[UntilThen]

Alright there is a lot of love for EL84. So as an exercise, I want you to listen to EL84 and it's close cousin 6V6 and tell me which you prefer.

This is one description of the 2:-

While the 6V6 and EL84 are both smaller tubes, the 6V6 gives a completely different tone than the EL84. Where the EL84 gives a grittier, grainier feel and structure to the tone, the 6V6 has a sparkle to the top end and a chewiness to the bottom end that the EL84 only has in its dreams.

Right off after listening to EL84, I have Fivre 6V6G (CV509) on Ultimate now. They are my only 6V6 now after selling off Studio Six and all my good 6v6. If only I had kept them. I kinda miss the EL84 tight linear punch but 6v6 has more body to the tone. Good contrast.

 

[AnyDave]

@UntilThen, yes, you're right, this month I've hit the ground running as far as that's concerned, but I have to say that a lot of things are the cream of the crop.
And it actually goes up another notch, if not two.

About KT63 :
Langerex is being accommodating again and I've written to them and told them what's going on.
And I would try again with the KT63 if they can guarantee that this tube will work.
Since only one of the 2nd set worked, they wrote to me today and said that they would send me another pair that should fit and work.
The only thing is that there should be a small difference in height with the 3rd pair.


6BQ7A : Unfortunately there were small logistical problems and I won't receive them until tomorrow.

RCA 6550 :
These arrived undamaged from Denmark today.
The price for this pair was again a small theft, but I can live with it, the pair is brand new and unused.
My wife lent me 215€ to get them, that was the price for this beautiful pair including shipping.
After cleaning they look like this and are plugged into the Ultimate and run flawlessly.
@UntilThen maybe you can tell me which version these are from the photos.
There are 2 O getters on the side of the discs and another one on top.

A big thank you goes to @David A Silva ,without his valuable tip I would not have this beautiful pair.
When I researched further I was able to find more details on how to get a pair of indirect TS 6550s without breaking the bank.






I have paired it with Vcap EZ80 Haltron,TS 6SL7 GT as an experiment.
Soundwise they are still a bit sharp at the top, probably because they are still new.
Midrange is very good, nice and forward, bass could be a bit better.
But as always, there is still room for improvement with driver tubes and playing time.
The instruments are great, I already like it when the drums or double bass are thumping away.
The sound seems a bit bright for the first time, hence the sharpness in the first hour
The TS6SL7 isn't played in yet either, and as is typical for TS I think they come out better after 100 hours.
But otherwise very happy with it for now.




Untilthen was right that Kt's, 6550 and EL 34 are not comparable, each genre sounds different, but different in its own way.
Time will tell which I prefer.
Is it worth it? For now yes, the EL34 SED are really the best value for money so far, even if they are still in the burn in phase I like them.
I haven't heard much KT88 Svetlana from St.Petersburg but I'm also very happy with them.
6550 Rca will show it, but the first impression is very good.
And all worth the money.

Yeah, those RCA 6550 look clean. Very strong gettering on the sides. Honestly, 215 Euro isn't bad for a new, clean pair of those.

 

[UntilThen]

A picture of perfection. GEC A2900 driving GEC 807 ATS25. Did not expect an all GEC combo to sound good but this is gorgeous tone.

My GEC 807 VT60 arrives on the 6th May. Even the seller doesn't know if the ATS25 and VT60 sound the same. We had quite a bit of chat.

 

[triod750]

Alright there is a lot of love for EL84. So as an exercise, I want you to listen to EL84 and it's close cousin 6V6 and tell me which you prefer.

This is one description of the 2:-

While the 6V6 and EL84 are both smaller tubes, the 6V6 gives a completely different tone than the EL84. Where the EL84 gives a grittier, grainier feel and structure to the tone, the 6V6 has a sparkle to the top end and a chewiness to the bottom end that the EL84 only has in its dreams.

Right off after listening to EL84, I have Fivre 6V6G (CV509) on Ultimate now. They are my only 6V6 now after selling off Studio Six and all my good 6v6. If only I had kept them. I kinda miss the EL84 tight linear punch but 6v6 has more body to the tone. Good contrast.

You would get the sparkle in the top end from Telefunken EL84 but I doubt they would give you the grunt in the bottom. I was previously lent a pair of Ken-Rad 6V6GT and asked if I could buy them since I liked them compared to the leaner 6K6GT types but he told me that he would rather give me his beloved wife for free than selling them. He also told me that EL84 is holy land to him, 'don't even ask'.

