Originally Posted by nghows /img/forum/go_quote.gif when you have a moment swop cans, think you'll feel different about the TS...
Yeah, thanks, I will do that. Anyway, I think all the NOS tubes I have sound good, and actually, I do not hear much differences between them. Some are a bit more lush, and some goes deeper but are a bit more loose in bass, but very subtle, at least with the HD650's. I will give the RS-1 a try when I get back home from work.
An increase of the tube colection, but there is still does not amplifier which put them ..
One pair Brimar CV1985 6SL7GTY year 55/56
Chelmer Valve ECC35. I have not found the information on this tube. If someone to know something about these. PLS tell.. but they were so cheap that I took them ..
Pair of RCA JAN-CRC 6SL7GT Smoke Glass date code 3-39
Nice collection. I have a feeling that the Chelmer is very good tubes, but because they do not say Mullard, not many want them. Just like the Valvo's.
I have been on the outlook for the 6D22S, but I am a bit vary to get from other than the man himself, because I have no chance to test them, and they need to be matched.
Originally Posted by nor_spoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have been on the outlook for the 6D22S, but I am a bit vary to get from other than the man himself, because I have no chance to test them, and they need to be matched.
Really. I don't take this into consideration when the purchase of those, and I do not have the tubetester.
Originally Posted by Sture /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really. I don't take this into consideration when the purchase of those, and I do not have the tubetester.
I heard it from the man himself:
"The 6C33C-B's are very low gain tubes, about 1.8. There is feedback around the tubes, so any differences are canceled out. Matching does not matter. The 6D22S rectifier tubes need to be matched, and I do that when the amp is burned in. "
oh dear.... was under the impression matching of the 6d22 not important. where did i get that idea from? never mind, amp still functioning, music still glorious.
if anyone knows whether unmatched 6d22s will DAMAGE the ZD please say so. If it's just a question of sonics, then no biggie cause i obviously can't hear the diff.
Chelmer ecc35: think it's yet another mullard designed relabelled whatever... should sound good and even better when the price is taken into consideration!
Originally Posted by nghows /img/forum/go_quote.gif
oh dear.... was under the impression matching of the 6d22 not important. where did i get that idea from? never mind, amp still functioning, music still glorious.
if anyone knows whether unmatched 6d22s will DAMAGE the ZD please say so. If it's just a question of sonics, then no biggie cause i obviously can't hear the diff.
Chelmer ecc35: think it's yet another mullard designed relabelled whatever... should sound good and even better when the price is taken into consideration!
If I recall correctly, the 6D22S's have something to do with right operation of the 6C33C-B's, so I think it is rather important that they are matched, but the best thing might be to ask Craig himself.
Could you tell us the source of the Chelmers? I have not seen them come up for sale on E-Bay. But maybe I was having a Zana Deux nervana listening moment and not focussing on the computer screen.
Originally Posted by Spektrograf /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been living with the Brimar's for a week, listening through them nightly. I have to say, there is something indescribably "magical" about them. Though I hate the term, "magical", because it's so vague and non-descriptive, I'm using it because it's just something about the presentation of the Brimar's that bring a smile to my face—consistently and regardless of what I'm listening to—and I'm unable to clearly articulate what that is. It's something to do with the articulation and presentation of the midrange, while the bass extends very far down in a viscerally tasty way—you can feel it, while it's not bloated, but rather still very controlled. It's not perfect. In fact, on my setup, on both Brimar's that I have, the soundstage is quite flat, but extremely wide at the same time. With the Brimar, I have no perception of the room or hall. I imagine that it's partly because the highs are not so extended with these. That lack of soundstage has me now tube rolling on a Sunday morning to see if I can get that soundstage back.
First up, the stock Tung-Sol 6SL7GT. Solid performer with extended, but not quite smooth highs, and bass that is quite present, if not just the slightest bit soft on the control side in the midbass region. On the plus side, I just got my soundstage back. Joe Pass now exists in a small cafe in Berkeley. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is now back at Symphony Center; and I don't feel like I'm listening to Janos Starker's cello via the mic feed through a warm mic like a U87, but rather I'm sitting a 5-10' in front of him. With the Tung-Sol 6SL7GT, I'm very glad to have the soundstage and venue information back in the presentation, but I very much miss that "magic" of the Brimar's.
