belgiangenius
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Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up
- Thread starter Jason Stoddard
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- schiit audio schiit-audio
MefAudio
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Indeed, I am extremely curious to see what they sound like! I almost got a second pair for when the first set burns out and the Freya sucked all of them off the market LOL.
I'm also curious about the Tung Sol mouse ears as well, very interesting reviews...
Baldr
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bigro
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RoundRound
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Great news about Freya, I anxiously await a few of them reaching our British shores...
Can anyone shed more light on the tubes that ship with the Freya? The model and make? These are probably going to be the ones most people would use (other than the Red Base RCA...)
Can anyone shed more light on the tubes that ship with the Freya? The model and make? These are probably going to be the ones most people would use (other than the Red Base RCA...)
MefAudio
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I know it! Here is my most recent one, a matched quad JAN RCA 6sn7gt smoked glass 1945... OK, now I'm done (we will see how long that statement lasts LOL)...
MefAudio
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That's great to hear- I got a matching pair and can't wait to hear them in action. I might have to keep my eyes open for a matched quad as well. Ebay tube sales are definately skyrocketing because of Freya LOL
comzee
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I've been thru around 20+ different 6sn7. My favorite is the Psvane CV181-T Mark II (not really a cv181, it's a 6sn7)
It's a grey bottle tube (just for reference to find it). You can get a matched quad for $350ish from China, or pay around $600 from an NA dealer.
I also rly like these, but spendy http://www.ebay.com/itm/152121121136
Not a fan of Fullmusic http://www.tube-fullmusic.com/products/en/6SN7_en.htm (when directly compared to Psvane, although they're not bad compared to some cheapo new stock like JJ or EH)
There are multiple companies that resell this tube with their own brand (Sophia Electric / Northern Electric)
The two main Chinese brands are Psvane and Shuguang.
Psvane split from Shauguang years ago, but you'll still find confusing marketing saying some tubes are both.
Out of my 20+ tubes, I have a good mix, 15ish NOS, 7ish new stock.
I have respected NOS like the GE 5692 / Tungsol VT-231 / Melz 5 hole / Sylvania Badboy
Along with many other random NOS I picked up to test.
Although the highly respected "audio" NOS tubes are close, I never found them to be worth it for the price.
Let alone the countless returns from bad tubes on eBay.
Besides eBay, there are boutique sellers around the web, this one is pretty popular http://www.audiotubes.com/
eBay is actually a really bad place to buy NOS, you will pay top dollar for the most worn down tubes (when they say they are tested, 100% lies), there are no deals.
Apart from that, gas leaks out of tubes, no way around that, fact, period. NOS had it's hayday (80-90s), right now it's ridiculous prices for tubes that don't perform as well as the best new stock.
Again, IMO, people can like NOS, and say there's no way new stock can compete, I'm just giving my own story as reference.
It's a grey bottle tube (just for reference to find it). You can get a matched quad for $350ish from China, or pay around $600 from an NA dealer.
I also rly like these, but spendy http://www.ebay.com/itm/152121121136
Not a fan of Fullmusic http://www.tube-fullmusic.com/products/en/6SN7_en.htm (when directly compared to Psvane, although they're not bad compared to some cheapo new stock like JJ or EH)
There are multiple companies that resell this tube with their own brand (Sophia Electric / Northern Electric)
The two main Chinese brands are Psvane and Shuguang.
Psvane split from Shauguang years ago, but you'll still find confusing marketing saying some tubes are both.
Out of my 20+ tubes, I have a good mix, 15ish NOS, 7ish new stock.
I have respected NOS like the GE 5692 / Tungsol VT-231 / Melz 5 hole / Sylvania Badboy
Along with many other random NOS I picked up to test.
Although the highly respected "audio" NOS tubes are close, I never found them to be worth it for the price.
Let alone the countless returns from bad tubes on eBay.
Besides eBay, there are boutique sellers around the web, this one is pretty popular http://www.audiotubes.com/
eBay is actually a really bad place to buy NOS, you will pay top dollar for the most worn down tubes (when they say they are tested, 100% lies), there are no deals.
Apart from that, gas leaks out of tubes, no way around that, fact, period. NOS had it's hayday (80-90s), right now it's ridiculous prices for tubes that don't perform as well as the best new stock.
Again, IMO, people can like NOS, and say there's no way new stock can compete, I'm just giving my own story as reference.
hornytoad
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The problem I have with Nos is eventually some of your favorites will become very hard to find or impossible and if you do find them the prices will be significantly higher .
I would rather support some of the new producers even if the tubes audio quality is not quite as good . Individual tube preferences are really quite subjective anyway
comzee
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I agree, another great reason to buy new stock. If you find something you like, you can get more for the same price.
Another thing about NOS, it's already at "hard to find or impossible" stage. There is a fraction of 6sn7 types on eBay there used to be (nothing to do with Freya coming out lol).
I talked to some old-schoolers that used eBay when it first came out (1995) they said pre 2000, you could get all these NOS for pennies on the dollar.
Like, one VT-231 cost me $250, I was told somebody bought a box of 10 for $30......
Sellers have had 15+ years of online sales to know exactly what HiFi enthusiasts want, and the prices you see on eBay are god awful.
Swap meets and estate sales are always a things, but becoming very rare you'll find tubes at one.
NOS in general is just super tapped out in 2017, (internet age and the availability to ship worldwide).
I only found one estate sale ever that had Tubes, bought a selection of about 400 for $50.
Out of those 400, around 7 were 6sn7. All pretty bad, nothing special. Although, if I had just bought the 7 6sn7 alone on eBay, talking $150+.....
I got a nice selection of some preamps and power tubes, and tossed the 350 other "radio tubes" (sry for anybody that likes those).
MWSVette
Headphoneus Supremus
I doubt new manufacture tubes will ever achieve the quality of construction and material of the vintage stock tubes.
The people and equipment who made them are gone. And the some materials used would either be considered too dangerous or expensive to use today.
It is amazing these tubes that sold for less than a couple bucks are so valuable today.
The people and equipment who made them are gone. And the some materials used would either be considered too dangerous or expensive to use today.
It is amazing these tubes that sold for less than a couple bucks are so valuable today.
Ableza
Headphoneus Supremus
Nah, some new tubes are better than vintage of the same variety. I've got some Shuguang Treasures and some Genelec Gold Lions that kick much ass. Good tubes are just not as plentiful as they were back in pre-solid-state days.
comzee
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Ya, I have a Sophia Electric 6SN7 and 6SL7. They're basically a copy of the Fullmusic 6SN7. Not a fan myself (for the price), I think the Psvane or Shuguang are better as far as expensive new stock goes.
There is cheap new stock for 6SN7 (Tung-Sol / Electro-Harmonix / JJ etc..) I tried the JJ / Electro-Harmonix and they weren't great.
