[rosgr63]

Quote:

I never wait for Deoxit to dry. No problem.

Then you're not an addict!
 
Must wait and adore the babies while they dry!

 

[Xcalibur255]

I don't wait for it to dry either.  Have had to wipe the stuff off the middle of the sockets before too. 
 
Is the ProGold really a helpful addition to the process?  What I've always done is steel wool, deoxit to remove any remaining residue, then final clean with alcohol.  I don't leave deoxit on as the final coat anymore because it was making a mess in my tube sockets.  Aside from preventing new oxidation I don't see the benefit to the Pro Gold.  Then again I've never really had noise problems due to pin contact either.

 

[rosgr63]

That's why it's best to wait until it dries!

 

[Xcalibur255]

the deoxit never really seems to dry.  I've wiped some residue off the base of a tube that had been there for a month while it sat in its box.  The pro gold I'm sure dries because it has to, but I switched to only using the regular deoxit as a crud removal step because of this.

 

[rosgr63]

I find that the Deoxit D is only suitable for light marks.
That's why I use Flitz with wire wool for stuborn marks.
However I always use Deoxit Gold as the final step.

 

[Groundzero]

I forgot to say thanks Tagosaku and Regal for the Ken Rad opinions. I have a pair on the way thanks to Xcalibur, he found me an excellent deal. Now there is nothing to do but wait...
 
In regards to pin cleaning, I've always used 2000 grit sand paper then swished the pins around in a small cup of grain alcohol. The stuff is 190 proof so they air dry in seconds. 

 

[Groundzero]

I received my pair of Ken Rads today only to be disappointed. The bass isn't impressing me, they aren't as warm as I hoped, and they seem to lack depth. I'm thinking of going for a pair of Brimars but can't really find any info on which ones are good. Could someone who knows about Brimar point me in the right direction? There is this pair I'm thinking of bidding on http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=320579336602&Category=39997#ht_500wt_1154 but I think I read something about the brown base cv1988 being better? 

 

[Blackmore]

Not sure about these, had ones, which do look like the same, but only 6SL7 type, and when I used them in my Zana I didnt like it at all. I am looking for a pair of some UK made and thinking of CV1988 as well, which seems to be a very good tubes, but as always not that cheap. Thing is, tubes can sound differ in differ amps, so, thats why only by trying you will know for sure, unless someone else have the same amp as you, but also the same headphone set up and taste of music, which is, hmmm, unlikely?
From info I got CV1988 are warmer than Sylvania Bad boys, without loosing the rest of the sound spectrum, so, I am in.

 

[rosgr63]

If you can try the CV1988/6SN7GTY.
Not cheap but very nice.
I agree with Blackmore the final test is your amp.

 

[regal]

Quote:

I received my pair of Ken Rads today only to be disappointed. The bass isn't impressing me, they aren't as warm as I hoped, and they seem to lack depth. I'm thinking of going for a pair of Brimars but can't really find any info on which ones are good. Could someone who knows about Brimar point me in the right direction? There is this pair I'm thinking of bidding on http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=320579336602&Category=39997#ht_500wt_1154 but I think I read something about the brown base cv1988 being better? 

You may want to give them more time,  leave the amp plugged in over the weekend. 

 

[Skylab]

I agree with Regal!  Give the KenRads at least 24 hours to cook.  60 year old tubes need some serious wake-up time to sound their best.

 

[francoamerican]

I was wondering when this tung sol might have been made and if anybody has any experience with the sound quality relative to other 6sn7?
 

 

[Xcalibur255]

I have a pair of those.  They were made mostly in the early to mid 50's.  These are the same tube as the "Mouse Ears" actually, the tube started out with the mica spacers and then they dropped them in later production years. 
 
IMO they are a mixed bag.  In terms of detail they are peerless, with incredible resolution and portrayal of texture.  Guitars sound stunning on these tubes, any kind of guitar.  They also are very well controlled with polite but fast bass and good instrument separation.  But...... I find them to be a rather dry sounding tube that doesn't convey any of the emotion in music.  I think their biggest failing is a noticeable lack of dynamics.  They are very polite in this regard and seem to "pull their punches" so to speak during fast transients or changes in loudness.  This is probably their biggest weakness.  If you like a neutral tube that isn't warm sounding and can live with this flaw though they are a great performer otherwise.  There are lots of worse 6SN7 tubes out there and not too many that are better.  Of course keep in mind this is just my opinion coming from my experience in the WA6 which operates them as both signal and power tube.  They may perform differently purely as a signal tube in a different amp.

 

[rosgr63]

I use a Tung-Sol mouse ears as a driver on my SP and it sounds great.
Best value for money so far, bass is nice, great mids, controlled highs.

 

[musicman59]

I bought a pair of Tungsol black glass/round plates 6SN7GT and a pair of Tungsol black glass/round plates 6F8G with adapters. I have been using them in my WA5-LE as drivers. The 6SN7 is very polite with nice soundstage but a little bit thing in the bass section. It does great with acoustinc music or music with a lot of midrange. I found the 6F8G a lot more dynamic with the same characteristics in the nidrange and higs as the 6SN7 but with a lot more authority in the bass section. The 6F9G not only sound better to my ears and with the type of music I listen to (Pop, light rock) but at 35% of the price of the 6SN7 they are a total bargain.