[gibosi]

  If someone made a table of contents for everything and anything to do with little dot tube rolling, that would be amazing!
 
Thank you.

 
Yes, it would! Would you like to volunteer to do this for us? lol
 
In the meantime, I use the "Search This Thread" tool that is available at the top and bottom of every page. For example, I can search for every mention of "6DJ8", and if I click on "Advanced search options", I can narrow my search down to a specific user and a specific time frame. I find this to be a very powerful tool to search for information in threads such as this with several hundred posts.

 

[hypnos1]

  I just got my RCA 6DT6A's as recommended a few pages back.  All I can say is wow these sound amazing out of the box, I prefer them to my Mullard 8100, and I got two of them for $8 shipped.

 
Hi Kim.
 
Glad you like these tubes...and yes, you MUST also try the 6HM5s on your MK111, EF95 setting - an even bigger WOW! (Please see below...).
 
Hi all.
 
Before I fly off into dble triode land, final reflections on the 6HM5s ( Ei Yugoslavia). Have just had a minor shock after burning in my second pair...they are from the same batch of 100 tubes (ebayer tachonz, Serbia) with identical codes, and where the first were amazing, but with a slightly lighter bass kick than some others we have all(?) tried up until now - not counting double triodes, that is - the bass on this second pair SURPASSES all those I have known. I could not believe my ears... how could this be? This just goes to prove once and for all that so much of what we receive from our tubes is down to LUCK OF THE DRAW!..Another good reason to buy more than just one pair at a time?
 
Also had final confirmation that so often we have no surefire certainty re the true origins of a tube, via a statement/admission on  youtube links to 2 videos on tube manufacture at Ei Yugoslavia (posted on the Serbian tachonz site), viz : Ei even put on other peoples' codes so 'they' can be sure of the quality! So once 'Yugoslavia' - or similar - has worn off/been removed (who said that?!) the code would have you thinking otherwise...food for thought?
 
Happy (lottery?) rolling everyone!

 

[siles1991]

   
Hi Kim.
 
Glad you like these tubes...and yes, you MUST also try the 6HM5s on your MK111, EF95 setting - an even bigger WOW! (Please see below...).
 
Hi all.
 
Before I fly off into dble triode land, final reflections on the 6HM5s ( Ei Yugoslavia). Have just had a minor shock after burning in my second pair...they are from the same batch of 100 tubes (ebayer tachonz, Serbia) with identical codes, and where the first were amazing, but with a slightly lighter bass kick than some others we have all(?) tried up until now - not counting double triodes, that is - the bass on this second pair SURPASSES all those I have known. I could not believe my ears... how could this be? This just goes to prove once and for all that so much of what we receive from our tubes is down to LUCK OF THE DRAW!..Another good reason to buy more than just one pair at a time?
 
Also had final confirmation that so often we have no surefire certainty re the true origins of a tube, via a statement/admission on  youtube links to 2 videos on tube manufacture at Ei Yugoslavia (posted on the Serbian tachonz site), viz : Ei even put on other peoples' codes so 'they' can be sure of the quality! So once 'Yugoslavia' - or similar - has worn off/been removed (who said that?!) the code would have you thinking otherwise...food for thought?
 
Happy (lottery?) rolling everyone!

Was wondering what 6HM5 tubes would be cool to try. Been staring intently at Sylvania's since i've had really good results from sylvania all this while. BUT the RCA 6DT6A's brought the house down xD so was thinking if I should go for a RCA instead hmmm....if the same seller had sylvania and RCA together would be really great haha as since shipping is terribly expensive for me. Though the Sylvie's look short so i'm skeptical about it haha, unless its just the picture that made it look puny.
 
I'm still looking for someone who would allow me to send them some of the tubes i buy and help me repack them together so it'd be cheaper to ship over to me.

 

[gibosi]

  Was wondering what 6HM5 tubes would be cool to try. Been staring intently at Sylvania's since i've had really good results from sylvania all this while. BUT the RCA 6DT6A's brought the house down xD so was thinking if I should go for a RCA instead hmmm....if the same seller had sylvania and RCA together would be really great haha as since shipping is terribly expensive for me. Though the Sylvie's look short so i'm skeptical about it haha, unless its just the picture that made it look puny.

