[Deleeh]

Hello,
The tubes alone do not always make the difference.
I have two amplifiers that are completely different.
One is the Feliks Euforia and the other is a self-built hybrid amplifier where both use 6SN7 and I sometimes hear significant differences where the Euforia is better or worse than the hybrid amplifier and vice versa.

The other side is that on the Euforia I exchanged the standard Mundorf capacitors for Vcaps TFTF and experienced a real change where "lesser" 6SN7s really blossomed and were partly better than the cheaper tubes that can be found/obtained on the market.

Since then, I have personally become more cautious with such statements.
Especially the Euforia sounded better with tubes that didn't even cost 100$.
And that was just the 6SN7 socket, the 6AS7G socket is currently being processed in terms of caps replacement.

What I want to say is that such work can also help the amplifier. without wanting to dig too deep now.
And if a system is well-built, it contributes just as well to the cause.

I'm currently listening to the Little Dot 1+ in my bedroom again after a long time and have the feeling that it's an air pump.
Compared to the other 2 amplifiers in the media room.

 

[bcowen]

I have worked my way though a lot of single triode tubes as well as Loktals. 7A4's are loktal single triode tubes that are fun to play around with. I came across those in some of my tube manuals so I had to give them a try.

I admit I had to look up the Lampizator but it looks very interesting. I run tubes throughout my gear except for the DAC at this moment so I am always on the the lookout for tube DAC's. Anyone sell them in the D.C. area? Some high end audio gear used to be in the Tyson's Corner area but the same store was not there on my last visit.

Lots of fun to be had with the single triodes, assuming there is room/clearance in the component to handle an adapter. An added benefit is that most are significantly less expensive than their 6SN7 counterparts (even x2) due to less demand from the audio/guitar amp communities.

Lansdale (branded) 6C4's:

Tung Sol 6J5's (straight bottle):

GEC L63's:

Tung Sol 6L5's:

Hytron 7A4's:

Tung Sol 6J5's (ST bottle):

KenRad 6C5's:

National Union and KenRad 7193's:

 

[cgb3]

Not a problem, I no longer run a local audiophile group but one day when Covid lets up we will finish our final tests on over 1500 6sn7's and the work will be published as far as I know.

We also assembled all of the equivalent audio equipment shown in the Bosch TV series and our impressions should be included as well. That was a less serious experiment.

You're a true treasure. Long may you run.

 

[cgb3]

Lots of fun to be had with the single triodes, assuming there is room/clearance in the component to handle an adapter. An added benefit is that most are significantly less expensive than their 6SN7 counterparts (even x2) due to less demand from the audio/guitar amp communities.

Lansdale (branded) 6C4's:


Tung Sol 6J5's (straight bottle):


GEC L63's:


Tung Sol 6L5's:


Hytron 7A4's:


Tung Sol 6J5's (ST bottle):


KenRad 6C5's:


National Union and KenRad 7193's:

Yea, I smoked a cigarette after looking at this. Note, I haven't smoked in 22 years.

 

[cgb3]

Very nice essay from 2009 discussing Chinese tubes vs Western standards.

5,000+ words, lots of tech. I have the "magic" Chinese tube discussed (along with most of the Western tubes) in my inventory. I'm now running the PSVayne "lightbulb" (I payed about 1/2 that price).

 

[Mr Trev]

Hello,
The tubes alone do not always make the difference.
I have two amplifiers that are completely different.
One is the Feliks Euforia and the other is a self-built hybrid amplifier where both use 6SN7 and I sometimes hear significant differences where the Euforia is better or worse than the hybrid amplifier and vice versa.

The other side is that on the Euforia I exchanged the standard Mundorf capacitors for Vcaps TFTF and experienced a real change where "lesser" 6SN7s really blossomed and were partly better than the cheaper tubes that can be found/obtained on the market.

Since then, I have personally become more cautious with such statements.
Especially the Euforia sounded better with tubes that didn't even cost 100$.
And that was just the 6SN7 socket, the 6AS7G socket is currently being processed in terms of caps replacement.

What I want to say is that such work can also help the amplifier. without wanting to dig too deep now.
And if a system is well-built, it contributes just as well to the cause.

I'm currently listening to the Little Dot 1+ in my bedroom again after a long time and have the feeling that it's an air pump.
Compared to the other 2 amplifiers in the media room.

Self built hybrid?? Need more info

 

[Isaacc7]

My preamp can use either 6sn7 or 12sn7. I could also use some adapters and use 6j5/12j5. I have a good selection of American tubes but the European ones have gone out of my budget range. Did any of the European makers, including Russian, make 12v versions? I'm not having any luck finding any which makes me think they didn't. Was there a single triode version of the sought after Melz 6sn7?

