[Glam Bash]

I liked the Philips 5R4GYS more than the RCA 5R4GY(which weren't bad). I wouldn't pay more than $25 for the RCA even if they are JAN.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Thinking of trying a 5r4gy from Jim at vacuumtubesinc.com.  He has RCA branded coke bottle and a phillips 5r4gyB (straight sided) that's probably american made.  There is also a philips 5r4gys dutch army nos on ebay delivered from the Netherlands.  

I've seen at least one comment that the RCA version was disappointing compared to only positive comments about the phillips.  Does it need to be phillips?  I could try both the RCA and straight sided phillips from Jim for the same cost as the Dutch phillips model . . .

How much is the rca version , been looking to try one out

 

[radiomir]

How much is the rca version , been looking to try one out

It's $30 from Jim, but can be found on ebay for $15 - 20 I think . . .
 
Jim thinks that the phillips would most likely have been made by RCA in the US anyway, but one of the Philiips ebay listings states production in Suresnes, France.

 

[radiomir]

  I liked the Philips 5R4GYS more than the RCA 5R4GY(which weren't bad). I wouldn't pay more than $25 for the RCA even if they are JAN.

What did you like more about the Philips?

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  It's $30 from Jim, but can be found on ebay for $15 - 20 I think . . .
 
Jim thinks that the phillips would most likely have been made by RCA in the US anyway, but one of the Philiips ebay listings states production in Suresnes, France.

 
oh i see ebay.
 
o ok its readily available, i'll have to try it out when i get a new 5U4G/Gz34 amp. im thinking of stratus, but i know alot of the tubes aren't compatible, i'll have to ask.

 

[GloryUprising]

Shhhhh... Jim at vacuum tube Inc is my secret source. Stop spreading his name around or I'm gonna run out of 596s. =x

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Shhhhh... Jim at vacuum tube Inc is my secret source. Stop spreading his name around or I'm gonna run out of 596s. =x

 
does he still have them, how much?
 
i bought my tung sol 5998 pairs from them. been thinking of picking up a WE 422A too

 

[GloryUprising]

   
does he still have them, how much?
 
i bought my tung sol 5998 pairs from them. been thinking of picking up a WE 422A too

 
He gets them in from time to time. Nothing last I asked.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

ah

 

[Glam Bash]

  What did you like more about the Philips?

Bigger soundstage(which the HE-500 needed), more/deeper bass, and I think the images were more solid too.  Jim at Vacuumtubesinc is good to deal with. I got my RCA 6DR7 in matched pairs from him. $30 is reasonable from a good source, but I see JAN tubes marked up on flea bay and unless its a WWII JAN CRC with double D getters there is no sonic difference I could detect.

 

[TUBEBO]

This is my first post on this old thread as I just purchased a used WA6 from another Head-Fier here a few months ago. It's a older WA6 from 2007 and has the smaller driver tube holes, so I am using a pair of Tubemongers socket savers to allow me the use of a pair of RCA fat bottle top getter 6FD7's. The WA6 has the Pseudo-dual power supply up-grade.  My rectifiers used are a 1957 Amperex Bugle Boy GZ34 and a Tung-Sol 5U4G, 1952 vintage. I also have RCA 6DE7 and Sylvania 6CY7 signal tubes.  My phones are Sennheiser HD600 and Denon AH-D7000.  Sources are CD and vinyl.
 
For my tastes, I like the RCS 6FD7 and Tung-Sol 5U4G combo the best. Solid punch bass, ( although deep bass drops off a bit ), just a tad warm mid-range with great clarity, and pretty neutral highs with a slight roll off at the very top.
Dynamics are decent, but not of the range of the Amperex GZ34. Soundstage with the old Tung-Sol is pretty good, side to side, and depth. Overall, I use the HD600 with classical and Jazz - the D7000 with rock and acoustic stuff. The WA6 came with a few other rectifiers, including the Sophia 274b. Although a wonderful tube, I found it not that much to my liking. I purchased the Tung-Sol after reading a few comments about it's neutrality, accuracy, and my prior experience with Tung-Sol tubes.
 
Based on readings here and a few other sites, I am looking to add a Brimar 5R4GY/CV717 and a Mullard GZ32 to the mix for a bit more warmth on many older symphonic classical recordings I have on vinyl, and some bright CD's. So I'm looking to add some more warmth to the system for those recordings.
 
I wanted to add this to keep this wonder and informative thread alive.  Anyone here using the Brimar 5R4GY with the 6FD7 fat bottle top getters, and your take on the combo?

 

[Dubstep Girl]

what does an amperex gz 32 look like? 
 
i tried brimar 5r4gy and 6fd7 fat bottle sylvania on my WA6-SE, the brimar is a very laid back tube, was too slow for me. but its a very nice tube. 

 

[TUBEBO]

  what does an amperex gz 32 look like? 
 
i tried brimar 5r4gy and 6fd7 fat bottle sylvania on my WA6-SE, the brimar is a very laid back tube, was too slow for me. but its a very nice tube. 

I will take a photo and post, but it has a black plastic base and the smooth plate structure of the Mullard and Amperex of the late fifties. My research shows it to be a fairly rare tube - the date code is F30 X7H, so it's a Philips Sittard Holland plant, 1957 ( August ) made rectifier. It would seem to be the first of the Philips GZ34's made after or during the metal base units. Tubes starting with F30 instead of F31 are quite rare.
 
On the Brimar, the laid back quality is what I am seeking to help smooth out a somewhat bright and and mid-range forward presentation from a older Signet moving-coil phono cartridge I am using on my turntable. Some older thin sounding and a little ragged on the top vinyl recordings I have could use the added warmth, at the cost of some  dynamics and speed.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

sounds rare. i thought there was only the amperex gz34 bugle boy
 
and yeah i think u'll find what you're looking for in the brimar. 

 

[TUBEBO]

Dubstep Girl:
 
My apologies! I mistakenly entered GZ32 for the Amperex Bugle Boy instead of the correct GZ34. Sorry about that. This comes from being an older timer in my sixties I guess. None the less, the F30 part is the clincher here as most start with F31. The date code is located at the bottom of the tube and is etched in.  I have only found it listed one other time for sale on a tube collector site.  Again, sorry for the confusion. ( I corrected my posts so as not to create more questions )