[gibosi]

  Opinions? I am more curious then feeling the itch to purchase.
 
Bought a couple accessories from these guys and had a pretty good experience, thus far.
 
http://www.tubemonger.com/Tesla_NOT_JJ_M_Pairs_MINT_NOS_ECC88_Tesla_Ro_nov_p/702.htm

 
"Fine tubes and better than any current production or Russian tubes."
 
While I am quite sure they are better than any current production tubes, I suspect that many of us here would not agree that they are better than Russian tubes. While I have never heard these ECC88's, I do have a very nice pair of Tesla E88CC, which are quite good, and these can be purchased for about the same price on eBay.
 
So if you are more comfortable purchasing from tubemonger, I would say to for it. On the other hand, as these NOS Tesla's were manufactured in old Czechoslovakia, they are quite plentiful from eastern European vendors, and you could purchase a pair of E88CC's off of eBay. Either way, IMO, the Teslas are well worth a try.

 

[htr2d2]

   
"Fine tubes and better than any current production or Russian tubes."
 
While I am quite sure they are better than any current production tubes, I suspect that many of us here would not agree that they are better than Russian tubes. While I have never heard these ECC88's, I do have a very nice pair of Tesla E88CC, which are quite good, and these can be purchased for about the same price on eBay.
 
So if you are more comfortable purchasing from tubemonger, I would say to for it. On the other hand, as these NOS Tesla's were manufactured in old Czechoslovakia, they are quite plentiful from eastern European vendors, and you could purchase a pair of E88CC's off of eBay. Either way, IMO, the Teslas are well worth a try.

Cool. Good information and I appreciate you sharing your experience.
 
I am going to wait on a pair of Russian tubes, thank you rb2013 and gmahler2u, before I purchase additional pairs. I am going to pace myself, but if I can hear an appreciable difference over my stock tubes, my poor wallet and wife are going to be in trouble.
 
Listening to Marcus Miller's Higher Ground from the Free album right now using the Bifrost & Lyr 2. Damn! Even with my messed up ears--a couple decades working in data centers, it is like.. a new experience.

 

[gmahler2u]

 
Cool. Good information and I appreciate you sharing your experience.
 
I am going to wait on a pair of Russian tubes, thank you rb2013 and gmahler2u, before I purchase additional pairs. I am going to pace myself, but if I can hear an appreciable difference over my stock tubes, my poor wallet and wife are going to be in trouble.
 
Listening to Marcus Miller's Higher Ground from the Free album right now using the Bifrost & Lyr 2. Damn! Even with my messed up ears--a couple decades working in data centers, it is like.. a new experience.

Trouble with wife, I do that too!! darn my hobby!  
 

 

[joseph69]

Hi 
I recently purchased a Shiit Lyr and I'm not familiar with tube sound signatures for this amp. I've been reading the posts in this thread and see a lot of people recommend the 1960's Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 ECC8860s which I understand have a nice warm tone to them. I purchased the Lyr to use with my PS1K's so I'm not really looking for a warm sounding tube…I'm actually looking for a tube with a nice crisp/detailed/extended highs being the PS's have a slightly different sound signature than the rest of the Grado family in terms of being a being bright (as some would say) sounding. I would appreciate it someone can point to a tube with these characteristics I'm looking for.
Thanks in advance
Joseph

 

[gmahler2u]

  Hi 
I recently purchased a Shiit Lyr and I'm not familiar with tube sound signatures for this amp. I've been reading the posts in this thread and see a lot of people recommend the 1960's Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 ECC8860s which I understand have a nice warm tone to them. I purchased the Lyr to use with my PS1K's so I'm not really looking for a warm sounding tube…I'm actually looking for a tube with a nice crisp/detailed/extended highs being the PS's have a slightly different sound signature than the rest of the Grado family in terms of being a being bright (as some would say) sounding. I would appreciate it someone can point to a tube with these characteristics I'm looking for.
Thanks in advance
Joseph

two thing, You should go for Siemens or Telefunken e88cc, e188cc, or CCa.  (Depends on how much you want to spend on tubes)
2, russian tubes, Voskhod 6n23p...(NO 6n1p tube)....you can get it from the ebay, but it's hard to get the match pair. (IF you contact Rb2013, you are getting match pairs)...
 
Good luck tube hunting!

