[bpiotrow13]

I get my tone added via my holland 6dj8 tubes (and my detail through the gec6as7g) but I appreciate that if you lean towards a warmer sound that can be tackled through other 6080 tubes - and even with inexpensive options

I think the key would be to change driver tubes. Will experiment a bit. As mentioned, maybe I will go for custom OTL, but in any case using 6as7/6080 family

 

[thecrow]

I think the key would be to change driver tubes. Will experiment a bit. As mentioned, maybe I will go for custom OTL, but in any case using 6as7/6080 family

With the wa2 I’ve always described it as the power tubes are the character of the canvas or the base of the painting that you start with and from there the driver tubes adds the extra texture, colour, character. So they both play their role imho

Not sure if much comes from the rectifiers (in a significant manner) as I never went much down that path with my amp

 

[CADCAM]

Can anyone elaborate on the different extensions at the end of Raytheon 6080 tube names? I've seen WA,WC,WB,CK, etc.
thanks for any input

 

[HTSkywalker]

Talking about backup......

Quality tubes you have

 

[HTSkywalker]

The gec6as7g have no comparison.

They are set and forget - with no need to buy or roll any other 6080/6as7g tubes

imho and, at least, for my preferences (with my wa2)

Did you have the chance to compare it to the Chatham ?

 

[thecrow]

Did you have the chance to compare it to the Chatham ?

I have one pair of ts5998 and had one pair of we421a that i had to return due to too much pinging going on.

the we421a was a few years ago. What i remember was they had a bit more energy (i guess more up top) than the ts. Take that memory with a grain of salt but that’s my memory and story and i’m sticking to it.

the ts are better than all otter tubes that i have tried re openness but the gec6as7g are easily another level above. The detail and extension are fantastic

And even tough prices have gone up a lot i would personally pay these prices (say just under $1000 usd) for one very good/nos pair as this suits me to a tee - but that’s the rabbit hole this hobby provides and ymmv

one thing i have found with tubes is quality (again that suits your preferences) over quantity And for me it’s having one of these pairs and a few different driver pairs to roll - eg holland tubes, telefunkens and siemens

 

[gibosi]

Can anyone elaborate on the different extensions at the end of Raytheon 6080 tube names? I've seen WA,WC,WB,CK, etc.
thanks for any input

WA, WB and WC are tubes destined for use by the military, with WA being the earliest and WC being the latest. The differences were likely related to such things as durability, long-life and low noise. These incremental changes typically have little or no effect on the audio sound. But could be important in tubes used in tanks, aircraft and so on.

CK is a branding scheme. I simply means Raytheon. So a CK6080 is simply a Raytheon 6080. That said, I don't think Raytheon manufactured the 6080, 6AS7G or similar. They simply sourced these tubes from other manufactures, such as, Tung-Sol, Bendix or similar.

 

[gibosi]

With the wa2 I’ve always described it as the power tubes are the character of the canvas or the base of the painting that you start with and from there the driver tubes adds the extra texture, colour, character. So they both play their role imho

Not sure if much comes from the rectifiers (in a significant manner) as I never went much down that path with my amp

In my experience, if one has a transparent amp, rectifiers have as much impact on the sound as the drivers or output tubes.

 

[Velozity]

In my experience, if one has a transparent amp, rectifiers have as much impact on the sound as the drivers or output tubes.

^^ This x 100. The rectifier makes a big difference in my GOTL, and once I stumbled on the GEC U18/20 that's the one tube that rarely leaves the amp. It took everything to another level. I even sold the GEC 6AS7G I had and don't necessarily miss them so long as my rectifier stays put.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

First IBM-labeled 5998 I've seen: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125031724910?hash=item1d1c78b76e:g:9e4AAOSwpaxhqUl2

It seems like a proper 5998, domino plates, oval plastic parts at the top, etc. Am I missing something? Decent price too, but of course who knows how used it is.

 

[raindownthunda]

First IBM-labeled 5998 I've seen: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125031724910?hash=item1d1c78b76e:g:9e4AAOSwpaxhqUl2

It seems like a proper 5998, domino plates, oval plastic parts at the top, etc. Am I missing something? Decent price too, but of course who knows how used it is.

Not super common, but weirdly enough there have been ~7-8 of these IBM labeled 5998's on Ebay in the past week alone

 

[gibosi]

First IBM-labeled 5998 I've seen: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125031724910?hash=item1d1c78b76e:g:9e4AAOSwpaxhqUl2

It seems like a proper 5998, domino plates, oval plastic parts at the top, etc. Am I missing something? Decent price too, but of course who knows how used it is.

IBM used these in their early mainframe computers, and they do popup on eBay every so often.

 

[bcowen]

IBM used these in their early mainframe computers, and they do popup on eBay every so often.

Not super common, but weirdly enough there have been ~7-8 of these IBM labeled 5998's on Ebay in the past week alone

Yup. Grabbed one myself. Seller states it tests right at NOS. We'll see once I get it.

 

[HTSkywalker]

WA, WB and WC are tubes destined for use by the military, with WA being the earliest and WC being the latest. The differences were likely related to such things as durability, long-life and low noise. These incremental changes typically have little or no effect on the audio sound. But could be important in tubes used in tanks, aircraft and so on.

CK is a branding scheme. I simply means Raytheon. So a CK6080 is simply a Raytheon 6080. That said, I don't think Raytheon manufactured the 6080, 6AS7G or similar. They simply sourced these tubes from other manufactures, such as, Tung-Sol, Bendix or similar.

Raytheon used to take care of the military supplies mainly by outsourcing them with specific military specs like ruggedness or blackening etc.

 

[Renexx]

I got these 5998s for vacuumtubes.net and they seem NIB to me. Actually I can't tell by the measurements if they test NOS.
Can somebody tell ?

People in another thread made me curious about my purchase because of bad experiences with the tube seller vacuumtubes.net