I remember purchasing this military spec ECC32/CV181 from 1946 many years ago from eBay “untested”. I was just happy when I received it that it even “worked”. Imagine my surprise when I finally got around to testing it this evening and saw these results. I expected test results far lower.
The tone of those tubes is pretty hard to beat for my ears.
I have never bought a NOS ECC32, because of the price. I figure I am going to be listening to it anyway, and if they test pretty good they should last a good long life.
I have to copy&paste what I wrote in the Woo WA2 thread yesterday, in case some folks think ECC32 and 6SN7 are equivalent and can replace each other without problems. They are really not equivalent, replacing 6SN7 with ECC32 can possibly fry amp transformers, which can lead to casualties.
Many folks mistakenly treat ECC32 the same as 6SN7, but they are really not!
ECC32 draws 0.95A heater current (vs 0.6A from 6SN7), so replacing 6SN7 with ECC32 can potentially overtax the transformer which can lead to transformer failure if there is not enough redundant capacity.
Also, ECC32 has an amplification factor of 32, which is much higher than 6SN7's 20. In a sense ECC32 is closer to 6C8G than to 6SN7.
So ECC32 is definitely not a direct replacement for 6SN7.
The tone of those tubes is pretty hard to beat for my ears.
I have never bought a NOS ECC32, because of the price. I figure I am going to be listening to it anyway, and if they test pretty good they should last a good long life.
Yep - "test pretty good" is good enough for me. If they test as NOS I feel guilty about "spoiling" 80 year old antiques, but hey this is what they were made for... so I see both sides to the argument.
From my various tests of tubes, some that I've used quite a lot, I'm finding these headphone amps we have don't really use up the tubes too much. Certainly not as much as my main amps.
I have to copy&paste what I wrote in the Woo WA2 thread yesterday, in case some folks think ECC32 and 6SN7 are equivalent and can replace each other without problems. They are really not equivalent, replacing 6SN7 with ECC32 can possibly fry amp transformers, which can lead to casualties.
On WA2 folks said you cannot replace 6SN7 with ECC32.
I have to copy&paste what I wrote in the Woo WA2 thread yesterday, in case some folks think ECC32 and 6SN7 are equivalent and can replace each other without problems. They are really not equivalent, replacing 6SN7 with ECC32 can possibly fry amp transformers, which can lead to casualties.
On WA2 folks said you cannot replace 6SN7 with ECC32.
Are there any warmer sounding 6SN7 tubes that you recommend, that are not unobtanium.
I like my Shuguang Black Treasure for their warmth, but my pair is slightly microphonic.
My Tung Sols and CBS tubes are totally quiet, but have a leaner sound.
How are the new Linlai 6SN7s?
Are there any warmer sounding 6SN7 tubes that you recommend, that are not unobtanium.
I like my Shuguang Black Treasure for their warmth, but my pair is slightly microphonic.
My Tung Sols and CBS tubes are totally quiet, but have a leaner sound.
How are the new Linlai 6SN7s?
Hey,
Any links for the preferred Sylvania VT231 1940s, reasonably priced from a preferred seller/dealer, or any one willing to let go from his collection?
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