 
I have a pair of RCA 6HM5 and in my opinion, they are not worth buying. Mine are short and squat, like a 6AK5, and they were made by Siemens. Since I do not believe that RCA made any of these tubes, it is most likely that any RCAs you find were made by another manufacturer. I have not heard the Sylvanias, but I do have a couple pair of GEs, made in Great Britain, and I recommend them to you. 

 

[Sony Slave]

   
I have two kinds of adapters. The pictured adapter is a little cheaper and simpler, but otherwise, they are essentially the same. There is a long machine screw that extends from top of the adapter and secured with a small nut in the bottom, between the pins. So you simply take it apart.... 
 

 
This particular adapter is setup for 2-7 pentodes. I used 30 gauge wrapping wire, wrapped and soldered around pins 7 and 2. For these dual triodes, you would need to add another piece of wire to connect pins 6 and 1. Also, for dual triodes, I simply cut pins 6 and 7 short so they do not extend through the bottom of the adapter and into the socket.
 
Oh, and make sure there is some slack in the wire as it crosses over the hole for the machine screw. On one adapter, the wire was a bit too tight, and when I tried to insert the machine screw, I broke the wire.... (>_<)
 

Where can I buy the adpters, I searched for them on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/vacuum-tube-adapter
 
Which ones do I buy, and are the tall ones better than the short ones in terms of sound?
 
I would like the ones above.

 

[wje]

In the whole thread there is an amazing assemblage of excellent knowledge, if you start at the begining, it is very rewarding. There is also a thread for the LD 1+ as well, which is also chock full of great information about your amplifier.

 
You are very correct.  There are a few great, longer threads on the forum here that have sustained the test of time over a period of years.  One really has to essentially read many of the posts because to try and get brought up to speed with the Cliff's Notes version is virtually impossible.  People can give a few tips and be succinct, but there will still be a lot of "golden nuggets" of information that will be missed.
 
With that being said, my Little Dot I+ has been fine for several weeks with the stock tubes and I had planned to spend more time in this thread to catch up on the variants.  But, last evening, I realized I was getting periodic static in one of the channels every minute or two.  I believe one tube might be on its way out, so now's as good of time as any to hop in an get my feet wet with the tubes.  Also, the option of seeking Op-Amp variations is interesting, too.  This is the 2nd time I've owned the Little Dot I+, but never tried other tubes.  Soon ... Soon.

 

[Edgard Varese]

   
You are very correct.  There are a few great, longer threads on the forum here that have sustained the test of time over a period of years.  One really has to essentially read many of the posts because to try and get brought up to speed with the Cliff's Notes version is virtually impossible.  People can give a few tips and be succinct, but there will still be a lot of "golden nuggets" of information that will be missed.
 
With that being said, my Little Dot I+ has been fine for several weeks with the stock tubes and I had planned to spend more time in this thread to catch up on the variants.  But, last evening, I realized I was getting periodic static in one of the channels every minute or two.  I believe one tube might be on its way out, so now's as good of time as any to hop in an get my feet wet with the tubes.  Also, the option of seeking Op-Amp variations is interesting, too.  This is the 2nd time I've owned the Little Dot I+, but never tried other tubes.  Soon ... Soon.

 
One of my 6A2P heptodes was a little scratchy last night... (I have a lot of spares).  I swapped them out and put in the IBM 6BE6 pair I got, which I immediately discovered to be microphonic.  I will give them a proper listen though (I usually leave a new pair in for a week or so and then swap them).

 

[TrollDragon]

   
You are very correct.  There are a few great, longer threads on the forum here that have sustained the test of time over a period of years.  One really has to essentially read many of the posts because to try and get brought up to speed with the Cliff's Notes version is virtually impossible.  People can give a few tips and be succinct, but there will still be a lot of "golden nuggets" of information that will be missed.
 
With that being said, my Little Dot I+ has been fine for several weeks with the stock tubes and I had planned to spend more time in this thread to catch up on the variants.  But, last evening, I realized I was getting periodic static in one of the channels every minute or two.  I believe one tube might be on its way out, so now's as good of time as any to hop in an get my feet wet with the tubes.  Also, the option of seeking Op-Amp variations is interesting, too.  This is the 2nd time I've owned the Little Dot I+, but never tried other tubes.  Soon ... Soon.

Welcome to the thread wje!
 
Acapella11 here has researched and compiled an excellent table on page 77 that lists all the current tubes that have been tested and the modes they operate in. Many members have a favorite tube or set of tubes that will plug right in. Recently experimenting with dual triodes that require modified B7G socket extenders is the order of the day with much room for modding.
 
