The Reference 6SN7 Thread

[TLO]

Good call - just went and looked, and RCA does in fact .. can't believe I have never seen the RCA side getter version before. Means I will have to buy it, haha (joking.. am i?)

if I remember correctly, so did Raytheon...LOL

 

[g0ldl10n]

so did Raytheon...LOL

Stop.. Raytheon is more tempting

 

[mordy]

Etching on the glass is far more accurate as far as dates, if they even did so. I have Sylvania tubes etched in glass saying late 40’s and the base is stamped something completely different.

I have some all metal 6J5 tubes with 1973 dates but my impression is that RCA stopped making all metal tubes long before that (more expensive to produce than glass tubes). My guess is that RCA painted new dates on old tubes.

 

[TLO]

Stop.. Raytheon is more tempting

what if I tell you Tung-Sol also made GTB with side getter? Are you going to buy a carton?

 

[mordy]

As far as I’m aware the Ken Rads should have staggered plates. GE did take over the Ken Rad factory, 1944? And carried on producing the staggered plates for some years before they used their horizontally opposed plates, but carried on printing them as Ken Rads. I think I have this correct?

Ge bought Kentucky Radio (Ken-Rad) in 1945 and continued using the name Ken-Rad a couple of years.

 

[mordy]

what if I tell you Tung-Sol also made GTB with side getter? Are you going to buy a carton?

I have the RCA side getter 6SN7 tubes - nothing special IMHO.

 

[g0ldl10n]

what if I tell you Tung-Sol also made GTB with side getter? Are you going to buy a carton?

Bahaha, if there is a carton out there for $5 per tube, yes

 

[g0ldl10n]

what if I tell you Tung-Sol also made GTB with side getter? Are you going to buy a carton?

Good god, those prices for the TS GTB are crazy.. temptation level just dropped substantially

 

[triod750]

Yes, GE, KEN-RAD(obviously by GE), RCA...all made 6SN7GTB with side getter.

But this is 6SN7GTA....

Are these 6SN7GTB sand blasted? Never mind, I checked my 6SN7GTA and the inscription is sand blasted into the glass which might indicate GE.

 

[JTbbb]

Didn’t GE also put 3 dots on the glass as a signature also? I used to have a pair of Ken Rad 6sn7gt’s that were manufactured 1948. These had staggered plates, no etching on the glass, nor dots. Internals were identical to earlier Ken Rads, but did have the 133? silk printed on the base which is the GE code if I remember correctly?

 

[mordy]

Didn’t GE also put 3 dots on the glass as a signature also? I used to have a pair of Ken Rad 6sn7gt’s that were manufactured 1948. These had staggered plates, no etching on the glass, nor dots. Internals were identical to earlier Ken Rads, but did have the 133? silk printed on the base which is the GE code if I remember correctly?

The GE code is 188. 5 indicates the Owensboro, KY factory that started out as Ken-Rad. The white sandblasted dots and the distinctive lettering indicate GE tubes like these:

Many name brand tubes were made by GE and often you can see the dots even if it says RCA, Philco or Tung Sol etc.
Somebody deciphered the date code of the grid of the dots and with patience you can figure out what the dots mean.

 

[JTbbb]

The GE code is 188. 5 indicates the Owensboro, KY factory that started out as Ken-Rad. The white sandblasted dots and the distinctive lettering indicate GE tubes like these:

Many name brand tubes were made by GE and often you can see the dots even if it says RCA, Philco or Tung Sol etc.
Somebody deciphered the date code of the grid of the dots and with patience you can figure out what the dots mean.

Yes 188, that was the number on the base. Thanks

 

[JTbbb]

Am looking at some tubes in Japan, haven’t considered from Japan before! EBay monica is yumekoichi. Feedback is good. Any advice?

 

[piakoB]

Just a quick question. I had a few tubes go micophonic this week and am down to my last tube at the moment in my Lyr 3. My supplier carries the tung-sol 6SN7GTB which I have been using for a couple of years now. Generally I like the sound of the tung-sol. Do you think the Electro-Harmonix 6SN7EH is suitable for the Lyr 3? They have both the black base black box in stock as well as the tan base gold box. Thanks for your opinions. I mostly listen to Jazz and occasional pop and rock.

 

[bcowen]

Just a quick question. I had a few tubes go micophonic this week and am down to my last tube at the moment in my Lyr 3. My supplier carries the tung-sol 6SN7GTB which I have been using for a couple of years now. Generally I like the sound of the tung-sol. Do you think the Electro-Harmonix 6SN7EH is suitable for the Lyr 3? They have both the black base black box in stock as well as the tan base gold box. Thanks for your opinions. I mostly listen to Jazz and occasional pop and rock.

This comes down solely to personal preference. The EH sounds different than the TS, but whether you like it more is a question only you can answer. Sorry to be so unhelpful, but there’s really no other way to answer. Personally I prefer the Tung Sol to the EH, but that’s just me and what drives my own preferences.