[mordy]

That's great to hear mordy! Have been closely following the dedicated 6J5 thread and have many tubes on the way. Am excited to hear how the super affordable black metals one sound in particular, have managed to source a pair of most US brands to roll through.

That's interesting for the 6J7 how it can use EL32 adapters, had not considered that. I wonder if there's any complications strapping the pentode into a triode via adapter instead of internally, especially if 6J7 straight --> 6J5 instead of 6SN7. Will keep an eye out for Brimar 6C5/6J7 for sure. Thanks!

I am not sure if the 6J7 can be put straight into a 6J5 socket - I think that the pinout will not match. You may need a dedicated adapter.
If there is hum using the 6J7 in the EL32 adapter (same pinout) you can connect pins 1 and 8 with a little jumper. Pins 1&8 are easy to identify - they are located on each side of the guide pin of the tube.
The metal 6J7 are very inexpensive as well if bought right. RCA, GE and Ken-Rad are good bets for both the 6J7 and 6C5/6J5 all metal tubes. My theory is that these tubes are very inexpensive because there is zero tube glow and they may not look that pretty, especially with a little rust on them (but the rust has no effect on the sound; only on the price!).

 

[UntilThen]

Testing is complete and the amp can now take L63/6J5/6C5 as well as EF86 and EF80 via adapters. Yuking had to do some slight changes to the fixed bias circuitry to facilitate this. Amp will be burned in for a few more days and then shipped out some time next week. Excited!

It sure is starting to look good now. I must confess I didn't like the look of the naked power transformer looks initially but it's starting to grow on me. Even the handle which I question why it would be necessary, has kind of given the LF339i it's own identity.

Now the question would be, how quiet would this amp be with the custom parts and very neat layout be.

Well someday I will have to make my way to Melbourne to sample it. I'm excited for you too. Don't we all when we are about to get a new amp.

 

[UntilThen]

I am not sure if the 6J7 can be put straight into a 6J5 socket - I think that the pinout will not match. You may need a dedicated adapter.
If there is hum using the 6J7 in the EL32 adapter (same pinout) you can connect pins 1 and 8 with a little jumper. Pins 1&8 are easy to identify - they are located on each side of the guide pin of the tube.
The metal 6J7 are very inexpensive as well if bought right. RCA, GE and Ken-Rad are good bets for both the 6J7 and 6C5/6J5 all metal tubes. My theory is that these tubes are very inexpensive because there is zero tube glow and they may not look that pretty, especially with a little rust on them (but the rust has no effect on the sound; only on the price!).

You're right there. Yuking produce the La Figaro 339 in it's standard form to use 6J7 or 5693 as drivers. You can also use EF80 / EF86 using special adapters, either from Yuking or MrsXuLing on ebay.

However he can also customised a La Figaro 339i using 6J5 / L63 as drivers - which is what TinTinSnowDog is getting. Additionally, he has also make it possible to use EF80 and EF86 using adapters in this customised amp. I believe you cannot use 6J7 in this amp but I could be wrong.

ttsd told me that Yuking can customised the amp to use whatever drivers you choose. It's a custom build after all.

 

[mordy]

Ah.... Mordy.... so you're the one who have bought all the good 6J5/6C5 tubes. I must raid your inventory.

Hi UT,
Don't know what your tolerance is for rust lol....Have maybe two dozen of 6C5/6J5 tubes - they are still quite inexpensive, especially if bought in small lots.

I got a Ken-Rad that looked worse than this - covered it up with hi temp self-fusing black silicone tape - sounds just fine.
Hre is what is available today:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=6C5+tube&_sacat=0
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...83077&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=6C5+tube

 

[mordy]

You're right there. Yuking produce the La Figaro 339 in it's standard form to use 6J7 or 5693 as drivers. You can also use EF80 / EF86 using special adapters, either from Yuking or MrsXuLing on ebay.

However he can also customised a La Figaro 339i using 6J5 / L63 as drivers - which is what TinTinSnowDog is getting. Additionally, he has also make it possible to use EF80 and EF86 using adapters in this customised amp. I believe you cannot use 6J7 in this amp but I could be wrong.

ttsd told me that Yuking can customised the amp to use whatever drivers you choose. It's a custom build after all.

You could ask him if you can use the 6J7 with an adapter in the 6J5 sockets - I think that it is entirely possible.

 

[tintinsnowydog]

I am not sure if the 6J7 can be put straight into a 6J5 socket - I think that the pinout will not match. You may need a dedicated adapter.
If there is hum using the 6J7 in the EL32 adapter (same pinout) you can connect pins 1 and 8 with a little jumper. Pins 1&8 are easy to identify - they are located on each side of the guide pin of the tube.
The metal 6J7 are very inexpensive as well if bought right. RCA, GE and Ken-Rad are good bets for both the 6J7 and 6C5/6J5 all metal tubes. My theory is that these tubes are very inexpensive because there is zero tube glow and they may not look that pretty, especially with a little rust on them (but the rust has no effect on the sound; only on the price!).

