[kchew]

Quote:

I would like to invite all thread readers to contribute their top 5 6SN7's.
It will be interesting to see what different people like.
They don't have to be expensive or rare tubes but what you like best.
Thanks.

For me, in no particular order:
 
Tung Sol BGRP
Mullard ECC32
Fivre 6SN7GT brown base
JAN Raytheon VT-231 (flat plate with extra support rod)
National Union 6SN7GT black glass

 

[dminches]

 
For me, in no particular order:
 
Tung Sol BGRP
Mullard ECC32
RCA 5692
Sylvania vt-231
Sylvania 6SN7W metal base

 

[Skylab]

1. Mullard ECC32 (which really isn't a 6SN7 of course)
2. Tung Sol BGRP
3. Sylvania 6SN7W metal base
4. Sylvania 6sN7W black base tall bottle
5. Mullard ECC33 (also not really a 6SN7)
 
Honorable mention: Tung Sol Tall bottle brown base 6SN7WGT, Sylvania 6SN7WGT, Sylvania VT-231
 
Stavros I hope you will also post yours, you have the nicest 6SN7 collection I know of 

 

[rosgr63]

Quote:

1. Mullard ECC32 (which really isn't a 6SN7 of course)
2. Tung Sol BGRP
3. Sylvania 6SN7W metal base
4. Sylvania 6sN7W black base tall bottle
5. Mullard ECC33 (also not really a 6SN7)
 
Honorable mention: Tung Sol Tall bottle brown base 6SN7WGT, Sylvania 6SN7WGT, Sylvania VT-231
 
Stavros I hope you will also post yours, you have the nicest 6SN7 collection I know of 

 
Thanks for your list and very kind comments.
I am still miles behind you and many other members.
 
I will post my list and I think you may be surprised! 
 
 

 

[rosgr63]

Favorite Tubes

1.Tung Sol 6SN7 Mouse Ears (Black Plates)

2.Sylvania 6SN7W Black Base Short Bottle (Lower Mica Inside Base)

3.RCA 6SN7 Smoked Glass

4.NU 6SN7 Black Glass

5.Channel Master 6SN7GTB

 

 

Rare Tubes

1.Neotron 6SN7

2.Tung Sol 6SN7 Square Mica

3.Standard 33S30

4.Brimar 13D2

5.ECC32 Early Black Base (Inverted Pan Getter)
 
The Rare Tubes list contains what I think are rare tubes and have nothing to do with their sonic qualities which I feel are nothing special compared to other 6SN7 tubes.

 

[Skylab]

Interesting list Stavros!  I need to revisit the NU Black Glass.
 
Wasn't Channel Master just a rebrander? 

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Interesting list Stavros!  I need to revisit the NU Black Glass.
 
Wasn't Channel Master just a rebrander? 

A re-brand for the Hitachi I believe.
 
I personally have found the NU black glass rewards rectifier experimentation.  The right change in B+ can really wake them up.
 

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Xcalibur are you referring to the 6SN7W black base?
Can you also let us know your favorite 5 6SN7's please?

I believe they are the same tube yes.  Sylvania made so many variations, but what I gathered is that tooling was used to produce some regular 6SN7GT before they stopped using it all together.  They don't have the dynamics or slam of the W metal base tubes, but excel in finesse and refinement.  I happen to prefer their tonal balance and midrange presentation over any other tube as well.  They get the human voice juuuuuust right. 
 
In order of preference:
- Tung Sol BGRP 6SN7GT oval mica copper grid posts
- Sylvania 6SN7GT heavy chrome top (chrome dome)
- Hitachi 6SN7GTB black plate
- National Union 6SN7GT black glass
- Tung Sol "mouse ear" 6SN7GT
 
I never cared for the mouse ear before, but with my OTL amp it really does everything quite well and is very neutral/transparent.  I'd have to give an honorable mention to the Hytron 6SN7GT as well.  They sound unnatural to me tonally, but I've never heard more midrange detail from any other tube including the BGRP.  It's quite ethereal.  If the rest of the range were more balanced it would be an incredible tube.

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

Have you checked ?
 

Apologies. I got side-tracked inside the listening room. Going from Billy Cobham to Herbie Hancock to... "What was I suppose to check again?" 

