[sfo1972]

Hey what's up brother? How you been? Really appreciate all your hard work on putting together the tube code thread. It's going to help tremendously.

Cheers my friend,

 
Thanks bro. Its been quite busy these days plus stupid tax season, you know how that's like.
 
Things are beginning to clear up for Philips tubes and I should be able to whip something decent for you guys to review by end of next week. I have to see which other tubes are most popular, I think Siemens, Mullards, and off course our beloved Reflektors and Voskhods.
 
Cheers buddy.

 

[sfo1972]

 

Maybe my eyes are totally shot, I am curious as hell where you spotted the 7LG in the pic? Was it on the tube on the left or right hand side?

 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MATCHED-PAIR-OF-E88CC-PHILIPS-SQ-HERLEEN-6922-E188CC-CCa-7308-E288CC-ECC88-6DJ8-/131478630160
 
First pic, tube on left, the 'G' in '7LG' is directly below the last 'C' in 'E88CC'.  You'll need to use the "Mouse over to zoom" feature, or click to enlarge.  It's pretty clear.

You da man...... 

 Good job chief.

 

[Oskari]

  PS. Oskari have you heard Tungsram's? 

 
Nope. Sorry.

 

[politbureau]

Man this thread is intense!
 
I've made it through 200 pages, and am making notes of all the tubes that seem to get a lot of communal praise in a spreadsheet, along with popular years, and average prices from Hifishark, Ebay and the web.
 
It's not a short list.
 
Then I went over and read rb2003's thread on 6922 tubes. And realized I can't afford any of the tubes in his list.
 
Man this isn't easy.
 
Is there a general consensus on a set of readily available, reasonably priced tubes that provides a tangible upgrade from the stock tubes, without breaking the bank or requiring a degree in tube-ology?
 
The Matsush!ta and Genalex tubes seem to get some decent praise at a low price, and the Bugle Boy seems to be a good tube at the higher end of what I'd considerable 'reasonable.' Are there others?

 

[sfo1972]

  Man this thread is intense!
 
I've made it through 200 pages, and am making notes of all the tubes that seem to get a lot of communal praise in a spreadsheet, along with popular years, and average prices from Hifishark, Ebay and the web.
 
It's not a short list.
 
Then I went over and read rb2003's thread on 6922 tubes. And realized I can't afford any of the tubes in his list.
 
Man this isn't easy.
 
Is there a general consensus on a set of readily available, reasonably priced tubes that provides a tangible upgrade from the stock tubes, without breaking the bank or requiring a degree in tube-ology?
 
The Matsush!ta and Genalex tubes seem to get some decent praise at a low price, and the Bugle Boy seems to be a good tube at the higher end of what I'd considerable 'reasonable.' Are there others?

Welcome to the thread buddy. You will get a ton of advice from the veterans on the thread, but FWIW out of my own personal experience you don't need to spend a lot of money for vintage New Old Stock (NOS) tubes. There are several tubes that can give you a substantial upgrade from stock that will be sub $100 a pair. You can even get some russian Voskhods for less than $50!
 
For example, one of my first upgrades were to Voskhod rockets 80s silver shield. I got 4 of them for $70 off of eBay. While at the time I took a gamble as a noob, I lucked out with a decent seller from Russia that actually came through and provided good tubes. I then ended up buying several more Voskod from the 70s from rb2013 that were less than $100 a pair.
 
What is your budget for your first purchase?

 

[politbureau]

 
Welcome to the thread buddy. You will get a ton of advice from the veterans on the thread, but FWIW out of my own personal experience you don't need to spend a lot of money for vintage New Old Stock (NOS) tubes. There are several tubes that can give you a substantial upgrade from stock that will be sub $100 a pair. You can even get some russian Voskhods for less than $50!
 
For example, one of my first upgrades were to Voskhod rockets 80s silver shield. I got 4 of them for $70 off of eBay. While at the time I took a gamble as a noob, I lucked out with a decent seller from Russia that actually came through and provided good tubes. I then ended up buying several more Voskod from the 70s from rb2013 that were less than $100 a pair.
 
