[bcowen]

I'm thinking of buying a socket saver. Will these work? Any recommendation will be appreciated.

Amptata 9pin ECC83 82 81 12AX7 U7 T7 EL84 6BQ5 Pre Amplifier Guitar Tube Saver | eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-gold-pl...137449?hash=item5960252929:g:cRcAAOSw8zRcSVKM

Either one will work fine electrically. The 2nd link (cheaper one) will work for sure. The 'Amptata' one looks nicer, but they don't list any dimensions. It looks like it should fit through the hole in the Vali's cover without any problem, but if you want to go with that one it wouldn't hurt to message the seller and see what the outside diameter is to make sure it's not too big. The top cover hole in the Vali 2 is 25mm in diameter -- not sure if that changed with the Vali 2+ though if that's what you have.

 

[tafens]

Either one will work fine electrically. The 2nd link (cheaper one) will work for sure. The 'Amptata' one looks nicer, but they don't list any dimensions. It looks like it should fit through the hole in the Vali's cover without any problem, but if you want to go with that one it wouldn't hurt to message the seller and see what the outside diameter is to make sure it's not too big. The top cover hole in the Vali 2 is 25mm in diameter -- not sure if that changed with the Vali 2+ though if that's what you have.

Measuring on my Vali2+ I get 25.3-ish mm, so ever so slightly larger it seems.

Aside: Just got off eBay having spent $48.56 total (including shipping) on two 9-pin socket savers, and one adapter each for 6SN7-6922, 6922-6SN7, and 7N7-6SN7. It’s not only tubes that cost money in this hobby..!

Aside to the aside: But my Vali2+ sure is going to look cool (weird?) with a 7N7 in there via one 7N7-6SN7 adapter, one 6SN7-6922 adapter, and one socket saver..

 

[bcowen]

Measuring on my Vali2+ I get 25.3-ish mm, so ever so slightly larger it seems.

Aside: Just got off eBay having spent $48.56 total (including shipping) on two 9-pin socket savers, and one adapter each for 6SN7-6922, 6922-6SN7, and 7N7-6SN7. It’s not only tubes that cost money in this hobby..!

Aside to the aside: But my Vali2+ sure is going to look cool (weird?) with a 7N7 in there via one 7N7-6SN7 adapter, one 6SN7-6922 adapter, and one socket saver..

I vote for 'cool' versus weird.

Or you could get @Deyan to make you a 1-piece adapter (not that you need one now LOL!).

 

[Mr Trev]

Measuring on my Vali2+ I get 25.3-ish mm, so ever so slightly larger it seems.

Aside: Just got off eBay having spent $48.56 total (including shipping) on two 9-pin socket savers, and one adapter each for 6SN7-6922, 6922-6SN7, and 7N7-6SN7. It’s not only tubes that cost money in this hobby..!

Aside to the aside: But my Vali2+ sure is going to look cool (weird?) with a 7N7 in there via one 7N7-6SN7 adapter, one 6SN7-6922 adapter, and one socket saver..

You better hope that 7n7 has those types of heaters that flash when you turn it on otherwise you'll have aircraft crashing into it.

 

[bcowen]

You better hope that 7n7 has those types of heaters that flash when you turn it on otherwise you'll have aircraft crashing into it.

ROFL!

And just as a public service announcement, this is the proper way to adapter-ize a Vali 2. Not sure about the Vali 2+ though.

 

[Mr Trev]

ROFL!

And just as a public service announcement, this is the proper way to adapter-ize a Vali 2. Not sure about the Vali 2+ though.

Nice.
I'd suggest you could decorate it to look like a totem pole, but then you'd probably get lynched for "cultural appropriation" Unless of course you're Native American, then just DO IT!

 

[Mr Trev]

In effort to balance my witty banter/legit topic post ratio…

I finally stopped waffling and ordered a couple Matsus. A 6CG7 and a 6BQ7. Still haven't heard anything other than the stock tube (very briefly) on the 6BQ7/6BZ7, and the 6CG7 had been on my radar for a bit - just a matter of finding one that didn't have stoopid high shipping costs.
Hopefully, if the shipping gods smile upon me, I should have it before… the pandemic ends?

 

[bcowen]

In effort to balance my witty banter/legit topic post ratio…

I finally stopped waffling and ordered a couple Matsus. A 6CG7 and a 6BQ7. Still haven't heard anything other than the stock tube (very briefly) on the 6BQ7/6BZ7, and the 6CG7 had been on my radar for a bit - just a matter of finding one that didn't have stoopid high shipping costs.
Hopefully, if the shipping gods smile upon me, I should have it before… the pandemic ends?

