[Canfly]

Quote:

Tube depot sometimes has them but ebay is definitely your best bet, and yes they are quite expensive these days. ardilla, I've tried a few 6080 (mullard, JAN metal bottoms) for whatever reason compared to the other two tube types these were always very bright for me.  The 6080 and the 6AS7 presented music more like a wall of sound with the 6080 being quite bright and the 6AS7 becoming quite dark and thick.  However, the 5998 has a very 3D, spacious sound to it with a warmer presentation.

If the 5998 has a very 3D, spacious sound to it with a warmer presentation...I would be very interested to try.

 

[Canfly]

Quote:

Haha, well there is the computer rated version of the 5998, you'll have to look it up it's a 7236 or something like that, I can't quite remember.  Never tried it though.  And of course the WE 421a which people rave about but I've never had the spare cash to try.  Or maybe a 6AS7G?

WE 421a...$700/pair on ebay!

 

[keph]

Quote:

WE 421a...$700/pair on ebay!

 
Just get the 5998's they are $45 on vaccumtubes.net....IMO 421A and 5998's are the same only different band since the 421A are rebranded 5998's

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

 
Just get the 5998's they are $45 on vaccumtubes.net....IMO 421A and 5998's are the same only different band since the 421A are rebranded 5998's

+1
 
same tube

 

[colinharding]

Quote:

 
Just get the 5998's they are $45 on vaccumtubes.net....IMO 421A and 5998's are the same only different band since the 421A are rebranded 5998's

[size=11.0pt]That's correct, that tube was effectively repurposed for many different tube manufacturers but was always produced by Tung-Sol.  Originally it was developed as a series regulator, not for audio, but Shindo Laboratory offered a 10Wpc push-pull 421A amp in the early 1980s which I believe was the first amplifier to use this tube. More famously was perhaps Don Garber's Fi 421A amplifier.  Any differences in sound between the 421A and 5998 would have to be attributed to the age of the tube and how much it was used, has little to do with the actual construction as they are both the same.  People pay for the mystique of Western Electric though, so that explains the prices.[/size]

 

[colinharding]

Not sure why my text is brown there can't seem to change it though, oh well.

 

[Rawrbington]

Quote:

 
Just get the 5998's they are $45 on vaccumtubes.net....IMO 421A and 5998's are the same only different band since the 421A are rebranded 5998's

yep
and call them first
make sure they actually have it in stock
however the 5998A is not the same tube as the 5998/421A

 

[Canfly]

Quote:

yep
and call them first
make sure they actually have it in stock
however the 5998A is not the same tube as the 5998/421A

thank you very very much 

 

[Canfly]

Just received the Tung sol 7236 matched pair today. The sound is just amazing comparing to the stock 6080. I can hold off to the Tung Sol 5998 for a moment now.... especially for such a high price

 

[colinharding]

Glad you're enjoying them!  How do they sound, I never got a chance to try those out, sold the amplifier before I could continue my tube rolling journey.

 

[Canfly]

The 7236s sound not as tubey as the rcs 6as7g but it is still very warm sounding. Tighter mid bass and excellent soundstaging. Lots of air on the top and very detailed. They sound like more powerful than 6080 and 6sa7g. I may order one more pair of the Tung-sol 7236 if I decide to keep the WA2 for long time.

 

[ardilla]

I fimd the 7236 and 5998 very similar. But I also like the 6080, but there are better and worse sounding 6080.

 

[Canfly]

OIC, so it may not be worth to spent another about $160/pr on the Tung-sol 5998. The 6080s that I have are the stock ones by Westinghouse. By comparing to the Tung-sol 7236, I just can't go back to the stock 6080s. I ordered a pair of used wrinkle glass E88CC 6922 Mullard CV2492 gold pin. I hope they would sound great. I'm having a pair of Sylvania 6922-GB. It sounds great especially for the midrange and wide sound staging but the low ends are just OK to my ears.

 

[ardilla]

I thnk 5998 vs 7236 is about flavor, they are just as good. But then, I also liked 6080 , both GE and RCA

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

I thnk 5998 vs 7236 is about flavor, they are just as good. But then, I also liked 6080 , both GE and RCA

 
For some reason, the 7236 sounds better with WA22 and 5998 is better with WA2.  For 6080, did you tried the GEC yet?  It is the best sounding 6080 I ever heard, with HD800, I prefer the GEC 6080 over both 7236 and 5998.