[JKDJedi]

Ive been using my Feliks Audio elise for about a month now. So far, this amp rocks. However i think its time for me to dive head first in the world of tube rolling. For starters I have a pair of 6as7g RCA black plate power tubes. Driver tubes, for now, are PSVane cv-181 T mk2. This combo is decent as it gives me plenty of bass while maintaining a good balance of mids and highs. However, the bass is boomy and not very controlled and not very punchy, which in returned casts a veil over the mids and vocals.

Can anyone plz recommend me some 6sn7 tube or variants that will play well with my RCA 6as7gs. The PS vane is good but i want to bring out the best out of my Elise.

I mostly use my ZMF VC and Auteur with my Elise. Any help would be appreciated.

You just described something that would best be remedied with changing out them RCA instead of the PSvanes.

 

[Paladin79]

Ive been using my Feliks Audio elise for about a month now. So far, this amp rocks. However i think its time for me to dive head first in the world of tube rolling. For starters I have a pair of 6as7g RCA black plate power tubes. Driver tubes, for now, are PSVane cv-181 T mk2. This combo is decent as it gives me plenty of bass while maintaining a good balance of mids and highs. However, the bass is boomy and not very controlled and not very punchy, which in returned casts a veil over the mids and vocals.

Can anyone plz recommend me some 6sn7 tube or variants that will play well with my RCA 6as7gs. The PS vane is good but i want to bring out the best out of my Elise.

I mostly use my ZMF VC and Auteur with my Elise. Any help would be appreciated.

I do not run a Feliks but have heard nothing but good things about the amp. A tube I like with my amps is the 1963 Melz 1578 as far as excellent mids, highs, and and accurate bass. There should be a few more folks on here that can talk about this tube so mine is not the only opinion. I just lost a PSvane Mk-2 yesterday when it was knocked to the floor, still in its original box thanks to my cat Finnegan. I liked it all right but it was not toward the tops as far as overall accuracy. I run the same RCA 6as7g's on occasion but I prefer Tung Sol 5998's myself. Add those to an Incubus amp along with the Melz tube and Focal Utopias and I am a happy man. I could lend you a couple 63 Melz to try but I do not know you as well as others on here so details would have to be worked out. No offense intended of course.

 

[shafat777]

Would like to enlighten me? What tubes would you recommend me changing to?

 

[JKDJedi]

Would like to enlighten me? What tubes would you recommend me changing to?

Well he did mention the 5998 (and if you can afford them nice headphones, you can afford a pair of 5998)

 

[bcowen]

I do not run a Feliks but have heard nothing but good things about the amp. A tube I like with my amps is the 1963 Melz 1578 as far as excellent mids, highs, and and accurate bass. There should be a few more folks on here that can talk about this tube so mine is not the only opinion. I just lost a PSvane Mk-2 yesterday when it was knocked to the floor, still in its original box thanks to my cat Finnegan. I liked it all right but it was not toward the tops as far as overall accuracy. I run the same RCA 6as7g's on occasion but I prefer Tung Sol 5998's myself. Add those to an Incubus amp along with the Melz tube and Focal Utopias and I am a happy man. I could lend you a couple 63 Melz to try but I do not know you as well as others on here so details would have to be worked out. No offense intended of course.

I hope Finnegan gave you a time-out for leaving that within his reach.

 

[bcowen]

Would like to enlighten me? What tubes would you recommend me changing to?

Agree completely with @JKDJedi on this. If you want to keep the RCA's in play, then the Melz that @Paladin79 noted will be a more synergistic match. '50's Foton 6N8S's are also worth considering and on the cheaper side. I like the PSVane myself, so would probably go with a better power tube mate. The Tung Sol 5998 is a good choice, as are a Chatham 6AS7G or a Tung-Sol or Cetron 7236. The Russian Svetlana 6N5S / 6N13S can work too, and if you can find some '50's manufacture all the better.

