[Scutey]

  Any opinion on the Novoisbirsk power tubes? I just picked them up and they sound pretty good so far! Am i crazy to say i feel like i got more soundstage by rolling these guys in over the stock power tubes?

Hi pichu

No you're not crazy!. By Novosibirsk I assume you mean the 6n6p?, in which case you have a good power tube, I find them to have a warmer, more of a fun sound with powerful bass, there is a general consensus that the 6n6p-ir has the edge sonically but only by a small amount. But IMO there is nothing wrong with the 6n6p.

 

[gulakpi]

  Hi pichu

No you're not crazy!. By Novosibirsk I assume you mean the 6n6p?, in which case you have a good power tube, I find them to have a warmer, more of a fun sound with powerful bass, there is a general consensus that the 6n6p-ir has the edge sonically but only by a small amount. But IMO there is nothing wrong with the 6n6p.

Hello Scutey,
From the pictures you posted, you've been using 6SN7 as power tubes on your LD.  
I'm also using a pair of PSvane 6SN7UK too. 
Will you share your experience with your 6SN7 rolling?

 

[lglions]

  Hello Scutey,
From the pictures you posted, you've been using 6SN7 as power tubes on your LD.  
I'm also using a pair of PSvane 6SN7UK too. 
Will you share your experience with your 6SN7 rolling?

Not Scutey, but I tried 6SN7s in my LD MK3.
 
Liked them with high impedance HPs (tried with 600 Ohm Beyers). And they didn't work with low impedance HPs (clear sound deformation, rattling etc. on Oppo and Fostex). I tried two sets of 6SN7s.
 
So I shelved them and now use 6n6p-ir. The best power tube for my ears.

 

[Scutey]

  Hello Scutey,
From the pictures you posted, you've been using 6SN7 as power tubes on your LD.  
I'm also using a pair of PSvane 6SN7UK too. 
Will you share your experience with your 6SN7 rolling?

​Hi gulakpi,
 
Yes I have been using 3 sets of different 6SN7's the Electro Harmonix 6SN7, Philips JAN6SN7WGTA,  and PSVANE UK-6SN7, my experience has been that it is a more linear, more refined than 6N6P and IR, I would say more clarity/detail with good soundstage, one thing I have noticed, maybe this is just my experience but they seem to be less forgiving, more revealing of older, or poorer recordings than the 6N6 type.
 
Of my 3 sets I would say the Philips JAN is the most audiophile, a tad cool, detailed highs and mids, with decent but not powerful bass, I found these to be very good with classical, acoustic, and some rock, the PSVANE a bit warmer, smooth high's, for me, don't extend quite as much as the Philips, smooth mids, a touch less detail, but more airy, and just a tad more in the bass, the Electro Harmonix is the most fun sounding, closest sounding to the 6N6P and IR, a bit rougher round the edges than the other two, highs can be a bit too extended, good fairly detailed mids and the most powerful bass of the three, I find these the best for rock/metal or anything more aggressive/fast.
 
Although I do like the 6SN7 for the last week i've been back on the 6N6P-IR and I have to say sonically, for me at least there is very little difference, what they lack in a tad less refinement they make up for with having a more energetic fun sound, which I think I prefer, they're also, at least what I listen to a bit more forgiving of some recordings over the 6SN7, so if you're after the extra refinement, more audiophile sound then I think the 6SN7 is the way to go, especially paired with either the C3G, or the EI 6HM5, if not then you can't go too far wrong with the 6N6P-IR, or even the 6N6P, please bear in mind that this is just my opinion, for what it's worth! .

 

[gulakpi]

Thank you Iglions and Scutey,
 
My Mk 4 came with a pair of EH 6H30Pi.
I've been rolling many driver tubes as suggested on this thread and have been enjoying the process!
For power tubes, I only have the (stock) 6H30Pi and 2 pairs of 6SN7 I have on hand.  One pair is the PSVane UK-6SN7 and the other is Russian 6N8P. The PSVane sounds a tad better in the mid and is a bit more airy than the Russian 6N8P.
As you have mentioned, the PSVane sounds silky smooth on my 300 ohm Senns, but I have serious distortions heard on my other 62 ohm AKGs (K702 and K550), which I like much.  I would like to find out if any other 6SN7's have better results when used on low-Z cans, and it was just my 2 pairs.
 
