[leftside]

While all the collectors collect British shoulder style tubes there are some more pedestrian tubes that I think are better if you value detail. In particular the Raytheon 6j5wgt and round plate Sylvania 6j5gt are both excellent detail retrievers and significantly cheaper than British tubes. I know that we tend to associate older tubes with better sound but I think there’s something to be said for more modern processes and designs too. The German c3g, c3m, etc. being prime examples of mature technology being combined with decades of experience to produce exceptional tubes. It’s probable that by the mid 60s just about anything that could be known about vacuum tubes had been figured out. We then entered the long decline in tube manufacturing knowledge.

Agreed. I'm running the military Raytheon VR-67 in one of my amps at the moment.

Old tubes with modern tube amps is a winning combo.

 

[OctavianH]

I know that we tend to associate older tubes with better sound but I think there’s something to be said for more modern processes and designs too.

While some of the newer designs sound more technical, I was not able to match with them the richness and vivid tone of the old Philips ones. Now, my answer is off topic since here is a thread related to 6J5 and I am mainly speaking about pentodes. On triode side, a good example of what I have described is ECC40, but it's a double triode.

Please tell me where I can collect some of this garbage with you!

Well, unfortunately for you I have bought all I have found after the mister above my post bought all he needed. But you can be wiser than us and build yourself a 4V heaters amplifier and go towards AL or ABL family of tubes and you will, most probably, obtain similar or better results than with these.

 

[whirlwind]

While all the cool kids collect British shoulder style tubes there are some more pedestrian tubes that I think are better if you value detail. In particular the Raytheon 6j5wgt and round plate Sylvania 6j5gt are both excellent detail retrievers and significantly cheaper than British tubes. I know that we tend to associate older tubes with better sound but I think there’s something to be said for more modern processes and designs too. The German c3g, c3m, etc. being prime examples of mature technology being combined with decades of experience to produce exceptional tubes. It’s probable that by the mid 60s just about anything that could be known about vacuum tubes had been figured out. We then entered the long decline in tube manufacturing knowledge.

So true. There are many 6J5GT tubes that sound great, along with the 12J5 tubes.

 

[budburma]

I've not seen this moused eared version or the STCC lable.....so, I'm curious if you can help in identifying these as STC with mouse ears? Are they STC made - and do they have the detail and less pipe and slippers club sound that STC offers up

?

 

[budburma]

here's another shot.....

 

[JTbbb]

I've not seen this moused eared version or the STCC lable.....so, I'm curious if you can help in identifying these as STC with mouse ears? Are they STC made - and do they have the detail and less pipe and slippers club sound that STC offers u

here's another shot.....

Those mouse ears look rectangular to me!

 

[budburma]

Those mouse ears look rectangular to me!

It's true! they're more like rectanfular braces than the traditional TS round mouse ears....they just sort of reminded me of the as perpendicular pieces.

 

[mordy]

here's another shot.....

Perhaps this post helps - the tubes may be made by STC/Brimar:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...6c5-12j5-6p5-etc.934653/page-15#post-15771652

 

[triod750]

I have two of these, could say a pair. One of it says 6J5G.N. and CV1067 on the socket and also S.T.C. 101. On the glass it says 6J above 5G. On the glass pinch somethin is handwritten in black ink, could be 12rK or something else; 2r is just a guess. The other tube also has S.T.C. 101. and the 6J5G.N. on the socket. Below that it has 10E/348. On the glass pinch it says in black handwritten ink 1/31/J. My guess is that this is a date code.
Apart from this they look the same.
And Brimar was a part of Standard Telephones and Cables and supposed to mean British Made American Range. I have forgotten the source of this last information but the relationship between STC and Brimar can be found in Grace's Guide.

 

[triod750]

I installed this STC/BRIMAR 6J5G pair substituting the Tung Sol branded pair mentioned in this post:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-reference-6j5-thread-l63-6c5-12j5-6p5-etc.934653/post-17923047 There is no doubt a lot more pixels in the sound picture with these STC 6J5G. I always fail to get any good sound from these mystery T S branded 6J5GT/G.
I now use them with Haltron branded black glass 6K6GT/G. On the bottom of the sockets on these it says 'Licensed only to the extent indicated on carton' so I expect they are American production. They look like a Tung Sol pair I have but so far doesn't sound the same. Not many hours on them yet.

 

[Isaacc7]

So true. There are many 6J5GT tubes that sound great, along with the 12J5 tubes.

I mostly use 12j5gt tubes these days when I use that family. The prices are so good. I also love my weird voltage tubes. Making my amp use external heater supplies was such a good investment.

 

[triod750]

So one of the two STC 6J5G developed some noise. What to do? I put in one Brimar branded 6J5GT/G with unknown manufacturer. I have several that are branded Brimar but made by Ken-Rad. This is something else and looks like one made by NU. Anyway, you are not allowed to do this if you are a serious audiophile, you all know this. What was the outcome you might wonder? Well, suddenly the Haltron 6K6GT/G started to sound much better. This could be due to the change of input tube or they might have become run in. Or both. I don't care, I will just listen.

 

[David A Silva]

. …. I don't care, I will just listen.

Amen Brother @triod750 !

 

[raindownthunda]

So one of the two STC 6J5G developed some noise. What to do? I put in one Brimar branded 6J5GT/G with unknown manufacturer. I have several that are branded Brimar but made by Ken-Rad. This is something else and looks like one made by NU. Anyway, you are not allowed to do this if you are a serious audiophile, you all know this. What was the outcome you might wonder? Well, suddenly the Haltron 6K6GT/G started to sound much better. This could be due to the change of input tube or they might have become run in. Or both. I don't care, I will just listen.

Bravo! Publicly admitting to finding pleasure in blasphemous tube rolls takes real courage. Somewhere deep in the abyss of my cabinets I can hear some mystery, rust-bucket, ugly-duckling 6J5GT's calling... I keep saying there needs to be an appreciation thread for "bad tube rolls that have no business sounding this good".

 

[LobalWarming]

Bravo! Publicly admitting to finding pleasure in blasphemous tube rolls takes real courage. Somewhere deep in the abyss of my cabinets I can hear some mystery, rust-bucket, ugly-duckling 6J5GT's calling... I keep saying there needs to be an appreciation thread for "bad tube rolls that have no business sounding this good".

Or as we used to say in our little rolling group... "They are no bad tubes, only bad moods."

At least until @bcowen shows up with a handful of ECG 5814s... those can put anyone in a bad mood.