[atbglenn]

Hopefully you'll be pleased with those. I would still check ebay everyday if you can. If you find any, don't post it here until you pay for them! You don't want anyone else beating you to the punch

Oh yeah! Congrats on your new Woo!!!

 

[jc9394]

Try this guy from ebid.net, it is around $5 each and I did not received a DOA one yet. He did not do any testing at all, so you are on your own.

All About User : VacuumTubes

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWuss /img/forum/go_quote.gif so, i called the tube store, and ordered 3 pairs of tubes. i asked for the RCA 6de7, and the clerk chuckled. he said that since it has become the head-fi tube of choice with the WA6, that they simply have become too rare. he said all this before i even told him which amp i have. apparently, the wa6 is the virtually the only amp in the world built around this tube variation. ha. figures. so, i ordered these to try: Sylvania 6de7 Raytheon fat bottle 6fd7 RCA 6ew7 hopefully my ears will like one of these sets...

Ask Brent Jesse at audiotubes.com for the RCA 6DE7 with shield. I had him stock check just a week or so ago and he had six, of which I bought a single pair. They are fantastic, 1960 build date with absolutely perfect boxes and printing on the tubes. He charges for specific brand and matching fee, but the prices are reasonable and in line with the other major tube sites. He doesn't seem to get asked for these tubes often so he will probably still have the other 4.

You'll have to let me know what you think of your Raytheon 6FD7. I have been concentrating on RCA 6FD7. Finally found my unicorn though just yesterday: a dual black plate version which is the oldest you can get. Older is better with these NOS tubes, they tend to sound smoother and more refined than the newer vintages.

As for eBay..... I've found it can be a good place to find rectifiers, but the dual triode power tubes are uncommon and the ones that do show up aren't worth buying. I almost never see 6FD7s there, but there are a few 6DE7s from time to time. The 6CY7 is strangely common though if you wanted to give that one a try. I have a Tung Sol version I can give you impressions on next week probably.

 

[Superfrag]

I have my eyes set on these two tubes :
Tung Sol 6CY7
RCA 6EW7
I might order the 6de7 too!

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xcalibur255 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ask Brent Jesse at audiotubes.com for the RCA 6DE7 with shield.

Dude! Xcalibur255, you are da man!!! and you, too, atbglenn, for pointing me in the right direction!

i called Brent Jessee, and i'm getting two matched pair of NOS RCA 6de7 with shield divider! whooooooot-whooooot!

I was listening to the unlabeled 6fd7s last night - The Doobie Brothers, hahahaha - and it is already sounding really good. So, I can't imagine, but even a 2% improvement would be really nice!!!

So I'll now have plenty of different tubes to roll and see what I like.
And, when I pick a fave, I'll have some emergency back-ups.
Man, this tube stuff is so dang fun and addictive!!

 

[K_19]

Do be aware that there are different sounding RCA's. Earlier production ones sound smoother and more open but in sacrificing bass punch, while the later production one is more punchy and fun but not as refined as the older ones.

 

[Gradofan2]

Check out some of the other threads, which have extensive discussions of various rectifier and power tubes (e.g. Woo 6 Modified, WA6 SE, etc.).

I can't remember all the tubes I've tried, and have... but... it seems to me I prefer the Raytheon or Sylvania 6EW7s, and 6FD7s, and the RCA's are good in any of the three. I've also got some Tung Sol and Amperex 6DE7s that sound great. The Raytheon and Sylvanias in those above seem to have a great combination of drive, dynamics, and detail with an open, airy soundstage.

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do be aware that there are different sounding RCA's. Earlier production ones sound smoother and more open but in sacrificing bass punch, while the later production one is more punchy and fun but not as refined as the older ones.

This is why I've been trying so hard to find an older 6FD7. I'm listening to the ones I have right now, and they exhibit all the PRAT and speed my solid state amp had but I'd be willing to give up a bit of that for a touch of added smoothness.

 

[TheWuss]

man. i'm a happy camper right now.

so, i have all the tubes i ordered last week, and have been rolling them.

So, i finally get to the RCA 6DE7 w/ divider plate. and, man, this tube is really bringing it together for me.

i'd say, generally, that the driver tubes don't make anywhere near as big a difference as the rectifier. but, it's enough to hear. put it this way - i haven't heard a driver tube yet that i didn't at least think sounded pretty good on the WA6. especially if you give the NOS tubes about 8 hours to come together.

they all have sounded pretty good to me. but i can hear very slight differences in the tubes.
the RCA 6DE7 with divider plate has a smidge better bass, and i guess it might be "faster" or something because it makes rock seem to come together a little bit better for my ears. i don't know exactly what i'm talking about here, though, so i'll leave it at that before i pile it on...

 

[Xcalibur255]

Some of it depends upon the resolution of the total system. If you have a good DAC or quality source the differences are easier to pick up on downstream. I'd have to agree with you in that the rectifier made more dramatic differences than the drive tubes did. The rectifier side all seems to lead to the same place though (EML or Sophia 274b) for best performance, where as the drive tubes are really good for tweaking the amp to suit personal taste.

 

[TheWuss]

yeah. i have the sophia.

and i'm trying to convince myself that the EML threads claiming it's a "notch above" are somewhat exaggerated...

 

[raddomguy123456]

so, i called the tube store, and ordered 3 pairs of tubes.
i asked for the RCA 6de7, and the clerk chuckled. he said that since it has become the head-fi tube of choice with the WA6, that they simply have become too rare. he said all this before i even told him which amp i have. apparently, the wa6 is the virtually the only amp in the world built around this tube variation.

ha. figures.
so, i ordered these to try:

Sylvania 6de7
Raytheon fat bottle 6fd7
RCA 6ew7

hopefully my ears will like one of these sets...

Any of these good? Got a used WA6 that doesn't even come with tubes.