CV593
RCA 6DE7 Drivers
This is a serious contender for the title of best rectifier. My initial impression-- I've found my dream tube. Mine is a military (brown base)-- labeled RAF (British Royal Air Force) made by Mullard in 1967, the year I was born!
Looks wise-- it falls between the Sofia Princess in it's glowing mesh greatness-- and the Mullard GZ34, which is frankly as exciting as limestone in the looks department. The CV593 has twin antenna posts (figuratively) that glow atop the plates, and a tasty glow down low. Will post pics.
Presence. Drums are tight but up front. Slight booming in the bass. But it's controlled aggression. There's a punchy quality, but it's restrained. Sweet. Winning sound right out of the box. Is it too controlled? Time will tell.
Really musical. Very together. Good bass extension. A slight amount of slam. Bassheads will love this tube. Soundstage is great-- but I need some swapping to double-check.
Over to the Burson.. The Burson has a lighter touch with the sound. Slightly deeper on the bass. It's a looser feel. Slightly more spacious.
The sound of the CV593 has me interested. It's got my attention. It's one musical tube! It's a lush sound that's full bodied without any bloat. Most tubes of this nature are too aggressive.
More musical than the Burson to my ear, and that's a huge compliment.
Moving back to my current favorite-- the Mullard GZ34 (1958 fat base)-- I was expecting to clearly favor the CV593-- and crown a new champ. Not so fast.
The GZ34 has a deeper more separated bass, and a slightly wider soundstage. We're talking shades here, but it's apparent to my ears. The GZ34 lacks some of the winning punch of the 593, but it's a really pristine sound. Everything stays in place (contained) and that makes for a brilliant soundstage. The GZ34 plays closer to the edge on sibilance, but it doesn't go past it. Bright yet deep are hard qualities to surpass. The 593 is darker, but holds the music together better.
No question both of these tubes are heavyweight contenders-- Both wow me at every turn. But If I had to give my personal favorites-- the list goes like this:
1) Mullard GZ34 (1958)
2) Mullard CV593 (RAF 1967)
3) Sophia Princess
In the end, the deeper, less blooming bass and wider soundstage were just too great for the CV593 to overcome, despite it's overall musicality. Both are amazing tubes, and the GZ34 ranks higher on my list by the narrowest of margins.
Hey even ugly guys needs to win once in a while.