 

[joseph69]

  two thing, You should go for Siemens or Telefunken e88cc, e188cc, or CCa.  (Depends on how much you want to spend on tubes)
2, russian tubes, Voskhod 6n23p...(NO 6n1p tube)....you can get it from the ebay, but it's hard to get the match pair. (IF you contact Rb2013, you are getting match pairs)...
 
Good luck tube hunting!

Thank you very much for the information and the contact.
I was actually looking at a pair of Siemens that you recommended above, but like I said I wasn't sure about the sound signature, and I want to steer clear from a warm/dark sounding tube for the PS1K's.
Thanks again
Joseph

 

[reddog]

two thing, You should go for Siemens or Telefunken e88cc, e188cc, or CCa.  (Depends on how much you want to spend on tubes)
2, russian tubes, Voskhod 6n23p...(NO 6n1p tube)....you can get it from the ebay, but it's hard to get the match pair. (IF you contact Rb2013, you are getting match pairs)...

Good luck tube hunting!
[/qu[VIDEO][/VIDEO]ote]
You have convinced me and I shall order the telefunken E88CC tubes, and see how they will influence the HE-400i demo's I will be getting. I will just to have to wait a month longer before I get a dac.

 

[billerb1]

I've just listed one of my pairs of what I consider THE best 6DJ8/6922 tube available...1960 Philips Miniwatt 188CC/7308 2-Star SQ's.
PM me if interested.  Only selling because I have 2 other pair.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/730741/utra-rare-philips-miniwatt-7308-e188cc-2-star-sqs-matched-pair-nos-1960#post_10800664
 
This is what Brent Jessee says about the early Philips Miniwatt 188CC/7308's:
 

E188CC / 7308 Amperex PQ (ultra premium 6DJ8/7308) or Philips SQ Special Quality type, early LARGE HALO getter type with grey sides, made in Holland, gold pins.MATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock Original Box and white box. MORE NOS STOCK JUST IN! Rare Heerlen, Holland early 1960s made 7308 type tubes (Philips plant where Amperex Holland Bugle Boy tubes were made) similar to Telefunken or Siemens Cca but with a bit more midrange warmth. These have the grey sides and the large halo top getter that is most often sought after in this type of tube. These are the Amperex white PQ shield label type, or Philips SQ white shield label type. Most are labelled for other brands, but all have the Holland factory date code. Rated online by some audiophiles as the best audiophile Amperex made 6DJ8 type ever made, at any time, even better than the Cca type. Gold pins, Heerlen Holland factory mark, large halo getters, very low noise. These are VERY scarce in the USA. Very nicely matched pairs (within 2 percent Gm), supplied with test data. SINGLE TUBES, WHEN AVAILABLE, ARE $175.00. CUSTOMER COMMENTS: "Brent, I just installed the Amperex 7308 you sent me.  Holy Cow, what a difference and this was right out of the box!  All my preamp noise issues disappeared and now along with improved clarity and sound stage, I'm hearing detail, nuance and note decay I did not know existed.  I could not be happier.  Thanks! S. H."

385.00 per pair

 

[gmahler2u]

  Thank you very much for the information and the contact.
I was actually looking at a pair of Siemens that you recommended above, but like I said I wasn't sure about the sound signature, and I want to steer clear from a warm/dark sounding tube for the PS1K's.
Thanks again
Joseph

This is what Brent Jesse is describe the Siemens and German made tubes.
 These tubes are usually characterized by an impressive open "air" at the top end. The soundstage is large, even in mono applications these tubes have a great 3-D image. The midrange is ruler flat, and the bass is tight and accurate. These tubes have a fine sense of dynamics, and most are impressively quiet. These are not "warm" tubes, and to some ears their lack of midrange warmth may be heard as bright. I tend to think of them as accurate, and their clean, focused sonic image is astonishing. My personal favorites. The top types are as would be expected: the 7308/E188CC, the Cca, and the 6922/E88CC. The Cca is a very special 6922 made for the German government for telecommunications.
 
Hope this help.

 

[gmahler2u]

 

two thing, You should go for Siemens or Telefunken e88cc, e188cc, or CCa.  (Depends on how much you want to spend on tubes)
2, russian tubes, Voskhod 6n23p...(NO 6n1p tube)....you can get it from the ebay, but it's hard to get the match pair. (IF you contact Rb2013, you are getting match pairs)...

Good luck tube hunting!

You have convinced me and I shall order the telefunken E88CC tubes, and see how they will influence the HE-400i demo's I will be getting. I will just to have to wait a month longer before I get a dac.

