[bcowen]

If you get a coin base GE 6SN7 for Christmas this year just remember it wasn't me.

I'll blame it on @Zachik . Seems logical. And if I do, I'll let it join the RCA and Sylvania coin bases in the junk tube bin. They suck too.

 

[bcowen]

I strongly suspect that @bcowen actually loves GE tubes! He keeps bashing them, so nobody would buy them, and then he buys them for pennies...

This has been working well...please shhhhh.

 

[bcowen]

I think he'd prefer a lump of coal in his stocking. But question: have you guys actually heard this tube or is it just fun to bash GE tubes generall? I have not heard their 6SN7, but the one GE I do own (7581A) is actually quite good.

In addition to @Xcalibur255 's comments (that I agree with), there are a lot of GE tubes that don't just sound bad -- they sound horrid. Grating, grainy, screechy, fatiguing....just nasty. I tend to beat on GE regularly because I've been unfortunate to have purchased some of those tubes (and they're likely late 60's or 70's production). But obviously I haven't heard every GE, and in fact my listening has been confined to only a handful of tube types (and compatibles). There are some that speak favorably of several GE types that I haven't ever heard, and they could well be wonderful tubes. And perhaps some that I personally consider horrid some others like a lot, who knows. To each his own of course, and if they are happy with the sound that's all that really matters.

 

[Galapac]

In addition to @Xcalibur255 's comments (that I agree with), there are a lot of GE tubes that don't just sound bad -- they sound horrid. Grating, grainy, screechy, fatiguing....just nasty. I tend to beat on GE regularly because I've been unfortunate to have purchased some of those tubes (and they're likely late 60's or 70's production). But obviously I haven't heard every GE, and in fact my listening has been confined to only a handful of tube types (and compatibles). There are some that speak favorably of several GE types that I haven't ever heard, and they could well be wonderful tubes. And perhaps some that I personally consider horrid some others like a lot, who knows. To each his own of course, and if they are happy with the sound that's all that really matters.

Do you know if the tubes you mention were possibly made for other electronics back in the day like televisions? It could that these were just not for audio but I am just wondering out of curiosity. When all else fails, you could always set them up for target practice if you had a range.

 

[bcowen]

Do you know if the tubes you mention were possibly made for other electronics back in the day like televisions? It could that these were just not for audio but I am just wondering out of curiosity. When all else fails, you could always set them up for target practice if you had a range.

Possibly. Most of my experience though has been with 6SN7's and 12AU7's (and derivatives) that were primarily used for audio amplification, but they could be used for other applications as well (oscillator, phase inverter, etc).

 

[Xcalibur255]

If you want to hear what might be the worst sounding 6SN7 type tube ever, just track down the GE 6SN7GTB from the early 70's that has the weird extra wire running along the outside of the plate.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Two GE tubes that stick out in my mind as being of good quality are the GE Five Star 5670 and GE 6BX7GT. 6BX7GT can be hard to find in large quantities, so for many GOTL owners they are the only 6BX7GT used and with pretty good results. I tried others but they held their own.

 

[jonathan c]

This has been working well...please shhhhh.

Remember that tube "alchemy"?: from GE to WE with a touch from a paintbrush ===> $0.50 (?) to $4770+ per tube...

 

[hpamdr]

Joking aside most of the RCA and GE 6SN7s made in the 70s are generally not good sounding.

You are right for most of 6SN7 GE. But RCA 6SN7 have a specific tone a bit warm some like it ! The drawback is that it is not precise and a micro-details are not revealed.
This can be sometime not so bad with loosy mp3 format it is like a anti compression hysteresis filter
I personally like 7N7 (JAN from Sylvania) not so expensive and regular sound quality (bright and precise) but you have to use an adapter.

 

[chrisdrop]

I think my worst set of tubes ever FYI was 6x ~1970s GE coin base 6BL7s. Combining all of @bcowen's love into one tube !

2x GEC5 tin cans are absolutely fine - good even (esp compare to most dual triode alts).

 

[bcowen]

I personally like 7N7 (JAN from Sylvania) not so expensive and regular sound quality (bright and precise) but you have to use an adapter.

One of my favorites as well in the tall bottle, full oval mica (top and bottom) version. An example of a "good" GE below....because it was made by Sylvania.

 

[Xcalibur255]

You are right for most of 6SN7 GE. But RCA 6SN7 have a specific tone a bit warm some like it ! The drawback is that it is not precise and a micro-details are not revealed.
This can be sometime not so bad with loosy mp3 format it is like a anti compression hysteresis filter
I personally like 7N7 (JAN from Sylvania) not so expensive and regular sound quality (bright and precise) but you have to use an adapter.

IMO the 60's RCAs exhibit the warm sound you're referring to, but once you get into the 70's they become harsh like the GE.

 

[hpamdr]

IMO the 60's RCAs exhibit the warm sound you're referring to, but once you get into the 70's they become harsh like the GE.

You are right deadhorse I did a quick check and the only RCA 6SN7 left in my collection are VT-231 grey glass from 195x... I've sold all the 6sn7 that i did not liked (all the one inferior to my taste to the russian 6H8S from the 60 )

 

[bcowen]

You are right deadhorse I did a quick check and the only RCA 6SN7 left in my collection are VT-231 grey glass from 195x... I've sold all the 6sn7 that i did not liked (all the one inferior to my taste to the russian 6H8S from the 60 )

Have you tried the 1951 - 1955 (and some 1956) Foton 6N8S (6H8C)? They have ribbed plates that were changed to smooth plates sometime during '56, but they are my favorite Russian 6SN7 type. There's also the Melz 1578 which is excellent, but the genuine ones that are NOS are pretty pricey (~$100 each).

 

[hpamdr]

The oldest 6H8C i have are from 58 they really sound great, I also have some from 64,66 which are frankly not so bad but sold all the 70' for almost nothing. I also have a pair from 0880 for the fun
Those tubes are very stable once hot (no hum, no rfi, autobias of CTH never drop).
The one with silver paint on the left is from 58, the one on the right from 67..