[jamato8]

I will be getting both the RCA and Sylvania in a day or two and will compare to my Mullard GZ34 metal bases. The ST or coke bottle shape of the 5U4G's I am receiving appeals to me just because I love tubes.

 

[Agent Kang]

I have received the metalbase gz34 today and am currently listening to it. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I have been listening to a gz32 over the past week and changing to a metalbase certainly made makes the woo sound different. I can't say it's a change for the better ATM, but I'll reserve this judgment after my ears adjust and I have done some critical listening. Right off the bat there is greater detail and impact but with the metalbase you lose some of the warmth that made gz32 such a great tube to listen to.

 

[jamato8]

Part of the lack of warmth is because of a stiffer control of the B+, which is the supply voltage to the power supply. With many other rectfiers you get a more euphonic sound but not as accurate but since it is euphonic it can be/seem more musical. With sound changing due to moisture in the air or lack of, type of hall or lack of in live performances who is to say what is correct on recorded music since even the live performance in the same venue can/will change from one day to the next and even one hour to the next.

 

[rad212]

I have been listening to a 5V4G for about a week now and I prefer it to the Sovtek 5U4G in my system. The Sovtek 5U4G sounded too analytical for me, the 5V4G sounds more realistic with better bass and smoother midrange. My system consists of a Shanling CDT-100/WA6/HD-600/Cardas cord.

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 5931 has a much larger diameter base that measures roughly (with a cloth tape measure) a little more than 5.25" in diameter.

Thanks SACD Lover. I assume that is the circumference? If so that brings it around 1.66" diameter very close to the WA6 opening (actually the opening is slightly larger, however the socket isn't perfectly centered). Hmmm. Who's willing to try?

 

[Towert7]

Great info everyone! I can't wait until I get my WA6. I think before it arrives i'll stock up on a few different flavors of tubes, and then the tube swaping begins!
^_^

 

[Stoney]

All these tube variations have my head swimming! I need a scorecard.

I'm not looking to collect a dozen rectifier tubes. But, I find, after 150 hours with Jack's Sovtek, that the bottom bass and top treble are weak, that the midrange is a bit too forward, and the detail is a bit lacking. I wonder if it is done breaking in.

What is a good alternative? And, can anyone point me to a source?

 

[Agent Kang]

I didn't find the details to be lacking in the sovteks. To me, its weakness was was the top end being grainy and sounding harsh. The Sovteks have good impact, and can sound slightly on the analytical side in comparison to other rectifiers.

 

[jamato8]

I have the 5U4G's in RCA and Sylvania and an RCA 5V4G and prefer the 5V4G at this point to the 5U's. The Sylvania is big a beautiful (tube) and I love tubes but it is not as focused or as airy as the 5V and it has a better bass drive. They are all the G version (older) and in the ST or coke bottle shape bottle. I do notice that they all have a closer to the stage affect than the GZ34 metal base, which remains my favorite in overal ballance and authority but the 5V4G RCA is right up there at this point.

 

[Bob Jones]

Question? When testing tubes and the values are over 100% but different,say 54=100% and the values read 63/56.Good-bad-indifferent????

 

[takezo]

deleted

 

[takezo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Jones /img/forum/go_quote.gif Question? When testing tubes and the values are over 100% but different,say 54=100% and the values read 63/56.Good-bad-indifferent????

as long as it's in the "good" section or over the "diode ok" line, then it should be fine. don't place much value in how good the emission readings are cause all
these testers do are read the quantity of electrons being emitted by the
cathodes to the anode plates within the tube. it doesn't measure how that
emission is being controlled or distributed between the plates.
hence, a 100% emission tube can sound thin, flat, bloated fat or dull...i don't
believe there is any tester available, even modern digital ones, that will measure
the "SQ" of an emission of electrons...you just have to listen to it, to determine
that...

another useful thing with some testers is the use of the "life" span measurement. if your
tester has "filament" adjuster in exact values, like 4.3, 5, 6.3, 7.5..., then you can see if
your tube holds up when the filament setting is dropped one step. ie. go from 5 to 4.3
during a reading of a rectifier. if the reading value doesn't move down significantly then it
may be a good indication that the tube will last a good long time...

 

[JZImages]

Anyone have experience with the GZ34 Sylvania Big Bottle from the 70's?

 

[Bob Jones]

Thinking about the deep freeze for a gz 32.Anyone familiar with jj tubes or groove tubes?I wonder their sound characteristics???Been very impressed with cryoed 6de7's.

 

[JZImages]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JZImages /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone have experience with the GZ34 Sylvania Big Bottle from the 70's?

Nevermind, got myself one of these: