[Galapac]

Yes you can use 6SN7s in the Elekit TU-8200, but I had beefed up my amp with 2 amp bridge rectifier diodes so I could also use other tubes as well.
https://www.digikey.com/en/products...808?s=N4IgTCBcDaIGwBYCMBaJBmB6UFYUDkAREAXQF8g

I use 6SN7s with 6L6GCs only as that keeps the heat down. I’m afraid to push it any further as I wouldn’t want to damage the transformer.
This setup I use stays cool and allows me to use my 6SN7 tubes.

Got these adapters but Deyan can make you a pair too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/193442652471

 

[lostrockets]

Yes you can use 6SN7s in the Elekit TU-8200, but I had beefed up my amp with 2 amp bridge rectifier diodes so I could also use other tubes as well.
https://www.digikey.com/en/products...808?s=N4IgTCBcDaIGwBYCMBaJBmB6UFYUDkAREAXQF8g

I use 6SN7s with 6L6GCs only as that keeps the heat down. I’m afraid to push it any further as I wouldn’t want to damage the transformer.
This setup I use stays cool and allows me to use my 6SN7 tubes.

Got these adapters but Deyan can make you a pair too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/193442652471

nice! hows the sounds compared to 12au7? and is the bridge rectifier required to use the adapter?

 

[Galapac]

To tell you the truth, I don’t hear much of a difference between the 6SN7 and 12AU7 in this amp.
Others may but I got the adapters because I had a lot of 6SN7s lying around and thought it would be fun to tube roll them in for variety.
I have only had the adapters for about a week so I am still experimenting.
I don’t think the bridge rectifier is required but it does give you a bit more headroom with regards to power.

 

[Mercuttio]

Given recent events, I'm starting to become quite concerned that my tube supplies are going to dry up. At the moment, I only really buy JJ stuff, from Slovakia. I have noticed now that those too are very difficult to find from any of the readily available sources. I have enough to probably last another year, but it is a weird little reminder of greater events taking place. Has anyone else noticed this, and what are folks who use mostly new stock tubes doing to mitigate it?

 

[lostrockets]

To tell you the truth, I don’t hear much of a difference between the 6SN7 and 12AU7 in this amp.
Others may but I got the adapters because I had a lot of 6SN7s lying around and thought it would be fun to tube roll them in for variety.
I have only had the adapters for about a week so I am still experimenting.
I don’t think the bridge rectifier is required but it does give you a bit more headroom with regards to power.

I went ahead and contacted elekit about adapters and they said it wasnt recommended so i wont be using then on my amp but good its working out for yours!

 

[lostrockets]

Given recent events, I'm starting to become quite concerned that my tube supplies are going to dry up. At the moment, I only really buy JJ stuff, from Slovakia. I have noticed now that those too are very difficult to find from any of the readily available sources. I have enough to probably last another year, but it is a weird little reminder of greater events taking place. Has anyone else noticed this, and what are folks who use mostly new stock tubes doing to mitigate it?

I also read that there’d be a shortage of new production russian…and curious if youve considered nos? I was initially against them but my experience has been positive 4 years in, since i first tried them out.

Theres plenty of nos tubes available for the elekit, not only on ebay and tube sellers like jim mcshanen, jesse brent vintage tube supply at reasonable prices thatll last you years

 

[Mercuttio]

I also read that there’d be a shortage of new production russian…and curious if youve considered nos? I was initially against them but my experience has been positive 4 years in, since i first tried them out.

Theres plenty of nos tubes available for the elekit, not only on ebay and tube sellers like jim mcshanen, jesse brent vintage tube supply at reasonable prices thatll last you years

I have done some NOS in the past, but the prices have spiraled so high. I actually liked the basic JJ tube setup more than the more expensive Tung-Sol stuff from Russia. I think mostly I've been expecting to spend around $60 on a full restock of tubes for the unit, but now I'm seeing that price go to $90 on my most recent restock, to over $130 if what I'm looking for is in stock.

What should I expect to pay for NOS tubes, and what is the lifespan like? I run this thing 8+ hours a day 5 days a week. The JJ tubes generally give me a year or so of service.

 

[Galapac]

Given recent events, I'm starting to become quite concerned that my tube supplies are going to dry up. At the moment, I only really buy JJ stuff, from Slovakia. I have noticed now that those too are very difficult to find from any of the readily available sources. I have enough to probably last another year, but it is a weird little reminder of greater events taking place. Has anyone else noticed this, and what are folks who use mostly new stock tubes doing to mitigate it?