 

[shafat777]

Thanks for the reply. I was under the impression that my RCA 6as7gs would be better than my stock psvane 6n13s. I still have those. I ll look into the Svetlanas. The tung sol and chatam seems to be rare and expensive but i ll keep an eye out for those as well.

 

[bcowen]

Thanks for the reply. I was under the impression that my RCA 6as7gs would be better than my stock psvane 6n13s. I still have those. I ll look into the Svetlanas. The tung sol and chatam seems to be rare and expensive but i ll keep an eye out for those as well.

Are you sure the stock tubes aren't 6N13P's? Those would be Shuguang, not PSVane as they don't (currently) make a 6N13P. And if the stock tubes are truly Shuguang 6N13P's, the Russian 6N13S will have an entirely different (and better, IMO) sound especially when paired with the PSVane CV181-T II.

 

[shafat777]

Accordingn to the Elise manual, the stock power tubes are 6N13S. The marking on the tube says "6H13C"

 

[bcowen]

Accordingn to the Elise manual, the stock power tubes are 6N13S. The marking on the tube says "6H13C"

OK, that would be a Russian Svetlana then. Might want to give those another listen with the CV181's in play and see what you think. Be sure to give them some break-in time (if you haven't already) as the sound will change over the first 20 hours or so.

 

[Paladin79]

Accordingn to the Elise manual, the stock power tubes are 6N13S. The marking on the tube says "6H13C"

http://www.russianlessons.net/lessons/lesson1_alphabet.php

That is just the difference between alphabets. I generally include the Svetlana flying C in my amps.

The thing is, I have always found greater differences in driver tubes than power tubes but that can be very amp dependent so my mind first goes to driver tubes.

 

[shafat777]

OK, that would be a Russian Svetlana then. Might want to give those another listen with the CV181's in play and see what you think. Be sure to give them some break-in time (if you haven't already) as the sound will change over the first 20 hours or so.

Thanks for that. I have actually never heard my stock russian power tubes with cv 181s. I upgraded the powers first. and then the drivers.

With that being said, you seem very knowledgeable in these tubes. I will keep searching 5998s but with my present tubes, which drivers tubes should i invest in? I heard sylvania 6sn7gtb are excellent, as well as rca vt-231are also great. Any tips?

 

[bcowen]

Thanks for that. I have actually never heard my stock russian power tubes with cv 181s. I upgraded the powers first. and then the drivers.

With that being said, you seem very knowledgeable in these tubes. I will keep searching 5998s but with my present tubes, which drivers tubes should i invest in? I heard sylvania 6sn7gtb are excellent, as well as rca vt-231are also great. Any tips?

In addition to the driver tubes mentioned previously, a Sylvania Bad Boy 6SN7 might work nicely, as well as 40's or 50's Raytheons (6SN7 / VT-231). An RCA VT-231 / 6SN7 wouldn't be my choice -- while they can be quite excellent with the right power tube, they aren't going to be the best match with the RCA 6AS7's. In order to improve on the bass issues you mention, you need a driver tube that is fast, articulate, and fairly neutral in the bass. The Melz and Fotons score nicely in that area, IMO.

 

[shafat777]

Okay, i am looking a pair of Raytheon vt-231 on ebay and i think i might give those a shot. In the mean time, i m gonna try my svetlanas with my cv-181s and report back. I didnt pay much for the rca 6as7gs, so if i have to replace those, it wont be too bad. I just want something that will make my elise sing in harmony with my VC and Auteur.

 

[MasonStorm]

Lol I am not a huge fan but the price was right. As far as Foton’s why???? I would rather have a Futon instead of a Foton.

Oh and I am listening to three VR-102’s (BL63’s), they are different and musical.

Yikes! Please be sure your amp is up to the task posed by VR-102's. Please see http://www.r-type.org/exhib/aaa0300.htm (at the bottom of the page). A VR-102 draws a heater current of 1.3A, literally more than double the 0.6A of a 6SN7. People around here quite correctly warn each other about rolling in an ECC32, with its 0.9A draw. A VR-102 is much worse than that!