The Reference 6J5 Thread (L63, 6C5, 12J5, 6P5, etc.)

[Designsfx]

Good to hear, I bought 2 weeks ago a pair of 6C5 which look like this:



These can be relatively easy to find in Europe, around 7-8 EUR/piece. I know a place where you can find a quad. PM me if interested (price is 7.5 EUR/piece).

Thank you! I noticed last evening that there are many more 6C5’s available when compared to 6J5’s. The price you mentioned is consistent with the price I paid for my 6J5’s as well. I’m interested in hearing more about the 76 as well. The document consolidating comments from this thread is great as it (in some cases) provides valuable listening impressions. Which are you currently favoring- 6C or 6J?

 

[OctavianH]

Which are you currently favoring- 6C or 6J?

I do not listen too often to any of them. If you would ask me to pick I'll pick 6C5 because it's older.

 

[Marutks]

I have some spare tubes that I want to sell

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/various-tubes-6j5-6c5-6sn7-6n7-pairs.60815/

 

[Designsfx]

I have some spare tubes that I want to sell

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/various-tubes-6j5-6c5-6sn7-6n7-pairs.60815/

Those are all very nice! Sorry but I need matched quads for my setup. I‘ve tried running pairs in SE mode before and it didn’t work out.

 

[nwavesailor]

Same with me, I need quads as well.

If you need pairs this is one heck of a way to get a nice group of some fantastic tubes at a great price!!!!

 

[VanHai]

Can someone identify this pair of Mullard 6J5 with metal base and made in the US ?. Round micas on top and rectangle at bottom with D getter. I can not find any information about these tubes. 6J5 and made in the US printed on the original boxes and thanks for your help.

 

[mordy]

Can someone identify this pair of Mullard 6J5 with metal base and made in the US ?. Round micas on top and rectangle at bottom with D getter. I can not find any information about these tubes. 6J5 and made in the US printed on the original boxes and thanks for your help.

I think it looks like this one:

 

[LobalWarming]

Can someone identify this pair of Mullard 6J5 with metal base and made in the US ?. Round micas on top and rectangle at bottom with D getter. I can not find any information about these tubes. 6J5 and made in the US printed on the original boxes and thanks for your help.

Definitely not Sylvania... but maybe RCA. My guess is Tung-Sol. Have a pair of Westinghouse that have the same construction - and told they were made by TS. That makes it a semi-informed guess. Also guess that @mordy's RCA is made by TS.

 

[triod750]

I have a pair branded Tung Sol looking exactly the same. It has the EIA code 322 DT3 on the socket/metal skirt but no code on glass and that kind of bottom rectangular getter. It was suggested to me by a forum member that it actually could have been made in Japan and rebranded. I have seen similar/the same looking tubes from several US brands. This says something but I still don't know exactly what
I suppose it's late production and the glass seems thicker than usual.

 

[mordy]

Definitely not Sylvania... but maybe RCA. My guess is Tung-Sol. Have a pair of Westinghouse that have the same construction - and told they were made by TS. That makes it a semi-informed guess. Also guess that @mordy's RCA is made by TS.

The plot thickens - here is a picture of a similar looking Tung Sol:

So who made this tube for Mullard? RCA? Tung Sol?
Can't remember seeing true Tung Sol tubes with the interlocking metal base, so my vote goes to RCA.
Any date codes or other codes on the Mullards?

 

[triod750]

The plot thickens - here is a picture of a similar looking Tung Sol:

So who made this tube for Mullard? RCA? Tung Sol?
Can't remember seeing true Tung Sol tubes with the interlocking metal base, so my vote goes to RCA.
Any date codes or other codes on the Mullards?

Are there any other RCA tubes with similar/the same construction?

 

[VanHai]

The plot thickens - here is a picture of a similar looking Tung Sol:

So who made this tube for Mullard? RCA? Tung Sol?
Can't remember seeing true Tung Sol tubes with the interlocking metal base, so my vote goes to RCA.
Any date codes or other codes on the Mullards?

There is no code on the base, i barely see a K or X printed on the glass.

 

[Xcalibur255]

I would suspect they are Japanese made Hitachi based on the physical construction. Given Tung-Sol's manufacturing history I would be surprised if they were still making their own 6J5s by this point in time, it's more likely they were re-branding.

 

[VanHai]

I would suspect they are Japanese made Hitachi based on the physical construction. Given Tung-Sol's manufacturing history I would be surprised if they were still making their own 6J5s by this point in time, it's more likely they were re-branding.

I think you are right, re-branded. At the bottom of one tube said licensed only to extend.

 

[mordy]

I think you are right, re-branded. At the bottom of one tube said licensed only to exten

These are the only pictures I could find of the Hitachi 6J5GT tubes - the micas are different and the metal base does not have that interlock edge.