Read about it all here:

https://www.gearnews.com/mike-matth...ix-says-no-more-russian-vacuum-tubes-in-2022/

That means all tubes are going up, including Slovak, Chinese, and NOS tubes as Russia was a huge supplier over several brands.

NOS might be higher priced than JJ tubes but they also may last you longer, if you can believe that, as long as they are fairly unused or true NOS.
If you never tried I suggest you do and you may like the sound a lot better.

10 X 5 X 52 = 2,600 hours which is really not a lot for a tube. The new production tubes should last at least 5,000 hours but unfortunately many don't.

 

[Mercuttio]

Read about it all here:

https://www.gearnews.com/mike-matth...ix-says-no-more-russian-vacuum-tubes-in-2022/

That means all tubes are going up, including Slovak, Chinese, and NOS tubes as Russia was a huge supplier over several brands.

NOS might be higher priced than JJ tubes but they also may last you longer, if you can believe that, as long as they are fairly unused or true NOS.
If you never tried I suggest you do and you may like the sound a lot better.

10 X 5 X 52 = 2,600 hours which is really not a lot for a tube. The new production tubes should last at least 5,000 hours but unfortunately many don't.

Huh, good to know on the hours. I may be basing a lot of my projections on life on sets of Tung Sol I had go out after around a year. I haven't had a JJ tube fail me yet, though. Perhaps those will be better.

I just looked at my above comment, and I see I wrote "The JJ tubes generally give me a year or so of service." I mis-typed- I meant Tung Sol here.

 

[lostrockets]

I have done some NOS in the past, but the prices have spiraled so high. I actually liked the basic JJ tube setup more than the more expensive Tung-Sol stuff from Russia. I think mostly I've been expecting to spend around $60 on a full restock of tubes for the unit, but now I'm seeing that price go to $90 on my most recent restock, to over $130 if what I'm looking for is in stock.

What should I expect to pay for NOS tubes, and what is the lifespan like? I run this thing 8+ hours a day 5 days a week. The JJ tubes generally give me a year or so of service.

i hear you and thats some heavy use! maybe consider asking a vendor if you buy a lot of tubes for a bulk discount ?

 

[Mercuttio]

Hey so this is a REAL stupid question, but-
If I don't have speakers connected to the back of this unit, and it's on without a headphone connected to it, could that potentially damage it? Say, using it as JUST a headphone amplifier? I've always heard people talk about running units without a load attached as being bad.

 

[jerick70]

Hey so this is a REAL stupid question, but-
If I don't have speakers connected to the back of this unit, and it's on without a headphone connected to it, could that potentially damage it? Say, using it as JUST a headphone amplifier? I've always heard people talk about running units without a load attached as being bad.

I don’t think so. I leave my solid state Burson Conductor 3XR on all the time and have never had an issue.

Now tube headphone amps are a different story. I wouldn’t recommend leaving one on because if one of the tubes shorts or blows when you’re not there it could burn down your house. It’s not going to damage your amp if there isn’t a load on it though.

 

[lostrockets]

was listening to some liszt today and noticed some distortion.

its only audible on some of the busier sections of some songs like "Années de pèlerinage I, S. 160: No. 6, Vallée d'Obermann" but it sounds pretty bad when it happens.

anyone else know what could be causing it?

obviously if i lower the volume it goes away.

not sure if its the elekit or the tubes or the speakers or something else.

any ideas what it could be ?

 

[jerick70]

was listening to some liszt today and noticed some distortion.

its only audible on some of the busier sections of some songs like "Années de pèlerinage I, S. 160: No. 6, Vallée d'Obermann" but it sounds pretty bad when it happens.

anyone else know what could be causing it?

obviously if i lower the volume it goes away.

not sure if its the elekit or the tubes or the speakers or something else.

any ideas what it could be ?

I’ve had issues like this with certain recordings. But it’s really a crap shot to guess. Post your whole audio chain including tubes, interconnects, and headphone cable + headphones.

 

[lostrockets]

I’ve had issues like this with certain recordings. But it’s really a crap shot to guess. Post your whole audio chain including tubes, interconnects, and headphone cable + headphones.

I figured it out. I tried first replacing the drivers (mullard nos with new prod gold lions) helped a little. Then tried replacing gold lion kt66 (which i enjoy for electronic music thanks to the extra bass) with tung sol 7581s and this helped as well. What eliminated the distortion completely was switching from triode to UL!