[Paladin79]

LOL...good for you

The 2 Amperex 6AS7G’s are fake. I have seen similar ‘made in England’ fake Amperex 6AS7G’s before, they are actually Russian 6H13C’s. Right above the getter flash on the right tube, there is a UFO resting there. UFO getters is the giveaway of Russian tubes.

Good catch, those do indeed look identical to Russian tubes I own.

 

[Paladin79]

I'm getting pretty good at copying @Paladin79 's work. Let me know if I can assist.

@bcowen did an admirable job on a mini shelf he copied from me, i ended up adding VU meters and other bling just to try to keep up with him.

My blind test 6SN7 equivalents made it back to me so this morn I am listening to a:

Sylvania Bad Boy
Foton from 1954 with associated pin re-soldering
KEN-RAD vt-231 black glass
RCA 6sn7gt grey glass
Sylvania tall body Frankie 7N7 (A Cowen favorite)
Melz 1578 from 1986, with pin re-soldering
CBS/Hytron 5692
Tung Sol Mouse ears...I am not well versed in the mouse ears so I am not sure which this is

My baseline tube is the Melz 1578 from 1963 and I just added a Tung Sol 5998 power tube for a bit more bass than an RCA JAN 6sn7g

First listen is to the KEN-RAD black glass, wow, just wow. One of my favorites in this group.
I am building Bill an amp geared to reveal tube sound and I should mix up these exact tubes and send them to him again. Blind listening, my money would be on him picking six of eight correctly, he is that good.

 

[bcowen]

LOL...good for you

The 2 Amperex 6AS7G’s are fake. I have seen similar ‘made in England’ fake Amperex 6AS7G’s before, they are actually Russian 6H13C’s. Right above the getter flash on the right tube, there is a UFO resting there. UFO getters is the giveaway of Russian tubes.

Thanks much for the info! You know, I didn't even look at the getter pans on them...the UFO (eg: flying saucer) would have made it self-evident to me if I'd only looked. Ah well. They were too cheap to be true Philips-made tubes ($20 for the pair). Both test very nicely with over 2X min. GM and nicely matched triode sections. Hopefully they don't suck sonically. Such is the life of a newbie with a particular tube type.

But every now and then the dumpster-dive works out OK. The two in the middle below test great -- high GM and very close values on the triodes. The one on the left tests pretty well but has a bigger spread in the triodes, and the one on the right is a no-go with extremely high interelement leakage...high enough that it already became acquainted with the trash can. @Paladin79 thinks these TungSols are decent (but not upper echelon), so for the money I'll consider them a good beginner tube for me.

 

[Paladin79]

Thanks much for the info! You know, I didn't even look at the getter pans on them...the UFO (eg: flying saucer) would have made it self-evident to me if I'd only looked. Ah well. They were too cheap to be true Philips-made tubes ($20 for the pair). Both test very nicely with over 2X min. GM and nicely matched triode sections. Hopefully they don't suck sonically. Such is the life of a newbie with a particular tube type.

But every now and then the dumpster-dive works out OK. The two in the middle below test great -- high GM and very close values on the triodes. The one on the left tests pretty well but has a bigger spread in the triodes, and the one on the right is a no-go with extremely high interelement leakage...high enough that it already became acquainted with the trash can. @Paladin79 thinks these TungSols are decent (but not upper echelon), so for the money I'll consider them a good beginner tube for me.

Here is one I like in case you happen upon some.

 

[bcowen]

@bcowen did an admirable job on a mini shelf he copied from me, i ended up adding VU meters and other bling just to try to keep up with him.

My blind test 6SN7 equivalents made it back to me so this morn I am listening to a:

Sylvania Bad Boy
Foton from 1954 with associated pin re-soldering
KEN-RAD vt-231 black glass
RCA 6sn7gt grey glass
Sylvania tall body Frankie 7N7 (A Cowen favorite)
Melz 1578 from 1986, with pin re-soldering
CBS/Hytron 5692
Tung Sol Mouse ears...I am not well versed in the mouse ears so I am not sure which this is

My baseline tube is the Melz 1578 from 1963 and I just added a Tung Sol 5998 power tube for a bit more bass than an RCA JAN 6sn7g

First listen is to the KEN-RAD black glass, wow, just wow. One of my favorites in this group.
I am building Bill an amp geared to reveal tube sound and I should mix up these exact tubes and send them to him again. Blind listening, my money would be on him picking six of eight correctly, he is that good.

You're much too kind (even though it was most difficult to type that). IIRC, when I reported my impressions back to you on the blind test the Ken-Rad and the RCA were my two most-favorites of the group you sent. I didn't call those right because I'd never heard either one of them -- I'm stash-less. But such is the fun of a truly blind test -- you get to hear things you may not have before, and there are no preconceived notions or bias to get in the way.

 

[Paladin79]

You're much too kind (even though it was most difficult to type that). IIRC, when I reported my impressions back to you on the blind test the Ken-Rad and the RCA were my two most-favorites of the group you sent. I didn't call those right because I'd never heard either one of them -- I'm stash-less. But such is the fun of a truly blind test -- you get to hear things you may not have before, and there are no preconceived notions or bias to get in the way.

