[Uncle Hank]

Hi,

I want some advise about 'the best' replacement tubes of the Stax SRM-T1. Please tell me why I 'must have' the tubes you advise.

Regards, Hank

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Hank /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, I want some advise about 'the best' replacement tubes of the Stax SRM-T1. Please tell me why I 'must have' the tubes you advise. Regards, Hank

The best I've found are Toshiba manufactured tubes that are actually NOS Stax that were used in the SRA-3S amps back in 1970. Second best would be Matsuhita (SP?) under many different brand names. The usual 6CG7 candidates (RCA, GE, Sylvania etc.) aren't that good in the Stax amps and all have some glaring faults. The amp just sounds right with the Japanese tubes for the simple fact that it was voiced for them in mind.

 

[Uncle Hank]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The best I've found are Toshiba manufactured tubes that are actually NOS Stax that were used in the SRA-3S amps back in 1970. Second best would be Matsuhita (SP?) under many different brand names. The usual 6CG7 candidates (RCA, GE, Sylvania etc.) aren't that good in the Stax amps and all have some glaring faults. The amp just sounds right with the Japanese tubes for the simple fact that it was voiced for them in mind.

Anyone else?


BTW: I'm reading in the manual that 6FQ7 tubes are used. Is there a difference between the 6FQ7 and the 6CG7?

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Hank /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone else? BTW: I'm reading in the manual that 6FQ7 tubes are used. Is there a difference between the 6FQ7 and the 6CG7?

Uncle Hank, I would only have advised you checking with spritzer. I know of no one else who knows that amp so well.

AFAIK the only difference between the 6CG7 & the 6FQ7 is the presence of a shield between the two triode sections in the 6CG7.

I've never seen anyone indicate they could tell a difference between a shielded vs. un-shielded version.

6FQ7's are more plentiful and tend to be a little cheaper.

 

[milkpowder]

I asked a similar question a while back and the Raytheons were recommended to me. I subsequently tried that and the RCA Cleartops and preferred the Raytheons by a small margin.

 

[Uncle Hank]

I've ordered a pair of Raytheons, because they are simply available. I can't find the Toshiba's.

 

[Nik]

Better tried on the Stax srm007tII are NOS rca clear top, Brimar/Mazda and GE 6cg7.

 

[jimndre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Hank /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've ordered a pair of Raytheons, because they are simply available. I can't find the Toshiba's.

How do you like the Raytheons?

 

[blueroomhifi]

Dear Henk,
 
Firstly i hope i have the right person, i am after a pair of blue dadababys and have searched via the internet to find, do you have a pair of these? or could quite possibly point me in the right direction, i would be ever so greatful.
 
Kind regards
Pete
 
 
 

 

[YOONG 2112]

I am also looking to replace the Golden Arrow Stax tubes in my T1. I cannot find any Toshibas or Matsu****a tubes on eBay. Almost ordered RCA cleartops until I read this tread n Spritzers advice.
I wrote to Stax dealer in Asia n was told the factory Stax tubes with gold pins retails for US 75 a pair. I am hesitant unless some of my fellow stax mafia members advise to do so.Please comment..

 

[IHMEYERS]

First, a brief intro.  I am new to Head-Fi and am returning to high-end audio after a ten year absence (it's a long story).
 
I am not sure I remember using anything other than 6DJ8s in my SRM-T1 which I greatly preferred to 6CG7s.  Now that might be because the only 6CG7s I ever had around to use in that amp was a pair of run of the mill GEs while I had many exotic 6DJ8s (NOS Mullards, Brimars, Telefunkens, etc.)  Since I never heard anyone else say you could swap out 6DJ8s for the 6CG7s I suppose I haven't really heard all the amp is capable of.  I'm thinking I need to buy some good 6CG7s to put back in that amp.
 
Has anyone else ever used 6DJ8s in there?  Thanks very much for any insights.
 
Ian

 

[spritzer]

6DJ8's will not work in any of the Stax amps besides the T2. 

 

[IHMEYERS]

Quote:

6DJ8's will not work in any of the Stax amps besides the T2. 

I am using 6DJ8s in there right now.  My amp is labelled SRM-T1.  Could it have been updated to a T2?  I bought it a long time ago from a resale dealer in NYC.  There have never been any issues using the 6DJ8s though I wonder if it would sound better with the 6CG7s.  I just bought a couple of pair of Raytheons online last night so I will swap them out and see if that helps.
 
The amp came with 6CG7s but they were generic 80's GEs and when one got gassy I switched to 6DJ8s because I had a lot of 1950s and 60s NOS of those and no other 6CG7s on hand  About 6 months later I put all my h-fi equipment into storage (April 2005) and haven't used it until I fired it up about a week ago.  It wasn't until I started checking the 'net that I remembered that it had originally come with the 6CG7s.
 
It sounds as if few are doing it so maybe its a good idea that I bought some 6CG7s.

 

[spritzer]

The T2 is an entirely different amp and just because the amp hasn't exploded yet doesn't mean using ECC88's is a good idea.  When will people learn that just because a tube is similar doesn't mean they can be exchanged...

 

[DefQon]

6CG7 replacements will sound much more better, full bodied and controlled compared to the 6DJ8's. Coincidentally trying out a T1 recently out myself I read online if 6DJ8 can be a substitute drop in replacement for the 6CG7's, a circuit can be rewired to take both but the 6CG7 take more power than the 6DJ8's, it will shorten the lifespan of those 6DJ8's greatly without any circuit modifications. And if I was you, I would listen to the advice from Spritzer as he pretty much work with these kind of things everyday. It would be a bummer if you killed that T1 due to rolling incompatible tubes.