[Isaacc7]

I was ok with GE 6550A and GE 7581A/KT66. Also 5998A is praised by many.

The 6bg6ga is also quite good. I’ve heard good things about their 6l6gc as well.

 

[UntilThen]

Hear, hear, do not thrash GE tubes or you will miss out on the golden nuggets.

 

[UntilThen]

@whirlwind, I hope you still have your Fivre 6V6G. It's sounding great in my amp and look at the price now.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1753467...SwIXrpx+wpntnb+6peC2mhtwnf/7|tkp:BFBMyPjPt_dh

This is mine.

 

[whirlwind]

@whirlwind, I hope you still have your Fivre 6V6G. It's sounding great in my amp and look at the price now.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/175346749273?hash=item28d37b0f59:g:1tgAAOSw0spiykil&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA4FUHLoP7iAP5JmhN9BgV59cOkRFKLSG1fCLVC5cZnx9psK3RiTFR3RU7uGGbXnY1/jxtjnzdSxkgzamhIyRANfy6zTOOSNUg40MsXaUIPoHcHDK5EKCV9F/x5Wgcm15CbkSUEmniADt9r/Gu0w2/1k7yyxScpvvTxOaMq8xeAbFkcMoRsZWBx/kF1YDaP9zzQfF3SeLUc1O+Ob/SqRvv9/9wv7aumYtjLteTRtY7vJtChIaWms726shZ3EyxwaVqgDLfC695XfdB4am2SwIXrpx+wpntnb+6peC2mhtwnf/7|tkp:BFBMyPjPt_dh

This is mine.

Those are a nice looking pair.

I still have them, but I have not had them in my amp for a long time.

I know right? The price of tubes is really getting crazy. I really have not bought any for well over a year now, hopefully I won't have a relapse

Now that I am retired, most all of my expendable cash has been going toward golf. I started playing again after being away for years and have been spending most nice days on the course.

 

[UntilThen]

Those are a nice looking pair.

I still have them, but I have not had them in my amp for a long time.

I know right? The price of tubes is really getting crazy. I really have not bought any for well over a year now, hopefully I won't have a relapse

Now that I am retired, most all of my expendable cash has been going toward golf. I started playing again after being away for years and have been spending most nice days on the course.

Oh good, you're playing golf.

 

[leftside]

A bit of an oddity here. These KT66 tubes with twin halos from the 1960’s usually have a brown base. But these have a black base.

 

[UntilThen]

I bought these Ken Rad 6y6g tubes. Says Western Electric?

 

[leftside]

On the subject of holy grail 6V6 tubes.

I found a vendor, located in Taiwan, that's currently selling Bendix "Red Bank" 5992's on eBay for $80.00 per tube. These appear to be pulls most likely. Though they could be new. The printed ink on the base does appear to be smeared but that doesn't really matter. The construction is 100% Bendix 5992. No testing numbers provided.

These are as rare as hens teeth and only appear once or twice a year, if you're lucky. Before the pandemic I'd see pairs sell for $350.00-$375.00. Post-pandemic they're selling for around $500.00+ per pair. Admittedly the top dollar pairs are NOS and are coming with original factory boxes.

The Bendix Red Bank 5992 were made for Nike missiles during the cold war and were built to work in extreme conditions, think mega G-force environments. They were also designed to last a minimum of 10k hours, though many people report them lasting for 5-10x that. In the right audio circuit they are thought to be one of the best 6V6's ever made.

I have a pair on the way. Excited to check them out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1547295740...-dYBs_RQbm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

They test great. Thanks for sharing the link.

 

[UntilThen]

On the subject of holy grail 6V6 tubes.

I found a vendor, located in Taiwan, that's currently selling Bendix "Red Bank" 5992's on eBay for $80.00 per tube. These appear to be pulls most likely. Though they could be new. The printed ink on the base does appear to be smeared but that doesn't really matter. The construction is 100% Bendix 5992. No testing numbers provided.

These are as rare as hens teeth and only appear once or twice a year, if you're lucky. Before the pandemic I'd see pairs sell for $350.00-$375.00. Post-pandemic they're selling for around $500.00+ per pair. Admittedly the top dollar pairs are NOS and are coming with original factory boxes.

The Bendix Red Bank 5992 were made for Nike missiles during the cold war and were built to work in extreme conditions, think mega G-force environments. They were also designed to last a minimum of 10k hours, though many people report them lasting for 5-10x that. In the right audio circuit they are thought to be one of the best 6V6's ever made.

I have a pair on the way. Excited to check them out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1547295740...-dYBs_RQbm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I must have missed this post. When I had the Studio Six, I had a pair of Bendix 5992. There were some good tubes I had for that amp but I sold them off with the amp.

 

[UntilThen]

The GE and Philco 6y6g tubes arrived today covered in dust. After a good clean up, they look superb and NOS.

The GE tubes have orange lettering which is unusual and the Philco says radio tubes.

At $15 each, I am living the dream again.

No noise at all in the amp.

 

[LoryWiv]

The GE and Philco 6y6g tubes arrived today covered in dust. After a good clean up, they look superb and NOS.

The GE tubes have orange lettering which is unusual and the Philco says radio tubes.

At $15 each, I am living the dream again.

No noise at all in the amp.

I spy DeoxIT, Matt. The tube collectors best friend!

I am off to New York where my daughter delivered her 1st child earlier today.

Enjoy your new additions as well!

 

[leftside]

I spy DeoxIT, Matt. The tube collectors best friend!

I am off to New York where my daughter delivered her 1st child earlier today.

Enjoy your new additions as well!

Congrats!

Just don't let Deoxit anywhere near the print on tubes or tube sockets.

 

[LoryWiv]

Congrats!

Just don't let Deoxit anywhere near the print on tubes or tube sockets.

Exactly right...I hold the tube and socket with a cloth, and learned the hard way to keep it pins down during cleaning so the DeoxIT doesn't run via gravity and smear the lettering.

I also promise to keep DeoxIT and other hazardous chemicals away from my daughter's new baby!

 

[UntilThen]

I spy DeoxIT, Matt. The tube collectors best friend!

I am off to New York where my daughter delivered her 1st child earlier today.

Enjoy your new additions as well!

Congrats on being a Grandpa. I’m about to become one too come September.

Never knew the day will come when we become as vintage as these NOS tubes.

 

[LoryWiv]

Congrats on being a Grandpa. I’m about to become one too come September.

Never knew the day will come when we become as vintage as these NOS tubes.

Well said, Matt! And congrats to you as well.