Next up is the Tung-Sol 6SU7GTY. Compared to the the stock Tung-Sol 6SL7GT, I just jumped back several rows in the hall and highs are a bit less extended as the stock 6SL7GT, though at the same time just slightly smoother. The bass seems to be a bit reduced in comparison to the stock 6SL7GT, while being noticeably reduced in comparison to the Brimar's. Treble presentation is crisp and enjoyable, if not just ever so slightly strident. There's something a bit strange going on with the soundstage with these. Soft passages of orchestral music sound distant, while forte passages seem to hit a wall 10-20 feet or so in front of me. Neither of the other two tubes seem to exhibit this phenomena. I'm noticing that trumpets on these sound a just ever so slightly bit nasal as well and not open. Now that I've noticed that, I'm hearing it in Janos' cello, too.
Between these 3 tubes, I absolutely LOVE the Brimar's sound signature. I just wish the highs were extended further and the soundstage had the depth and coherency of the stock 6SL7GT. So, to sum up, the Brimar 6SL7GT/CV1985 to me is a fun, engaging, pleasing tube, while the stock, current model Tung-Sol 6SL7GT showcases a coherent, three dimensional soundstage giving up the fun of Brimar's while having much more treble crispness and articulation as well.
I'm guessing this is unlikely, but if anyone knows of tube that combines the enjoyable aspects of the Brimar while still retaining a coherent three dimensional spatial presentation, PLEASE advise. That would be the ultimate tube for me, indeed!
Good info, will try the Brimar. Did you have to clean the white crud off the pins of your Svetlana 6Cs and run the heaters for 24 hrs+?
Originally Posted by David Pritchard /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could you tell us the source of the Chelmers? I have not seen them come up for sale on E-Bay. But maybe I was having a Zana Deux nervana listening moment and not focussing on the computer screen.
Originally Posted by nor_spoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I recall correctly, the 6D22S's have something to do with right operation of the 6C33C-B's, so I think it is rather important that they are matched, but the best thing might be to ask Craig himself.
So i asked the man himself and he replied 11minutes later:
"Miss matched 6D22s rectifier tubes will cause audible hum in sensitive headphones, or mechanical hum from the power supply chassis. If either or both those conditions happen, change one of the tubes until it goes away"
I don't have either form of hum so i'm good! (and lucky
) Mind you the 6d22s I got were dirt cheap so no problems getting more to swop around and "match"
Do the HD650s count as sensitive headphones? Not an issue anyway since they are my only headphones!! hahaha
Originally Posted by twestby /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good info, will try the Brimar. Did you have to clean the white crud off the pins of your Svetlana 6Cs and run the heaters for 24 hrs+?
-Tim
Actually, no... I found out about the need to clean the oxidation AFTER I sold the tubes... does that and the heater burn-in affect the sound?
Originally Posted by nghows /img/forum/go_quote.gif So i asked the man himself and he replied 11minutes later:
"Miss matched 6D22s rectifier tubes will cause audible hum in sensitive headphones, or mechanical hum from the power supply chassis. If either or both those conditions happen, change one of the tubes until it goes away"
I don't have either form of hum so i'm good! (and lucky
) Mind you the 6d22s I got were dirt cheap so no problems getting more to swop around and "match"
Do the HD650s count as sensitive headphones? Not an issue anyway since they are my only headphones!! hahaha
Hmmm... I do have some faint mechanical hum coming from the power supply. Does anybody else have this? It is not loud, but it is there...
I do not know the answer to that. I do know that Craig does it. Also that the failure rate on 6Cs from some sources is said to be fairly high. I have heard that manufacturing consistency is an issue as is variability with time. All of which may explain why Craig runs them out before he ships. Once I learned all this I sort of felt like I shouldn't have bothered laying in a supply of 6C33C-Bs but rather should just rely on Craig should I ever need a replacement (the need for which, I understand, has been extremely rare). Bear in mind that the only hard data I have personally relate to the two 6Cs in my ZD, and those have run flawlessly, as far as I know; all the rest of the above blather is pure hearsay.
Where are you all getting your tubes? I've searched Ebay, tubeword and tubedepot, and have not found anywhere near the selections that are mentioned here.
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