The Reference 6SN7 Thread

[Isaacc7]

How often do you guys tube roll? After you find your ideal combo, do you create a few pairings for different flavors? I ended up buying a nice collection of tubes but unsure I will get to them all. Might try and find the ones I like and pair them down.

I usually roll until I get a combo that sounds amazing. I’ll stick with it until I want a change. That usually takes about a week lol.

 

[jonathan c]

The catalyst for a tube roll (amp roll, cable roll, headphone roll within an album) … are those two little words What If…

 

[LobalWarming]

How often do you guys tube roll? After you find your ideal combo, do you create a few pairings for different flavors? I ended up buying a nice collection of tubes but unsure I will get to them all. Might try and find the ones I like and pair them down.

I try to minimize rolling. On average no more than 2-3 combos a day.

I have now hoarded collected enough nearly sufficient tubes and fav combos that it can take at least a year to return to the initial 'ideal' combo. Except there is no ideal combo - or best combo. My tastes and moods are too fickle to stick to the 'best'. There are no bad tubes (except GE) or combos - only poor judgmental moods or poor music choices. Or both.

Sometimes I'm lazy, or too busy, but usually too lazy to roll out a combo everyday. Can stick with a type for a week at a time. One week it's 6SN7s from a certain era. Another week it's playtime with the Twins from England - 6J5G/GTs. Then off to kiddie tube's CV455/ECC82 playground for a bit. Then FDD20s/6N7s etc. Plus the output combo options and *poof* there goes another ear-happy year.

Can't imagine ever returning to the grueling day-to-day gruel of a solid sand amp that sounds the bloody same every boring day and tedious night after the other. Ugh. That's my definition of Hell on Ears.

 

[jonathan c]

…Can't imagine ever returning to the grueling day-to-day gruel of a solid sand amp that sounds the bloody same every boring day and tedious night after the other. Ugh. That's my definition of Hell on Ears.^^

^^ …and the seventh circle of that Hell would be that amp playing Captain & Tennille dreck continuously……

 

[ColSaulTigh]

I've seen this question pop up a few times, so I attempted to make a video on how to re-solder tube pins. As a disclaimer, I am NOT an expert, but I figured if I could do it, so can you. Apologies in advance for the phone-based video - I am not a professional YouTuber.

Y'all's feedback is appreciated, let me know what you think I should change or if there's more info you need.

Thanks!

BTW, if you have a set of Melz that are being stubborn, heat up your iron good and hot and then work the pin wire loose from the pin tube with a pointed tip or dental pick. That helps with issues related to very old solder/rosin and possible corrosion inside the tube pin.

 

[SuperRoo]

Thanks for that tip. Melz are worth the effort.

 

[bcowen]

^^ …and the seventh circle of that Hell would be that amp playing Captain & Tennille dreck continuously……

Not to be overly punctilious, but any amp playing Captain and Tenille continuously would be the seventh circle of hell.

 

[Mr Trev]

How often do you guys tube roll? After you find your ideal combo, do you create a few pairings for different flavors? I ended up buying a nice collection of tubes but unsure I will get to them all. Might try and find the ones I like and pair them down.

Depends on the weather.
For instance, my world is supposed to get 20ºC colder in the next 5 days. Time to dig out those hot running tubes

 

[JTbbb]

Might try and find the ones I like and pair them down.

Just what I have been trying to do this last year or so. Then some Smart Alec starts the 6J5G thread .

 

[Somatic]

Just what I have been trying to do this last year or so. Then some Smart Alec starts the 6J5G thread .

hahaha

 

[Somatic]

So what is normal break in noise? How long until things get quiet etc? With one of my 6SN7, the right driver tube seems to be noisy. Static sound, pops, crackle. Didn't notice this at first but after a few hours I now hear it. Thanks.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

So what is normal break in noise? How long until things get quiet etc? With one of my 6SN7, the right driver tube seems to be noisy. Static sound, pops, crackle. Didn't notice this at first but after a few hours I now hear it. Thanks.

Which driver tubes?

 

[bcowen]

So what is normal break in noise? How long until things get quiet etc? With one of my 6SN7, the right driver tube seems to be noisy. Static sound, pops, crackle. Didn't notice this at first but after a few hours I now hear it. Thanks.

Static sound, pops, and crackle are not normal break-in noises. What you're describing sounds like bad solder in one or more of the pins. Do you have a soldering iron?

 

[JTbbb]

So what is normal break in noise? How long until things get quiet etc? With one of my 6SN7, the right driver tube seems to be noisy. Static sound, pops, crackle. Didn't notice this at first but after a few hours I now hear it. Thanks.

Valves can do some weirdo things, and this sounds crazy, but have you tried just swapping the drivers over?

 

[Somatic]

Valves can do some weirdo things, and this sounds crazy, but have you tried just swapping the drivers over?

I'm going to flip them. I'm guessing issue is one specific driver tube. Constant low static noise.