[MacedonianHero]

Does anyone know anything about the 5998A? It supposedly replaces the 5998.
 
http://thetubestore.com/nos-5998.html

No, it is a poor substitute for the TS5998. It sounds "adequate" at best.

 

[jerico]

I am almost 100% certain that NONE of those are current production, and that there are NO current production 6AS7G tube types.
 
There are mountains of Russian and Chinese 6AS7G equivalents - you can literally buy the Russian tubes by the 100's if you wanted to.  But still they are not current production, technically they too are NOS.
 

Yup, looks like Skylab is right. Note to self: no browsing for tubes at bedtime...

On a different subject - I managed to pick up 3 TS 5U4GB rectifiers this weekend for about $40 total. I've come to like the TS 5U4G (not GB) that i akready have better than the EML, when paired with Sylvania 7236 and VT231 (all for the LCD2). Previously, I didn't care for the 7236.

 

[davo50]

Grab it while you can.  I am selling an EML 5U4G mesh plate priced to sell.

 

[Sesam]

Thanks for the advice Jerico and Skylab, yea it's not that I have problems finding NOS power tubes. It's just that I try to stick with new production as much as possible, so that I don't have to end up on Ebay desperately hunting spares.
 
However..
 
Quote:

I am almost 100% certain that NONE of those are current production, and that there are NO current production 6AS7G tube types.
 
There are mountains of Russian and Chinese 6AS7G equivalents - you can literally buy the Russian tubes by the 100's if you wanted to.  But still they are not current production, technically they too are NOS.
 

 

... if there is mountains of those tubes available, I guess there will not be a shortage anytime soon. In related news my WooAudio22 shipped today, wooo!

 

[mikemalter]

Quote:

Thanks for the advice Jerico and Skylab, yea it's not that I have problems finding NOS power tubes. It's just that I try to stick with new production as much as possible, so that I don't have to end up on Ebay desperately hunting spares.
 
However..
 


 

... if there is mountains of those tubes available, I guess there will not be a shortage anytime soon. In related news my WooAudio22 shipped today, wooo!

Also one resource to consider and that is Jack.  You can talk directly to him and ask him for a recommendation and he can get you tubes that he backs up at reasonable prices.
 
 

 

[mikemalter]

I'm selling my PS Audio PWD with the bridge for $2400.  Both the PWD and the bridge have the latest firmware updates and I have about 250 hours on it.  Please PM me if you are interested.

 

[PanamaRed]

I've been feverishly rolling tubes these past few days in an attempt to find the perfect combination:
 
I tested Ken Rad Vt-231, CBS/Hytron 5692, Tung Sol VT-231 black glass round plate, Tung Sol 5998, GEC 6080,  RCA VT-244, and a GZ34 Mullard Metalbase.
 
I did the majority of my testing trying to get the HD800 to sound right for my ears. I chose the HD800 because it is much harder for me to be pleased by these cans than the LCD-2.
 
In the end I found the combination of the Mullard Gz34, the Tung Sol 5998, and the CBS/Hytron 5692 to be the best for my needs. I found the Hytrons to be a pleasant surprise. For me, they didn't have as much slam as Ken Rads but some slam was present. The highs and the mids were perfect for me and I really had a good sense of the seperation of instruments. In fact, this combination had me listening to music that I would never normally chose to partake in. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXck2GOkWXk
 
I was actually very shocked with the Tung Sols - I did not really like them as much as the others and found their highs to be very uncomfortable. I do remember liking them more with the GEC 6080s and the RCA VT-244. But with that combination I preferred the Ken Rads.
 
Next step is to see how this setup fairs with my favorite headphone - the LCD-2.
 

 

[Nova13]

Does anyone have experience with fleeting hum that shows up initially in NOS tubes?
 
I have heard whispers of it - that "often" NOS tubes initially have some hum that goes away with time.  Can anyone comment?
 
I recently got some NOS 6dj8 JAN Sylvania drivers for my WA3 - they hum.  One channel more than the other.  I tried swapping channels, tried cleaning (per the directions from a few pages ago), no dice.  
 
 

 

[mikemalter]

Quote:

I've been feverishly rolling tubes these past few days in an attempt to find the perfect combination:
 
I tested Ken Rad Vt-231, CBS/Hytron 5692, Tung Sol VT-231 black glass round plate, Tung Sol 5998, GEC 6080,  RCA VT-244, and a GZ34 Mullard Metalbase.
 
I did the majority of my testing trying to get the HD800 to sound right for my ears. I chose the HD800 because it is much harder for me to be pleased by these cans than the LCD-2.
 
In the end I found the combination of the Mullard Gz34, the Tung Sol 5998, and the CBS/Hytron 5692 to be the best for my needs. I found the Hytrons to be a pleasant surprise. For me, they didn't have as much slam as Ken Rads but some slam was present. The highs and the mids were perfect for me and I really had a good sense of the seperation of instruments. In fact, this combination had me listening to music that I would never normally chose to partake in. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXck2GOkWXk
 
I was actually very shocked with the Tung Sols - I did not really like them as much as the others and found their highs to be very uncomfortable. I do remember liking them more with the GEC 6080s and the RCA VT-244. But with that combination I preferred the Ken Rads.
 
Next step is to see how this setup fairs with my favorite headphone - the LCD-2.
 

Panama, do you know if your TungSol's were round or oval micas?
 
 


Quote:

Does anyone have experience with fleeting hum that shows up initially in NOS tubes?
 
I have heard whispers of it - that "often" NOS tubes initially have some hum that goes away with time.  Can anyone comment?
 
I recently got some NOS 6dj8 JAN Sylvania drivers for my WA3 - they hum.  One channel more than the other.  I tried swapping channels, tried cleaning (per the directions from a few pages ago), no dice.  
 
 

I have had that problem when I am tube rolling.  I get the most hum from my GEC 6AS7G's (have two pairs and both do it).  When I keep the tubes in the amp and then use it the next day, I never get that hum or other audio artifacts.
 
 

 

[Nova13]

So I should leave them in awhile and let them run before giving up!
 
The amp just needs to be on, right?  No music needeth flow?
 
 
Anyone else have this issue?
 
 

 

[PanamaRed]

Round micas.

 
Quote:

Panama, do you know if your TungSol's were round or oval micas?
 

 

 

[nanaholic]

Just dropping in to say that that I've placed an order for a WA6 with the Sophia 274b rectifier, will have to read up on the tube rolling.  Looking forward to a shoot down between this and my Burson SS amp.   

 

[Skylab]

The 5998A is not nearly as good sounding as the 5998.  Not the same tube at all in terms of construction.

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Round micas.

 


 

Are the pins running through the plates copper colored or silver?  Also, how many hours have you put on them?  I found my tung sols to have unusually peaky highs when new, but they settle down beautifully with time.  They weren't what I would call "bright" in a way that produces sibilance, it was further up the range than that even.  Deceptively fatiguing and hard to listen to until it goes away, but boy when it goes away....... what comes afterwards is very easy to fall in love with. 
 
I nearly tried the CBS/Hytron 5692 you mentioned, but ended up picking up some Brimar clearglass 6SN7GTY instead.  A decision I regret.

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

So I should leave them in awhile and let them run before giving up!
 
The amp just needs to be on, right?  No music needeth flow?
 
 
Anyone else have this issue?
 
 

No actual music needs to be playing.  Headphones should be plugged into the output though.