What is your budget for your first purchase?

Thanks man! That's good advice.
 
The top end of what I'd pay for high quality tubes is ~$200... My thought is that the tubes are the heart of the amp, and the main reason for getting a Lyr, so it would be somewhat counterproductive to stick crap in there. I got a steal on my Lyr ($350 shipped) so my thinking is that I should spend roughly half that on tubes. I figure spending a little more now to get a known good quality tube is smarter than paying hundreds trying to get the right sound out of different budget tubes.
 
I notice a few places like upscale audio have a pretty decent selection of tubes, and claim to match and grade their stuff. Are they a good source? They have some Mullards, Bugle Boys and A-Frames for a decent price.

 

[reddog]

Thanks man! That's good advice.

The top end of what I'd pay for high quality tubes is ~$200... My thought is that the tubes are the heart of the amp, and the main reason for getting a Lyr, so it would be somewhat counterproductive to stick crap in there. I got a steal on my Lyr ($350 shipped) so my thinking is that I should spend roughly half that on tubes. I figure spending a little more now to get a known good quality tube is smarter than paying hundreds trying to get the right sound out of different budget tubes.

I notice a few places like upscale audio have a pretty decent selection of tubes, and claim to match and grade their stuff. Are they a good source? They have some Mullards, Bugle Boys and A-Frames for a decent price.

Upscaleaudio is alright, kinda expensive for some of the tubes, but everything I have gotten has sounded great. I just feel you can find better deals on EBay or from some of the gents on head-fi.

 

[sfo1972]

  Thanks man! That's good advice.
 
The top end of what I'd pay for high quality tubes is ~$200... My thought is that the tubes are the heart of the amp, and the main reason for getting a Lyr, so it would be somewhat counterproductive to stick crap in there. I got a steal on my Lyr ($350 shipped) so my thinking is that I should spend roughly half that on tubes. I figure spending a little more now to get a known good quality tube is smarter than paying hundreds trying to get the right sound out of different budget tubes.
 
I notice a few places like upscale audio have a pretty decent selection of tubes, and claim to match and grade their stuff. Are they a good source? They have some Mullards, Bugle Boys and A-Frames for a decent price.

 
That's a decent budget. I think you should shoot for 2 pairs for that price, especially if you are just getting started. There are a lot of good options from Brent Jesse, Upscale Audio, and possibly hunting for good deals on eBay. Here is a list of top 3:
 
1) Voskhod Rockets '75, '74, or even '72 with Gray shields - pm @rb2013 and ask him for his current stock and prices
 
2) Amperex made 7308 / E188CC - Suggested by @Guidostrunk earlier today
http://www.head-fi.org/t/761754/1965-amperex-dumont-herleen-7308-e188cc-nos-matched#post_11483567
 
3) Check Brent Jesse or Upscale Audio for Amperex Orange Globes, again stick with 60s - Herleen plant in Holland seems to get a lot of good reviews
 
I am sure a lot of the guys will also chime in shortly.
 
Cheers

 

[politbureau]

   
That's a decent budget. I think you should shoot for 2 pairs for that price, especially if you are just getting started. There are a lot of good options from Brent Jesse, Upscale Audio, and possibly hunting for good deals on eBay. Here is a list of top 3:
 
1) Voskhod Rockets '75, '74, or even '72 with Gray shields - pm @rb2013 and ask him for his current stock and prices
 
2) Amperex made 7308 / E188CC - Suggested by @Guidostrunk earlier today
http://www.head-fi.org/t/761754/1965-amperex-dumont-herleen-7308-e188cc-nos-matched#post_11483567
 
3) Check Brent Jesse or Upscale Audio for Amperex Orange Globes, again stick with 60s - Herleen plant in Holland seems to get a lot of good reviews
 
I am sure a lot of the guys will also chime in shortly.
 
Cheers

Fantastic! Thanks so much. This is a great place to start, and I like the idea of grabbing more than one pair.
 
