[Krutsch]

 
No kidding, the prices are through the roof and keep going up.  It was just a few years ago when the GECs were selling for about $225-250/ pr. and we thought that was high.  At some point the price of tubes will be so inflated we'll dare not even listen to our systems, but just polish them and store them in a safety deposit box in a bank vault!

 
 

You could sell them here. There can probably be a few people from the 6AS7G/Woo/Elise threads that can make you offers on the spot.

That occurred to me. I would need to purchase a tube tester to verify their value. I don't know... I keep thinking I am going to buy a WA2 and move my WA3 to my office, but something else always comes up.

 

[jhljhl]

I have some ez80/81 rectifiers for sale.

 

[Thenewguy007]

Auditioning some WE 396A (Northern Electric label) driver tubes in the WA2 via 6N3->ECC88 adapters.  Initial report: they sound very good.  They have a slightly warm (not lush), detailed and relaxed presentation which can be welcoming for the "in-your-face" and "all-business" TS5998s.  So far they seem to play all genre of music well (Rock, Blues, Jazz etc.)  I'd love to hear how these pair with the GEC 6AS7G or WE 421As (hint... hint my fellow tube rollers!)




Cheers!

So how are you liking the WE 396A?
You think it's a step up from your Reflector tubes besides the warmth?

Have you had any Amperex tubes to compare with?

 

[ru4music]

(e.g. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical etc.) Quote:

So how are you liking the WE 396A?
You think it's a step up from your Reflector tubes besides the warmth?

Have you had any Amperex tubes to compare with?

​Disclaimer: Still testing, but here are my present thoughts!
 
I'm really liking the WE 396A ALOT, I'm listening to them right now.  They are very musical and at the same time provide great detail and imaging/ sound staging with a good extension range from top to bottom.  They also play everything well whatever the quality of the recording (within reason of course.)  They are definitely a top-tier tube based on my WA2 setup and listening experience.  I have yet to find a genre of music (e.g. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical etc.) where they have failed me. I had initially thought that they may (at some point) have a congestion issue when playing complex passages of music, but this has not been the case.  In fact, I have been highly impressed by the balance of tonality, musicality, clarity, and detail retrieval during complex music iterations (may be the best I've heard so far on my platform.)
 

1. The WE 396A provide increased musicality, slightly better tonality with a much better tolerance for recording quality variations.
2. The "Holy Grail" Reflector provide better detail retrieval at the cost of some musicality and slightly less tonality.  They reward higher quality recordings and at the same time expose flaws in lessor productions.
3. The Amperex 6922 PQ provide generally good overall performance with slightly less musicality and tonality, and an increased congestion to complex music passages.

 
I may need to do a A/B/C comparison in the near future between the WE 396A, "Holy Grail" Reflectors, and the Amperex PQ 6922, but I would rate (at the moment) the Amperex PQ 6922 #3 after the other two.

 

[jhljhl]

 
​Disclaimer: Still testing, but here are my present thoughts!
 
I'm really liking the WE 396A ALOT, I'm listening to them right now.  They are very musical and at the same time provide great detail and imaging/ sound staging with a good extension range from top to bottom.  They also play everything well whatever the quality of the recording (within reason of course.)  They are definitely a top-tier tube based on my WA2 setup and listening experience.  I have yet to find a genre of music (e.g. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical etc.) where they have failed me. I had initially thought that they may (at some point) have a congestion issue when playing complex passages of music, but this has not been the case.  In fact, I have been highly impressed by the balance of tonality, musicality, clarity, and detail retrieval during complex music iterations (may be the best I've heard so far on my platform.)
 

1. The WE 396A provide increased musicality, slightly better tonality with a much better tolerance for recording quality variations.
2. The "Holy Grail" Reflector provide better detail retrieval at the cost of some musicality and slightly less tonality.  They reward higher quality recordings and at the same time expose flaws in lessor productions.
3. The Amperex 6922 PQ provide generally good overall performance with slightly less musicality and tonality, and an increased congestion to complex music passages.

 
I may need to do a A/B/C comparison in the near future between the WE 396A, "Holy Grail" Reflectors, and the Amperex PQ 6922, but I would rate (at the moment) the Amperex PQ 6922 #3 after the other two.

Interestingly I've been waiting for 6sn7 adapters for these same we396a tubes.

