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

[Isaacc7]

Just got in another batch of JAN Sylvania 12j5gt. I have been very impressed with the round plate Sylvanias, and they're so cheap! The boxes are dated 4-21-43. They just turned 78! The only thing I don't like about using *j5 tubes is I need twice as many, I could conceivably end up using 8 at a time when my new amp comes. Still, they are much less than half the price of the *sn7 tubes and might sound better anyway lol.

Did Tungsol make round plate 6/12j5gt tubes? I have a bunch of the Tungsol ladder plate (which I actually need to try at some point) but would love to get my hands on some of the round plate variants if they exist. Love the 12sn7 black glass round plate tubes and would love to get the same in my amp. It only uses 6v tubes though and the prices of the TSRPBG 6sn7 are well out of my comfort zone.

 

[Marutks]

I am running 12j5 sylvania (and Osram B36) tubes in my amp at the moment. They are ladder plate tubes but they sound good to me. Maybe round plate tubes sound even better?

 

[Isaacc7]

I am running 12j5 sylvania (and Osram B36) tubes in my amp at the moment. They are ladder plate tubes but they sound good to me. Maybe round plate tubes sound even better?

I do need to try some more versions. I do know that that I like the Sylvania round plates and that they are cheap so I don't feel guilty stocking up. I have enough of the Tungsol ladder plates that I will try them, maybe tonight. I only have 3 Raytheon 12j5gt though, frustrating.

 

[leftside]

Visseaux 6C5MG and 6J5MG. Will try and do a comparison this evening. Interestingly 3 of the boxes state “License Sylvania”, but one doesn’t.

 

[bcowen]

Visseaux 6C5MG and 6J5MG. Will try and do a comparison this evening. Interestingly 3 of the boxes state “License Sylvania”, but one doesn’t.

Cool! Schiit should make their new LISST tubes devices look like those.

 

[leftside]

Philips 6J5MG. Matching codes. Different box styles.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Visseaux 6C5MG and 6J5MG. Will try and do a comparison this evening. Interestingly 3 of the boxes state “License Sylvania”, but one doesn’t.

I have a pair of these, the internals are actually the same as the Visseaux 6J5G. They did a lot of licensing through Sylvania, the only other company to manufacture the 6A5G used in my power amplifier.

 

[pravous]

Philips 6J5MG. Matching codes. Different box styles.

You need to open your own personal tube museum. Tube porn at its best!

 

[pravous]

On a more serious note. Metal can tubes seem to have had a brief time frame. Anyone have any clue why?

 

[Monsterzero]

On a more serious note. Metal can tubes seem to have had a brief time frame. Anyone have any clue why?

The rumor around the interwebs is that dry dog food was invented out of necessity to save metal for the war effort. Might apply here too?

 

[jonathan c]

Cool! Schiit should make their new LISST tubes devices look like those.

…use eight in V-8 formation: switch to a checkered flag logo…

 

[jonathan c]

On a more serious note. Metal can tubes seem to have had a brief time frame. Anyone have any clue why?

Beer?

 

[gibosi]

On a more serious note. Metal can tubes seem to have had a brief time frame. Anyone have any clue why?

Despite all the hype when they were first introduced, any advantages over glass never materialized. And given that they were more expensive to manufacture, there was little or no reason to keep making them.

 

[leftside]

Despite all the hype when they were first introduced, any advantages over glass never materialized. And given that they were more expensive to manufacture, there was little or no reason to keep making them.

Yep. @gibosi beat me to it.

 

[Isaacc7]

Finally got a chance to try the JAN Tungsol 12j5gt in my preamp. Compared to the Sylvania 12j5 round plate tubes the Tungsol give a bigger, warmer sound with less detail. This is what I think the stereotypical "tube" sound is. It can be nice but having heard what my system sounds like with other tubes like the aforementioned Sylvania 12j5gt, 12sx7, and a variety of 12sn7 I don't think I'll be using these in my preamp. Once my new amp comes in I'll give them another try as inout tubes.