[DruidxEFD]

My Ken-Rad 6C8G arrived. Some quick impressions that you can take with a grain of salt as it's not burned-in yet.
 
It's surprisingly similar to my 6F8G. Nice soundstage, bass and clarity. If I still think the same thing after extended listening and burn-in, it will become my main tube because I DON'T HAVE TO USE THE DAMN CAGE!!
 
Sorry, got a little excited there. But this is seriously my first coke bottle tube that doesn't have any hum.

 

[nwavesailor]

I like my National Union 6J5G's and Tung Sol VT-94A's better than my Visseaux 6J5G. But they're all really good. You don't need the Visseaux to get that great 6J5G sound.

I've been eyeing some Raytheon and Sylvania 6J5WGT metal bases to do some experimentation. Probably soon...

I also have a pair of Tung Sol 6C5G's, the ones with the foil shields, and they are really excellent sounding. Very clear sound with good bass and smooth mids, but they have that hum like the 6F8G does and I don't have a cage for my Ember.

Astral Abyss, I already have the Fivre 6C5G and Visseaux 6J5G's and like them both. If I  was 'thinking' of buying another 6J5G or 6C5G pair, would I find the TS 6C5G, TS 6J5G (VT-94) or NU 6J5G a nice addition to the other 2 I already like and use? I understand that MMMV!
 
I certainly don't need another pair of tubes with 6SN7, 6F8G, 12A, and 6DJ8 (6922, 7308)..................just curious

 
 
EDIT: I found British made (for the RAF) oval plate NOS Brimar 6J5G / STCF 101 are available from a couple of sellers for about $60 / pair shipped. Last year these Brimars were going for $120 a pair at the peak of the Visseaux madness!

 

[Astral Abyss]

 
Astral Abyss, I already have the Fivre 6C5G and Visseaux 6J5G's and like them both. If I  was 'thinking' of buying another 6J5G or 6C5G pair, would I find the TS 6C5G, TS 6J5G (VT-94) or NU 6J5G a nice addition to the other 2 I already like and use? I understand that MMMV!
 
I certainly don't need another pair of tubes with 6SN7, 6F8G, 12A, and 6DJ8 (6922, 7308)..................just curious

 
Yes, I like them all.  
 
The problem with the NU 6J5G is that there seems to be many different designs and the ones I have appear to be from the 1930s.  I also don't know if NU did rebranding of these tubes, or if they bought and rebranded other tubes as their own, but I have seen other tubes that look identical to theirs.  One other problem you're going to have is the NUs are almost never available as a matched pair, so you'll have to really dig or buy singles and try to match the plate types and output levels yourself.
 
When I get home tonight I'll take a couple pics of my NUs so you can see what the plate structure looks like.  If you can find some that look like mine, buy them.  They sound better than the Visseaux, IMO.  I can't vouch for the other NUs.
 
I feel like the NUs have a lush sound to them, so keep that in mind.  Mine take a while to warm up.  They sound like crap at first.  
 
The TS have their typical sound from that time period.  Clear highs, good bass and midrange.  

 

[nwavesailor]

   
Yes, I like them all.  
 
The problem with the NU 6J5G is that there seems to be many different designs and the ones I have appear to be from the 1930s.  I also don't know if NU did rebranding of these tubes, or if they bought and rebranded other tubes as their own, but I have seen other tubes that look identical to theirs.  One other problem you're going to have is the NUs are almost never available as a matched pair, so you'll have to really dig or buy singles and try to match the plate types and output levels yourself.
 
When I get home tonight I'll take a couple pics of my NUs so you can see what the plate structure looks like.  If you can find some that look like mine, buy them.  They sound better than the Visseaux, IMO.  I can't vouch for the other NUs.
 
I feel like the NUs have a lush sound to them, so keep that in mind.  Mine take a while to warm up.  They sound like crap at first.  
 
The TS have their typical sound from that time period.  Clear highs, good bass and midrange.  

Great.......... I'll be curious to see the plate structure of your version of the NU 6J5G.
I seem to find various tubes on my search list with straight 'ladder' plates or 'oval' (round) plates. I just found your old post and pics from July where you snagged the NOS Tung Sol 6J5G and they are a 'ladder' plate.
 
I am currently using AQ Nighthawks and more detail vs. a more lush sound may be where I want to go. The Brimar 6J5's may also have the lush polite British sound, I'm not sure.
 
Thank you, AA!

 

[nwavesailor]

Any impressions from Ember owners who have used Brimar 6J5G tubes in their amp? 
 
I did have a pair about a year ago and only gave them an unfair 15 minutes before going back to the Visseaux and returning the Brimars.

Last year Brimar's cost about $120 a pair. The market seems to have corrected and they are now available for roughly 1/2 that cost or $60 /pair.
 
I already own Vissuaux 6J5G and Fivre 6C5G but would like to hear what others who have owned or auditioned the Brimar 6C5G's think about their sound.

 

[DruidxEFD]

Well so much for the Ken-Rad 6C8G. On closer listen there is some distortion that kind of makes the mid-bass into the mids sound scratchy, for lack of a better word. I put the Ken-Rad 6F8G back in and there was no contest.
 
