[rightslot]

I am new to most of all this.
 
But just purchased a DARK VOICE 336SE  and then a 6SN7 and 6AS7G.  Both Tung-Sol
 
Any thoughts on those two?  

 

[JohnBal]

  I am new to most of all this.
 
But just purchased a DARK VOICE 336SE  and then a 6SN7 and 6AS7G.  Both Tung-Sol
 
Any thoughts on those two?  

Those are very nice tubes. You could live happily with them for a long time.
 
Or, just go crazy buying different tubes like the rest of us, never being quite content, always trying for a slightly different flavor of sound.
 
Or on second thought, you could just live happily with them for a long time.
 
Enjoy your amp!

 

[rightslot]

Very funny reply!  
 
The amp + "standard" tubes will arrive today.  The extra tubes on Monday/Tuesday.
 
Can't wait.

 

[zeed]

Hi guys,
 
Looking to the following pics, is there any interesting valve which is worth buying? Maybe some particular internal structure which is considered rare or very good sounding?
They should be:
1) 6SN7GTA GE
2) 6SN7GTA GE
3) 6SN7GTA Sylvania
 


 

 

[Mechans1]

I would seek different 6SN7s other than GTA or GTBs.  Why have you chosen GTAs to look at? If if this is your first foray into buying old stock tubes, then you may want to stick GTAs or GTBs to give you a better chance of getting a less used up tube. No guarantees of that either of course.. I didn't see the prices asked. 
  All other things being equal go with Sylvania.  GE is probably under rated but there is precious little to recommend them,   There is something called NOS but in truth I think it's getting rare. How has the seller advertised them ??
There are some very, very good Sylvania GTAs but the one you have shown is not one of them.  Look for heavy chrome, flashing or gettering as it called.  For example do a search of the much more costly Sylvania W (not GTW), to get an idea of the amount and type of chrome to look for on the tube. I like Sylvania on any number of price points and scarcity levels. GTAs and especially GTBs should be abundant and inexpensive.  The sound is well balanced and has rounded edges , if you grant me poetic license.  The GE is a decent tube better than current production in my opinion, it is unobtrusive and doesn't add or subtract much color or character to the sound.  .
What would you want the tube to do if it can't be completely neutral and transparent. Do you lean towards warmth, quickness, imaging bass etc.
Let me make a general recommendation until you get tell us  what you are looking for.    The Sylvania 6SN7 GT 1950s bottom getter 'bad boy' style can be found at a decent price.  Note that the plates have 2 rivet holes, if there are 3 that's a real bad boy, and the sellers know this as a general rule and ask a lot more for them.  Do not pay for a bad boy unless it has the required 3 hole plate.  I would stick with the 2 hole plated tubes for less.

 

[r one]

First pic : it's a 5692 type no ?

 

[Oskari]

First pic : it's a 5692 type no ?

 
Good catch.

 

[JazzVinyl]

I would seek different 6SN7s other than GTA or GTBs.  Why have you chosen GTAs to look at? If if this is your first foray into buying old stock tubes, then you may want to stick GTAs or GTBs to give you a better chance of getting a less used up tube. No guarantees of that either of course.. I didn't see the prices asked. 
  All other things being equal go with Sylvania.  GE is probably under rated but there is precious little to recommend them,   There is something called NOS but in truth I think it's getting rare. How has the seller advertised them ??
There are some very, very good Sylvania GTAs but the one you have shown is not one of them.  Look for heavy chrome, flashing or gettering as it called.  For example do a search of the much more costly Sylvania W (not GTW), to get an idea of the amount and type of chrome to look for on the tube. I like Sylvania on any number of price points and scarcity levels. GTAs and especially GTBs should be abundant and inexpensive.  The sound is well balanced and has rounded edges , if you grant me poetic license.  The GE is a decent tube better than current production in my opinion, it is unobtrusive and doesn't add or subtract much color or character to the sound.  .
What would you want the tube to do if it can't be completely neutral and transparent. Do you lean towards warmth, quickness, imaging bass etc.
Let me make a general recommendation until you get tell us  what you are looking for.    The Sylvania 6SN7 GT 1950s bottom getter 'bad boy' style can be found at a decent price.  Note that the plates have 2 rivet holes, if there are 3 that's a real bad boy, and the sellers know this as a general rule and ask a lot more for them.  Do not pay for a bad boy unless it has the required 3 hole plate.  I would stick with the 2 hole plated tubes for less.

