La Figaro 339
Nov 29, 2018 at 12:13 PM Post #4,401 of 6,900
This crap is so confusing, I couldn’t find any info on 300b/274b tubes with this amp after hours of searching. The morons internationally invented 70 trillion names for one type of tube which adds to the confusion
 
Nov 29, 2018 at 9:47 PM Post #4,404 of 6,900
Ok I read parts of this discussion, and I think I’m going with the 6SJ7WGT////5998 combination based on what I’ve read. If someone can find a better combo, let me know, thanks.

I nearly bought a $1500 Elrog pair by mistake until someone saved me
 
Nov 29, 2018 at 10:30 PM Post #4,405 of 6,900
Thanks, are you sure? Based upon the picture, it looked like it could. Oh well.

What’s the best possible tube replacement for this amp then? Price no object

Based upon what pictures? Not sure how you're going to plug in a 4 pin directly heated triode into an amp with octal sockets. Read the thread, tubes have been covered time and time again. If you're ordering from Massdrop then ignore anything to do with 6C5/L63/6J5.
 
Nov 30, 2018 at 5:27 PM Post #4,408 of 6,900
Ok I read parts of this discussion, and I think I’m going with the 6SJ7WGT////5998 combination based on what I’ve read. If someone can find a better combo, let me know, thanks.

I nearly bought a $1500 Elrog pair by mistake until someone saved me
The Tung Sol 5998 tubes are a pretty safe bet. If money is no object, stay on the lookout for GEC 6AS7 tubes such as these (I'm not endorsing this eBay seller, link is for example purposes):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1MP-6AS7G-...h=item2cdc10e822:g:uuEAAOSw7fBbozOZ:rk:1:pf:0

Those GEC tubes, the Western Electric 421a, and Bendix 6AS7 are all supposed to be the best. I've never heard any of them so I cannot say if I agree or not. I do have the Tung Sol 5998 tubes and am very happy with them.

For classical music, Tung Sol 7236 + RCA 5693 tubes are a great combo and aren't crazy expensive. Worth trying if you listen to any classical or acoustic music.

I do agree that overall I like 6SJ7 driver tubes best but the specific tube (brand) matters a lot. If you're new to tubes, worth noting the WGT part isn't an essential part of the classification. I don't remember what the "W" stands for but "GT" means "Glass Tube".

My favorite driver paired with the 5998 are the Philips 6SJ7 tubes. They don't show up often but are affordable when they do. I think the Sylvania 6SJ7 tubes are the same but I'm not 100% sure. Those driver tubes have stronger mid-bass and give music a fuller sound for my taste. I've tried a few EF86 driver tubes but don't understand the hype. Perhaps I didn't try good ones or my taste doesn't match. If you decide to try EF86, you'll also need adapters which you can purchase directly from the manufacturer of the amp:
http://www.yuking09.com/product/6j4p-to-ef86-adapter/

A notable mention is the Chantham Tung Sol 6080 tube. Very strong bass (I found them overpowering paired with the Philips 6SJ7 tubes) and not as crazy expensive when you can find them.

I hope that helps, the challenge with tubes is "the best" will vary depending on your taste.
 
Nov 30, 2018 at 5:56 PM Post #4,409 of 6,900
Ok I read parts of this discussion, and I think I’m going with the 6SJ7WGT////5998 combination based on what I’ve read. If someone can find a better combo, let me know, thanks.

I nearly bought a $1500 Elrog pair by mistake until someone saved me

With a budget of $1500, you can easily just start from two 5998 and two 6SJ7WGT, then ....
 
Nov 30, 2018 at 5:57 PM Post #4,410 of 6,900
Thanks Josh, the total of the set you have is about $350 ($300 for 5998 and $50 for 6sj7).

The GEC pair in your link is from India, no thank you. International deals are a big headache. The WE421a pair is about $460 on eBay so I might get that. I’m putting my faith in your hands.
 

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