[freakydrew]

thanks again Skylab..owe you a coffee too!
just received the tubes I purchased from you, not had whole lot of time to listen but could tell a difference right away from what I had in there. amazing how much tubes effect (affect?) the sound! thanks!

 

[freakydrew]

Date code question:
just received a Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB harp getter with the date: 322522-3
my 336i cam with a Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB dated 08 09...
anyway I am currently listening to the Electron 6080 with the new Tung-sol. really like the sound so far.
Listening to vinyl, only concern is when the singer sings an "S" sound, there is a bit of a hiss, almost like a lisp. not sure where on the chain to correct this problem

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakydrew /img/forum/go_quote.gif my 336i cam with a Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB dated 08 09...

Pretty sure that is the current production Russian-made "Tung-Sol" - not really a Tung-Sol at all, other than in name. Does it say "Made In Russia" on it?

 

[freakydrew]

the one with the long string of numbers says made in USA
the one with 08 09 is made in russia
?
the 6080 is an RCA, made in USA 6-13, or maybe 6-I3?

 

[Skylab]

If I have it right, 322522-3 is 1952, second week, third shift. "322" is the EIA code for Tung-Sol for sure (and that is definitely a US made tube, yes).

"6-13" on the RCA tube is probably the 13th week of 19X6, but it's hard to tell what the "X" is without knowing more. RCA has a bunch of different date-code methods, and while I have the "book" on their date codes, they weren't always consistent.

RCA tubes are all "vintage" - no one has tried to "revive" that tube brand the way Russia's New Sensor Corp has tried to "revive" the Tung-Sol brand. Some RCA tubes were OEM'd from companies in UK, Holland and Germany, but all from the tube heyday.

 

[freakydrew]

I am amazed that the Tung sol is so old and sounds so nice.

I also tried looking at a PDF version of the RCA book and found nothing. I guess it has to be before a certain date when RCA stopped making the 6080.

Thanks

 

[Skylab]

I actually think the 6080 was made more toward the end of the tube era than the beginning.

But I am use a pair of 1945 Tung-Sol 6SN7GT's in my Cary preamp - and they sound wonderful

Some of the best tubes ever made were WWII era and post-war era.

 

[autosound]

Hi guys, hoping you guys might be able to chime in on this one. I've had my 336i for almost a year now and have been somewhat avoiding the tube rolling threads because, first of all, it's confusing as hell, and second, I don't really want to get pulled into another wallet shrinking hobby. Well, the time has finally come for change and I would love some assistance. I hear that sylvania tubes are pretty good so I ordered these. They are supposedly SYLVANIA 6SN7GTBs. Are these any good?

I am using the amp with HD650s and K601+K701. I also have some Grados but I'm not worried about them too much.

ebay - 1956 Sylvania 6SN7GTB

Thanks

 

[Skylab]

Yes, that is a Sylvania, with the staggered T plates. For $5 it was a steal. I think they sound very good - not the world's best 6SN7, but far better than any current production Russian or Chinese equivalent.

 

[autosound]

Thanks Skylab, that's just what I wanted to hear. I'll have to grab a new power tube as well. Any particular tubes that will match my tube well?

 

[Skylab]

Start with an RCA 6AS7G. Good tube, easy to get, cheap. Then go from there.

 

[KeeChoon]

Anyone can help with deciphering these date codes from Tungsol 6SN7GTBs?

322DH3
322MW3
322KN3

And are there any sonic differences between the different brands of 6080 power tubes like RCA, GE, Sylvania?

 

[Skylab]

When tube makers started using letters, the date codes were "encrypted". I don't have the decoder ring for those

 

[autosound]

Hi Skylab,

I ran into some of your old posts and found that you liked the Jan 6AS7G Chatham Electronic tube which is actually the one I received with the amp when I bought it second hand. It does have alot of small fragments bouncing around in it, but it still works. I think I'll just wait until my driver tube comes in and see how they pair up.

 

[Skylab]

Yup - nice tube. A few glass fragments are no issue as long as the tube tests/works OK.