Thanks for the reply!   I have not tried the 6N6P/ir tubes yet and for sure I will get some to try and see if they are better than the 6H30Pi, which I think have 2000+ hours already.  Time to try new tubes!  
 
For driver tubes, my preference is still the C3g and 6HM5, and the M8100.  I already have more than a dozen sets of driver tubes. I do find the JAN 5654 stock tubes are not bad at all.  I'm waiting for the last components to build my 6DJ8/12AX7 adapters.  I will post photos when its ready!

 

[pichu]

Currently the only driver tubes ive rolled into are the Jan 5654w, if i were only to pick up another driver tube ( finance/budget issues ), what should i pick up?

 

[gibosi]

  I would like to find out if any other 6SN7's have better results when used on low-Z cans, and it was just my 2 pairs.

 
I doubt it...
 
Low-Z cans, especially inefficient low-Z cans, require a lot of current. And the 6SN7 simply isn't up to the job. While not a perfect predictor, the amount of required heater current often correlates pretty well with the amount of DC current the tube can provide to the headphone driver.
 
The 6SN7 draws 0.6A whereas the 6H30Pi draws 0.9A. By comparison, a 6AS7 draws 2.5A. making it the tube of choice for many OTL designs. And in a very few amps, the 6336 and 6528, which draw 5.0A, are able to drive low-Z cans with considerable authority.
 
However, the LD is limited to about 1.0A of heater current. And even with the use of an external heater power supply, the amount of DC current running through a 6AS7 may well overheat the internal circuitry of the LD, so this is not something I would encourage.
 
In addition to tubes like the 6H30, you might want to consider the 5687 and 7044, both of which draw 0.9A. These will do a better job than the 6SN7 with low-Z cans, similar to the 6H30, but also require pin-adapters.

 

[gulakpi]

Thank you much for clarifying this Gibosi!
 
I guess I will use my PSVane 6SN7 for my Senns, and replace my tired 6H30Pi with some 6N6P-ir when I want to use my AKGs.
I will try to roll some other 6SN7 too, just to find out if this makes any differences.  I just like the look (and sound as well) of the PSVane coke bottles!  

 

[Scutey]

If you want to try another, the EI 6HM5 is very good, and cheap too!.

 

[OctavianH]

My Yugoslavia 6HM5 arrived yesterday. Compared to the Voskhods they are a little bit bigger. But no year on them, only "YUGOSLAVIA 6HM5". So that's it. Since they were cheap I bought 6 pieces but I cannot tell when I will try them, since my current setup seems perfect.
 

 

[Scutey]

  My Yugoslavia 6HM5 arrived yesterday. Compared to the Voskhods they are a little bit bigger. But no year on them, only "YUGOSLAVIA 6HM5". So that's it. Since they were cheap I bought 6 pieces but I cannot tell when I will try them, since my current setup seems perfect.
 

​I think they were mostly made in the 80's, mostly for military use.

 

[lglions]

  My Yugoslavia 6HM5 arrived yesterday. Compared to the Voskhods they are a little bit bigger. But no year on them, only "YUGOSLAVIA 6HM5". So that's it. Since they were cheap I bought 6 pieces but I cannot tell when I will try them, since my current setup seems perfect.
 

I believe these tubes would've won or tied "Best Value" award for LD amp. But as of "Best Overall" - I don't think the'd be at the top.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Anyone remember this tube?I can't remember what it's called.THANKS!

 

[MIKELAP]

  Anyone remember this tube?I can't remember what it's called.THANKS!

mordy played with those tubes 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

I recall few of us tried this tube i think TD have this one too i just can't remember what it's called.