[HTSkywalker]

Certainly nothing wrong with smooth/warm (that's usually my preference too), but if you want to liven things up a bit try a '50's Foton 6N8S (cheap) or an early '60's or '50's Melz 6N8S (good ones can be found for around $50). A true Melz 1578 is going to be closer to $100 so a bit above your budget. Both of those may require pin resoldering, so be aware of that up front. The Raytheon is a good bet too (T-plates are my preference). Lots of flavors, but if you're already on the warm side then some of the other highly regarded suspects (RCA and Ken-Rad black/gray glass from the '40's and '50's) might be too much of a good thing.

Would a Tung Sol 5998 in the back makes a subtle upgrade to an RCA 6AS7G or a Svetlana Winged C ?

 

[bcowen]

Would a Tung Sol 5998 in the back makes a subtle upgrade to an RCA 6AS7G or a Svetlana Winged C ?

Yes. And more than subtle. Like way.

We all have our own opinions and preferences of course, but the TS 5998 is one of my most favorite tubes in both the DV and the Incubus. It was made to rock, and rock it does. It's not the only great sounding tube obviously, but I find the majority of my listening time split between it and the Chatham graphite plate 6080. I like the Winged C, the Mullard 6080, the Chatham 6AS7G, Chatham/Tung Sol steel plate 6080, and even the Cetron 7236 (with the exact right proper godly-aligned, approved, authenticated, and officially blessed driver tube...yes, it's persnickety as all get out but can be righteous with a 40's RCA or Ken-Rad in front. But I think it's really hard NOT to like the 5998 even if you try. I actually prefer the TS 5998 to the venerable WE 421A, although the (lone) 421A I have tests quite a bit lower in GM than my 5998's, so that could be a factor. YMMV and all the usual.

 

[bcowen]

Thank you, this is informative......As a corollary, would your brain re-calibrate if enough voltage was applied to the carotid arteries a la Frankencowen?...️️

Unlikely. The excess voltage would probably melt the neighborhood substation, throw all my neighbors into the dark, and then they would proceed to recalibrate me with finely tuned surgical instruments like sledgehammers and crowbars. Maybe an aluminum bat or two as well.

 

[hottyson]

I may add that I have 6N5S Svetlanas from the 50s, 60s, and 70s and the 1950s Svetlanas do sound the best of the bunch. The 60s and 70s I have are about the same. Not a huge difference but the sound appears to be more lush and full in the 1950's versions I have.

Thank you for the tip on the Svetlana 6N5S!
.
Now that I have burned in more tubes I have been listening to my Fonon 6N8S driver tube. I now prefer this Fonon 6N8S over the Foton 6N8S. It still has a very slight hum when no music is playing, but too slight to bother me and I am thinking that it might disappear with use.
.
On another note, I also listened to GE 6SN7 GTB now burned in and it sounds pleasant. Not as good as the Russian tubes but I could see me listening with it when in the mood for a darker laid back sound.

 

[Galapac]

On another note, I also listened to GE 6SN7 GTB now burned in and it sounds pleasant.

You just made a friend in @bcowen with that statement ^^^^

 

[bcowen]

You just made a friend in @bcowen with that statement ^^^^

LOL! Chances are it wasn't actually made by GE.

 

[perkdet]

RCA 6SN7 Grey Glass and Sylvania 6SN7 6SN7GT 2 Holes [and] Raytheon JAN-CRP-6SN7GT VT231 T Plates as well.

...try a '50's Foton 6N8S (cheap) or an early '60's or '50's Melz 6N8S (good ones can be found for around $50). The Raytheon is a good bet too (T-plates are my preference). [O]ther highly regarded suspects (RCA and Ken-Rad black/gray glass from the '40's and '50's) might be too much of a good thing.

YES. Spend my money!

