[westermac]

That's not my photo from earlier, this is the first 12A tube that I've tried (guess I'll have to get my hands on another to be absolutely sure). Thanks for the confirmation though, I appreciate it!
 
EDIT: So this is a strange development, I went back to the original eBay listing to check the sellers return policy, and to my dismay he sells all tubes as-is with no returns. For the heck of it I put the tube back in, flipped the switch and it started lighting up! Sure enough, it works now and sounds great. Maybe a bad seating/connection? The pins are a bit oxidized but not too bad, I guess I'll have to give them a good cleaning. Whew*

 

[nwavesailor]

  That's not my photo from earlier, this is the first 12A tube that I've tried (guess I'll have to get my hands on another to be absolutely sure). Thanks for the confirmation though, I appreciate it!

DOAH!!!!!!!
 
Sorry westermac, it was mapotofu's photo with the 5, 12A versions.
 
It does look like you have a bad tube, though.

 

[nwavesailor]

  That's not my photo from earlier, this is the first 12A tube that I've tried (guess I'll have to get my hands on another to be absolutely sure). Thanks for the confirmation though, I appreciate it!
 
EDIT: So this is a strange development, I went back to the original eBay listing to check the sellers return policy, and to my dismay he sells all tubes as-is with no returns. For the heck of it I put the tube back in, flipped the switch and it started lighting up! Sure enough, it works now and sounds great. Maybe a bad seating/connection? The pins are a bit oxidized but not too bad, I guess I'll have to give them a good cleaning. Whew*

Good to see that it fired up for you and now sounds great!

 

[HOWIE13]

I always avoid sellers who refuse returns.

 

[ericr]

+1

 

[westermac]

  I always avoid sellers who refuse returns.

Yeah... lesson learned. Going to make sure of that next time

 

[DruidxEFD]

New Head-Fi'er here. I've been lurking here for quite a while reading everyone's posts. I'll let these pictures do the talking. (Try to ignore the ugliness of the room.)
 

 

 

 
With my HE400i's I had settled on the Zenith 6J5G tubes, but after my ZMF Blackwoods arrived I found them too dark. I switched in a newly arrived Ken-Rad 6F8G and I could hear so many more details in the music. As the both the tube and headphones have burned in the synergy has only become better. Now the the headphones have some good burn-in I should switch the Zenith tubes back in and see if anything has changed.

 

[nwavesailor]

  New Head-Fi'er here. I've been lurking here for quite a while reading everyone's posts. I'll let these pictures do the talking. (Try to ignore the ugliness of the room.)
 

 

 

 
With my HE400i's I had settled on the Zenith 6J5G tubes, but after my ZMF Blackwoods arrived I found them too dark. I switched in a newly arrived Ken-Rad 6F8G and I could hear so many more details in the music. As the both the tube and headphones have burned in the synergy has only become better. Now the the headphones have some good burn-in I should switch the Zenith tubes back in and see if anything has changed.

I also use a Ken-Rad 6F8G round plate (or a Tung Sol 6F8G) and find it to be a very nice tube overall with good detail. Like yourself, I find I need to use a Faraday cage with this tube as well as the Visseaux 6J5G pair but find it worth the effort!  I spend more time with these 2 combos than most other tube options and enjoy them both.

 

[ericr]

The Sylvania 6SN7W is the tube that (thankfully) brought my nearly obsessive Ember tube rolling to a very pleasant halt.

This leads me to wonder if any of you who are rolling adapters (and related tubes) have given the 6SN7W a try, and if so, how does it compare to the 6F8G or the FrankenEmber setups?

 

[DruidxEFD]

The Sylvania 6SN7W is the tube that (thankfully) brought my nearly obsessive Ember tube rolling to a very pleasant halt.

This leads me to wonder if any of you who are rolling adapters (and related tubes) have given the 6SN7W a try, and if so, how does it compare to the 6F8G or the FrankenEmber setups?

