[bcowen]

Just rolling in a Siemens PCC88 (7Dj8) for the start of the tube rolling week, my...my...my...Sounds very similar to a Telefunken, the midrange is buttery smooth but still nicely detailed and tonally beautiful. Good air and ambiance bordering euphoric, just draws you in. Pairs very nicely with the HD650!

@bcowen - Try one mate, worth your time!!!?

So Volly, inquiring minds want to know: if you were banished to a desert island tomorrow and could only take one tube to live with happily ever after, which would it be: the Telefunken 6DJ8, or the Siemens 7DJ8?

 

[volly]

So Volly, inquiring minds want to know: if you were banished to a desert island tomorrow and could only take one tube to live with happily ever after, which would it be: the Telefunken 6DJ8, or the Siemens 7DJ8?

Mate, tough choice. But both are PCC88 (7Dj8), both are excellent sounding tubes.

TL;DR.
Telefunken for it's technical prowess but jeez the Siemens sounds beautiful with the HD650's right now!

 

[bcowen]

And now a public service announcement on the importance of cleaning tube pins for those that may be new to the rolling game. Pic below is the crud from one (just one) of the 6C8-G's I just bought from an Ebay seller (sorry for the fuzzy photo). The pins didn't look any more cruddy visibly than most NOS tubes, but you can see what came off them using Caig Deoxit followed by an alcohol "rinse." Imagine the current from the socket having to flow through all of that to get to the tube. Horrors!

 

[bcowen]

New tubes first impressions:

60's Foton 6N3P: Wow. Nice sounding tube. A significant step up on the more recent manufacture Reflektor 6N3PE. Much has been said about the long break-in (100+ hours) required on most Russian tubes, and I haven't gotten anywhere close yet. On first fire-up, it was pretty sterile and lacking any extension up top or down low. After 8 hours, it was quite listenable. 20 hours and it's sounding, well honestly,it's sounding pretty incredible for an $8 Russian tube. Doesn't have the bass whomp (maybe a "yet" thing) of the Hytron 5692, but the bass is better defined. And the treble is probably the sweetest and smoothest of any tube I've tried so far. Doesn't sound closed-in or rolled off, just a total absence of fatigue even with the volume cranked. Mr. Trev, this is a hard rocker and metalhead's tube of the day...max jam, no bleed.

National Union 6C8-G: On first fire-up, wow. How can any tube sound this bad? Hashy, no bass, rolled-off treble that was still somehow irritating and fatiguing...just plain yuck. I almost yanked it out and said the hell with it. Glad I didn't. After a couple hours, the bass started to fill in and the treble smoothed considerably. Now at the ~20 hour mark, it's actually starting to sound pretty nice. Still a ways from contention for my (personal) top 3, but time will tell. It has one characteristic that's pretty neat -- I'm able to make out some lyrics in songs that I've never been able to before. Detail, I guess? As I was just coming off a Marilyn Manson binge while listening to the Foton, this was really bad timing as some of his lyrics are best left unheard. That dude has some seriously mutated brain cells. And living here in the good 'ol US bible belt, I now feel like I need to look around nervously, lock the doors, and draw the drapes before I click play.

Haven't given the RCA 6C8-G a whirl yet...it's next.

My current top 3 (in order):

'63 CBS/Hytron 5692 (6SN7 adapter required)
'68 Amperex 7316 (12AU7 adapter required)
60's Telefunken 6DJ8 (no adapter required)

The Hytron still evokes giggles and goose-bumps with rock and metal the way it hammers out the bass notes. The Amperex has this huuuuuuuge soundstage, and is awesome with classical and close-miked small ensemble performances. I need one of those 2-tube Frank-en-verter contraptions, except with a switch to choose between one of the two tubes plugged in.

Potential de-throners:
60's Foton 6N3P -- I'd put this tube at #4 right now, but if the bass gains some balls with more play time, it's possible this tube could move to #1. An $8 tube in front of the current placeholders at $100+ each? Hmmmm. But still an "if" right now.
'64 Tesla 6CC42 -- Nicely detailed, very dynamic. Still "hot" sounding right now at ~20 hours. If the treble mellows.....

 

[volly]

New tubes first impressions:

60's Foton 6N3P: Wow. Nice sounding tube. A significant step up on the more recent manufacture Reflektor 6N3PE. Much has been said about the long break-in (100+ hours) required on most Russian tubes, and I haven't gotten anywhere close yet. On first fire-up, it was pretty sterile and lacking any extension up top or down low. After 8 hours, it was quite listenable. 20 hours and it's sounding, well honestly,it's sounding pretty incredible for an $8 Russian tube. Doesn't have the bass whomp (maybe a "yet" thing) of the Hytron 5692, but the bass is better defined. And the treble is probably the sweetest and smoothest of any tube I've tried so far. Doesn't sound closed-in or rolled off, just a total absence of fatigue even with the volume cranked. Mr. Trev, this is a hard rocker and metalhead's tube of the day...max jam, no bleed.

National Union 6C8-G: On first fire-up, wow. How can any tube sound this bad? Hashy, no bass, rolled-off treble that was still somehow irritating and fatiguing...just plain yuck. I almost yanked it out and said the hell with it. Glad I didn't. After a couple hours, the bass started to fill in and the treble smoothed considerably. Now at the ~20 hour mark, it's actually starting to sound pretty nice. Still a ways from contention for my (personal) top 3, but time will tell. It has one characteristic that's pretty neat -- I'm able to make out some lyrics in songs that I've never been able to before. Detail, I guess? As I was just coming off a Marilyn Manson binge while listening to the Foton, this was really bad timing as some of his lyrics are best left unheard. That dude has some seriously mutated brain cells. And living here in the good 'ol US bible belt, I now feel like I need to look around nervously, lock the doors, and draw the drapes before I click play.

Haven't given the RCA 6C8-G a whirl yet...it's next.

My current top 3 (in order):

'63 CBS/Hytron 5692 (6SN7 adapter required)
'68 Amperex 7316 (12AU7 adapter required)
60's Telefunken 6DJ8 (no adapter required)

The Hytron still evokes giggles and goose-bumps with rock and metal the way it hammers out the bass notes. The Amperex has this huuuuuuuge soundstage, and is awesome with classical and close-miked small ensemble performances. I need one of those 2-tube Frank-en-verter contraptions, except with a switch to choose between one of the two tubes plugged in.

Potential de-throners:
60's Foton 6N3P -- I'd put this tube at #4 right now, but if the bass gains some balls with more play time, it's possible this tube could move to #1. An $8 tube in front of the current placeholders at $100+ each? Hmmmm. But still an "if" right now.
'64 Tesla 6CC42 -- Nicely detailed, very dynamic. Still "hot" sounding right now at ~20 hours. If the treble mellows.....

Valuable info here, the Foton's have caught my attention!

How long did the Foton's take to come in to your part of the world @bcowen ?

 

[bcowen]

Valuable info here, the Foton's have caught my attention!

How long did the Foton's take to come in to your part of the world @bcowen ?

Hey Volly, took 2.5 weeks to get here. Seller shipped the day after I ordered, and packaged the tubes quite well. But it's also apparent this seller isn't testing them. The gassy tube may have popped a leak during shipment (it happens), but the two with mismatched triodes are so far off that even basic testing should have kicked them out. Of course, at the prices he's selling them for, you can't get too picky.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/222892595247

 

[volly]

Ahhh...bugger, T'is the luck of the draw sometimes. But I'm glad about your first impressions on the Foton's, should be interesting to see once they've settled in for ya!

 

[Mr Trev]

New tubes first impressions:

60's Foton 6N3P: Wow. Nice sounding tube. A significant step up on the more recent manufacture Reflektor 6N3PE. Much has been said about the long break-in (100+ hours) required on most Russian tubes, and I haven't gotten anywhere close yet. On first fire-up, it was pretty sterile and lacking any extension up top or down low. After 8 hours, it was quite listenable. 20 hours and it's sounding, well honestly,it's sounding pretty incredible for an $8 Russian tube. Doesn't have the bass whomp (maybe a "yet" thing) of the Hytron 5692, but the bass is better defined. And the treble is probably the sweetest and smoothest of any tube I've tried so far. Doesn't sound closed-in or rolled off, just a total absence of fatigue even with the volume cranked. Mr. Trev, this is a hard rocker and metalhead's tube of the day...max jam, no bleed.

National Union 6C8-G: On first fire-up, wow. How can any tube sound this bad? Hashy, no bass, rolled-off treble that was still somehow irritating and fatiguing...just plain yuck. I almost yanked it out and said the hell with it. Glad I didn't. After a couple hours, the bass started to fill in and the treble smoothed considerably. Now at the ~20 hour mark, it's actually starting to sound pretty nice. Still a ways from contention for my (personal) top 3, but time will tell. It has one characteristic that's pretty neat -- I'm able to make out some lyrics in songs that I've never been able to before. Detail, I guess? As I was just coming off a Marilyn Manson binge while listening to the Foton, this was really bad timing as some of his lyrics are best left unheard. That dude has some seriously mutated brain cells. And living here in the good 'ol US bible belt, I now feel like I need to look around nervously, lock the doors, and draw the drapes before I click play.

Haven't given the RCA 6C8-G a whirl yet...it's next.

My current top 3 (in order):

'63 CBS/Hytron 5692 (6SN7 adapter required)
'68 Amperex 7316 (12AU7 adapter required)
60's Telefunken 6DJ8 (no adapter required)

The Hytron still evokes giggles and goose-bumps with rock and metal the way it hammers out the bass notes. The Amperex has this huuuuuuuge soundstage, and is awesome with classical and close-miked small ensemble performances. I need one of those 2-tube Frank-en-verter contraptions, except with a switch to choose between one of the two tubes plugged in.

Potential de-throners:
60's Foton 6N3P -- I'd put this tube at #4 right now, but if the bass gains some balls with more play time, it's possible this tube could move to #1. An $8 tube in front of the current placeholders at $100+ each? Hmmmm. But still an "if" right now.
'64 Tesla 6CC42 -- Nicely detailed, very dynamic. Still "hot" sounding right now at ~20 hours. If the treble mellows.....

When you say "more recent manufacture Reflektor 6N3PE" how recent are we talking? The one I got is mid - late 70s.
I find the Vokshod 6n23 I have is pretty decent with metal and other loud obnoxious music - for those times I need to drown out "the voices". That's the one place the Yugofunken or the Mouse Ear fall behind IMO. They are just a little too laid back/refined/smooth for aggressive music styles. Ambient on the other hand…

 

[Lekoguy]

It's funny to me reading these posts and seeing people's minds blown by how much better 6SN7 tubes are than, well, any nine-pin that I've ever heard.

Does anyone have any experience with the reissued Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB?

 

[bcowen]

When you say "more recent manufacture Reflektor 6N3PE" how recent are we talking? The one I got is mid - late 70s.
I find the Vokshod 6n23 I have is pretty decent with metal and other loud obnoxious music - for those times I need to drown out "the voices". That's the one place the Yugofunken or the Mouse Ear fall behind IMO. They are just a little too laid back/refined/smooth for aggressive music styles. Ambient on the other hand…

I believe my Reflektors are October 1990..."9010" under the tube number. The purple stamp on the other side has 90 on one side of the triangle, and XI on the other. I'm pretty sure that stamp is the military acceptance stamp indicating the date it was accepted: 1990 being the year, and XI (November) being the month, which would make sense given the manufacture date. But I'm not 100% positive on this, so if someone has better info than I do, please feel free to correct me.

 

[bcowen]

Does anyone have any experience with the reissued Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB?

I have not tried any of the new ones. I did, however, just order some 1960 Foton 6N8S tubes. If they sound anywhere near as good as the Foton 6N3P's, I'll be a happy camper at a little over $4 a tube. Worst case, if Volly keeps gushing over the Lyr 3 and ends up making me buy one, I'll be all set.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202080567078

 

[Lekoguy]

I have not tried any of the new ones. I did, however, just order some 1960 Foton 6N8S tubes. If they sound anywhere near as good as the Foton 6N3P's, I'll be a happy camper at a little over $4 a tube. Worst case, if Volly keeps gushing over the Lyr 3 and ends up making me buy one, I'll be all set.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202080567078

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

Is Volly still breathing hot & heavy?

 

[volly]

Mate, just been lurking over at the Lyr 3 threads since the release. It's looking to be a sure upgrade over the Vali 2!

I was about to grab a New Production TungSol but held off due to the Lyr 3.

I know power isn't everything when it comes to amps but, dayummmm:

Lyr 3:
Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 9.0W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 6.0W RMS per channel (7.5W at <1% THD typical, one channel driven)
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 4.0W RMS per channel <--------- @bcowen (Enough power for your Primes??)
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 900mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 450mW RMS per channel

Probably the last tube I get for the Vali 2 would be a 1964 Raytheon 5670 tube which I can source locally for a fair price but we'll see.

 

[bcowen]

Mate, just been lurking over at the Lyr 3 threads since the release. It's looking to be a sure upgrade over the Vali 2!

I was about to grab a New Production TungSol but held off due to the Lyr 3.

I know power isn't everything when it comes to amps but, dayummmm:

Lyr 3:
Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 9.0W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 6.0W RMS per channel (7.5W at <1% THD typical, one channel driven)
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 4.0W RMS per channel <--------- @bcowen (Enough power for your Primes??)
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 900mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 450mW RMS per channel

Probably the last tube I get for the Vali 2 would be a 1964 Raytheon 5670 tube which I can source locally for a fair price but we'll see.

LOL! I'm guessing 4 watts would probably shred the Prime's diaphragms into confetti. On low gain.

I like the single tube design, and I like the IEC socket instead of utilizing a wall wart.

So, Volly, the question is who's going to break first, me or you?

 

[Mr Trev]

I have not tried any of the new ones. I did, however, just order some 1960 Foton 6N8S tubes. If they sound anywhere near as good as the Foton 6N3P's, I'll be a happy camper at a little over $4 a tube. Worst case, if Volly keeps gushing over the Lyr 3 and ends up making me buy one, I'll be all set.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202080567078

I got one of those. Sounds pretty good. Similar construction type to a "mouse ear". Definitely worth the $6 CAD I paid