[gibosi]

  EI 6HM5.  Are these them? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6HM5-6HA5-EC90
Do I need to worry about balance? I see all these " matched " tubes on ebay, but I read somewhere in this thread that that doesn't really mean much.

 
Those are the ones. And in my opinion, spending extra to purchase "matched pairs" for LD driver tubes is a waste of money. As long as they were made in the same factory at about the same time, they will be fine.

 

[CITIZENLIN]

   
The KT88 is a single beam tetrode and it will not work in the LD....  
 
You might want to simply put new tubes in the Fisher. After 15 years, I would say it is about time....  And as to getting a "nice headphone amp", if you follow Hypnos1's lead, your LD will in fact be a very nice headphone amp.

May be I should get new set of tubes for the Fisher. I do like my LD MK IV a lot before I got into tube rolling fever. What are your have your favorite " BUDGET 6SN7s"? 

 

[CollectoR13]

Those are the ones. And in my opinion, spending extra to purchase "matched pairs" for LD driver tubes is a waste of money. As long as they were made in the same factory at about the same time, they will be fine.

Absolutely right, i've made the same experience.
To gravit: have fun with those 6hm5, they will sure be a upgrade from the voskhods (which i also had and loved, till i upgraded lol)!
But remember, these are also more neutral than the voskhods, so they might sound not as exciting at first, but keep burning them in and listen to them some hours, they will get better and better with time.
I also experienced that with my change from the voskhods to the c3g.

 

[CollectoR13]

May be I should get new set of tubes for the Fisher. I do like my LD MK IV a lot before I got into tube rolling fever. What are your have your favorite " BUDGET 6SN7s"? 

I have some sylvania black plates from 50s with 3 holes on one side and 2 on the other which are sounding perfect!
Got them for around 30$

Here is a link of how they look like and a review: http://www.tubemaze.info/sylvania-6sn7gt-black-flat-plates/

 

[CITIZENLIN]

  Thanks so much for the help!  Well I can't seem to find any 

6N6P-IR tubes on ebay, so I guess that decision made itself haha.
 
EI 6HM5.  Are these them? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6HM5-6HA5-EC90
Do I need to worry about balance? I see all these " matched " tubes on ebay, but I read somewhere in this thread that that doesn't really mean much.

Hi Gravit8
 
I recently purchased 6n6p-IR from ebay.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N6P-IR-ECC99-E182CC-Matched-Pair-High-DurableDoubleTriode-Gold-Grid-NOS-OTK-/171310973012?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item27e2ee0054

 

[gibosi]

  May be I should get new set of tubes for the Fisher. I do like my LD MK IV a lot before I got into tube rolling fever. What are your have your favorite " BUDGET 6SN7s"? 

 
My favorite "BUDGET 6SN7's":
 
Tung-Sol, Sylvania, Raytheon, and for a fuller, warmer sound, RCA

 

[Gravit8]

Hi gravit!

After my long abstinence here, i have to say that i found my endgame tubes.
Many have now found that the Siemens c3gs as driver tube outrule most other tubes in areas like tansparacy and neutrality.
I also listen to much rock and i have to say, neutrality is not bad for rock at all! It might sound less "interesting" at first, but after a while you notice all the little details you didn't hear before.
Also the position of the instruments is much better defined.
So my advice is clear,try to get some c3gs!

As for power tubes, i tried the 6sn7 tubes, which seem to provide extra power and dynamics the amp was missing till then. In combination with the c3g, this is my endgame combo.
But i might try some 6f8g in the future... Who knows?

Those do sound nice, but I don't think I'll be looking in that price range for a little bit, I wana try some of the cheaper tubes first ^.^
Interesting on the 6sn7 tubes, they're pretty reasonable as well.  Is there a recommended brand or anything?  How are these > ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-MATCHED-BLACK
Thanks for the help!

 

[hypnos1]

  Thanks so much for the help!  Well I can't seem to find any 

6N6P-IR tubes on ebay, so I guess that decision made itself haha.
 
EI 6HM5.  Are these them? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6HM5-6HA5-EC90
Do I need to worry about balance? I see all these " matched " tubes on ebay, but I read somewhere in this thread that that doesn't really mean much.

 
Hi Gravit8.
 
Ditto re gibosi's comments...plus I and a few others got these 6HM5s from this seller - btw, I offered $5 ea and he accepted! These are hard to beat as a (cheap) straight replacement, on EF95 setting.
But if you can beg, steal or borrow the necessary $, as Collector13 said you should try for the C3G - this tube (or the 'S' version if the price is right) is streets ahead of the 6HM5. And now there are adapters available on ebay (admittedly not cheap), it is an option for those who are not into much DIY, lol! I have been plugging this tube for a long while now, and thankfully all who have tried it have sung its praises. It takes the LD to a whole new level. And even more so if you can go the route of 6SN7 as power tube...again there are adapters available on ebay.

 

[Gravit8]

   
Hi Gravit8.
 
Ditto re gibosi's comments...plus I and a few others got these 6HM5s from this seller - btw, I offered $5 ea and he accepted! These are hard to beat as a (cheap) straight replacement, on EF95 setting.
But if you can beg, steal or borrow the necessary $, as Collector13 said you should try for the C3G - this tube (or the 'S' version if the price is right) is streets ahead of the 6HM5. And now there are adapters available on ebay (admittedly not cheap), it is an option for those who are not into much DIY, lol! I have been plugging this tube for a long while now, and thankfully all who have tried it have sung its praises. It takes the LD to a whole new level. And even more so if you can go the route of 6SN7 as power tube...again there are adapters available on ebay.

Thanks for the advice!  The ones I saw on ebay were about $70 for two? Does that sound right?
So you'd need an adapter for the C3G, but not the 6SN7, correct? EDIT : nevermind, I found the answer earlier in the thread.

 

[gibosi]

  Thanks for the advice!  The ones I saw on ebay were about $70 for two? Does that sound right?
So you'd need an adapter for the C3G, but not the 6SN7, correct? EDIT : nevermind, I found the answer earlier in the thread.

 
About $70 for a pair seems to be the going price these days. And here is an earlier post to help you get started:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide/6000#post_10512665

 

[hypnos1]

Yet another update on the 6AS7G as power tube saga...sorry folks!
 
Just as I thought the C3G had delivered all the splendour it could, once again I am in total awe...replaced the RCAs with a pair of Chathams (= Tung Sol), and even more lovely rich bass, plus extra detail all round. A true match made in heaven. And at $20 ea from vacuumtubes.net, a VERY reasonable buy (thanks, gibosi!)...I think I may actually now have achieved total end-game - after a good few of them lol!
 
ps. Get yourselves a MKIV SE guys and be done with it!! MERRY CHRISTMAS 

.

 

[gibosi]

  Interesting on the 6sn7 tubes, they're pretty reasonable as well.  Is there a recommended brand or anything?  How are these > ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-MATCHED-BLACK

 
For those just getting started with 6SN7's:
 
head-fi 6SN7 reference thread
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/117677/the-reference-6sn7-thread
 
head-fi 6SN7 identification thread
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/209782/the-6sn7-identification-guide

 

[Gravit8]

   
Those are the ones. And in my opinion, spending extra to purchase "matched pairs" for LD driver tubes is a waste of money. As long as they were made in the same factory at about the same time, they will be fine.

Is there anything I should do with the seller asking for tubes from the same box/date?  I figure no matter what tubes I might get in the future, I'd pick these up, they're so cheap!

 

[MIKELAP]

  Is there anything I should do with the seller asking for tubes from the same box/date?  I figure no matter what tubes I might get in the future, I'd pick these up, they're so cheap!

Heres a link for 6N6PIR tubes they are $13.00 each + shipping from Russia               http://tubes-store.com/index.php?cPath=30_78&page=2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

[CITIZENLIN]

   
For those just getting started with 6SN7's:
 
head-fi 6SN7 reference thread
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/117677/the-reference-6sn7-thread
 
head-fi 6SN7 identification thread
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/209782/the-6sn7-identification-guide

Thanks gibosi. Haha I did read them and yet still asking questions here. Do you have suggestion on c3g, c3gs ? source and reasonable prices?? buy a set or buy 4 to save few bucks?