[Paladin79]

Been there and tried to do that, but I gave up on the B65's as those are never coming down in price and I sure as heck have never found a deal on one. I sure would love to hear one though. . .

Both will be a part of some blind 6sn7 equivalent tests I am involved with, whenever we feel safe meeting in a group of fifty people. Only 52 tubes were deemed worthy but those two brands certainly were. Luckily my group can put together some of the top equipment around from within its ranks, DAC's, Amps, speakers, pre-amps and I cannot go to any one audio showroom to hear such equipment, and switch between them for blind listening. It is always fun to see a Topping DS7 DAC finish above items costing ten times the price lol.

Being in the trade, I rarely pay much for my audio gear and if patient, most anything I want comes my way sooner or later. Tubes are another story though and they are finite items, no matter how good an investment, I hate to pay $2000 for something a cat (Finnegan) might knock off a table or that I would not want to use because of its value. Even in borrowing something like that from others I certainly worry something might happen.

 

[Wes S]

Both will be a part of some blind 6sn7 equivalent tests I am involved with, whenever we feel safe meeting in a group of fifty people. Only 52 tubes were deemed worthy but those two brands certainly were. Luckily my group can put together some of the top equipment around from within its ranks, DAC's, Amps, speakers, pre-amps and I cannot go to any one audio showroom to hear such equipment, and switch between them for blind listening. It is always fun to see a Topping DS7 DAC finish above items costing ten times the price lol.

Being in the trade, I rarely pay much for my audio gear and if patient, most anything I want comes my way sooner or later. Tubes are another story though and they are finite items, no matter how good an investment, I hate to pay $2000 for something a cat (Finnegan) might knock off a table or that I would not want to use because of its value. Even in borrowing something like that from others I certainly worry something might happen.

Man! I sure would love to take part in that blind 6SN7 test. I have heard quite a few tubes in my day, but have never tried anything like that. For me and my tube rolling, I usually stick with 1 tube for at least a couple of weeks to a month, and this allows me to get a good feel for what the tube is actually doing, and if I am not satisfied by then it is time to roll another. So, it would be interesting to see if I could figure things out on the spot.

 

[Paladin79]

Man! I sure would love to take part in that blind 6SN7 test. I have heard quite a few tubes in my day, but have never tried anything like that. For me and my tube rolling, I usually stick with 1 tube for at least a couple of weeks to a month, and this allows me to get a good feel for what the tube is actually doing, and if I am not satisfied by then it is time to roll another. So, it would be interesting to see if I could figure things out on the spot.

I no longer run the group, we are limited to two years each or I would try to get you in. You hear the same music for each tube and the sounds highlight 25 criteria. Top score of 100 on a four point system. At the end if you have any you want to compare head to head you can do that. We will switch between four tubes at a time using four identical amps I designed that are made to showcase tube sound. I also gifted one to @bcowen since he knows tubes and has shared many with me. You may have heard us speak of the Incubus amp, that is the one.

 

[LoryWiv]

Man! I sure would love to take part in that blind 6SN7 test. I have heard quite a few tubes in my day, but have never tried anything like that. For me and my tube rolling, I usually stick with 1 tube for at least a couple of weeks to a month, and this allows me to get a good feel for what the tube is actually doing, and if I am not satisfied by then it is time to roll another. So, it would be interesting to see if I could figure things out on the spot.

I admire your discipline. For myself, I find that I'll go a few weeks with a tube set I'm enjoying then get the "itch" and commence tube rolling ADHD, in which I may change them out twice in a given day just to allow comparison whilst things are fresh in memory. That said, I may not be giving each set enough time for settling in, for brain burn-in or whatever alchemy happens to allow a fair assessment.

 

[Paladin79]

I admire your discipline. For myself, I find that I'll go a few weeks with a tube set I'm enjoying then get the "itch" and commence tube rolling ADHD, in which I may change them out twice in a given day just to allow comparison whilst things are fresh in memory. That said, I may not be giving each set enough time for settling in, for brain burn-in or whatever alchemy happens to allow a fair assessment.

I am consistently changing out tubes in various amps in home use but when I compare it is hard for me to say, oh yea that tube I heard two months ago was better or worse than the one I am listening to now lol. In the tube challenge you are A/Bing them and each section of music is probably five minutes long so you have a bit of time for your ears to adjust as you switch back and forth. There is also the strength of numbers, forty nine people listening and scoring the tubes as well as yourself. In the end you may be close to the final average or way off but you give your opinion without knowing brand, cost, type of tube, whatever. We use 6sn7 equivalents so you might here two 6j5's, or 7A4's, or a 5692 etc.
Hear what others think of a tube, or know a tube is arriving you just paid $250 for and your perspective changes. Hear a $2,000 knowing what it is you have in front of you, are you going to score it worse than a known $20 tube. Blind listening is important to eliminate bias.

