Johnnysound
100+ Head-Fier
Quick addition after listening to Paul's Boutique and Lianne LaHavas: the TS can definitely be less offensive to the recording and paint more of a global picture. The Sylvania WGT sounds like it has more gain: a bit louder, with a very big slam, along with the precision which they flush out all the details with—kinda reminds me of the EL12 but without making my ears bleed! The Sylvania WGT is definitely impressive. If I only got the TS I wouldn't be feeling as rewarded for the money I spent.
EDIT: Just to clarify as I'm listening, both can do detail! Or, now that I've heard the Sylvania I can definitely appreciate the TS, if it makes any sense.
IMHO, this is basically a matter of synergy of the drivers with the excellent Mullard 6080. This is a wide bandwith, highly resolving and detailed tube top to bottom, with just a touch of warmth. If you pair it with, say, Siemens C3gs, (that have this same character in spades), then you have maybe too much of a good thing. Bass would be super tight and dynamic, but highs can go over the top sometimes, and overall you got an hyper detailed sound which I personally do not like too much. Both Sylvania WGTs and TS 6SN7s are a much better match, but with the Mullards I would go for the Tung Sols, the good ones have that trademark house sound: not very detailed but round and bold, a wide, dynamic sound with spatial qualities that I value the most. The Mullards, as good as they are (I have a pair of NOS, 65' vintage) can be a bit dry at times, so the TS are a great match. And you do not need over hyped and expensive ones, for example, TS 6SN7GTB, tall bottles from the early or mid fifties are excellent tubes at very reasonable prices, ( just be sure of the vintage) as do are GTB chrome tops Sylvanias of the same era, however with a very different sound.
I feel that the opposite situation (detailed drivers and "mellow" powers) is equally relevant in terms of SQ: if you keep the drivers constant as a reference (C3gs for example) the final flavor is given by the powers, and in 6AS7G territory this is a fascinating experience. The C3g characteristics, among them a super extended, even a bit aggresive top end, are complementary with the somewhat laid back top end of all the 6AS7Gs, including the great 5998. This adds just the right touch of sparkle and liveness. Of course, with the 5998 this is a stellar pair, and I was hooked. As allways happens in this hobby, I regarded all my other 6AS7Gs (some 25 of them) as inferior to the 5998s, and decided to give them a rest, saving some hours on these VERY expensive tubes. I replaced the 5998s with a pair of vintage JAN Chathams that I even forgot I had, and fully expected a much inferior sound. I was totally wrong. Yes, the Chathams do not have quite the extension or ultimate bold and big sound of the 5998s, but are supremely sweeeeeeet tubes, with a very pleasant, relaxed, seductive tonality that I ended enjoying a lot with all types of music. More so than with the 5998s. Tired of so much resolution, perhaps ? Lesson learned.....
Last edited: