[g0ldl10n]

I don't have any 14N7's, but all my 7N7's have T-plates. Different colors, but all the same shape. The 7F7's I have all have round plates, as do most all of their octal brethren 6SL7's that I have (I think there might be a couple of those with T-plates, but I'd have to look and they're all packed up for moving right now).

Yep, in line with what I have - one exception is Tung-Sol 6SL7 with flat plates, all my other 6SL7 and 7F7 have round plates.

 

[Designsfx]

Yep, in line with what I have - one exception is Tung-Sol 6SL7 with flat plates, all my other 6SL7 and 7F7 have round plates.

Nice!!

 

[Isaacc7]

Its the 14N7 version but from what I can tell, the internals (T plates and support rod) appear to be the same as 6SN7W, taller 14N7s, and even the shorter 14N7 that just has the chrome top without being blacked out.

The only difference I can tell between the examples below and the blacked out 14N7 is that black carbonized coating on the inside, and glass bottle height.






I do have a JAN-CHS-7N7 black carbonized version - I could dig that out to see if those plates are different

I have all of those too. The 14n7 is my favorite Sylvania *sn7. I don’t know of any 6/12sn7 from Sylvania with grey glass, do they exist? I’m struck by the 6sn7 GTB style getter flash on the grey glass 14n7. I prefer the chrome dome aesthetic. I wonder what the manufacturing story is behind the grey glass 14n7.

 

[g0ldl10n]

I have all of those too. The 14n7 is my favorite Sylvania *sn7. I don’t know of any 6/12sn7 from Sylvania with grey glass, do they exist? I’m struck by the 6sn7 GTB style getter flash on the grey glass 14n7. I prefer the chrome dome aesthetic. I wonder what the manufacturing story is behind the grey glass 14n7.

Not sure, but the grey/black color is due to a carbonized coating which they used internally to help shield against RFI - also, Morgan Jones performed distortion tests on a number of community favorites (and not so much) such as the Various 6SN7GT/12SN7GT, Carbonized CV1988 and 6SN7, GEC B36, 7N7/14N7, GEC L63, RCA 6J5, among several others (acquired as many of the same tubes in each of these categories as possible to try to get a decent distortion "average/baseline" as possible) and the results were interesting.

One of the interesting points shown below - maybe its not where they were manufactured, but how they were manufactured compared to the others without the carbonized coating. If we take these test results and assume that the carbonized 7N7/14N7 has significantly less distortion than its non-carbonized counterparts, then you may just not personally like the sound in which you get from them because of that.

 

[LostControl85]

Can someone school me on these vt-99 tubes? The 2 on the left are Sylvania (1 new, 1 old), then round plate is rca. What's the difference between the 2 Sylvania tubes?

 

[JackarlTwo]

I picked up an Apos 6SN7 Select and some 6080 tubes while I wait for my amp to be built. What are some more reasonably priced 6sn7 type of tubes that are "must haves" in your opinion? RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass and Ken-Rad VT-231? Brimar L63's with an adapter?

 

[psy472]

Has anyone reviewed and compared the Apos Ray reserve with the Psvane Mark II Cv181 yet and confirm or deny that they are the same tube?

 

[LostControl85]

Can someone school me on these vt-99 tubes? The 2 on the left are Sylvania (1 new, 1 old), then round plate is rca. What's the difference between the 2 Sylvania tubes?

So figured it out. 1 Sylvania is a "Flat" plate & the other is "T" plate. The RCA is flat as well. Love the t plate in my dark ZMF Aeolus.

 

[LostControl85]

I picked up an Apos 6SN7 Select and some 6080 tubes while I wait for my amp to be built. What are some more reasonably priced 6sn7 type of tubes that are "must haves" in your opinion? RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass and Ken-Rad VT-231? Brimar L63's with an adapter?

I really like FIVRE, then the GEC L63. Brimars are great too. I found the VT-231 thin but I think mines Sylvania. If you're doing adaptors the VT-99 tubes are fabulous.

 

[jonathan c]

I cannot fathom that a Ken-Rad VT-231 would be deemed to sound 'thin' ... . Absolutely not the case: with Icon Audio HP8, Linear Tube Audio MZ3, Schiit Lyr 3, Woo Audio WA6 (1st Gen).

 

[LobalWarming]

I picked up an Apos 6SN7 Select and some 6080 tubes while I wait for my amp to be built. What are some more reasonably priced 6sn7 type of tubes that are "must haves" in your opinion? RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass and Ken-Rad VT-231? Brimar L63's with an adapter?

There's so many must-haves!