 

[ru4music]

 
Interestingly I've been waiting for 6sn7 adapters for these same we396a tubes.

​Looking forward to your observations.
 
I wouldn't really discard any of the tubes I listed.  To me, it really depends on the engineering attributes of a recording and the particular system platform that makes a potential top-tier tube stand-out.  It almost comes down to a level of convenience; which tube will give me the most overall satisfaction based on the media I have to listen to without having to swap out tubes and headphones.

 

[eschell27]

Think i'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of TS 5998's tomorrow... anybody very familiar with their variations care to take a look at these and let me know if they think they look like good tubes at a fair price?
 
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-NOS-TUNG-SOL-5998-TUBES-DOMINO-BLACK-PLATE-6080-421A-TYPE-PAIRS-AVAILABLE-/182247532771?hash=item2a6ecca8e3:g:Rv0AAOSwzgRW0e5k
 
Thank you

 

[billerb1]

And please let us know how these rectifiers Sound.



Can i ask how much were they?

 


Well the Marconi U709 EZ81 replacement from Kef at Valve Tubes arrived yesterday.  Again, the customer service with him is off the charts.  Hard to find tube...want to be sure of quality...get ahold of Kef.  End of commercial.


Just some initial reads on it.  I've been using Holland Miniwatt EZ81's, GEC 6AS7G's and Telefunken E188CCs.  These Marconis are completely NIB NOS so they need some burn-in.  I don't think they've maybe ever seen the sun.  I do know this already.  They are a difference maker.  My initial thought was, "Whoa, these  boys are a little hot."  I think I remember Franatic saying these added a touch more punch.  Kind of reminded me of the first time I heard the TS 5998's, just juiced everything a notch up.  I'm not quite sure if i like all that that extra brings.  When I first listened last nite I thought maybe more detail...but maybe just a little thinner in tone.  Today I've adjusted some.  Tone and deep resonance all seemed back like with the Miniwatt EZ81's...but it was with that added detail revealed.  Seemed like my headphone cable just got a couple of stents.


So I am definitely intrigued.  Need to spend quite a bit more time as they and my brain burn-in.  

 

[thecrow]

Think i'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of TS 5998's tomorrow... anybody very familiar with their variations care to take a look at these and let me know if they think they look like good tubes at a fair price?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-NOS-TUNG-SOL-5998-TUBES-DOMINO-BLACK-PLATE-6080-421A-TYPE-PAIRS-AVAILABLE-/182247532771?hash=item2a6ecca8e3:g:Rv0AAOSwzgRW0e5k

Thank you

They LOOK good to me, as in they are the tubes you're after. It would me good to have some info re testing, for whatever that is worth on ebay. I'd be expecting a decent pair to be $250 USD. And a very good pair a little more.

Mind you that single tube price is also showing a shipping charge of $140 USD. I trust its not as mch to you

 

[thecrow]

Well the Marconi U709 EZ81 replacement from Kef at Valve Tubes arrived yesterday.  Again, the customer service with him is off the charts.  Hard to find tube...want to be sure of quality...get ahold of Kef.  End of commercial.
Just some initial reads on it.  I've been using Holland Miniwatt EZ81's, GEC 6AS7G's and Telefunken E188CCs.  These Marconis are completely NIB NOS so they need some burn-in.  I don't think they've maybe ever seen the sun.  I do know this already.  They are a difference maker.  My initial thought was, "Whoa, these  boys are a little hot."  I think I remember Franatic saying these added a touch more punch.  Kind of reminded me of the first time I hear the TS 5998's, just juiced everything a notch up.  I'm not quite sure if i like all that that extra brings.  When I first listened last nite I thought maybe more detail...but maybe just a little thinner in tone.  Today I've adjusted some.  Tone and deep resonance all seemed back like with the Miniwatt EZ81's...but it was with that added detail revealed.  Seemed like my headphone cable just got a couple of stents.
So I am definitely intrigued.  Need to spend quite a bit more time as they and my brain burn-in.  

thanks for that

Keep me posted please.

Also once the tubes and you have been run in if you still have the rft ez80j a comparison would also be great as those are what i have

 

[ru4music]

  Think i'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of TS 5998's tomorrow... anybody very familiar with their variations care to take a look at these and let me know if they think they look like good tubes at a fair price?
 
