[bcowen]

Not afraid of those. Have all those and more in the 396A/2C51/5670/6N3P bin. However, as with most tube manufacturers, early versions of the 5670 family were built to tight tolerances specified by the design engineers. Later versions were built to the tight tolerances of the cost accountants.

These little tubes always scare me. It looks like the amp has already eaten half of them.

 

[SpeakerSeeker]

Gobbledygook

Good one. I think that would make a great band name to.

 

[sam6550a]

There are some reports of using them on the ++ using these https://www.ebay.com/itm/191597450984

Though I suspect @bcowen is currently typing the full answer

Or is planning a midnight raid to add to his tube collection.

The Gold Lion and the Electro-Harmonix will work but you'll have to have an adapter. A 12AU7 / 12AT7 / 12AX7 (all have the same pinout) to the 6NP3 / 5670 / 2C51 socket in your Vali.. The 12AU7 has a lower amplification factor than the 6N3P the Vali 2++ comes with (20 versus 33). If you have more than plenty of volume with the stock tube into the HP's you're using, you'll probably be fine with the 12AU7, just be aware you'll get less gain. The E180F is a single pentode (rather than a dual triode), so you'd have to have two of them with an appropriate adapter to work. As well, it's electrical characteristics (and optimum operating points) are not well suited to the Vali 2++.

Edit: just saw @Orange5o 's post, and the adapter he linked is exactly what you'll need for the 12AU7 / ECC82's.

Please read the the last sentence of Bill's post carefully. Tube rolling requires more skills than figuring out basing configuration differences. Some poor, overworked engineer selected the plate voltage, load resistance, bias resistor, etc., for a particular tube in a particular circuit for a particular application. So, what you are doing, in many cases, is abusing the circuit. Does it sound good/better/ok/worse YRMV, but do not think that you can necessarily "improve" an amp by replacing a 5670 with a 12AU7. Just because sound comes out does not mean that it is an improvement---different, perhaps.

 

[sam6550a]

These little tubes always scare me. It looks like the amp has already eaten half of them.

But they do sound good---.

 

[DavidSerig]

Any other recommendations for the Vali 3, besides the 396A? I'm going to start a list get to hunting

The Russian tubes have military and 3 mica versions, usually NIB and every decade from late 50s forward in some form for $5 or 5 for $10 or some such. imo excellent for the price.
Sylvania 5670 has 2 and 3 mica versions for $8 and $13, NIB.
GE has a 5670W NIB @ 10 for $70. I have a version of these and I actually think it sounds pretty good.
WE 396a can be found in used versions for less than $50 on occasion. I haven't spent the dough for a NOS testing version, but the well used ones I checked out sounded better than comparable tubes, even ones that looked to have similar architecture.

.. early versions of the 5670 family were built to tight tolerances specified by the design engineers. Later versions were built to the tight tolerances of the cost accountants.

Source? Is there a good history of the tube industry?

 

[LobalWarming]

These little tubes always scare me. It looks like the amp has already eaten half of them.

Don't be afraid. Keep the kiddies away from the 'stranger danger' amps. Raise them properly and these kiddie tubes can grow up to lead a sound thermionic life.

 

[sam6550a]

The Russian tubes have military and 3 mica versions, usually NIB and every decade from late 50s forward in some form for $5 or 5 for $10 or some such. imo excellent for the price.
Sylvania 5670 has 2 and 3 mica versions for $8 and $13, NIB.
GE has a 5670W NIB @ 10 for $70. I have a version of these and I actually think it sounds pretty good.
WE 396a can be found in used versions for less than $50 on occasion. I haven't spent the dough for a NOS testing version, but the well used ones I checked out sounded better than comparable tubes, even ones that looked to have similar architecture.

Source? Is there a good history of the tube industry?

Only piecemeal. You can find documents about RCA, TungSol, GE, Eimac, but then it gets kind of slim. More is available for the UK guys like Mullard, GEC, etc.

 

[SpeakerSeeker]

and Snarky Puppy.

So good!!! This video got me hooked.

 

[Hofy]

And now back to rack building. I was looking for something else when I ran across these 20x20 extrusions. I thought I had given them away. Time to build a mini Salamander style rack. Walnut, of course.

 

[adydula]

It was gone like 10 minutes after you posted it. Coincidence? Not!! (wasn't me tho') That was a good deal for that tube testing as it was, so whoever got it did well.

There are a few more but $140 but for a matched pair...thats $70 each a steal again for this tube now-a-days,,

 

[adydula]

These little tubes always scare me. It looks like the amp has already eaten half of them.

Whats the difference between the 2c51 variant and the 396a?

 

[valiant66]

There is a price to be paid for living in Canada. The cost difference between my price and the USA price is obscene.

Confirm!!!

I did the same search. Found this to be a bit more reasonable:

(That's CAD$.)
.

 

[Moondog55]

The Russian tubes have military and 3 mica versions, usually NIB and every decade from late 50s forward in some form for $5 or 5 for $10 or some such. imo excellent for the price.
Sylvania 5670 has 2 and 3 mica versions for $8 and $13, NIB.
GE has a 5670W NIB @ 10 for $70. I have a version of these and I actually think it sounds pretty good.
WE 396a can be found in used versions for less than $50 on occasion. I haven't spent the dough for a NOS testing version, but the well used ones I checked out sounded better than comparable tubes, even ones that looked to have similar architecture.

Source? Is there a good history of the tube industry?

It's similar to 'Video killed the radio star.' Transistors killed the thermionic stars.

 

[Slackaveli]

Are those c-079 connectors?

 

[Moondog55]

Whats the difference between the 2c51 variant and the 396a?

About $50