[reg66]

In the Ultimat3 driving EL39 or EL34 the 6SN7 combination produces a very musical tone. You did ask for suggestions for 6SN7. It’s obviously all about the synergy between the driver and the output tubes, likewise having owned good SS amps I know they sound nothing like them. Good luck with your hunt for 6J’s/6C’s.

Thanks again, but I was asking for 6J5s to compare to my small collection of 6SN7s. As I just said to bcowen, I can't afford super expensive ss or tube amps, nor have I heard them. They say ignorance is bliss! I meant no offense whatsoever, was just speaking in naivety. But my theory is, in pursuing the most pristine sound from a tube amp possible, then I would most likely prefer to go with ss.

 

[incredulousity]

Even my most blisteringly detailed and neutral tube combinations still sound different enough from SS to be worth having both tube and SS on the stack.

 

[reg66]

Even my most blisteringly detailed and neutral tube combinations still sound different enough from SS to be worth having both tube and SS on the stack.

Ahh ok, like I say, I'm inexperienced and pretty much a pauperphile lol. It was just a theory. Maybe one day I'd love to be able to shell out on both of high cost... but that's a loong way off!

 

[Nick Ryan]

I was only assuming they were very clean and detailed. I just meant that if I'm after pristine, clean and detailed music, I would prefer ss for that. But appreciate everyone's taste is different. Plus, there's no way i can afford to obtain such pristine presentation via super pricey tubes and amps such as some of you guys! Maybe one day, but that's far off

I’ve managed it, I am retired, no super, small military pension, judicious buying, I’m at the end of my life at nigh on 70, like you I save hard and wait for bargains. For some it’s the only way mate.

 

[reg66]

I’m at the end of my life at nigh on 70

Bless, don't think like that fella, my step-dad's way over 80 but still living life to the max, he's a very young 80+ year old and I'm sure you're another example... ok so you might be past true youthful 'young' but hopefully plenty of years left in the tank for you. Reckon he, and hopefully you will go on past the big Ton, that's over 30 years for you! Plenty of time to kick back and enjoy the music.

Good luck

reg

 

[UntilThen]

Bought a new pair of Raytheon 6J5GT black ladder plates, D getters made in the 1950s to add to my very small collection of 6J5.

 

[Isaacc7]

I fell off the wagon. Hadn’t bought anything in months… To be fair I had planned on getting these for quite some time, I already have the adapters and everything!

They are supposed to be similar to the c3g. I really like the c3m so I figured an STC version of a German tube is worth taking a bet on lol. Of course these have a different pin out than the c3m so I had to get different adapters.

These are STC branded despite coming in ITT boxes. I was under the impression that STC labeled tubes ITT in the later stages of production so hopefully these are an older vintage.

Edit: I will be running them in pairs in triode mode to replace a 6sn7.

 

[Isaacc7]

Listening to the 5a/152m tubes paired up with el38 output tubes. Looks like I opened up the one box that had a tube with the STC label. All the others are branded ITT lol. They all look the same so I’m not too worried.

The sound I’m getting is very similar to what I would expect from the c3m. Will try to do some comparisons tomorrow. Switching tubes with the c3m is a pain because you’re supposed to let them cool before moving them. I’m always afraid to try them with new tubes. What if I don’t like that combo? I’ll have to wait 20-30 minutes before switching! Lol

 

[Xcalibur255]

It's a best practice to wait about that long before swapping tubes anyway, that way you've given the bleed-off resistors enough time to discharge the energy in the capacitors.

 

[Isaacc7]

Has anyone tried using 6e5p or 6e6p with adapters to replace a 6sn7? Everyone seems to love the sound they have in triode but I keep reading about oscillations. I really really really don’t need any more tubes or tube options but I do feel the siren call. I’m a sucker for good sounding unusual tubes

 

[Isaacc7]

I now think that the 5a/152m and c3m wired as triodes sound essentially the same in my amp. I don’t think I could tell you which one was in there at least. If we posit that the c3m and c36 sound similar, apply the transitive rule, and voila, the 5a/152m would seem to be a decent substitution for the c3g. In my amp at least lol. The 5a/152m is pretty easy to find at good prices although I think you have to have adapters custom made because I don’t think the pin out is the same as the c3g.

 

[shwnwllms]

First foray into 6J5's with my A&S Agartha 2021 - GEC 6J5G Grey Glass L63

(I have some Russian 6C8C's & Mulllard VR135's on deck as well, but I'm waiting on an adapter)

 

[UntilThen]

You mean this?

 

[shwnwllms]

You mean this?

The Mullards VR135's are identical to the middle pair, but my Russian 6C8C's are from 1954. I'll post some photos next week

 

[Isaacc7]

Finally lucked into some more Raytheon 12j5wgt and so have been running them consistently for a couple of weeks. I need to use 4 at a time in my preamp and possibly another 4 in my amp so I had it in the back of my mind to be careful with them until I had spares. Now that I have a good supply I plan on using them quite a bit.

When I use them in my preamp I get a sense of tonal purity along with the detail and expansive frequency range. It's hard for me to put my finger it but they just seem to have a rightness to them. No grain, no obvious extra anything but I feel like more of the instrument is coming through or something. Anyway, I'm happy to have found more for my long term use since they seem to have gotten scarce. Think they will be my primary preamp tube going forward. Getting closer to locking in my tube combos for the long term.