I'm sure an adapter will be needed. I have only seen 2x EL32--> 6SN7 but not --> 6J5. I'm sure they would be similar. Thanks for the note on hum, will keep that in mind!

It sure is starting to look good now. I must confess I didn't like the look of the naked power transformer looks initially but it's starting to grow on me. Even the handle which I question why it would be necessary, has kind of given the LF339i it's own identity.

Now the question would be, how quiet would this amp be with the custom parts and very neat layout be.

Well someday I will have to make my way to Melbourne to sample it. I'm excited for you too. Don't we all when we are about to get a new amp.

The exposed transformer look definitely will take some getting used to, and I will invest in something to cover up the amp when not in use too. Certainly exciting!

Hi UT,
Don't know what your tolerance is for rust lol....Have maybe two dozen of 6C5/6J5 tubes - they are still quite inexpensive, especially if bought in small lots.

I got a Ken-Rad that looked worse than this - covered it up with hi temp self-fusing black silicone tape - sounds just fine.
Hre is what is available today:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=6C5+tube&_sacat=0
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...83077&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=6C5+tube

It's a fashion statement! And oh how I wish my ebay looked like that, a supermarket range of offerings!

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?...e&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=6c5 this is what it looks like from Australia...

 

[tintinsnowydog]

You could ask him if you can use the 6J7 with an adapter in the 6J5 sockets - I think that it is entirely possible.

I think it is entirely possible too. Will msg yuking to confirm. He is short on some parts right now however that make octal--> octal adapters inconvenient. If EF8x pentodes are possible I'm sure the 6J7s are too. Just would have to check the biasing and such. Will ask mrsxuling on ebay or Deyan on headfi for the adapters once confirmed

 

[UntilThen]

Hi UT,
Don't know what your tolerance is for rust lol....Have maybe two dozen of 6C5/6J5 tubes - they are still quite inexpensive, especially if bought in small lots.

Good lord. I'm very OCD with tube conditions. I would have a fit if that rusty tube is in my inventory haha. But if you have a means to make that tube sing then I guess you can close your eyes and listen to the music.

 

[UntilThen]

There you go. From Down Under

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CBS-Hytron...686786?hash=item1cc8d80dc2:g:f7YAAOSwF7lcWDxs

 

[mordy]

Good lord. I'm very OCD with tube conditions. I would have a fit if that rusty tube is in my inventory haha. But if you have a means to make that tube sing then I guess you can close your eyes and listen to the music.

No need to close the eyes! Took Ol' Rusty to the beauty salon - black pieces of silicone tape and a blue rubber band for the bottom rim did the trick.

The scotch tape is for a handwritten label Ken-Rad 6C5.

 

[UntilThen]

The salon treatment sure make a difference.

 

[mordy]

Here is something prettier - a pair of Brimar 6J7G flanked by an army of 6N12S tubes:

 

[rayshader]

Anyone here with the 336se having moved up to the 339i along the way? I am tempted on replacing my Dv 336se that quit on me recently with the Lafigaro. Is there any hum if any? Usually with the dv the hum disappears with usage depending on the tube. That said I enjoy the dv very much, especially the preout function to the poweramp. Just curious if the 339i preout derives from all the tube stages like the Dv. Thanks.

 

[UntilThen]

I had the 336se very early in my Head-Fi journey. It was my first tube amp purchase. Bought it 2nd hand but it gave me a lot of joy. Along with that I bought my first 2 headphones - hd650 and DT880. 336se can be very erratic with tubes - some tubes would be quiet, others noisy, even though the tubes were ok. But when it had the right tubes in it, boy it sure did rumble.

I move up to the 339 not the 339i and the step up is significant. It's almost double the joy. Fortunately by the time I got the 339, I had a lot more tubes and a lot more that were acceptably quiet and sounding good. With the 339, my ears were opened to what is possible with a good tube amp and headphone. Been through a lot of tube amps since then but the 339 still thrills.

 

[Galapac]

Anyone here with the 336se having moved up to the 339i along the way? I am tempted on replacing my Dv 336se that quit on me recently with the Lafigaro. Is there any hum if any? Usually with the dv the hum disappears with usage depending on the tube. That said I enjoy the dv very much, especially the preout function to the poweramp. Just curious if the 339i preout derives from all the tube stages like the Dv. Thanks.

I still have both. Right now the 336se is used with my record player and my 339i is for my headphones. Both serve their purposes quite nicely. There is hum as there always will be but depending on your tube choices and headphones some combinations are almost negligible. The fun of tube rolling!