[/quote]

YES Red! you go! DO IT DO IT!!
 

 

[joseph69]

  This is what Brent Jesse is describe the Siemens and German made tubes.
 These tubes are usually characterized by an impressive open "air" at the top end. The soundstage is large, even in mono applications these tubes have a great 3-D image. The midrange is ruler flat, and the bass is tight and accurate. These tubes have a fine sense of dynamics, and most are impressively quiet. These are not "warm" tubes, and to some ears their lack of midrange warmth may be heard as bright. I tend to think of them as accurate, and their clean, focused sonic image is astonishing. My personal favorites. The top types are as would be expected: the 7308/E188CC, the Cca, and the 6922/E88CC. The Cca is a very special 6922 made for the German government for telecommunications.
 
Hope this help.

These tubes sound like exactly what I am looking for!
I'm going to do some research and purchase one of these tubes that are listed.
This helped me out very much…much appreciated!
Thank you
Joseph
 
EDIT: Thanks again, I just purchased these tubes:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-E88CC-6922-SIEMENS-audio-tubes-NOS-6922-E-88-CC-/281412730648?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4185817f18
 

 

[htr2d2]

  These tubes sound like exactly what I am looking for!
I'm going to do some research and purchase one of these tubes that are listed.
This helped me out very much…much appreciated!
Thank you
Joseph
 
EDIT: Thanks again, I just purchased these tubes:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-E88CC-6922-SIEMENS-audio-tubes-NOS-6922-E-88-CC-/281412730648?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4185817f18
 

Joseph69,
 
Is the PS1000 similar to the SR325? My SR325e were very bright to the point of fatiguing until I moved away from my FiiO DAC/AMP to the Schiit Audio equipment. Grado Labs also stated the brightness would moderate after 100 hours--I have approximately 30 hours on them.
 
Curious what your impressions are of these tubes after you have taken them for a spin.
 
Good luck!

 

[joseph69]

 
Joseph69,
 
Is the PS1000 similar to the SR325? My SR325e were very bright to the point of fatiguing until I moved away from my FiiO DAC/AMP to the Schiit Audio equipment. Grado Labs also stated the brightness would moderate after 100 hours--I have approximately 30 hours on them.
 
Curious what your impressions are of these tubes after you have taken them for a spin.
 
Good luck!

No, neither my PS1K's/325is's are bright/fatiguing at all…this is the reason I wanted a tube with nice extended highs (for the PS's) which only have about 30-40hrs burn-in.
Also my 3 year old 325is's since I've owned them where not bright in any way/shape/form, like most seem to say. About a month ago I noticed the 325's had gotten really dark/veiled with no detail, so I sent them to Grado to be repaired and received them yesterday, and they sound beautiful! I have no idea if they replaced the drivers/voice coil or tuned them, if tuning them is possible, but they sounded great right out of the box. Also if they did replace the drivers, they are not (e) series drivers. 

 

[htr2d2]

Received my '79s Voskhods and breaking them in. They are quieter than my GEC 6BZ7s, but sound fine. No noise or other oddities.
 
Does anyone have suggestions on how to compare tubes. I suspect there is a guide, but I would love suggestions or direction to a guide. Last few google hunts regarding tubes resulted in a couple hours filtering through the google crud.
 
Thank you.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Received my '79s Voskhods and breaking them in. They are quieter than my GEC 6BZ7s, but sound fine. No noise or other oddities.
 
Does anyone have suggestions on how to compare tubes. I suspect there is a guide, but I would love suggestions or direction to a guide. Last few google hunts regarding tubes resulted in a couple hours filtering through the google crud.
 
Thank you.

 
Pick a song you know and love, and can listen to repeatedly.  Maybe focus on a specific part or two.  Burn it into your brain.  Try not to lose focus.  Turn off and unplug your Lyr.  Wait a few minutes (no more than five, I'd say), roll the new tubes... lather, rinse, repeat (as it is necessary).
 
The only other thing I can think to add is to warm up both pairs for 20-30 minutes, since tubes like to be warm.  So, warm up a pair, pull 'em, warm up the other pair, listen to those, pull 'em, then roll the first pair, give 'em five minutes, then complete the comparison.  Try not to listen to whatever's playing while the tubes are warming up.  Focus on whatever song.
 
That may seem a tad unnecessary.  I'm just trying to think about how to get the most accurate comparison.  A lot of it will be in your head, but then that's where the music ends up 

  It's completely subjective.