I'm using HE-560s and HD800s, and would be looking to fill out the bass a bit. From my reading the Bugle Boys (or Pope PCC88) would be a good bet, as would the Amperex 7308, and Vokshod 75 grays.
 
I'll shoot rb2013 a txt and see what he's got. I have two pairs in my cart at upscale right now - the Matsush!ta PCC88 and Pope PCC88.
 
Also, whats the story on Platinum/Gold grading and cryo? I've read conflicting things everywhere, but what's everyone's experience on the Lyr? Is gold good enough? Should I get cryo? I'd hate to make the mistake of not spending the extra couple bucks for extra performance..

 

[rb2013]

  Fantastic! Thanks so much. This is a great place to start, and I like the idea of grabbing more than one pair.
 
I'm using HE-560s and HD800s, and would be looking to fill out the bass a bit. From my reading the Bugle Boys (or Pope PCC88) would be a good bet, as would the Amperex 7308, and Vokshod 75 grays.
 
I'll shoot rb2013 a txt and see what he's got. I have two pairs in my cart at upscale right now - the Matsush!ta PCC88 and Pope PCC88.
 
Also, whats the story on Platinum/Gold grading and cryo? I've read conflicting things everywhere, but what's everyone's experience on the Lyr? Is gold good enough? Should I get cryo? I'd hate to make the mistake of not spending the extra couple bucks for extra performance..

Hey welcome to the tube rolling fun!  My 2 cents the cryoing is not worth it.  I also did not have a good experience with the Siemens PCC88's adn Lorenz SEL PCC88's (Yugo) - but loved the Lorenz Stuttgart PCC88s (German).  So it can be hit of miss with those.
 
What kind of music do you listen to? 
 
The Amperex OG's are better then the BB that I have heard - the USN-CEP 7308 and the Greenie 7308 USA even better.
You might really like the 'Holland' sound - I have some Valvo Heerlen E88CC '67's that might be what you're looking for.
 
So much great glass so little time.

 

[sfo1972]

 

   
That's a decent budget. I think you should shoot for 2 pairs for that price, especially if you are just getting started. There are a lot of good options from Brent Jesse, Upscale Audio, and possibly hunting for good deals on eBay. Here is a list of top 3:
 
1) Voskhod Rockets '75, '74, or even '72 with Gray shields - pm @rb2013 and ask him for his current stock and prices
 
2) Amperex made 7308 / E188CC - Suggested by @Guidostrunk earlier today
http://www.head-fi.org/t/761754/1965-amperex-dumont-herleen-7308-e188cc-nos-matched#post_11483567
 
3) Check Brent Jesse or Upscale Audio for Amperex Orange Globes, again stick with 60s - Herleen plant in Holland seems to get a lot of good reviews
 
I am sure a lot of the guys will also chime in shortly.
 
Cheers

Fantastic! Thanks so much. This is a great place to start, and I like the idea of grabbing more than one pair.
 
I'm using HE-560s and HD800s, and would be looking to fill out the bass a bit. From my reading the Bugle Boys (or Pope PCC88) would be a good bet, as would the Amperex 7308, and Vokshod 75 grays.
 
I'll shoot rb2013 a txt and see what he's got. I have two pairs in my cart at upscale right now - the Matsush!ta PCC88 and Pope PCC88.
 
Also, whats the story on Platinum/Gold grading and cryo? I've read conflicting things everywhere, but what's everyone's experience on the Lyr? Is gold good enough? Should I get cryo? I'd hate to make the mistake of not spending the extra couple bucks for extra performance..

I am not sure if you have a Lyr or Lyr2, in both cases the PCC88s will work with both units. Also, I believe the Matsu tubes are Mullard technology adopted by the Japanese to produce these tubes.
 
The story on gold and cryo treated pins vary based on the expert you ask. My take, is that they are not worth the money or extra bucks. See the 6922 grand tube shoot outs on questions posted regarding Cryo.
 
