 5998 or RCA-JAN 6AS7 for the rear tube, and one of the above ten as the front tube..



Good luck,


-Nick

thanks Nick,

I will see what I can find. I tried to access the link you gave but
it told me I don't have access.

I mostly use an Ipod as a source but will be using a NAD 542 cdp once
I get it repaired.

Interconnects are all Blue jeans.

Matt, I changed it to open access. See link below:


Disclaimer: This is not a top ten lis...


Sorry about that..

Those appear to be re-badged GE tubes. You can tell by the pics that show a dot pattern and 'USA'.

Happy Listening!

Good observation! I only managed to get to the first picture, I never bothered to scroll any further down.


They are likely a reissued GE, and if that's the case, are nothing to drool over, that's for sure. And they make for good "burn-in" tubes as well..

Agreed, I have just never been able to appreciate the sound of the 6080.

I think the best starting place for 6AS7's is the RCA. They are cheap and plentiful, and sound great. Then people can branch out from there, or not, as desired

I actually keep coming back to the RCA grey-plate halo-getter 6AS7g's...that's what I am using in my Darkvoice 337 -- so nice and lush sounding, but still with good bass and treble extension and detail. There are more detailed tubes, but I am not sure there are tubes that actually make music better

Hi, I am quite new to tube headphone amp. DV336i is the first tube amp i brought. But, look when i read through this topic, my 336i is very good amp! I still use the default tube that come with it and want to change to new tube.

1. I am not sure that are the difference between RCA 6SN7GT and RCA JAN 6SN7GT.
2. These are the picture that I got from ebay. Can anyone help me to confirm which one is the gray RCA 6SN7GT?



Thank you,

Either tube will be loads better than what the 336i came with.

The one on the bottom is a military issue JAN CRC 6SN7GT should be nice, sometimes more sought after than non-JAN CRC in the top photo. But, I have the JAN CRC CBS 6SN7GT which seems a little more clinical sounding based on how mine sounds (more like SS). I understand there are also JAN CRC RCA 6SN7GT that are not described as clinical or SS sounding here.

Until I know from someone else, I would suspect the RCA on the top is more lush sounding. That is what Skylab recommends to people, in combo with an RCA 6AS7G in the rear, as a start.

The thing is that both are a grey glass/smoked glass, and I think I read that they sound better than non-smoked? TIME FOR NICK TO STEP UP AND DECLARE ITS WORTHYNESS

I currently have a Sylvania clear VT-231 in the front, and it is very nice. Warm and lush, but with a more sharp high end than my Hytron 5692 Brownbase that is my second favorite.

I have some grey glass sylvania 6SN7GT on the way and should be here this week, and I can compare them. We are hoping mine came off the same production line as the VT-231. I also have a pair of Hytron CBS 6SN7GT that are supposed to be really nice but I haven't listened yet.

Oh, and there is "grey glass" and "grey plates" out there. Initially everyone was recommending black plates on RCA tubes, but I am not sure there is a difference between black plate and grey plate.

Anyone?

To me, both look the same (smoked glass RCA 6SN7). If you can confirm the top tube IS indeed smoked (gray) glass, that would be great.


Larry, the "smoked glass" RCA 6SN7's have that "gray coloring" on the tube to shield EMI/RFI. See link:

EMI RFI Shielding Overview - Engineers Edge



Rob recommends the basic black base (gray plate, I think) RCA 6SN7, not the smoked glass, as a true NOS sells for over $40 a piece, and up to $75 a piece.

The smoked glass RCA 6SN7GT and smoked glass RCA VT-231 (military issued) are VERY likely to have come off the same production line at RCA, when I had both, I seemed to prefer the smoked glass RCA 6SN7GT over the smoked glass RCA VT-231; yes, there was a difference (for the better) in the 6SN7GT smoked glass.

Indeed, the smoked glass tubes, sound a hell of a lot better than the "basic" black base, gray plate (about $10 a piece) tubes, that's just my opinion.

Larry, in response to your last paragraph, do you mean "RCA" smoked glass, and not "Slyvania"? That's what I think you meant..


And in response to your second reply, I think you may be getting those mixed up. I am thinking you are getting confused with the gray/black plate RCA 6AS7's that have a good debate on them as well. It's more common for the gray plates to sound better, but the black plates cost more in the case of the RCA 6AS7G's..





-Nick

Ooops, I had Sylvania on my mind after talking about my VT-231.

I have two RCA 1950's grey glass 6SN7GT, same date codes, original boxes. on the way. Seller says they they were shipped from Canada right after "the Christmas holiday" and they said they'd get me tracking but that they should be here by this week.

Thank both of you.
It is getting more fun now.

I think I will try to get them both and listen to it. In fact, the lower one is more expensive than the upper one.

One more thing, what does JAN means?
JAN is a brand of tube or it has other meaning?
What is difference between RCA JAN and RCA "non JAN"?

Scchai.

JAN = Joint Army/Navy (aka Military issued)

to echo Nick20 a bit JAN or "joint Army/Navy" is a generally referred to
as a milspec, or "military specification". In the electronic world, and elsewhere, this would signify a much more rugged device suitable to situations that might be life or death in nature(like listening to an excellent recording).