RobxMcCarthy
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2005
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Well I picked up two replacement tubes for the 6N8P tubes in the input stage of my amp. Tue original tubes were occasionally static-y and seemed a little harsh for my taste.
After studying the data sheet and other data sheets I found that the 6SJ7 tubes could probably fit the bill. It was then that I found an auction on ebay for four of these very tubes. Two GE and two RCA. I thought, hey, for $10 how can I lose? So I gave it a shot and they showed up today.
I was a little disappointed as the two RCA's were each made in a different factory so they definitely weren't off of the same line. The GE's are very similar, however the paint differs slightly, and the serial numbers are a ways off.
The four tubes I got are metal capped, as opposed to glass. In other words they're ugly.
Listening tests:
Classical: Copland conducts Copland - Hoe down No.4
Shuguang - These tubes are quite bright, but the musical instruments lack definition, the sound is "sharp" rather than detailed and the soundstage is rather narrow. The occasional tiny static crackle doesn't help.
GE - yuck.. I don't know if these tubes are just poorly matched or what, but they have a worse soundstage than the cheap shuguang tubes. The output is "meaty" and warm, but manages to sound "fake" and muffeled rather than rich. Percussive instruments seem to have an unnatural decay which makes the entire system sound "cheap", or the recording bad.
RCA - Wow... These tubes are a little quieter than the other two (less gain apparently) but the sound stage is extremely expansive. I was especially noticing a wood blook in the percussion section that sounded so real I nearly reached out to touch it. All of the instruments seemed to be surrounded in a bubble of air, as if there was an individual recording of each one. It was really quite a startlingly different experience from either of the other two tubes. The attack and decay on all instruments was very "realistic" for lack of a better word.
Heavy music - Lamb of god - Ashes of the Awake / Trivium - Ascendancy
Shuguang - The music all sounded excellent with these tubes. The "sharp" nature seemed to make guitar riffs more "visceral" however male vocals were a bit off, and the sibilance was a little accentuated.
GE - going 0 for 2 now... The GE's didn't even do well on heavier music with their more "muscular" presentation. It was like listening to the band in a closet. All of the guitars/bass instruments were seemingly one 'block of sound'... And the vocals were not believable at all. All in all I am very disappointed with these tubes. Maybe they are too mismatched, who knows.
Lots of bass at least *shrug*
RCA - Victorious again. I really have a hard time understanding how the RCA's seem to surrender more detail than the shuguang's while being less "harsh" sounding. The bass had a very impactful presentation and was not bloated at all. Each instrument could be heard individually, even the dual guitars with nearly the same distortion. The vocals were rich and believable. Needless to say I'm impressed. I can only imagine how a matched pair would sound if a tube from Montana and a tube from Connecticut can present such an immaculate sound stage.
I honestly didn't think the tubes would make a huge difference, I simply wanted to get rid of the occasional static.
Now I just have to find replacements for the $0.50 6P13P tubes in the back... (help?).
After studying the data sheet and other data sheets I found that the 6SJ7 tubes could probably fit the bill. It was then that I found an auction on ebay for four of these very tubes. Two GE and two RCA. I thought, hey, for $10 how can I lose? So I gave it a shot and they showed up today.
I was a little disappointed as the two RCA's were each made in a different factory so they definitely weren't off of the same line. The GE's are very similar, however the paint differs slightly, and the serial numbers are a ways off.
The four tubes I got are metal capped, as opposed to glass. In other words they're ugly.
Listening tests:
Classical: Copland conducts Copland - Hoe down No.4
Shuguang - These tubes are quite bright, but the musical instruments lack definition, the sound is "sharp" rather than detailed and the soundstage is rather narrow. The occasional tiny static crackle doesn't help.
GE - yuck.. I don't know if these tubes are just poorly matched or what, but they have a worse soundstage than the cheap shuguang tubes. The output is "meaty" and warm, but manages to sound "fake" and muffeled rather than rich. Percussive instruments seem to have an unnatural decay which makes the entire system sound "cheap", or the recording bad.
RCA - Wow... These tubes are a little quieter than the other two (less gain apparently) but the sound stage is extremely expansive. I was especially noticing a wood blook in the percussion section that sounded so real I nearly reached out to touch it. All of the instruments seemed to be surrounded in a bubble of air, as if there was an individual recording of each one. It was really quite a startlingly different experience from either of the other two tubes. The attack and decay on all instruments was very "realistic" for lack of a better word.
Heavy music - Lamb of god - Ashes of the Awake / Trivium - Ascendancy
Shuguang - The music all sounded excellent with these tubes. The "sharp" nature seemed to make guitar riffs more "visceral" however male vocals were a bit off, and the sibilance was a little accentuated.
GE - going 0 for 2 now... The GE's didn't even do well on heavier music with their more "muscular" presentation. It was like listening to the band in a closet. All of the guitars/bass instruments were seemingly one 'block of sound'... And the vocals were not believable at all. All in all I am very disappointed with these tubes. Maybe they are too mismatched, who knows.
Lots of bass at least *shrug*
RCA - Victorious again. I really have a hard time understanding how the RCA's seem to surrender more detail than the shuguang's while being less "harsh" sounding. The bass had a very impactful presentation and was not bloated at all. Each instrument could be heard individually, even the dual guitars with nearly the same distortion. The vocals were rich and believable. Needless to say I'm impressed. I can only imagine how a matched pair would sound if a tube from Montana and a tube from Connecticut can present such an immaculate sound stage.
I honestly didn't think the tubes would make a huge difference, I simply wanted to get rid of the occasional static.
Now I just have to find replacements for the $0.50 6P13P tubes in the back... (help?).