That's one of the tubes that I never picked up. I think it came down to picking between that and a Sylvania 6SN7GT "Bad Boy", since they're both expensive, and I went with the latter when I found one for $75. I also have two Sylvania 6SN7GTA and GTB "Chrome Dome" tubes and those are nice also, though not as good as a Bad Boy, and not as expensive. 
 
So I can't really compare except to tell you that the usual difference that I've found is that for whatever reason, larger tubes seem to have a larger soundstage. Also, both my Zenith 6J5G tubes and my Ken-Rad 6F8G have better bass quantity and quality than all my Sylvania 6SN7 tubes with the exception of the Bad Boy which can hold it's own in that category.
 
The headphone also is a huge factor. The Ken-Rad was instant bliss the minute I paired it with the Blackwood, but I couldn't stand more than 10 minutes with the HE400i. The treble was just too sharp, although maybe that has changed with some tube burn-in. I'll need to try it again.

 

[DruidxEFD]

 
I also use a Ken-Rad 6F8G round plate (or a Tung Sol 6F8G) and find it to be a very nice tube overall with good detail. Like yourself, I find I need to use a Faraday cage with this tube as well as the Visseaux 6J5G pair but find it worth the effort!  I spend more time with these 2 combos than most other tube options and enjoy them both.

When you say "or a Tung Sol 6F8G" do you mean that the Ken-Rad is a re-branded Tung Sol tube, or that you have a separate Tung Sol tube that you also use? If the latter, would you mind comparing the two?

 

[nwavesailor]

The Sylvania 6SN7W is the tube that (thankfully) brought my nearly obsessive Ember tube rolling to a very pleasant halt.

This leads me to wonder if any of you who are rolling adapters (and related tubes) have given the 6SN7W a try, and if so, how does it compare to the 6F8G or the FrankenEmber setups?

I have tried and used some 6SN7's: Sylvania (not the so called 'Bad Boys') RCA clear, RCA smoked glass, KenRad clear and smoked, Raytheon and GE. They have all sounded fine, some better than others.
 
I just prefer the 6F8G and 6J5's (French Visseaux) but couuld easily live with most or any of the 6SN7's, many 6DJ8/6922/7308 and 12A versions as well.

 

[nwavesailor]

  When you say "or a Tung Sol 6F8G" do you mean that the Ken-Rad is a re-branded Tung Sol tube, or that you have a separate Tung Sol tube that you also use? If the latter, would you mind comparing the two?

I was fortunate enough to snag some Tung Sol and KenRad 6F8G round plates before they (the TS) were going for crazy $$$.
 
I have not done an A/B for some time but found them pretty close in SQ.
I see your Faraday cage is copper foil. I took the cheap and easy route and went with basic fencing material and wire ties for my cage! It does, however, work as intended.
 

 

[nwavesailor]

So I can't really compare except to tell you that the usual difference that I've found is that for whatever reason, larger tubes seem to have a larger soundstage. Also, both my Zenith 6J5G tubes and my Ken-Rad 6F8G have better bass quantity and quality than all my Sylvania 6SN7 tubes with the exception of the Bad Boy which can hold it's own in that category.

 
Yes, you and some others in earlier Ember Tube Rolling posts have speculated that the size of the tube (envelope) may be a factor in influencing the soundstage and bass response. I honestly can't put my finger on exactly why I prefer the 6F8G or 6J5G pair...............there is just more there there with these 2 tubes. If I could only choose 1 option, I would opt for the Visseaux 6J5G pair.............there is just something magical about those puppies that I really love!

 

[DruidxEFD]

   
Yes, you and some others in earlier Ember Tube Rolling posts have speculated that the size of the tube (envelope) may be a factor in influencing the soundstage and bass response. I honestly can't put my finger on exactly why I prefer the 6F8G or 6J5G pair...............there is just more there there with these 2 tubes. If I could only choose 1 option, I would opt for the Visseaux 6J5G pair.............there is just something magical about those puppies that I really love!

I would totally have a Visseaux pair myself, but since I was so late to the game the price now is absurd. I pulled the trigger on the Zenith instead, although I hear the Visseaux has more clarity, which I dig. I just can't justify spending that much on a pair of tubes. C'est la vie.