BTW-Your headphones will really crank up the base once you upgrade your stock tubes.
 
Keep us posted with what you buy, your tubes unboxing ceremony, and most importantly your impressions of what you end up buying. We are all a nosy bunch when it comes to vintage tubes 

 
Cheers

 

[politbureau]

  Hey welcome to the tube rolling fun!  My 2 cents the cryoing is not worth it.  I also did not have a good experience with the Siemens PCC88's adn Lorenz SEL PCC88's (Yugo) - but loved the Lorenz Stuttgart PCC88s (German).  So it can be hit of miss with those.
 
What kind of music do you listen to? 
 
The Amperex OG's are better then the BB that I have heard - the USN-CEP 7308 and the Greenie 7308 USA even better.
You might really like the 'Holland' sound - I have some Valvo Heerlen E88CC '67's that might be what you're looking for.
 
So much great glass so little time.

You sir, have mail
 
Also, thanks for the advice! I listen to a wide variety - I'm a DJ, so lots of electronic, but my other love is classic jazz, bebop and eclectic classic rock.
 
Right now I can say for sure that my biggest 'want' after listening to the stock tubes is more detail and soundstage, smoother more liquid midrange and more bass for sure. I love my HE-560s, but the low end isn't as extended or as deep as I'd like. I use M-100s for DJing which is the other end of the spectrum, so I usually find the 560s a nice break, haha.
 
Good info on cryoing. The only reason I chose the Pope PCC88s is Kevin on UA says they are Bugle Boy copies (he says better built and available in a platinum grade..), and the description I often read for the BBs is 'holographic soundstage, liquid midrange and great bass.' Pretty much exactly how I'd describe what I was looking for compared to stock.

 

[politbureau]

 
I am not sure if you have a Lyr or Lyr2, in both cases the PCC88s will work with both units. Also, I believe the Matsu tubes are Mullard technology adopted by the Japanese to produce these tubes.
 
The story on gold and cryo treated pins vary based on the expert you ask. My take, is that they are not worth the money or extra bucks. See the 6922 grand tube shoot outs on questions posted regarding Cryo.
 
BTW-Your headphones will really crank up the base once you upgrade your stock tubes.
 
Keep us posted with what you buy, your tubes unboxing ceremony, and most importantly your impressions of what you end up buying. We are all a nosy bunch when it comes to vintage tubes 

 
Cheers

Great info, thanks!
 
Lyr 2 in my case. Yah I've got everything all ready to go - Novib Socket Savers and Deoxit - just no tubes to play with!
 
I'll make sure to post up results - rb2013 has given me some great options via PM, so I'm getting pretty excited to play..
 
Cheers!

 

[ThurstonX]

  Man this thread is intense!
 
I've made it through 200 pages, and am making notes of all the tubes that seem to get a lot of communal praise in a spreadsheet, along with popular years, and average prices from Hifishark, Ebay and the web.
 
It's not a short list.
 
Then I went over and read rb2003's thread on 6922 tubes. And realized I can't afford any of the tubes in his list.
 
Man this isn't easy.
 
Is there a general consensus on a set of readily available, reasonably priced tubes that provides a tangible upgrade from the stock tubes, without breaking the bank or requiring a degree in tube-ology?
 
The Matsush!ta and Genalex tubes seem to get some decent praise at a low price, and the Bugle Boy seems to be a good tube at the higher end of what I'd considerable 'reasonable.' Are there others?

 
The real Czech-made Tesla E88CCs can usually be had for $100 or less, and IMO are excellent for the price.  Just one more to consider.  Look for those from the 1960s.  Post links in here and people can help with date codes.  You'll see some marked with a '32' and others with a '37' for the two factories (of which I'm aware).  '32' seems to be more desirable, and that's what I have, but I've never heard the others, so can't say for sure.
 
Just another to consider.  You don't want the JJ-made, but it's pretty easy to tell the difference.

 

[krtHE500]

+1 on the orange globes, late 60's.  Better base IMHO to the bugle boys.