The good news is that I found that the hum with the 6F8G and the dual 6J5G is gone now! I just bought a Schiit Bifrost Multibit it's the only new part of the chain. Could a better DAC solve tube hum problems?

 

[Astral Abyss]

Well so much for the Ken-Rad 6C8G. On closer listen there is some distortion that kind of makes the mid-bass into the mids sound scratchy, for lack of a better word. I put the Ken-Rad 6F8G back in and there was no contest.

The good news is that I found that the hum with the 6F8G and the dual 6J5G is gone now! I just bought a Schiit Bifrost Multibit it's the only new part of the chain. Could a better DAC solve tube hum problems?

Try it again after a warm-up. I've found tubes with a lot of distortion on first listen that I thought were no good. After pulling them out and then trying them again later, they sounded perfect. My National Union 6J5Gs and my Tung Sol VT-94A's were both that way. They're my favorite tubes now.

 

[DruidxEFD]

Try it again after a warm-up. I've found tubes with a lot of distortion on first listen that I thought were no good. After pulling them out and then trying them again later, they sounded perfect. My National Union 6J5Gs and my Tung Sol VT-94A's were both that way. They're my favorite tubes now.

 
This was after burning it in all day while I was at work. In your experience, how long would you burn in a new tube before giving up it?

 

[DruidxEFD]

Speaking to those of you that have 6C5G tubes, which would you buy?
 
This set of Zenith tubes: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-x-6C5g-Zenith-Tubes-Strong-Testing-Mesh-Plates-Engraved-Bases-/371910679572?hash=item56979a9c14:g:2OIAAOSwSlBYuyKn
 
Or two of these Fivre tubes plus shipping from Italy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-6C5G-6C5GT-FIVRE-NOS-ITALY-Tube-Valvula-Rohre-Valve-Lampe-TSF-Valvola-/401285617163?hash=item5d6e7c960b:g:zzsAAMXQysxR~oBR

 

[Astral Abyss]

This was after burning it in all day while I was at work. In your experience, how long would you burn in a new tube before giving up it?

I think it has more to do with powering them on and off. At least give it a shot before you give up on them.

 

[Astral Abyss]

Speaking to those of you that have 6C5G tubes, which would you buy?

This set of Zenith tubes: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-x-6C5g-Zenith-Tubes-Strong-Testing-Mesh-Plates-Engraved-Bases-/371910679572?hash=item56979a9c14:g:2OIAAOSwSlBYuyKn

Or two of these Fivre tubes plus shipping from Italy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-6C5G-6C5GT-FIVRE-NOS-ITALY-Tube-Valvula-Rohre-Valve-Lampe-TSF-Valvola-/401285617163?hash=item5d6e7c960b:g:zzsAAMXQysxR~oBR

I've heard good things about both.

 

[nwavesailor]

  Speaking to those of you that have 6C5G tubes, which would you buy?
 
This set of Zenith tubes: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-x-6C5g-Zenith-Tubes-Strong-Testing-Mesh-Plates-Engraved-Bases-/371910679572?hash=item56979a9c14:g:2OIAAOSwSlBYuyKn
 
Or two of these Fivre tubes plus shipping from Italy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-6C5G-6C5GT-FIVRE-NOS-ITALY-Tube-Valvula-Rohre-Valve-Lampe-TSF-Valvola-/401285617163?hash=item5d6e7c960b:g:zzsAAMXQysxR~oBR

I bought a quad of the Fivre 6C5G from that E-seller. They were pretty closely matched and sound very nice. The Zenith has 2 of the 3 that are fairly close tube to tube but all 3 aren't at all bad by any means.
 
With the Fivre tubes you get OEM box and cool stickers showing taxes paid (the Italians can even make a tax sticker look like art!) 

......not that the box or stickers have ANY bearing on the sound.............just part of the visuals!
 

 

[Astral Abyss]

Great.......... I'll be curious to see the plate structure of your version of the NU 6J5G.
I seem to find various tubes on my search list with straight 'ladder' plates or 'oval' (round) plates. [COLOR=0000CD]I just found your old post and pics from July where you snagged the NOS Tung Sol 6J5G and they are a 'ladder' plate.[/COLOR]

I am currently using AQ Nighthawks and more detail vs. a more lush sound may be where I want to go. The Brimar 6J5's may also have the lush polite British sound, I'm not sure.

Thank you, AA!

Apologies for the delay in the pics. Also, please excuse my poor photography skills.





Details on the date codes are difficult to impossible to find for the National Union tubes, but from my searching, this CC tube is likely a 1939. My other is a DN, likely from 1940.

 

[Astral Abyss]

By the way, that $8 TS 6SN7GT? Perfect. Talk about a deal.

 

[nwavesailor]

Apologies for the delay in the pics. Also, please excuse my poor photography skills.





Details on the date codes are difficult to impossible to find for the National Union tubes, but from my searching, this CC tube is likely a 1939. My other is a DN, likely from 1940.

 
Cool!
 
The pics really show the plates and top mica.
 

By the way, that $8 TS 6SN7GT? Perfect. Talk about a deal.

 Yep, nice find for $8!!!