Here's my must-have, whittled-down to nearly nothing short list:

6SN7s:
Sylvania VT-231, 6SN7W or 6SN7WGTA, 6SN7GB (Gold Brand)
Sylvania Tall 7N7 T-Plate/racetrack bottom mica with adapter - once were cheap and plentiful - best to start searching 5 years ago.
Hytron 6SN7WGT or CBS/Hytron
Melz 1578 from 50s-60s (not cheap) - even the Melz 6N8S from the 50s is another must-have.
TungSol VT-231 Round Plate
Brimar CV1988 - clear and dark glass versions.
Fivre 6SN7GT
Toshiba 6SN7GT
Marconi B36 - best to listen to your wallet first.
Marconi Radiotron Canada 6SN7GT
Mullard ECC32 or ECC31+adapter - requires more heater current than 6SN7, 950mA
Mullard ECC33

Twins:
1940s RCA metal base VT-94/6J5GT
TungSol VT-94
Brimar 6J5G - ST bottles
Brimar 6J5GT - round plate
Brimar 6J5GT - flat plate
GEC L63 - ST bottle
Marconi/MOV L63 straight bottle - grey glass up top.
STC 6J5G - ST bottle
Sylvania 6J5G - ST bottle (also rebranded as Zenith or Silvertone)
TungSol 6C5G - ST bottle
Cossor 6C5 - ST bottle
Fivre 6C5GT - straight glass 'pasta maker' or ST bottle.
Visseaux 6J5G - ST bottle
Fivre 6J5GT

That's a decent must-have starting list with a variety of tonal options from thic to svelte to sweet and exquisite.

You can flesh it out later with VT-99s, 5692 and 6N7s once your credit card is back from detox.

 

[jonathan c]

Beware the tube demon:

NOSferatu ... !!

 

[David A Silva]

I picked up an Apos 6SN7 Select and some 6080 tubes while I wait for my amp to be built. What are some more reasonably priced 6sn7 type of tubes that are "must haves" in your opinion? RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass and Ken-Rad VT-231? Brimar L63's with an adapter?

I am partial to the Ken Rad VT 231…

 

[David A Silva]

I picked up an Apos 6SN7 Select and some 6080 tubes while I wait for my amp to be built. What are some more reasonably priced 6sn7 type of tubes that are "must haves" in your opinion? RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass and Ken-Rad VT-231? Brimar L63's with an adapter?

I am partial to the Ken Rad VT 231

There's so many must-haves!

Here's my must-have, whittled-down to nearly nothing short list:

6SN7s:
Sylvania VT-231, 6SN7W or 6SN7WGTA, 6SN7GB (Gold Brand)
Sylvania Tall 7N7 T-Plate/racetrack bottom mica with adapter - once were cheap and plentiful - best to start searching 5 years ago.
Hytron 6SN7WGT or CBS/Hytron
Melz 1578 from 50s-60s (not cheap) - even the Melz 6N8S from the 50s is another must-have.
TungSol VT-231 Round Plate
Brimar CV1988 - clear and dark glass versions.
Fivre 6SN7GT
Toshiba 6SN7GT
Marconi B36 - best to listen to your wallet first.
Marconi Radiotron Canada 6SN7GT
Mullard ECC32 or ECC31+adapter - requires more heater current than 6SN7, 950mA
Mullard ECC33

Twins:
1940s RCA metal base VT-94/6J5GT
TungSol VT-94
Brimar 6J5G - ST bottles
Brimar 6J5GT - round plate
Brimar 6J5GT - flat plate
GEC L63 - ST bottle
Marconi/MOV L63 straight bottle - grey glass up top.
STC 6J5G - ST bottle
Sylvania 6J5G - ST bottle (also rebranded as Zenith or Silvertone)
TungSol 6C5G - ST bottle
Cossor 6C5 - ST bottle
Fivre 6C5GT - straight glass 'pasta maker' or ST bottle.
Visseaux 6J5G - ST bottle
Fivre 6J5GT

That's a decent must-have starting list with a variety of tonal options from thic to svelte to sweet and exquisite.

You can flesh it out later with VT-99s, 5692 and 6N7s once your credit card is back from detox.

Thanks for the comprehensive list!

 

[JackarlTwo]

There's so many must-haves!

Here's my must-have, whittled-down to nearly nothing short list:

6SN7s:
Sylvania VT-231, 6SN7W or 6SN7WGTA, 6SN7GB (Gold Brand)
Sylvania Tall 7N7 T-Plate/racetrack bottom mica with adapter - once were cheap and plentiful - best to start searching 5 years ago.
Hytron 6SN7WGT or CBS/Hytron
Melz 1578 from 50s-60s (not cheap) - even the Melz 6N8S from the 50s is another must-have.
TungSol VT-231 Round Plate
Brimar CV1988 - clear and dark glass versions.
Fivre 6SN7GT
Toshiba 6SN7GT
Marconi B36 - best to listen to your wallet first.
Marconi Radiotron Canada 6SN7GT
Mullard ECC32 or ECC31+adapter - requires more heater current than 6SN7, 950mA
Mullard ECC33

Twins:
1940s RCA metal base VT-94/6J5GT
TungSol VT-94
Brimar 6J5G - ST bottles
Brimar 6J5GT - round plate
Brimar 6J5GT - flat plate
GEC L63 - ST bottle
Marconi/MOV L63 straight bottle - grey glass up top.
STC 6J5G - ST bottle
Sylvania 6J5G - ST bottle (also rebranded as Zenith or Silvertone)
TungSol 6C5G - ST bottle
Cossor 6C5 - ST bottle
Fivre 6C5GT - straight glass 'pasta maker' or ST bottle.
Visseaux 6J5G - ST bottle
Fivre 6J5GT

That's a decent must-have starting list with a variety of tonal options from thic to svelte to sweet and exquisite.

You can flesh it out later with VT-99s, 5692 and 6N7s once your credit card is back from detox.

Amazing. Thank you for the list! And yeah I'm afraid my credit card card will have to suffer a bit in the foreseeable future LOL.