[billerb1]

TK said:↑
Nothing wrong with your ears bro, you just have not heard better sounding tubes. Very early on I really liked some RTC Mullard Mitcham E188CC dimple getters, they wound up being the absolute worst tubes I ever heard to this day. Very end of the other spectrum are the Hamburg 6201PW.

HelloooThar said:
I guess...funny thing is I hated them when I first got them. Thought even my 1970 6N2P were better. Now I think these sound better than the 1958 bugle boys I have.


↑
If you think they do, guess what...they do.

 

[TK16]

Yep. Just get the adapters bro. It'll save you a lot of money in the long run.

Yeah there are some absolute sub $100 NOS and some NIB 12AT7 ECC81 too, Mullard Blackburn square getter mid 50's is absolutely fantastic if you have not heard them yet bro, the Mitcham tubes are so so.

 

[gardibolt]

Pretty close to my cream of the crop list if you add the Telefunken 12AT7's as well (waiting on a pair of Tele Ecc801S's to sample from AC). Totally agree the PW Hamburg 6201's are the single most amazing tube I've ever heard on my rig as far as what it reveals in the music. It reveals SO much it kind of scrambles my brain over time and I need to go back to something more "normal". But I'm listening right now and they are truly awesome. My go-to list now is the Tele 12AT7's, followed closely by the 6201 Hamburg PW's...then as TK mentioned the Heerlen 50's foil-getter Ecc81's and the Foton triple micas.
You have a tube for every mood in that list.

You’re in for a treat with those Tele ECC801S. They’re my all time favorite tubes, especially paired with HE-560. We had some extensive discussions about them a couple dozen pages back. Mine have some kind of wacky construction but they’re terrific.

 

[billerb1]

Got them yesterday and, for what I listen for, they are the best tubes I’ve ever heard. Period. I owe AC bigtime for making it happen...but, then again, that’s what AC does.
I went a long time awhile back in the strictly 6922 days with the Tele E188CCs as my #1’s. There is something I’m drawn to with that pure and transparent Telefunken signature. These are that sound to the highest degree I’ve heard. Good call gardibolt.

 

[TK16]

Got them yesterday and, for what I listen for, they are the best tubes I’ve ever heard. Period. I owe AC bigtime for making it happen...but, then again, that’s what AC does.
I went a long time awhile back in the strictly 6922 days with the Tele E188CCs as my #1’s. There is something I’m drawn to with that pure and transparent Telefunken signature. These are that sound to the highest degree I’ve heard. Good call gardibolt.

My version of events, so you may want to take it with a grain of salt. You pester, brow beat, beg, physically threaten me to sell you a pair of those Tung Sol 12AT7, and you wind up selling them in your signature in a couple days!

Seriously, how does those Telefunken ECC801S sound compared to the E188CC?

 

[billerb1]

Couple of days? That was 3 HG’s ago. But I am bad that way. My parents raised me wrong.
As to the Ecc801S’s...they are like Super E188CCs. Bigger, better resonance, incredible transparency and the purest tone you could ever imagine. But, you may ask, what will I think of them in a week??? My avatar has been changed more than my new grandson in the past two months. I’d ask ThurstonX for his prediction but I think he’s still out looking for Sammy. Anyway I personally predict these will be my #1’s for a good long time.

 

[prof.utonium]

Retired as of yesterday. Happy New Year to me !!!

Congrats Bill. Thats quite a milestone, I will be doing the same mid year.

 

[TK16]

Couple of days? That was 3 HG’s ago. But I am bad that way. My parents raised me wrong.
As to the Ecc801S’s...they are like Super E188CCs. Bigger, better resonance, incredible transparency and the purest tone you could ever imagine. But, you may ask, what will I think of them in a week??? My avatar has been changed more than my new grandson in the past two months. I’d ask ThurstonX for his prediction but I think he’s still out looking for Sammy. Anyway I personally predict these will be my #1’s for a good long time.

Don't think I remember what the Tele E188CC sound like, think I'll roll em in a a few days. I remember liking them better than the Siemens CCa with the
MJ2. Was the other way around in the Lyr2.

 

[billerb1]

Don't think I remember what the Tele E188CC sound like, think I'll roll em in a a few days. I remember liking them better than the Siemens CCa with the
MJ2. Was the other way around in the Lyr2.

If you remember correctly, I browbeat you into my backup pair of Tele E188CCs. You were in love with the Siemens back then. And hey TK if you’re waxing nostalgic for your Tung Sol 12AT7’s you can have them back for the price of shipping. They were my first trip into 12Au7/12AT7 land and they were a real eye-opener. Appreciate it.

 

[TK16]

If you remember correctly, I browbeat you into my backup pair of Tele E188CCs. You were in love with the Siemens back then. And hey TK if you’re waxing nostalgic for your Tung Sol 12AT7’s you can have them back for the price of shipping. They were my first trip into 12Au7/12AT7 land and they were a real eye-opener. Appreciate it.

Thanks for the offer but I got a pair here myself. I'll let someone else grab them, quite good for the money. Really good price/performance ratio. I remember that trade quite good for both of us, got a great pair of Heerlen PW out of the deal.

 

[billerb1]

Thanks for the offer but I got a pair here myself. I'll let someone else grab them, quite good for the money. Really good price/performance ratio. I remember that trade quite good for both of us, got a great pair of Heerlen PW out of the deal.

Yup. I think I always liked the Tele E188CC' s more than you and you loved those Cca Valvo PW's. Weren't those 7L0's ??? Maybe 7L1's. I still have a pair of Eindhoven 7L0 E88CC PW's with one Heerlen PW spare, one of the few pair of 6922's I have left. Only others are the 2 pair of Telefunken E188CC's and Ivan's 7L4 D-getter red Valvos.

 

[TK16]

Yup. I think I always liked the Tele E188CC' s more than you and you loved those Cca Valvo PW's. Weren't those 7L0's ??? Maybe 7L1's. I still have a pair of Eindhoven 7L0 E88CC PW's with one Heerlen PW spare, one of the few pair of 6922's I have left. Only others are the 2 pair of Telefunken E188CC's and Ivan's 7L4 D-getter red Valvos.

They are 7L1's, think I may wind up selling more 6922 variants myself. Most of the best tubes I have require an adapter. Wish I heard these tubes before spending so much on 6922 variants.

 

[billerb1]

They are 7L1's, think I may wind up selling more 6922 variants myself. Most of the best tubes I have require an adapter. Wish I heard these tubes before spending so much on 6922 variants.

Yep, all part of growing up I guess. Fun ride though. But like you say bro, it would be interesting, to say the least, to know how much money I've dumped into tubes looking for that magic pair.
But maybe my search is over !!! You believe me ???

 

[TK16]

Yep, all part of growing up I guess. Fun ride though. But like you say bro, it would be interesting, to say the least, to know how much money I've dumped into tubes looking for that magic pair.
But maybe my search is over !!! You believe me ???

I believe you believe the search is over BUT the next HG is just around the corner. Maybe we should put A.C. on the block list for a while?

 

[tjc303]

Anyone looking to unload a matched set of 6C8Gs? Sounds like the Tung Sol or Ken Rad are the nicest flavors, correct?