If it helps, here is a photo is two early 6SN7's...on left is brown base 1950's 6SN7WGT and on the right, a 1940's 6SN7W. Both sound nice, but the 6SN7W (on right) has a slight preferred sound advantage. Note the 6SN7W's heavier Getter Flash Chrome, as Mechans1 pointed out...






Hope that helped...

Cheers...

 

[Mechans1]

Thank you for pointing out the Sylvania 6SN7WGT.  It is a good tube if you like a quick clean response, I would avoid the 6SN7WGTA  however which just isn't as good. Sorry about the nomenclature used.   

 

[gibosi]

There is one Sylvania 6SN7GTA worth getting, IMO. This is the small bottle Chrome dome with very heavy chrome.  
 
Below, two Sylvania 6SN7GTA, both dated 1953.
 

 
And two Sylvania 6SN7GT, 1952 (left) and 1949 (right)
 
Interestingly, the 1952 tube has a shorter base than the GTA's above and the 1949 GT. Also quite interesting, the 1949 tube has 2-hole plates and a bottom mica similar to the 6SN7W, but there is no support rod.
 

 
I suspect my old ears do not permit me to hear differences others do, but to my ears, these tubes sound the same. So my conclusion is short base, tall base, 2-hole plates, 3-hole plates, all these late 1940's / early 1950's heavily chromed Sylvanias, whether 6SN7GT or 6SN7GTA, are virtually the same tube. And they sound very good too, but they are different than the short-bottle 6SN7W.

 

[MIKELAP]

Would anybody have infos on this Sylvania 6SL7  date code                                                                                                           

 

[gibosi]

I don't think this 3-digit dating system, year and week, was used in the mid-1940's by Sylvania. I am inclined to believe it was introduced somewhat later, so my best guess is 1954.

 

[Mechans1]

I would just call like it is.  It was made in the 44th week of 1954.  That is what I was told about this numbering system.    The sound of the WGT is very distinct sound to my old ears which  I described above.  They are very quick and have a clean clear  'fast' sound with good imagery.  The black base GTs are better at imagery and have a slightly warm  sound, they too are precise but add a little euphony IMHO, which I like.  I used a medium size bottle, with the highly desirable  metal base W, tonight.  I must say they are a superior in every aspect of tube sound.  Too tired to go into it in detail right  now, but have written about it before.  They are actually cheaper now than they have been.  You can pick up a short bottle black base W for $ 50 or there about.

 

[Luckbad]

 
I suspect my old ears do not permit me to hear differences others do, but to my ears, these tubes sound the same. So my conclusion is short base, tall base, 2-hole plates, 3-hole plates, all these late 1940's / early 1950's heavily chromed Sylvanias, whether 6SN7GT or 6SN7GTA, are virtually the same tube. And they sound very good too, but they are different than the short-bottle 6SN7W.

 
I'm in the same boat. If I have two tubes that are exceedingly similar but slightly different, I tend to notice no differences even in direct comparisons.
 
In my DAC, I love GE Triple Mica 5670 tubes, whether they're standard, white 5 star, or red 5 star. To my ears, they're all identical.
 
In my amp, I love 6N6P or 6N6P-I tubes. To my ears, they're the same as well.
 
Heck, I've found cheaper tube combo alternatives to the RCA Smoked Glass 6SN7GT that I find to sound very similar at a much lower price, hence them being for sale (for those wondering, RCA 5670 in the DAC + 6N6P in the amp gives me a very similar sound to GE 5 Star in the DAC and RCA 6SN7GT in the amp).

 

[Mechans1]

   
I'm in the same boat. If I have two tubes that are exceedingly similar but slightly different, I tend to notice no differences even in direct comparisons.
 
In my DAC, I love GE Triple Mica 5670 tubes, whether they're standard, white 5 star, or red 5 star. To my ears, they're all identical.
 
In my amp, I love 6N6P or 6N6P-I tubes. To my ears, they're the same as well.
 
Heck, I've found cheaper tube combo alternatives to the RCA Smoked Glass 6SN7GT that I find to sound very similar at a much lower price, hence them being for sale (for those wondering, RCA 5670 in the DAC + 6N6P in the amp gives me a very similar sound to GE 5 Star in the DAC and RCA 6SN7GT in the amp).

Can you describe the attributes of the 6N6P tube?  I am familiar with the  SQ of the GE 5 Star white, which I think is underrated.  I like what the 5Star does with bass/low frequency in particular, which can be thunderous but usually well defined, IMO of Course and YMMV etc.