[bcowen]

.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I have no experience with the clear Sophia, maybe the same as the blue, maybe not. Tube rolling is like going to a buffet where you've never experienced tasting any of the dishes before. Someone can tell you how this or that dish tastes to them. They can never tell you how it will taste to you. With tubes for audio that can be an expensive taste test, but it's the only way we can know for sure how a given tube will sound to us. Maybe different, maybe the same. We pay to play and gain experience.

Indeed. I think I'll try a clear Sophia. I find the blue glass a bit of a shame for the glow.

I feel your pain, ordering from the US is associated with significant shipping costs, import fees and taxes for me too. I get 25% tax and a $10 import fee on top for everything ordered from outside EU. Not as much as you but that still makes a $25 item into a $42 item (excluding shipping).
Fortunately both the Tung-Sol (manufactured in Russia) and the JJ (manufactured in Yugoslavia I think) are also available from elsewhere, closer to home. I found some listings on eBay for example; new Tung-Sol (UK £20, Germany €29), JJ (Germany €20) by searching for “tung-sol 6sn7 new” and “jj 6sn7 new”.

Thanks, will search for those on eBay.
Here it's 21% VAT, 10% import but charged on shipping fees as well. Plus the admin fee.

Do you deal with the same added costs buying from Russia? If not, you might enjoy a '50's vintage Foton 6N8S. Any of the pre-'60's versions are noticeably better than anything post-60, including the new manufactures. Cheaper too, so if those fees do apply at least the tax would be less.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6SN7-6N8S-...645882?hash=item23cc316a3a:g:zcMAAOSwY9pd3OhS
Not to derail things, but just out of interest who does that 35 euro administrative fee go to? The post/carrier, or the government? Kinda sounds like another tax by another name.

Yep, from anywhere that isn't Europe.
The admin fee goes to our postal office, for presenting the goods to customs.

 

[Rowethren]

Do you deal with the same added costs buying from Russia? If not, you might enjoy a '50's vintage Foton 6N8S. Any of the pre-'60's versions are noticeably better than anything post-60, including the new manufactures. Cheaper too, so if those fees do apply at least the tax would be less.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6SN7-6N8S-...645882?hash=item23cc316a3a:g:zcMAAOSwY9pd3OhS

Not to derail things, but just out of interest who does that 35 euro administrative fee go to? The post/carrier, or the government? Kinda sounds like another tax by another name.

Are they the ribbed ones? I can't see any obvious ribbing in the photos on that listing.

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I must say the people from Grant Fidelity in Canada that sell the Shuguang and PSVane tubes have been really helpful in arranging everything for the import.
If you’re in Europe and would like to buy those tubes, send them an email first.

 

[Mr Trev]

No, the ribbed ones are '55 and earlier. Possibly some '56's as well -- I have a pair of '56's on the way that have smooth plates, but I'm pretty sure I've seen '56's with ribbed plates on Ebay before. Guessing that was the year of the change. Anything '57 or later has the smooth plates. Unfortunately the ribbed plate versions have all but disappeared, at least for cheap.


Edit: had to go look, and lo and behold:

I'll see your ribbed anodes and raise you a corrugated anode pair

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Benno1988]

Anyone have thoughts on pairing a Lyr 3 with the ZMF Verite?

I have a SMSL SP200, but want a warmer and less clinical sound.

 

[tcellguy]

Anyone have thoughts on pairing a Lyr 3 with the ZMF Verite?

I have a SMSL SP200, but want a warmer and less clinical sound.

Open or closed Verite? I just got the Verite Closed. It sounds great with both my Jotunheim and Lyr 3, but so far I’m tending towards the Jotunheim more as it has increased bass slam and I’m enjoying how fast the Verite is. The Jotunheim has faster transients vs. Lyr 3. Both Jot and Lyr 3 are warmer than the THX789 and probably the sp200.

 

[Benno1988]

Open.

Anything is warmer than the SP200 (which would sound the same as the 789).

You run the Bifrost 2 to the Jot?

 

[tcellguy]

Yeah balanced out to the Jot and SE to the Lyr 3. It’s an amazing set up for the price. I think I read somewhere that the Vérité closed sounds better with solid state and open version better with tubes.

 

[Benno1988]

Yeah true. Probably splitting hairs at that point a bit.

Its just hard. Every reviewer raves on the THX ones, and says the Jot is "ya know, its OK I guess". And the Lyr 3 basically has minimal reviews.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Yeah balanced out to the Jot and SE to the Lyr 3. It’s an amazing set up for the price. I think I read somewhere that the Vérité closed sounds better with solid state and open version better with tubes.

That’s the set I’m going for, just received the Lyr 3.
I am waiting a bit with the Jot however, I think a new version might come out after reading Mike’s ramblings ...

Yeah true. Probably splitting hairs at that point a bit.
Its just hard. Every reviewer raves on the THX ones, and says the Jot is "ya know, its OK I guess". And the Lyr 3 basically has minimal reviews.

I am usually cautious with stuff every reviewer raves about and I must say the Lyr sounds pretty nice to me, even without reviews.

 

[earnmyturns]

Vérité closed sounds better with solid state and open version better with tubes.

I'm not sure one can give a categorical answer given the diversity of both solid-state and tube amps, but I do prefer the Verité open with my Eddie Current Aficionado (tubes) and the Verité closed with my solid state amps (Phonitor XE and Neurochrome HP-1). I no longer have a Lyr 3 to answer the original question, though.

 

[murder3kz]

Hey guys,

I bought a Northern Electric 6SN7 Tube for my Lyr 3. After a few days, I would get no audio in my left ear. Swapping tubes back to the stock JJ 6SN7, it worked fine. Any idea why that might be the case?