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-NOS-TUNG-SOL-5998-TUBES-DOMINO-BLACK-PLATE-6080-421A-TYPE-PAIRS-AVAILABLE-/182247532771?hash=item2a6ecca8e3:g:Rv0AAOSwzgRW0e5k
 
Thank you

​They look good to me, testing at NOS levels and within 8% of each triode.  The auction has the "Make Offer" option.  I would offer $125 or less for each tube, the seller will likely counter offer if you're a little low of the minimum.  I think I may have purchased from this seller some time back, but that was so many tubes ago I don't recall for sure!

 

[ru4music]

They LOOK good to me, as in they are the tubes you're after. It would me good to have some info re testing, for whatever that is worth on ebay. I'd be expecting a decent pair to be $250 USD. And a very good pair a little more.

Mind you that single tube price is also showing a shipping charge of $140 USD. I trust its not as mch to you

In the middle US it's showing $12.66 USD shipping charges so @eschell27 should be ok.

 

[ru4music]

   
Well the Marconi U709 EZ81 replacement from Kef at Valve Tubes arrived yesterday.  Again, the customer service with him is off the charts.  Hard to find tube...want to be sure of quality...get ahold of Kef.  End of commercial.
Just some initial reads on it.  I've been using Holland Miniwatt EZ81's, GEC 6AS7G's and Telefunken E188CCs.  These Marconis are completely NIB NOS so they need some burn-in.  I don't think they've maybe ever seen the sun.  I do know this already.  They are a difference maker.  My initial thought was, "Whoa, these  boys are a little hot."  I think I remember Franatic saying these added a touch more punch.  Kind of reminded me of the first time I hear the TS 5998's, just juiced everything a notch up.  I'm not quite sure if i like all that that extra brings.  When I first listened last nite I thought maybe more detail...but maybe just a little thinner in tone.  Today I've adjusted some.  Tone and deep resonance all seemed back like with the Miniwatt EZ81's...but it was with that added detail revealed.  Seemed like my headphone cable just got a couple of stents.
So I am definitely intrigued.  Need to spend quite a bit more time as they and my brain burn-in.  

 
...

 

 

[Krutsch]

  Think i'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of TS 5998's tomorrow... anybody very familiar with their variations care to take a look at these and let me know if they think they look like good tubes at a fair price?
 
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-NOS-TUNG-SOL-5998-TUBES-DOMINO-BLACK-PLATE-6080-421A-TYPE-PAIRS-AVAILABLE-/182247532771?hash=item2a6ecca8e3:g:Rv0AAOSwzgRW0e5k
 
Thank you

I looked at the offering and the bases and pins look like new. My only concern was a lack of tube-tester info (numbers or photos of the test results).
 
Enjoy your new TS5998 tubes and welcome to the beginning of accelerated wallet drainage ... tube rolling gets expensive.
 
On that note, don't be afraid to try some "lesser" tubes. I am listening, as I type this, to an RCA 6AS7g in my Woo WA3 that the seller listed as pegging the tube tester (120/120). I took a chance at $49.00 for the pair and they are extremely clean sounding with smooth tonality. As they burn-in (these look like they've never been touched), they might surprise me, relative to my very expensive GEC tubes of the same type.
 
Food for thought...

 

[thecrow]

On that note, don't be afraid to try some "lesser" tubes. I am listening, as I type this, to an RCA 6AS7g in my Woo WA3 that the seller listed as pegging the tube tester (120/120). I took a chance at $49.00 for the pair and they are extremely clean sounding with smooth tonality. As they burn-in (these look like they've never been touched), they might surprise me, relative to my very expensive GEC tubes of the same type.

Food for thought...

Interesting you wrote that.

I sometimes listen to my non high-end tubes that have less detail and might be a bit punchier or a little warmer/softer on my wa2 (which is not that "tubey" for me) when i want something different or am sussing out new equipment. Eg some norne cables right now.

But it doesn't take me that long to go back to my best most detailed tubes. Obviously that's because of my preferences towards detail, as long as everything else in in balance as far as my standards are concerned.

I probably listen to my best tubes 90-95% of the time. I'm happy i have a handful of others for those other few times.

So i've found its better to have less tubes if that means grabbing YOUR special ones if they fit the budget.

Having said that i have been seeking opinions on detailed 6dj8's with a touch or warmth - there goes another few bucks soon