 

[Paladin79]

My preamp can use either 6sn7 or 12sn7. I could also use some adapters and use 6j5/12j5. I have a good selection of American tubes but the European ones have gone out of my budget range. Did any of the European makers, including Russian, make 12v versions? I'm not having any luck finding any which makes me think they didn't. Was there a single triode version of the sought after Melz 6sn7?

I am not aware of either.

 

[bcowen]

My preamp can use either 6sn7 or 12sn7. I could also use some adapters and use 6j5/12j5. I have a good selection of American tubes but the European ones have gone out of my budget range. Did any of the European makers, including Russian, make 12v versions? I'm not having any luck finding any which makes me think they didn't. Was there a single triode version of the sought after Melz 6sn7?

The Russian equivalent to the 6J5 is the 6S2S (or 6C2C), but I've only seen them with Nevz and Novosibirsk factory identifiers. Doesn't mean Melz didn't make them, just that I've never seen any up for sale.

 

[mourip]

I have worked my way though a lot of single triode tubes as well as Loktals. 7A4's are loktal single triode tubes that are fun to play around with. I came across those in some of my tube manuals so I had to give them a try.

I admit I had to look up the Lampizator but it looks very interesting. I run tubes throughout my gear except for the DAC at this moment so I am always on the the lookout for tube DAC's. Anyone sell them in the D.C. area? Some high end audio gear used to be in the Tyson's Corner area but the same store was not there on my last visit.

We are very short on good audiophile shops in the DC area these days. I ordered my Lampizator through the distributor who is in New Jersey. I am however very close to the Linear Tube Audio shop and they have a Baltic 3 to demo their great gear. They are the company that now makes a lot of the David Berning designed equipment. Think Microzotl.

The Baltic is basically an end game DAC for me. Plus I get to tube roll!

 

[L0rdGwyn]

My preamp can use either 6sn7 or 12sn7. I could also use some adapters and use 6j5/12j5. I have a good selection of American tubes but the European ones have gone out of my budget range. Did any of the European makers, including Russian, make 12v versions? I'm not having any luck finding any which makes me think they didn't. Was there a single triode version of the sought after Melz 6sn7?

Fivre made some 12SN7GT.



Then there is the GEC B36 (12SN7), expensive.



Also came across some Sicte 12J5 a while back, but that is an oddball.



I'm sure there are others.

 

[jonathan c]

I have worked my way though a lot of single triode tubes as well as Loktals. 7A4's are loktal single triode tubes that are fun to play around with. I came across those in some of my tube manuals so I had to give them a try.

I admit I had to look up the Lampizator but it looks very interesting. I run tubes throughout my gear except for the DAC at this moment so I am always on the the lookout for tube DAC's. Anyone sell them in the D.C. area? Some high end audio gear used to be in the Tyson's Corner area but the same store was not there on my last visit.

Have you looked into MHDT Labs? Their DACs are typically non-over-sampling / R2R topology with tube buffering. The DAC by Border Patrol uses tube rectification in its power supply.

 

[musicman59]

Yea, I smoked a cigarette after looking at this. Note, I haven't smoked in 22 years.

I put down my last cigarette in October 1986 and nothing will make me pick up another one….

 

[jonathan c]

I put in my last GE tube in October 1986 and nothing will make try another one….

…two bad habits gone?…

 

[David222]

I have worked my way though a lot of single triode tubes as well as Loktals. 7A4's are loktal single triode tubes that are fun to play around with. I came across those in some of my tube manuals so I had to give them a try.

I admit I had to look up the Lampizator but it looks very interesting. I run tubes throughout my gear except for the DAC at this moment so I am always on the the lookout for tube DAC's. Anyone sell them in the D.C. area? Some high end audio gear used to be in the Tyson's Corner area but the same store was not there on my last visit.

+ 1 to @jonathan c post above. I use the MHDT Orchid with my Burson Soloist 3XP. Really enjoy this Tube/DAC. At first, I was rolling WE2C51 (good)... recently got into Mullard CV4108 / 7308 (great). The Linear Tube Audio guys sell them (Maryland based). I've read the MHDT Pagoda (balanced) is more resolving vs. Orchid. My understanding is the Orchid presents slightly more warm/full body sound, which is of course, influenced by the tube. I considered Border Patrol (prior to Orchid) but ultimately went with Orchid as it can be heavily influenced by tube rolling, whereas the BP cannot.