 Will have a look tonight.
 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

It would have to be 1948 I would think.  By 1953/1954 Sylvania was transitioning to their off set angle triangular plates you see the GTA and GTB tubes pretty much from that point on.  I think some of the military labeled W tubes were still using the parallel plates until the later 50's, but the actual plate type was different even though it looked almost identical.  Assuming we're right (and I'm assuming its the same tube as the one I have, minus the different plastic base) what you have is closely related to what you find inside a metal base W tube, and IMO one of the true treasures of the 6SN7 world.  In my personal opinion they outperform the "bad boy" and by a considerable margin too.  It's the only tube I've personally heard that I consider on the same footing with the BGRP Tung Sol for resolution.  Some of the tubes I often have seen cited as peers to that tube, like the VT-231 Raytheon, are indeed great tubes but still not in the same class to my humble ears.

VT-231 Raytheon-
 
I have the W "Mil-Spec" version and I think they do many things well. Currently sitting in the number 2 slot inside my collection. But, in contrast to the TS-BGRP's, I have discovered the Ray's fall flat on depth (pun intended) and a bit less holographic around notes.

 

[Silent One]

My collection of tubes is limited at this time. Could 2012 be "Year of the Roll?"
 
1. Tung-Sol BGRP VT-231 Oval Mica
2. Raytheon 6SN7W 
3) RCA Grey Glass 6SN7GT
 
I've some Sylvania & ITT in the box that sounds pretty decent; will have to pull 'em out for more info.

 

[Justin Uthadude]

I have never heard a BGRP, nor a Mullard. Many of my tubes have been purchased used testing very well, but not NOS. Having lurked here quite awhile and studied the tubes, I took Skylab’s advice and started buying off-brands. My last acquisition was 6 tubes from an old radio hobbyist that I got to send me pictures. A grey glass RCA that is branded Emerson. A ’47 Kentucky Radio (Ken-Rad) VT-231 type with the extra support rods, which was branded GE. A Tung-Sol 6sn7wgt which has CHIEF printed on it. The Ford chrome dome. An actual Raytheon vt-231, and a mouse ear with nothing printed on the base. I was very happy to get away for $67.
 
Up until that point my 5 favorites were:
Sylvania 6sn7w metal-low mica (that is actually an “A”, that’s why it was cheap)
Hytron 6sn7
RCA grey glass
Lenkurt (Raytheon) wgt
RCA 5692 red base (but oddly not the brown base Hytron so much)
 
I really started liking the wgt’s after I got the Lenkurt and was trying to get several more, when I saw the CHIEF, and then the others. I haven’t had much time to really evaluate the new ones, but the Ford seems fabulous and I instantly liked the mouse ear and the Raytheon. In fact I think I like Raytheons as much as most people seem to like Sylvanias.
 
As for the NU black glass; that’s the tube that was in my amp when I got it from you Skylab. Thanks.

 

[dminches]

Buying off brand is a great way to score excellent tubes for cheap.  Recently I got a pair of Tung-sol 6SU7GTYs which were branded "Owl" for $100 when the TS brand normally sells for over $200.  And they were in the original boxes.
 
 

 

[musicman59]

My top 5 in not a specific order include some that are not 6SN7 but can be use in my amp as one.
 
1) Mullard ECC32 Brown or Black base
2) Tungsol 6F8G BG/RP
3) RCA 6F8G Gray Glass
4) Sylvania 6SN7WGT Broan Base/ Chrome top
5) Tungsol 6SN7GT BG/RP
 
Others that I like: RCA 5692 Red Base, Brimar CV1988 BG, NU 6SN7 BG.

 

[rosgr63]

Quote:

Interesting list Stavros!  I need to revisit the NU Black Glass.
 
Wasn't Channel Master just a rebrander? 

My Channel Master 6SN7GTB are marked Made in Japan and have Gray Plates.
I was introduced to them by my French Tube Teacher who send me one over as a gift.
 
My Hitachi 6SN7GTB have Black Plates.
 
David I saw some "Owl" branded tubes and they looked very nice.
 
Getting rebrands is a clever way to buy and try tubes.