[joseph69]

  About the Sophia Princess, I agree with the statement that it looks amazing. And it's not as bad as we sometimes make it out to be, it's just that other things are better.
 
edit: It is also interesting to see that isquirrel found some RCAs that don't sound muddy. 

I also enjoy my Sophia Princess…and I also have early Sylvania/RCA 6SN7's that sound great…not muddy at all.

 

[JamesBr]

  Glenn adapter > all.

 
I have to agree with Khrogon, Glenn is hard to compete with!

 

[TonyNewman]

 
Are these the NU's?
 
 
And are these the TS Round
 

 
The NUs I am yarping on about only come in 6F8G style with a top electrode (I think). Never seen them in 6SN7 style.
 
They have large plates with a central oval bulge that are closely spaced.
 
Some pics - note the plate structure - very distinctive:
 

 

 
6F8G tubes have terrible re-branding issues. The only good indicator of what the tube really is, is the plate structure. Even this can be confusing. There are 6F8G tube that look very similar to the NU and are often labelled RCA. These have almost identical plates, but they are spaced much further apart. The sound is quite different - highly detailed, but rather bright bordering on dry. None of that special NU sweetness. These tubes can often be had very cheaply, but they are not NUs and do not have the NU sound. Even so, they would beat most of the new production drivers out there IMHO.
 
TS RPs have closely spaced plates that have a round edge facing each other.
 

 
As others have mentioned, there is a TS flat plate version. I have never tried it - it has a good rep, but not as good as the RP.
 
Apologies on the camera work - not my strong suit.

 

[3083joe]

The NUs I am yarping on about only come in 6F8G style with a top electrode (I think). Never seen them in 6SN7 style.

They have large plates with a central oval bulge that are closely spaced.

Some pics - note the plate structure - very distinctive:







6F8G tubes have terrible re-branding issues. The only good indicator of what the tube really is, is the plate structure. Even this can be confusing. There are 6F8G tube that look very similar to the NU and are often labelled RCA. These have almost identical plates, but they are spaced much further apart. The sound is quite different - highly detailed, but rather bright bordering on dry. None of that special NU sweetness. These tubes can often be had very cheaply, but they are not NUs and do not have the NU sound. Even so, they would beat most of the new production drivers out there IMHO.

TS RPs have closely spaced plates that have a round edge facing each other.




As others have mentioned, there is a TS flat plate version. I have never tried it - it has a good rep, but not as good as the RP.

Apologies on the camera work - not my strong suit.

Thanks.
If I can just found some.
Are you using 2 adapters on your wa6?
Really want these drivers

 

[TonyNewman]

Thanks.
If I can just found some.
Are you using 2 adapters on your wa6?
Really want these drivers

 Yep - never bothered with 6DE7->6F8G adapters.
 
The bottom ones are Woo 6DE7->6SN7, topped with some craptastic EBarf 6SN7->6F8Gs.
 
The Woo adapters are rather good, by the way.
 
I have some excellent 6SN7->6F8G adapters from Glenn that I use on my WA5. The WA6 gets the cast offs.

 

[isquirrel]

  I also enjoy my Sophia Princess…and I also have early Sylvania/RCA 6SN7's that sound great…not muddy at all.

I have just got off the phone with Andy from VTS and sent him some photos of my "Golden" 6SN7's he is goring to do some research and get back to me. 
 
What is remarkable is that RCA's have always had a good soundstage but the mid range while almost always rich was a little recessed. One of the reasons I fell in love with the TS RP was the immediacy of their presentation. These RCA's have closed that gap and offer even more detail and layering in the front to back and side to side soundstage that I have not heard from RCA's before. The bass weight and extension is not as detailed or controlled as the TS RP but the RCA has a little more bass weight. SO perhaps for me I have reached the Holy Grail of 6SN7's - the RCA's have that lovely rich tonal palette while still retaining the dynamic immediacy and resolution of the TS RP.
 
I will say this: RCA's vary a lot, most of them are just average but some are a magical, these appear to be as rare as mooniest. When I find out a reliable source I will post it here 1st.
 
I have a few sets of the Brimars, nice tubes, very polite sounding they do everything well but there is no magic like in the above 2 tubes. Good Sylvannia's can be incredibly transparent and have good bass, in the wrong system they can sound bright. There is also a huge differential in quality. 

 

[joseph69]

Thank you.

 

[bumblebeezack]

The NUs I am yarping on about only come in 6F8G style with a top electrode (I think). Never seen them in 6SN7 style.

They have large plates with a central oval bulge that are closely spaced.

Some pics - note the plate structure - very distinctive:







6F8G tubes have terrible re-branding issues. The only good indicator of what the tube really is, is the plate structure. Even this can be confusing. There are 6F8G tube that look very similar to the NU and are often labelled RCA. These have almost identical plates, but they are spaced much further apart. The sound is quite different - highly detailed, but rather bright bordering on dry. None of that special NU sweetness. These tubes can often be had very cheaply, but they are not NUs and do not have the NU sound. Even so, they would beat most of the new production drivers out there IMHO.

TS RPs have closely spaced plates that have a round edge facing each other.




As others have mentioned, there is a TS flat plate version. I have never tried it - it has a good rep, but not as good as the RP.

Apologies on the camera work - not my strong suit.

I'll help you with the photos with a caveat. I get to listen to your wa6 setup! Haha! Kidding!

 

[TonyNewman]

I'll help you with the photos with a caveat. I get to listen to your wa6 setup! Haha! Kidding!

 
My WA5 setup is better

 
Hope to take possession of a Glenn 300B amp in the next few months - that promises to take my tube time to another level again.

 

[devilboy]

My WA2 arrived today!...........and then left immediately.
 

 

[Khragon]

   
My WA5 setup is better

 
Hope to take possession of a Glenn 300B amp in the next few months - that promises to take my tube time to another level again.

Oh man you and I are on the same path.  I'm on the waiting list too.

 

[Badas]

The NU 6F8G is super nice and is my second favorite tube. There is a 6SN7 version that has the same plates as the 6F8G type. I haven't tried them myself however others have said they are magic. So you can avoid the adapters if you want and hunt down the 6SN7 version. Might take a bit of hunting.
 
I could hear a difference between the Tung-Sol Round Plate and the NU. To be honest I had been using the NU 6F8G for about 6 weeks and was already in heaven. Then I rolled in the Tung-Sol round plate. Something was different. Not really obvious. However I nearly cried. I'm sure I hit the floor fainting. The Tung-Sol round plate was like heaven going to heaven. Sound signatures are very similar. I think the Tung-Sol is just more liquid and transparent. Hence it is my favorite tube. I would declare war if anyone tried to take them from me now. I have 11 sets and I will eventually (next month) buy 3 more.
 

 
WA22 with Brimar 5Z4GY (Rectifier), Tung-Sol round plates with Glenn adapters (Drivers) and Mullard 6080 (power).

 

[Krutsch]

  My WA2 arrived today!...........and then left immediately.
 

 
Oh, man, I so hate it when that happens. Especially when I've been careful to track the package in transit.
 
Congrats on your WA2; my next Head-Fi purchase. 

 

[joseph69]

Thanks.
If I can just found some.
Are you using 2 adapters on your wa6?
Really want these drivers

Here are some photos of the 6DE7>6F8G adapters and the 5AR4>596 adapters from Glenn in my WA6.
 

 

 

 

[Badas]

  Here are some photos of the 6DE7>6F8G adapters and the 5AR4>596 adapters from Glenn in my WA6.
 

 

 

 
How did you paint the red bits to your amp? Did you take the bits to a car painter or something?