 

[attmci]

Both will be a part of some blind 6sn7 equivalent tests I am involved with, whenever we feel safe meeting in a group of fifty people. Only 52 tubes were deemed worthy but those two brands certainly were. Luckily my group can put together some of the top equipment around from within its ranks, DAC's, Amps, speakers, pre-amps and I cannot go to any one audio showroom to hear such equipment, and switch between them for blind listening. It is always fun to see a Topping DS7 DAC finish above items costing ten times the price lol.

Being in the trade, I rarely pay much for my audio gear and if patient, most anything I want comes my way sooner or later. Tubes are another story though and they are finite items, no matter how good an investment, I hate to pay $2000 for something a cat (Finnegan) might knock off a table or that I would not want to use because of its value. Even in borrowing something like that from others I certainly worry something might happen.

Tom, Can u use a 12V tube in your new amp?

 

[attmci]

Good question. I don't know. How do u tell?

96-97. It's on your tube.

 

[Paladin79]

Tom, Can u use a 12V tube in your new amp?

Not unless there is an adapter made for it but generally it is easier to use a tube requiring a 6 volt filament in a 12 volt circuit.

 

[attmci]

Not unless there is an adapter made for it but generally it is easier to use a tube requiring a 6 volt filament in a 12 volt circuit.

Glenn's OTL can do that.

 

[Paladin79]

Glenn's OTL can do that.

I can add a switch and add the circuit but the amp was designed for a 6sn7 challenge, I have built others with different capabilities but no one has asked for usage with 12 volt tubes yet.

 

[attmci]

I can add a switch and add the circuit but the amp was designed for a 6sn7 challenge, I have built others with different capabilities but no one has asked for usage with 12 volt tubes yet.

The original discussion can be found here, about 9 years ago.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/6sn7-tube-addicts.479031/page-97

 

[Paladin79]

The original discussion can be found here, about 9 years ago.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/6sn7-tube-addicts.479031/page-97

Interesting, I have never given it a lot of thought. This is just a weekend hobby for me and I have only built about 20 amps of this style since the first of the year. I have done a few to friends specs but it can be grueling. Of those 20 I gave away six to friends.

 

[bcowen]

I can add a switch and add the circuit but the amp was designed for a 6sn7 challenge, I have built others with different capabilities but no one has asked for usage with 12 volt tubes yet.

How about a 25 volt tube? I bought one by mistake. I know, I know....trying to grasp the thought of me making a mistake is difficult at best, but I'm blaming it on the cat.

 

[Paladin79]

How about a 25 volt tube? I bought one by mistake. I know, I know....trying to grasp the thought of me making a mistake is difficult at best, but I'm blaming it on the cat.

Sure blame the cat. I blame whoever is supposed to be watching you so you do not buy spurious tubes. See why I gifted this man an amp, can you imagine giving such a person choices??

Normally you design a circuit to work with a certain tube type and it is possible to make allowances so you can use other tubes but just plugging them in is not something I like to do if their gain is now lower or whatever. If you bias a tube incorrectly you can greatly shorten that tubes life, it has been years since I studied tube theory but I want to say that is hot biasing. Doing things like using two single triode tubes is fine for replacing a 6sn7, each has half the gain so the end result is the same. Substituting a 6 volt tube in a 12 volt circuit can be allowed for and there are adapters for that exact purpose.

 

[bcowen]

Sure blame the cat. I blame whoever is supposed to be watching you so you do not buy spurious tubes. See why I gifted this man an amp, can you imagine giving such a person choices??

Normally you design a circuit to work with a certain tube type and it is possible to make allowances so you can use other tubes but just plugging them in is not something I like to do if their gain is now lower or whatever. If you bias a tube incorrectly you can greatly shorten that tubes life, it has been years since I studied tube theory but I want to say that is hot biasing. Doing things like using two single triode tubes is fine for replacing a 6sn7, each has half the gain so the end result is the same. Substituting a 6 volt tube in a 12 volt circuit can be allowed for and there are adapters for that exact purpose.

So what you're saying then is I shouldn't proceed with the 211 tube adapter I was making for the Incubus? .