You'll find lots of choices and options here!

 

[gibosi]

  Where can I buy the adpters, I searched for them on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/vacuum-tube-adapter
 
Which ones do I buy, and are the tall ones better than the short ones in terms of sound?
 
I would like the ones above.

 
Sonically, it makes no difference which ones you use.
 
I purchased the short ones from Leeds Radio:
 
Test socket 7 pin miniature for $8.00 each.
 
http://leedsradio.com/parts-sockets.html#savers
 
And the tall ones from RadioDaze:
 
7 pin Vector socket adapter with test points, SKA-7-B, for $5.00 each
 
http://www.radiodaze.com/product/15450.aspx

 

[Sony Slave]

   
Sonically, it makes no difference which ones you use.
 
I purchased the short ones from Leeds Radio:
 
Test socket 7 pin miniature for $8.00 each.
 
http://leedsradio.com/parts-sockets.html#savers
 
And the tall ones from RadioDaze:
 
7 pin Vector socket adapter with test points, SKA-7-B, for $5.00 each
 
http://www.radiodaze.com/product/15450.aspx

I found the product from leedsradio, now how do I buy it, do I just contact them via telephone?

 

[gibosi]

  I found the product from leedsradio, now how do I buy it, do I just contact them via telephone?

 
I used email -- sales@leedsradio.com and they sent me a paypal invoice.

 

[hypnos1]

  Was wondering what 6HM5 tubes would be cool to try. Been staring intently at Sylvania's since i've had really good results from sylvania all this while. BUT the RCA 6DT6A's brought the house down xD so was thinking if I should go for a RCA instead hmmm....if the same seller had sylvania and RCA together would be really great haha as since shipping is terribly expensive for me. Though the Sylvie's look short so i'm skeptical about it haha, unless its just the picture that made it look puny.
 
I'm still looking for someone who would allow me to send them some of the tubes i buy and help me repack them together so it'd be cheaper to ship over to me.

 
Hi siles.
 
Can wholeheartedly recommend the ones I have been talking about ie Ei Yugoslavia, as per gibosi's Ei 6HM5 link on page 225, post # 3366. They have accepted my offers of $5 per tube and state FREE worldwide shipping - what more can you ask?..worth every penny/cent!! (There are also links at the bottom of their page to interesting videos from the Ei factory).
 
Happy rolling...

 

[Sony Slave]

   
I used email -- sales@leedsradio.com and they sent me a paypal invoice.

Thanks.
I just found a vendor who is selling 6AV6 tubes in bulk for cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6AV6-Vacuum-Tube-NOS-Worldwide-Shipping-Available-/231060567083
 
Do the GE amd RCA tubes sound any different? He said that you can message him and pick your desired tubes.

 

[Sony Slave]

  Looks like theres 2 mods  one is this by AFB :
Yes, basically you are trying to use only the first triode in the tube, so all the leftover pins need to be neutralized or at least out of the way. So, pins 1, 2, 3 & 9 of the 6BQ7A need to be bent or cut, while pins 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 can be inserted in a sequence into the socket hole 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 of your adapter. Next, you just have to link/solder pin 6 to pin 1, and pin 7 to pin 2 on the adapter (with pins 6 & 7 disconnected at the base), and voila! You get a single 7-pin triode!
 
Gibosi actually summed it up better than I can in his post:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide/3145
And on post #3145 at the bottom gibosi speaks of a wiring harness that is linked to another socket with no tube this mod using the 2 triodes of the tube instead of one if i am not mistaken in the first mod. One thing thats not clear in 2nd mod  is the ground part is that settled ? Thats what i think i know am i correct ? A complete procedure would be great in time when everything is settled and clear.

In your or anyone else's experience, what is the best 6AV6 tubes out there in terms of soundstage, treble and detail? 

 

[gibosi]

  Thanks.
I just found a vendor who is selling 6AV6 tubes in bulk for cheap.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6AV6-Vacuum-Tube-NOS-Worldwide-Shipping-Available-/231060567083
 
Do the GE amd RCA tubes sound any different? He said that you can message him and pick your desired tubes.

 
My GE have the box-like structure on the top mica (shall we call this structure a "box-getter"?), while my RCAs do not, and they sound quite different. These RCAs are brighter and more forward than the GEs. However, Mordy has reported that he has RCAs with box-getters, and that they sound very good. However, I do not know if they sound the same as the my RCAs.....