 

[UntilThen]

You would get the sparkle in the top end from Telefunken EL84 but I doubt they would give you the grunt in the bottom. I was previously lent a pair of Ken-Rad 6V6GT and asked if I could buy them since I liked them compared to the leaner 6K6GT types but he told me that he would rather give me his beloved wife for free than selling them. He also told me that EL84 is holy land to him, 'don't even ask'.

Colourful description. However my preference is also EL84 and in this case it's just the humble 6P14P. How much more better with better EL84. However during my time with owning Studio Six and those Bendix 6v6gt equivalent, bass was it's forte.

Now I went back to GEC 807 and I must say this is much better than the EL84 and Fivre 6V6g. ymmv.

 

[triod750]

I'm saving my GEC ATS25 for later since I have so much to go through. They will be the dessert. EL84 perform nicely with ECC81/12AT7 from the fifties...

 

[UntilThen]

HD650 sounding very good on Ultimate. This headphone is almost vintage status.

 

[UntilThen]

They will be the dessert. EL84 perform nicely with ECC81/12AT7 from the fifties...

My thoughts exactly. GEC A2900 (12AT7) and 6P14P (EL84). I could have use my other 12AT7s - Telefunken ECC801S, Mullard 6201 PQ, Brimar CV455 Footscray, Philips E80CC and the outsider 6N23P.

Or for a bit higher gain Raytheon 5751 Windmill, Amperex 12AX7.

And from the left field Philips Miniwatt 6BQ7A, Mullard M8136, Brimar 12AU7 long black plates.

I'll just rotate them all.

 

[UntilThen]

Yet another NOS KT88, 6550 video.

 

[UntilThen]

EL84 is the baby EL34. Right after EL84, I'm listening with EL34 metal base now. This could easily have been the best of the Fab 4. It's a EL84 with more bass and more body.

Just as I was listening, 3 pairs of tubes arrived from Langrex.

 

[UntilThen]

The size of 5B/254A and 5B/254M. These tubes came sealed in the boxes. It has not been open. You can assumed no testing is done or visual inspection. Unfortunately one of the tube has turned white and the top cap is coming off. So the vacuum is probably gone. I'm going to ask Langrex for a replacement.

5B/254A has the same base as a classic 807 but the top cap is much smaller than the classic 807. So the 807 to 6L6 adapter won't work - unfortunately.

As for the 5B/254M, I'm waiting on the adapters.

 

[UntilThen]

5B/254M are in great condition. Metal base !!! I'm so eager to use it but the adapters are not here yet.

Btw, Langrex already replied to my mail about the white getter flash and they will send a replacement. How very prompt. They will get 5 stars review from me.

 

[Deleeh]

Okay lets go, let's see how they do in Ultimate.
I already had this pair in stock and bought them for the Euforia.
I can't remember the sound at all.
What I do remember is that they were very good in the Euforia but a bit limited and distorted.

Before that I'm testing the 3rd pair of Gec KT63s that I got as a replacement today because the last 2 sets weren't that great.
It makes a much better impression now.
As a reminder:
With the first set one tube was quieter than the other, the second set one tube didn't work and now with the 3rd everything is fine.
I didn't think I would get another replacement.

Sorry to hear that @UntilThen hope the replacement reaches you soon.

 

[UntilThen]

Sorry to hear that @UntilThen hope the replacement reaches you soon.

It don't matter because I have no adapters for it. It's the 5B/254M that I'm interested in. Eventually I will have to get adapters for just one pair of 5B/254A.

 

[AnyDave]

Okay lets go, let's see how they do in Ultimate.
I already had this pair in stock and bought them for the Euforia.
I can't remember the sound at all.
What I do remember is that they were very good in the Euforia but a bit limited and distorted.



Before that I'm testing the 3rd pair of Gec KT63s that I got as a replacement today because the last 2 sets weren't that great.
It makes a much better impression now.
As a reminder:
With the first set one tube was quieter than the other, the second set one tube didn't work and now with the 3rd everything is fine.
I didn't think I would get another replacement.

Sorry to hear that @UntilThen hope the replacement reaches you soon.

Hmmm, have you compared the Phillips Holland EL38 to the Mullard UK EL38? I have a couple of pairs of Mullards, but haven't heard the Holland variants yet.