[attmci]

For that kinda' money you don't play them at all. You put them in a glass display case as "objet d'art" to admire.

Very true. Now I can not remember where I stored my B65.

 

[Paladin79]

Very true. Now I can not remember where I stored my B65.

We have a couple one of a kind tubes that may be in the final mix in my blind study, most have a relative value, these do not. A couple were valued well over $1,000 each last listing I recall and well over $50k as a group. This is a one time shot, tubes are getting scarce and this was a lot of work.

 

[FLTWS]

The cost of exotic "NOS", (of unknown quality and usable performance life remaining), made me drop out of the "first one to die with the most expensive tubes wins" contest.

 

[Paladin79]

The cost of exotic "NOS", (of unknown quality and usable performance life remaining), made me drop out of the "first one to die with the most expensive tubes wins" contest.

Luckily friends own or bought most of these tubes. I might have snuck in a few noteworthy Melz, Ken-Rads, Sylvanias, and Tung Sols but rarely did my cost exceed $150. Designing and building the amps was my biggest contribution and a few folks on here might be glad I undertook that endeavor.

 

[sam6550a]

Luckily friends own or bought most of these tubes. I might have snuck in a few noteworthy Melz, Ken-Rads, Sylvanias, and Tung Sols but rarely did my cost exceed $150. Designing and building the amps was my biggest contribution and a few folks on here might be glad I undertook that endeavor.

There is no doubt in my mind that @Paladin79 has designed and built a very fine headphone amp named Incubus. Although it may look like a Dark Voice or Bottlehead Crack in that it utilizes 1-6SN7 and 1-6AS7, the fundamental difference [without divulging any design information] is ATTENTION TO DETAIL. paladin is careful to address the plethora of design details that affect sonic performance [and can kill a design through a thousand little compromises]. The remarkable property of Incubus is that even old [78] tone deaf listeners have no trouble discerning differences between various 6SN7 and 6AS7 tubes in a OTL headphone amp. A remarkable design accomplishment, in my estimation.

 

[Paladin79]

There is no doubt in my mind that @Paladin79 has designed and built a very fine headphone amp named Incubus. Although it may look like a Dark Voice or Bottlehead Crack in that it utilizes 1-6SN7 and 1-6AS7, the fundamental difference [without divulging any design information] is ATTENTION TO DETAIL. paladin is careful to address the plethora of design details that affect sonic performance [and can kill a design through a thousand little compromises]. The remarkable property of Incubus is that even old [78] tone deaf listeners have no trouble discerning differences between various 6SN7 and 6AS7 tubes in a OTL headphone amp. A remarkable design accomplishment, in my estimation.

High praise indeed coming from someone with your background and experience.

I am currently listening to the Kinks from 1983 or so, Living on a Thin Line, Word of Mouth album. Using a GE 5998A for a bit of added bass and a Melz from 1956. I am loving this combo.

 

[sam6550a]

High praise indeed coming from someone with your background and experience.

I am currently listening to the Kinks from 1983 or so, Living on a Thin Line, Word of Mouth album. Using a GE 5998A for a bit of added bass and a Melz from 1956. I am loving this combo.

You are most welcome. Excellence in design is a highly unrewarded virtue in today's instant gratification environment.

 

[Zurv]

Are all the VT231s all gone.. boo.. I always wanted to hear a Kenrad.
anyone know a good dealer/seller that has a pair (that is tested) and not crazy priced?

 

[Renexx]

Are these real fivre 6sn7 tubes ? Anybody has experience with these tubes ? Do they sound good ? I saw they didn't sell for months.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/6SN7-FIVRE-...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=707-127634-2357-0

 

[cddc]

Are these real fivre 6sn7 tubes ? Anybody has experience with these tubes ? Do they sound good ? I saw they didn't sell for months.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/6SN7-FIVRE-...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=707-127634-2357-0

These are fake Fivre tubes, you see how the seller intentionally removed all letters on the tubes...LOL

These are actually late Sylvania 6SN7GTB tubes, standing beside 2 Fivre boxes. What a shame!

As a rule of thumb STAY AWAY from those Italian sellers, they are either way overpriced or selling fake tubes.

 

[Renexx]

Yes you are right the insides look like my Sylvania 6sn7gtas. Thank you

 

[LoryWiv]

Are all the VT231s all gone.. boo.. I always wanted to hear a Kenrad.
anyone know a good dealer/seller that has a pair (that is tested) and not crazy priced?

They still surface here and there, but you are right not cheap. I recently bought a pair from Billington (UK) for around $200 USD, but to get this already hefty price you need minimum order of 240 GBP ($330USD) + shipping....it get's darn pricey but they are reputable. Another thought is to buy far more affordable Ken-Rad black glass 6V6 / VT-107A and use with adapters if your amp permits. As drivers in my Feliks-Audio Elise they give me a similar sound to the VT-231 for 1/2 the cost. I've bought from the seller below and had good experience, but of course you may want to hold out for the real-deal, YMMV yada yada.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265241505741

 

[Zurv]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think my Woo WA5 can handle that tube.
(tho.. while looking i picked up a RCA JAN 5692 red base. ugh... no self control.)
(... and Tung Sol 6SN7GT 1950 2-hole gray plates )

 

[attmci]

These are fake Fivre tubes, you see how the seller intentionally removed all letters on the tubes...LOL

These are actually late Sylvania 6SN7GTB tubes, standing beside 2 Fivre boxes. What a shame!

As a rule of thumb STAY AWAY from those Italian sellers, they are either way overpriced or selling fake tubes.

Do you like Fivre 6SN7 tubes? I do. It's poor man's ecc33.

 

[Ripper2860]

I'm a huge fan. A Fivre black base ladder plate tube is my current fav and has been firmly ensconced in my amp for months. That's the longest I've ever gone without rolling a 6SN7 out.