Crack;Bottlehead OTL

[JamieMcC]

Much easier to trouble shoot any problems pre speedball, adding the speedball is pretty simple to do after once your up and running.

 

[tamleo]

Hello guys,
I am kind of fed up with my clone Crack and all tube things right now. After a long time waiting for the amp fixed for the 4th time I now deal with 5 out of 12 tubes ordered from UK Ebay unworkable. I don’t know if it’s only me or it is a normal thing in tube journey. One output tube even makes a loud pop through my hd6xx and though fortunately my headphone is fine, it makes me anxious. Another rectifier tube sounds very quiet and another sounds on only one channel. All 12 tubes are new and from many manufacturers. The store is known on Ebay too but they stopped answering me. I attached the unworkable tubes below and am looking forward hearing opinions from you guys. Thanks

 

[atomLI631]

I have a Deyan 12AU7 to dual 6J5 adapter. What 6J5s does everyone recommend? Power tube is the 5998.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

I have a Deyan 12AU7 to dual 6J5 adapter. What 6J5s does everyone recommend? Power tube is the 5998.

Either straight or rounded bottle GECs sound great to me. I like the aesthetics with the Marconi sticker. I understand they are still GECs.

 

[atomLI631]

Either straight or rounded bottle GECs sound great to me. I like the aesthetics with the Marconi sticker. I understand they are still GECs.

These? https://www.nosaudiotubes.com/produ...oated-glass-made-in-england-amplitrex-tested/

 

[CaptainFantastic]

Yes, but that's quite a high price and visually not the most attractive version. I don't know what the price is now, I stopped buying some two years ago.

Also, my experience with buying from fairly reputable UK sellers has been that a return policy is important. Quite a few of these are noisy, even if billed as NOS.

 

[bagwell359]

Hello guys,
I am kind of fed up with my clone Crack and all tube things right now. After a long time waiting for the amp fixed for the 4th time I now deal with 5 out of 12 tubes ordered from UK Ebay unworkable. I don’t know if it’s only me or it is a normal thing in tube journey. One output tube even makes a loud pop through my hd6xx and though fortunately my headphone is fine, it makes me anxious. Another rectifier tube sounds very quiet and another sounds on only one channel. All 12 tubes are new and from many manufacturers. The store is known on Ebay too but they stopped answering me. I attached the unworkable tubes below and am looking forward hearing opinions from you guys. Thanks

Fake/junk tubes abound - esp on Ebay. Stick with well known sellers - even if expensive, insist on written test results. I've been dealing with tubes off and on for a long time, and I still am far from being able to tease the fakes out w/o real test equipment.

 

[ugys]

What tubes does everyone use on your bottlehead?

 

[dstarr3]

What tubes does everyone use on your bottlehead?

I don't remember, but they're in my sig.

 

[michael2v]

What tubes does everyone use on your bottlehead?

I have a Winged-C 6H13C driver tube and an Electro-Harmonix 12AU7, and sometimes use an Apos Ray 12AU7.

I prefer the 6AS7 variants to 6080, but honestly think the amp topology makes a bigger difference than the tubes.

 

[atomLI631]

What tubes does everyone use on your bottlehead?

NOS Tung-Sol 5998 domino plate output tube. For input I switch around. In 12AU7 I like the Genalex Gold Lion. using my 6SN7 adapter I like the NOS RCA JAN-CRC-5692 triple mica. But I think my favorite is using my dual 6J5 adapter with NOS RCA VT-94 metal tubes

 

[ugys]

NOS Tung-Sol 5998 domino plate output tube. For input I switch around. In 12AU7 I like the Genalex Gold Lion. using my 6SN7 adapter I like the NOS RCA JAN-CRC-5692 triple mica. But I think my favorite is using my dual 6J5 adapter with NOS RCA VT-94 metal tubes

Thank you for the insight. Do you have the speedball upgrade on your crack

 

[atomLI631]

Thank you for the insight. Do you have the speedball upgrade on your crack

I do. But I waited a few months to do it. Its a noticeable difference!

 

[Beefy]

What tubes does everyone use on your bottlehead?

I've been rocking a JJ ECC802S and a Cetron-branded 5998 for 14 years. Tried lots of different combos, but nothing beats these for my tastes.

 

[Cowwe]

For me output is strictly 5998, while Fivre 6C5G are my input of choice. I do rotate input tubes somewhat regularly depending on what I crave for that day, between E80CC for staging, Mullard 6J5 for smoothness and Philips ECC82 for inattentive easy listening.