Do you think it would be appropriate to post price for each version of the amps presented?

With all due respect, I for one would appreciate a single thread - there is room for everything there pertaining to McChanson Ultimate amps.

Remember trying this as well - was not impressed with all EL3N in the Euforia. Maybe it needs specialized circuits to work well?

Tried my Ultimate on my Elac Debut 6 speakers but with poor results. But I get excellent results when I use the Ultimate as a preamp. (If you don’t have preamp out jacks, the headphone jack serves the same function). I use an old Onkyo 85W receiver from the 80s and it sounds great. You can buy...

What is a balanced transformer?

There is another trick you can try with buzzy tubes. Take the 6.3V tube and leave it on for one minute at 12V - might help…

I have a pair Tung Sol 6K6GT that I like.

In this case it is a real great adventure - we chanced upon a builder with decades of experience who builds a superlative product at a very reasonable price. Because of the versatility of this amp we have all embarked on great tube rolling adventures, often with lesser known tubes that are...

Very happy to hear that you are back at building amps! Wishing you a complete recovery and great success!

It’s all about synergy. That’s one reason I don’t sell tubes I don’t use - you never know when it will be the right one in a certain combination.

There is no doubt that there are professional sellers lurking on these pages. When they see a tube getting favorable reviews they jack up the prices and make more tubes available.

I am glad to help but many times it is hard to figure it out or not even possible.

With all due respect a date code of 9-09 and factory code of 188-5 should indicate a later decade than the 30's. 188 is the GE factory code and 05 is the Owensboro, Kentucky factory that GE bought from Ken-Rad (Kentucky Radio) in 1945. The pictured tubes have to be made after 1945, the 9th week...

Tubes last a very long time - what's wrong with a used tube? IMHO you cannot hear the difference between a NOS measuring tube and one that has 60% left of it's life. And I cannot remember wearing out a tube; those that failed shorted out or were dropped and broke...

Just thought of something - I am using an all metal 6C5 tube now that sounds very good and is really cheap: the 6C5. It has the same pinout as the 6J5GT and is very similar electrically. Most of them are made by RCA. (Ken-Rad have good bass). If you buy them right you will get them very cheap...

Can't tell which are the best 6J5GT tubes but I can tell you which ones are very good and reasonable: Early 1950s tall tube metal base Sylvania (many rebranded exists) and Russian 6C2C. To me among the best sounding is a National Union with top getter flash (other versions don't sound as...

Great News!

I think I remember somebody saying that capacitors are not important, and you adjust to the sound...

As pretty as those RCA 807 tubes, that's how ugly these tubes are: A blast from the past from the eBay 99c stores - bought a lot of 6C5 tubes for $11.60 ($1.29 each) including freight and sales tax - no extra charge for the rusty patina. But it took some negotiation and best offer try to get...

Regarding matching, have you considered buying a Triplett digital tube tester?

I have a 1949 pair of this Russian 6F5M triode with a mu of 100 and Ri of 6.6K - how does it fit into the puzzle?

The 5998 is hard to find, and even harder to find at a reasonable price. I have two - one from Stavros in Greece, and one from a Canadian seller. Also 10 Tung Sol 7236. However, haven't yet found an amp where I prefer these tubes.

I happen to have a two-tube amp that uses a 6AS7 and a 12AU7 or similar tubes. This amp benefitted vey much from the 6528/6336 tubes. Since the McChanson 6AS7 amp has a similar layout, I mentioned this. As you point out, the 6336 did not make much of a difference in the GOTL It is around 3 in...

The 6AS7 amp was reviewed in the past: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eric-mcchanson-headphone-amp.718350/page-30

I have a similar type 6AS7 amp with just two tubes. As Eric how the 6AS7 amp would sound with a 6528 or 6336 tube. (I know that it is not designed for 5A current draw, but it is easy enough to add external power.) -In my amp it made a huge difference for the better.