Be very interested to hear what you think of the Matsu's. The Brimar 6BQ7A is another worthy one and sounds great in the Vali 2. Langrex had a bunch on Ebay a while back that he was selling for ~$20/tube (including US shipping) but looks like he's all out. Worth keeping an eye out for though if you can run across a decent deal.

 

[Mr Trev]

Be very interested to hear what you think of the Matsu's. The Brimar 6BQ7A is another worthy one and sounds great in the Vali 2. Langrex had a bunch on Ebay a while back that he was selling for ~$20/tube (including US shipping) but looks like he's all out. Worth keeping an eye out for though if you can run across a decent deal.

I liked the Matsu 7DJ8 well enough that it made me wonder about their other tubes. The seller did have a 6SN7 too, but the rating were pretty low so I figured it probably wasn't worth the $10 to check out. I did check for some of those Brimars, but no joy - admittedly, I didn't look very hard.

A bonus will be no adapters. Not sure if it's just the ones I have, but every tube I have that needs an adapter (except the ecc40s) has an audible hum.
What's your take on adapters in your V2? Maybe I just need to get some of those Deyan ones.

 

[bcowen]

I liked the Matsu 7DJ8 well enough that it made me wonder about their other tubes. The seller did have a 6SN7 too, but the rating were pretty low so I figured it probably wasn't worth the $10 to check out. I did check for some of those Brimars, but no joy - admittedly, I didn't look very hard.

A bonus will be no adapters. Not sure if it's just the ones I have, but every tube I have that needs an adapter (except the ecc40s) has an audible hum.
What's your take on adapters in your V2? Maybe I just need to get some of those Deyan ones.

I've never noticed any hum problems, even with the Chinese adapters. But I only have a few for the Vali 2 -- most of mine are 6SN7 bottoms going to something else on top (originally for the Lyr 3). No hum at all with Deyan's 7N7 adapter either, and I like the fact that it's one piece so no extension is required. Normally a 6922 ->7N7 (or other top octal socket) would be too large in diameter to fit without an extension.

 

[supersonic395]

Is it me or is high gain only really useable beyond 9pm on the volume dial on 600ohm cans?

I have 250ohm cans and low gain seems plenty powerful.

 

[RickB]

Is it me or is high gain only really useable beyond 9pm on the volume dial on 600ohm cans?

I have 250ohm cans and low gain seems plenty powerful.

I only use low gain and keep the volume at 9 o’clock on modern recordings

 

[darkarn]

Back from erm, quite a bit of celebration and increased workload

I took a while to check the tubes I have and found my current best to be a Sylvania 6SN7GTB, black plated and estimated to be those from 1960s with yellow paint. It is sitting on Garage1217's 6SN7 to 12AU7 adapter.

Will a GE 5670 be a step up over it if I use either in a Vali 2?

PS: I have not gotten a Vali 2 yet, but I want to see if going for a GE 5670 and appropriate G1217 adapter is worth the shipping cost; idea is to use tubes that can fit in both the Project Ember and Vali 2 and even Vallaha 2

 

[bcowen]

Back from erm, quite a bit of celebration and increased workload

I took a while to check the tubes I have and found my current best to be a Sylvania 6SN7GTB, black plated and estimated to be those from 1960s with yellow paint. It is sitting on Garage1217's 6SN7 to 12AU7 adapter.

Will a GE 5670 be a step up over it if I use either in a Vali 2?

"GE" and "step UP" is an oxymoron.

Seriously, it will sound different. Whether it's more to your liking or not is the question. I've tried the Western Electric 396A, a couple different Sylvania 2C51's, and a couple different 5670's in the Vali 2 and preferred a good 6SN7 and even the Brimar 6BQ7A to any of them. But that's just me with my setup and preferences. The GE 5670's can still be picked up pretty cheaply, so if you already have the adapter it won't cost much to try.

 

[darkarn]

"GE" and "step UP" is an oxymoron.

Seriously, it will sound different. Whether it's more to your liking or not is the question. I've tried the Western Electric 396A, a couple different Sylvania 2C51's, and a couple different 5670's in the Vali 2 and preferred a good 6SN7 and even the Brimar 6BQ7A to any of them. But that's just me with my setup and preferences. The GE 5670's can still be picked up pretty cheaply, so if you already have the adapter it won't cost much to try.

Thanks! I am indeed interested in the GE 5670 as these are widely available and still considered pretty cheap for a NOS in 2021's standards. Helps that it is small even with an adapter, which means it can most probably fit in a Vallaha 2?

I do not have the adapter(s) yet though so initial costs will be steep (but not much actually compared to trying to get one of those unobtainum legendary 12AU7 Telefunkens...) and this is also why I thought I should ask in places with 5670 experiences. Finding a WE 396A will be a challenge too since most probably I will have to separately ship that in

I think this may be that one time where I should say "To blazes with it and order them first" rather than researching any further...