The Reference 6SN7 Thread

[jonathan c]

Caviar for a Woo Audio WA6 (first generation):

 

[Paladin79]

Caviar for a Woo Audio WA6 (first generation):

What year Melz? I have plenty from the 70's and 80's but anymore I just buy 1963 or older.

 

[jonathan c]

What year Melz? I have plenty from the 70's and 80's but anymore I just buy 1963 or older.

I believe 1979 and 1980...assuming that it is the year indicated on the metal base...

 

[Paladin79]

I believe 1979 and 1980...assuming that it is the year indicated on the metal base...

Look in the lower right of the Melz logo on the glass to be sure. I have seen some with purple stamps that may or may not indicate year. Some of mine are correct, some are not. Many of my older ones only have the logo, nothing on the base.

 

[jonathan c]

More photographs:

 

[Paladin79]

More photographs:

Yeah, mine with purple lettering on the bottom tend to match up, some are even stamped there with the 1578 as well as month and year of manufacture so yours are most likely 79 and 80, although some of mine from 73 are stamped 74 down below. The logo is not always easy to make out I can see the 79 on one of yours.

I listen to seventies versions when I want mids that are out front, I vary my tubes with listening sessions or moods I suppose.

I am currently listening to a 1578 from 1958 and a Svetlana power tube from the same year.

Oh and yours have the proper construction, now if you ever come across the same configuration with shiny black plates and no perforations buy them if you can. If you cannot PM me and I will lol.

 

[jonathan c]

Yeah, mine with purple lettering on the bottom tend to match up, some are even stamped there with the 1578 as well as month and year of manufacture so yours are most likely 79 and 80, although some of mine from 73 are stamped 74 down below. The logo is not always easy to make out I can see the 79 on one of yours.

I listen to seventies versions when I want mids that are out front, I vary my tubes with listening sessions or moods I suppose.

I am currently listening to a 1578 from 1958 and a Svetlana power tube from the same year.

Oh and yours have the proper construction, now if you ever come across the same configuration with shiny black plates and no perforations buy them if you can. If you cannot PM me and I will lol.

Thank you...

 

[bcowen]

In looking for info on the GE 5998a, I came across this:

yes it is my opinion that all 5998's sound the same. There are top getter and bottom getter variants but i detect no sonic differences between them. And every 5998 was made by Tung-Sol.

Do note that the GE "5998A" is totally different, basically a relabeled 6AS7GA, and not a 5998 at all. (SkyLab was the person who stated this.)

Unfortunately I have seen the spec sheet on the 5998A and it has the same gain as a Tung Sol 5998. This fellow also said only Tung Sol built 5998's.

Sylvania had them as well, the A may designate glass style.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sylvania-J...777755?hash=item263d64dd9b:g:wTYAAOSwSTFe4G8m

Interesting. The 5998A's that you, Sam, and Frank are getting from the listing you linked sure don't look like any Tung Sol I've seen -- 5998, 6080, or 6AS7. Not that I've seen every Tung Sol of course, but there should still be some commonalities.

These come closer, but there are still differences internally between them and the 5998A's you're getting:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6AS7GA-G...edWeb&brand=GE&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

As always the real proof will be in the listening, so thanks to you guys for taking the plunge to try them out.

 

[bcowen]

Caviar for a Woo Audio WA6 (first generation):

Sweet! And I like the wood on your table too.

Even though I'm not buying any more tubes, I couldn't pass up these '53 Fotons for $12/pair. He only had 3 pairs left (which is fortunate for my wallet).

Some day these may be valuable. Or I may get an amp that needs 20 or 30 per channel in which case I'll be set.

 

[Paladin79]

Interesting. The 5998A's that you, Sam, and Frank are getting from the listing you linked sure don't look like any Tung Sol I've seen -- 5998, 6080, or 6AS7. Not that I've seen every Tung Sol of course, but there should still be some commonalities.

These come closer, but there are still differences internally between them and the 5998A's you're getting:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6AS7GA-GE-JAN-Vacuum-Tube-NOS-NIB-USA-1-Tube-At-This-Price-Match-Date-Codes/264974555190?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=231747&meid=9c34fa05d30943cf98ea8208b1243c27&pid=101195&rk=5&rkt=12&mehot=pf&sd=164238777755&itm=264974555190&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv9PairwiseUnbiasedWeb&brand=GE&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

As always the real proof will be in the listening, so thanks to you guys for taking the plunge to try them out.

I was talking about the spec sheets I saw, not so much internals. The one guy could have been right that some were relabeled but the 5998A should be the real deal as far as gain.

6080's and 6as7g's are low gain tubes

5998's and 7236's are medium gain (I do believe the 7236 is the higher of the two.)

There are high gain power tubes but I will not get into those lest @bcowen figures he will try one in an Incubus lol.

Now if a 5998 has the same output level as a 6as7g then that is just wrong.

 

[FLTWS]

I'll plan to visually compare these with my other Inky power tubes to see if I can find a match in construction.

 

[jonathan c]

Sweet! And I like the wood on your table too.

Even though I'm not buying any more tubes, I couldn't pass up these '53 Fotons for $12/pair. He only had 3 pairs left (which is fortunate for my wallet).

Some day these may be valuable. Or I may get an amp that needs 20 or 30 per channel in which case I'll be set.

The desk is not maple so it probably sounds awful . BTW, for $12/pair, you are not buying the Fotons, you are relieving the seller of the storage burden.

 

[Paladin79]

The desk is not maple so it probably sounds awful . BTW, for $12/pair, you are not buying the Fotons, you are relieving the seller of the storage burden.

I have worked with quarter sawn oak, I have also heard it called tiger oak.

Tiger oak is lumber produced by a particular milling process called quarter sawing. The process results in lumber with a distinctive grain that is often used in high-end applications in which the appearance of the wood is an important consideration.

 

[jonathan c]

I am currently listening to a 1578 from 1958 and a Svetlana power tube from the same year.

Oh and yours have the proper construction, now if you ever come across the same configuration with shiny black plates and no perforations buy them if you can. If you cannot PM me and I will lol.

I acted on the following:

 

[jonathan c]

I have worked with quarter sawn oak, I have also heard it called tiger oak.

Tiger oak is lumber produced by a particular milling process called quarter sawing. The process results in lumber with a distinctive grain that is often used in high-end applications in which the appearance of the wood is an important consideration.

A beautiful piece of gear!