I would send the tubes to most anyone in the US in case they wanted to prove how well they know the 6sn7 equivalents, but they would have to be brave like you and bet a steak dinner and a bottle of wine from Tuscany, of my choice lol.

I just popped the Chatham 6080 into an amp and recall now why I like it so well. Listening to Feels Like Rain by John Hiatt. Bass is a bit more exacting than the Tung Sol 5998 IMHO, not quite as deep but very accurate. The RCA grey glass shines in some songs more than other to me but it is indeed a favorite of mine as well.

The 80's Melz really jumps out in the group but maybe not for all the right reasons to some lol. It did rate pretty high in some groups that did a listen. The mids really pop.

 

[bcowen]

Here is one I like in case you happen upon some.

Interesting.

(from here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=7125 )

How close are they to the Tung-Sols? Big, big difference? The current going prices are big, big different.

 

[Paladin79]

Interesting.


(from here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=7125 )

How close are they to the Tung-Sols? Big, big difference? The current going prices are big, big different.

Both are good tubes and i would rate them close in SQ with the 5998 having a bit more bass thump but that is listening to the ones I own. I am happy with either in my amps.

Since you are buying power tubes and I know you own 6sn7's I may gift you a couple power tubes that are not super expensive just so you can get a feel for what you do and do not like.

 

[treemagnet]

Hey everyone, I have just slipped over the darkside into the world of tubes and just picked up a DV! Very happy with the change after owning solid state gear.

So quick question what are good tubes for a more detailed sound instead of the more popular warm and lush sound. Budget about $100. I see RCA and Tung Sol get quiet a mention?

 

[sennfan83261]

Hey everyone, I have just slipped over the darkside into the world of tubes and just picked up a DV! Very happy with the change after owning solid state gear.

So quick question what are good tubes for a more detailed sound instead of the more popular warm and lush sound. Budget about $100. I see RCA and Tung Sol get quiet a mention?

Tung-Sol 6SN7GT mouse ears paired with a Tung-Sol 7236, about $65-70 for both on fleabay.

 

[Paladin79]

Hey everyone, I have just slipped over the darkside into the world of tubes and just picked up a DV! Very happy with the change after owning solid state gear.

So quick question what are good tubes for a more detailed sound instead of the more popular warm and lush sound. Budget about $100. I see RCA and Tung Sol get quiet a mention?

This is a combo I like that is well within the price range depending on how the auction ends on the VT-231.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Vintage-...281581?hash=item3b3dc353ad:g:ha4AAOSwDbBd41yV

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ONE-RCA-JA...845257?hash=item1a8dc80389:g:z0UAAOSwkYld3wnv

My favorite combo is the Ken Rad Black Glass VT 231 or Melz 1578 from 1963 with a Tung Sol 5998 but you best figure at least double your budget unless you luck out and find them cheap.

If you solder, or know someone who does, these are something I learned about from @bcowen
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tube-6N8S-...921904?hash=item3b3c4fa0b0:g:jcAAAOSwmFVdxWco

The pins need to be re-soldered but most any you find from the 50's with ribbed plates are very good tubes for the price.

 

[bcowen]

This is a combo I like that is well within the price range depending on how the auction ends on the VT-231.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Vintage-...281581?hash=item3b3dc353ad:g:ha4AAOSwDbBd41yV

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ONE-RCA-JA...845257?hash=item1a8dc80389:g:z0UAAOSwkYld3wnv

My favorite combo is the Ken Rad Black Glass VT 231 or Melz 1578 from 1963 with a Tung Sol 5998 but you best figure at least double your budget unless you luck out and find them cheap.

If you solder, or know someone who does, these are something I learned about from @bcowen
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tube-6N8S-...921904?hash=item3b3c4fa0b0:g:jcAAAOSwmFVdxWco

The pins need to be re-soldered but most any you find from the 50's with ribbed plates are very good tubes for the price.

Sheeez....seems the price has escalated a bit since I was buying those. IIRC, I paid in the mid-$30's for quads of '52's, '53's and '54's....delivered. Supply and demand I guess, and the supply is quickly vaporizing. Still excellent tubes though.

 

[DenverW]

So I was poking around online, and saw this posting:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/a1834-tube...027279?hash=item4b720d638f:g:lCYAAOSwboheEOfx

He had the tubes mislabeled as curved base gec, so I sent a message to see what he would say. He was very nice about it, and changed the listing. I asked a few questions, and he said he’d be willing to sell single tubes, as was open to offers. I mentioned I’d pass it along, as these are imho top 3 power tubes.

I’ve never purchased from him and don’t know a thing about him or his tubes other than our conversation, so be aware this is more notification rather than recommendation.

But, maybe someone can score a good brown base gec!

 

[Paladin79]

Sheeez....seems the price has escalated a bit since I was buying those. IIRC, I paid in the mid-$30's for quads of '52's, '53's and '54's....delivered. Supply and demand I guess, and the supply is quickly vaporizing. Still excellent tubes though.

You should turn loose of a couple and see what they bring, you bought up most of the world supply and now you wonder why they are scarce lol.

 

[BoomShroom]

Just got two great pairs of 7193 tubes and the adapter from @DenverW . Big thanks for the quick shipping and careful packaging. I can't succinctly describe the sound in audiophile terms so I'm just gonna say I love them and I'm very happy with my purchase!