[gibosi]

For anyone who has the GEC KT66s or knows about them....

I was talking to Andy over at Vintage Tube Services and he has a matched pair with the original factory tape on the boxes saying theyre identical as well. Smoked glass,wants $560.00 for the pair,thing is theyre branded Genalex. He claims theyre made by Osram/Marconi. I asked for photos but he said he couldnt provide them until next week.

Is what he is saying correct,or is he blowing smoke up my rear?

"Genalex" was the brand GEC used on tubes destined for the US market. Given the fact that GE was a major manufacturer in the US, it would have been very confusing to have both GE and GEC labeled tubes in the US marketplace. So yes, what he is saying is correct. They were made by Osram/Marconi to be sold in the US. I can't say why GEC chose to create a new brand rather than use Marconi or Osram but again it was all about marketing.

 

[Zachik]

It is very satisfactory, and I wonder how it would compare to some of the tube buffer/dacs, mentioned here...?

Similar curiosity just cost me a lot of money... ignorance is a bliss

 

[whirlwind]

For anyone who has the GEC KT66s or knows about them....

I was talking to Andy over at Vintage Tube Services and he has a matched pair with the original factory tape on the boxes saying theyre identical as well. Smoked glass,wants $560.00 for the pair,thing is theyre branded Genalex. He claims theyre made by Osram/Marconi. I asked for photos but he said he couldnt provide them until next week.

Is what he is saying correct,or is he blowing smoke up my rear?

I got this pair of matched military smoked glass NOS tubes from Langrex $446 shipped and including taxes...... from Langrex thru e-bay.



Once you see the pictures you will know more MZ... they are expensive tubes and the black base tubes seem to be the oldest tubes and more sought after...bring a higher price.
I have no idea about the difference in the sound...matter of fact I would love to know myself.

The tubes that I got from Langrex sound killer...very detailed and big sound.
There are also the reissue tubes. This are a huge amount cheaper.


Here is a code chart for the GEC KT66....this only goes back to 1945.
Anything before someone else will need to chime in.
Maybe @gibosi or @leftside

 

[whirlwind]

This could be of some help also.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GEC-Tube-M...372670?hash=item3af2b9e6be:g:JzAAAOSwwGRZzV3Y

 

[mordy]

You know, when you combine different tubes the sound may be better than the individual sound of each tube. Ever wonder how it works? Here is an example of the math:

Which leads to us to today's experiment - a pair of 6C5G/6J5G tubes. These are beautiful little Sylvania ST type tubes and are the oldest ones I have: A 1936 Zenith 6C5G with a mesh Faraday cage around the plate and a 1937 Philco 6J5G.

These were bought separately and the total cost was less than $14 shipped. A professional high priced seller might easily charge 10 times more:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Quad-Z...293534?hash=item2ad8e1a75e:g:9hcAAOSwyhVdxPE-
Just plugged them in for a photo-op; listening session starting now.
Oldies but goodies - just think about it; the tubes are 82 and 83 years old and work just fine.......
What is the difference in sound between 6C5 and 6J5? Don't know.....

 

[gibosi]

It seems to me that some of you might now be ready to try tubes that are about 90 years old, No 27's with mesh plates.

 

[mordy]

Hi gibosi,
Date codes B1 and M2 - February 1931 and December 1932?
My Sylvanias are very quiet.
If you have a pair of TS 6J5 metal I would like to know how they compare to the 27 tubes.
How do you arrange the voltage to 2.5V?

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Oh, no love for 80+ year old mesh plate tubes then?

 

[GDuss]

Oldies but goodies - just think about it; the tubes are 82 and 83 years old and work just fine.......

These tubes graduated high school in like 1954!!!

Thanks mordy (and others) for continuing to point out cheap tubes that sound great.

 

[DecentLevi]

I got this pair of matched military smoked glass NOS tubes from Langrex $446 shipped and including taxes...... from Langrex thru e-bay.



Once you see the pictures you will know more MZ... they are expensive tubes and the black base tubes seem to be the oldest tubes and more sought after...bring a higher price.
I have no idea about the difference in the sound...matter of fact I would love to know myself.

The tubes that I got from Langrex sound killer...very detailed and big sound.
There are also the reissue tubes. This are a huge amount cheaper.


Here is a code chart for the GEC KT66....this only goes back to 1945.
Anything before someone else will need to chime in.
Maybe @gibosi or @leftside

Nice find on those smoked glass KG66's Whirlwind. I've been looking for a good source for a while. Tried bidding on a few pairs but even last minute sniping failed me so I only do "buy it now" from now on. It was the last 15 seconds of the listing and was the darndest thing, the numbers disappeared from the box where you enter your bid after I typed them, making it impossible for me to submit a bid even if it was higher. Anyone else experienced something like that?!

I've seen your GEC code chart but still can't figure out when was yours made? I've also seen the KB/Z code on several clear glass GEC KT66's so that would be good to know...

 

[JazzVinyl]

Which leads to us to today's experiment - a pair of 6C5G/6J5G tubes. These are beautiful little Sylvania ST type tubes and are the oldest ones I have: A 1936 Zenith 6C5G with a mesh Faraday cage around the plate and a 1937 Philco 6J5G.

These were bought separately and the total cost was less than $14 shipped. A professional high priced seller might easily charge 10 times more:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Quad-Z...293534?hash=item2ad8e1a75e:g:9hcAAOSwyhVdxPE-
Just plugged them in for a photo-op; listening session starting now.
Oldies but goodies - just think about it; the tubes are 82 and 83 years old and work just fine.......
What is the difference in sound between 6C5 and 6J5? Don't know.....

Gotta love the mesh shield on the 6C6G...!! Awesome cool looking! Do these sound better than the 12J5GT's?


I am doing the "worlds best DAC"...er...I mean...the "no DAC"!!

The Vinyl spinning machine, draggin' the old gemstone through plastic, is playing Steve Tibbetts' 1984 LP "Safe Journey" via the GOTL and pair of $2 RCA 6C5's and a six pack of 6BL7's.



The metal 6C5 run quite warm and take a good long time to warm all the way up. Once warm, they sound very nice, indeed!
These drivers, these powers and vinyl...are all made for each other.


Cheers, all!!

 

[GDuss]

It was the last 15 seconds of the listing and was the darndest thing, the numbers disappeared from the box where you enter your bid after I typed them, making it impossible for me to submit a bid even if it was higher. Anyone else experienced something like that?!

I've had this happen also. You type in the number you want to bid, and before you can hit enter, the number you typed disappears. I had to just type and hit enter super fast before the number disappeared. If you can manage to do it quickly enough, the bid will get entered. If you're too slow, it disappears. But it's quite difficult to be fast enough.

 

[gibosi]

Hi gibosi,
Date codes B1 and M2 - February 1931 and December 1932?
My Sylvanias are very quiet.
If you have a pair of TS 6J5 metal I would like to know how they compare to the 27 tubes.
How do you arrange the voltage to 2.5V?

Since I have decided to watch the 6C5 and 6J5 bandwagon procession from the sidelines, I can't say how they might compare....

 

[mordy]

Since I have decided to watch the 6C5 and 6J5 bandwagon procession from the sidelines, I can't say how they might compare....

I know, I fight the tube overload every day!
What about my guesses as to the dating?

 

[JazzVinyl]

It's 'Metal Driver' Sunday: