[joseph69]

It must be because I use a USAF 596 in my WA6

+1

 

[TonyNewman]

It must be because I use a USAF 596 in my WA6 that I don't hear the harshness in the SE 6SN7 tubes that you do, or a combination of other factors, hp's, DAC, cables(boy do I love a good "you can't hear any difference in cables argument"), music choices et al. I'll have to give the Psvanes a try. Thanks

 
I did some 6SN7 tube rolling in my WA6 using the Psvane WE274B replica rectifier. This is a very good rectifier - not quite as good as the Brimar, but it is also warmer and has a darker tone.
 
It certainly helps - the dryness is still there, but it doesn't cross the line into harshness with the Psvane T2 CV-181s as the Brimar does. A better match.
 
I then tried using the Mullard GZ32 - the warmest rectifier I have. At the cost of some detail and extension (where is my bass?) the dryness is gone - but the price in bass and detail is too much for my tastes - prefer the replica with the Psvane T2s so the music retains some low end punch.
 
Still an inferior combination to the RCA 6SN7s (warmish drivers) with the Brimar rectifier (neutral to cool rectifier with stunning detail and extension).
 
If someone could make a 6SN7 that combined the detail and extension of PSvane T2s with some warmth it would be a big winner.
 
EDIT - just to be a little perverse, I plugged in the RCA 6SN7s drivers with the Psvane replica WE274B. That is Darth Vader dark!! Not unpleasant at all, but it is perhaps getting into a thick sound at times and detail takes a small hit. If you like your music darker than dark with strong bass this might be a good combination worth trying. Treble is still there, it just takes a back seat to everything else. Not my cup of tea, but some might like it. YMMV.
 
The Brimar with the RCAs is the best I have heard so far from my WA6 (or WA5 for that matter - with SERPs in the WA5). Maybe one day the Elrog 300Bs... humans only need 1 kidney, right?

 

[isquirrel]

Cheapest Tung Sol's I could find on eBay right now
 
PAIR VT231 - NOS -  TUNG SOL 6SN7 - 1940's - 6SN7GT TUNGSOL http://r.ebay.com/nT4Z7N

 

[TonyNewman]

  Cheapest Tung Sol's I could find on eBay right now
 
PAIR VT231 - NOS -  TUNG SOL 6SN7 - 1940's - 6SN7GT TUNGSOL http://r.ebay.com/nT4Z7N

 
JHC!! Nearly $500 for top tier 6SN7s. This is getting a little nuts

 

[isquirrel]

This will give you a heart attack then 

 
MP of Western Electric 300B Tube Double Square Getter NOS NIB Date code: 6539 http://r.ebay.com/6XX9mN

 

[Krutsch]

  This will give you a heart attack then 

 
MP of Western Electric 300B Tube Double Square Getter NOS NIB Date code: 6539 http://r.ebay.com/6XX9mN

I saw that listing yesterday... wow.

 

[Porteroso]

Just to make you all jealous, I'm picking up 5 total TS rp in 6F8G for 150, all NOS. I've been harping on 6F8G for a while now, and these are the last, so sorry, but I totally grabbed them all. I also have the RCA with the Brimar in the WA6, and they are good. The National Union simply beat them in detail/transparency (and everything really), but then, the RCA are readily available, and they do give you this bass-centric, lush, tubey sound. After I get over the shock of these NU tubes, which I heard for the first time yesterday, I might go back to the RCA just because of availability.
 
Also going to roll Raytheons in 6F8G, and they are supposedly like the RCA, just a bit inferior. Will report back. I'll essentially have all the great 6F8G, and the only thing you can find in 6SN7, additionally, is the red base RCA. I will just have to wait for a while to hear those.

 

[TonyNewman]

  This will give you a heart attack then 

 
MP of Western Electric 300B Tube Double Square Getter NOS NIB Date code: 6539 http://r.ebay.com/6XX9mN

 
Nah - WE vintage prices for 300Bs and rectifiers don't cause me to mess my trousers for the very good reason that we have excellent alternatives for (relatively) sane prices.
 
300Bs - Elrogs / Takatsukis - as good as or better in many ways than the vintage WE300B. Others out there that are very, very good (such as the SERPs and several others).
 
Rectifiers - Brimars / Psvane WE274B replicas. Not quite a match for the WE422A, but very, very good tubes at reasonable prices (Brimar is almost a give away at the moment).
 
6SN7 situation is what makes me want to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger. Sadly lacking in the new production department - have not found one yet that combines detail + extension + warmth.

 

[kokushu]

Have a chance to get a tung sol bgrp.  Or should I wait and get either elrog or takatsuki 300b.  My current line up for my WA 5 is eml 300b mesh, tung sol 6f8g bgrp (oval mica), brimar 5z4g.  Which one is more of a worthwhile upgrade?  I been wanting to do a write up for the eml 300b mesh but I have not put in the hours where I feel its been burn in to indicate it sound.  Any help with the upgrade situation guys?

 

[TonyNewman]

  Just to make you all jealous, I'm picking up 5 total TS rp in 6F8G for 150, all NOS. I've been harping on 6F8G for a while now, and these are the last, so sorry, but I totally grabbed them all. I also have the RCA with the Brimar in the WA6, and they are good. The National Union simply beat them in detail/transparency (and everything really), but then, the RCA are readily available, and they do give you this bass-centric, lush, tubey sound. After I get over the shock of these NU tubes, which I heard for the first time yesterday, I might go back to the RCA just because of availability.
 
Also going to roll Raytheons in 6F8G, and they are supposedly like the RCA, just a bit inferior. Will report back. I'll essentially have all the great 6F8G, and the only thing you can find in 6SN7, additionally, is the red base RCA. I will just have to wait for a while to hear those.

 
You have convinced me - I have order a pair of national union 6F8G and the adapters. Looking forward to trying this in the WA6 and WA5.

 

[Moon2014]

You have convinced me - I have order a pair of national union 6F8G and the adapters. Looking forward to trying this in the WA6 and WA5.

Very nice looking Tube, where you order the Tube and the Adapter? I only found the Tube from an Italian guy where I already bought som Tubes but he have only one in Stock.

I am so excited to get MY WA5, a minutes ago it arrived to my nearest FedEx Location but I think they will deliver it tommorow.

 

[Moon2014]

Cheapest Tung Sol's I could find on eBay right now

PAIR VT231 - NOS -  TUNG SOL 6SN7 - 1940's - 6SN7GT TUNGSOL http://r.ebay.com/nT4Z7N

Is this in your opinion the "Ultimate" 6SN7 driver Tube?

Thanks

 

[Porteroso]

I really do think that until a significant number of people get 6F8G adapters, the 6F8G tubes will stay down in cost. Really, the VT-99 ones are what you want, just like VT-231 in 6SN7. I was reading up on them, and skylab was saying a few years ago that 6F8G was a great-kept secret that he was hesitant to talk about, lest the tubes rise in price. The idea that I'm getting matched ts rp pairs for 50 bucks each, when other people are paying literally 10x that price, it's insane. I'm not going to say that my WA6 looks super aesthetic, because it doesn't, but there's a certain flair of old-school to stacking adapters like I am.
 
In other news, tonight was a great night of music. Enjoyed some Ardbeg, some great tea, and great music. I'm warm, I'm comfy, and life does not get much better.
 
edit: One thing tonight has taught me is that when I'm really hearing things like they were recorded, it's so much easier to explore music. I'm exploring genres that I normally don't listen to, and there is some great stuff in all of them. Much like when I go hear music live, it is often all too easy to fall in love with a band, or a singer, or a soloist. Too often, when you aren't immersed, you can get distracted by all the things gone wrong, but when you're immersed, the things gone wrong only add to the experience. That's what all this is about, anyways.

 

[isquirrel]

Is this in your opinion the "Ultimate" 6SN7 driver Tube?

Thanks

Yep, they are my pick, warmth - extension and detail they do everything superbly. Seems to be the direction we are all looking for here. The way I look at it is I buy them whenever I can get a reasonable price on them and know they will be worth double in a few years. So its a good investment as well.
 
When I think of the how the value of Mullard Metal bases has risen form 250 US a tube to $800 each for a matched pair now in just 3 years. Just watch the Brimar's rocket up in value.
 
@ Porteroso
 
I hear the same thing, the 6F8G may even have a slight advantage over the 6SN7, I admit I don't like the look of the adapters but I may have to get over that.

 

[TonyNewman]

Very nice looking Tube, where you order the Tube and the Adapter? ...
 

 
Go to Ebay and enter "6F8G" in the search term and all will be revealed