 

[bcowen]

Thank you for the tip on the Svetlana 6N5S!
.
Now that I have burned in more tubes I have been listening to my Fonon 6N8S driver tube. I now prefer this Fonon 6N8S over the Foton 6N8S. It still has a very slight hum when no music is playing, but too slight to bother me and I am thinking that it might disappear with use.
.
On another note, I also listened to GE 6SN7 GTB now burned in and it sounds pleasant. Not as good as the Russian tubes but I could see me listening with it when in the mood for a darker laid back sound.

To my knowledge, there is no such tube as a "Fonon," other than a Russian seller or two that list them as such (either due to language differences or typos). There are quite audible differences within the Fotons themselves though, with the 1950's production years sounding better (to my ears) than the early '60's, and the early '60's sound better than late 60's or beyond. The year should be listed to the bottom right of the Foton diamond...if it's still legible.

Below a 1953 with ribbed plates (anodes) with the year in the yellow circle:

 

[bcowen]

YES. Spend my money!

I'm really good at that. How much 'ya got?

 

[Galapac]

To my knowledge, there is no such tube as a "Fonon," other than a Russian seller or two that list them as such (either due to language differences or typos). There are quite audible differences within the Fotons themselves though, with the 1950's production years sounding better (to my ears) than the early '60's, and the early '60's sound better than late 60's or beyond. The year should be listed to the bottom right of the Foton diamond...if it's still legible.

Below a 1953 with ribbed plates (anodes) with the year in the yellow circle:

@bcowen - Transplanting Foton tubes one by one from mother Russia to the U.S.A. through the tube exchange program...working tirelessly to free all tubes in the name of audio...

 

[bcowen]

@bcowen - Transplanting Foton tubes one by one from mother Russia to the U.S.A. through the tube exchange program...working tirelessly to free all tubes in the name of audio...

LOL! It's my patriotic duty. The Russians are simply not allowed to have better sounding tubes than us, even if they made them.

 

[jonathan c]

@bcowen - Transplanting Foton tubes one by one from mother Russia to the U.S.A. through the tube exchange program...working tirelessly to free all tubes in the name of audio...

Kudos to double agent Comrade Cowen for the Cold War heist to end heists: 1-1/2 GEs per Foton, 1-3/4 GEs per Reflektor...all exchanged over seven days at 23:00h outside Lubyanka...

 

[bcowen]

Kudos to double agent Comrade Cowen for the Cold War heist to end heists: 1-1/2 GEs per Foton, 1-3/4 GEs per Reflektor...all exchanged over seven days at 23:00h outside Lubyanka...

LOL! But sheeez, man. The Russians aren't dumb. The exchange ratio is 250 GE's per Foton for the value of the scrap metal to be worth the labor cost of busting them up. But in the end, fewer and fewer GE tubes is serving the public good. I should get a Nobel peace prize or something...

 

[jonathan c]

LOL! But sheeez, man. The Russians aren't dumb. The exchange ratio is 250 GE's per Foton for the value of the scrap metal to be worth the labor cost of busting them up. But in the end, fewer and fewer GE tubes is serving the public good. I should get a Nobel peace prize or something...

There is no labour cost really in ‘busting them up’: just plug them in a circuit, play 1812 Overture at 90dB (good Russian tune!), and watch the GE fireworks!

 

[HTSkywalker]

Yes. And more than subtle. Like way.

We all have our own opinions and preferences of course, but the TS 5998 is one of my most favorite tubes in both the DV and the Incubus. It was made to rock, and rock it does. It's not the only great sounding tube obviously, but I find the majority of my listening time split between it and the Chatham graphite plate 6080. I like the Winged C, the Mullard 6080, the Chatham 6AS7G, Chatham/Tung Sol steel plate 6080, and even the Cetron 7236 (with the exact right proper godly-aligned, approved, authenticated, and officially blessed driver tube...yes, it's persnickety as all get out but can be righteous with a 40's RCA or Ken-Rad in front. But I think it's really hard NOT to like the 5998 even if you try. I actually prefer the TS 5998 to the venerable WE 421A, although the (lone) 421A I have tests quite a bit lower in GM than my 5998's, so that could be a factor. YMMV and all the usual.

Well you just made it impossible not to get a TS 5998....search is on