Tube guidance please....

CH46E

I have a Yaqin sd-cd3 tube buffer. I have the stock tubes and a set of NOS 6sn7 rca or sylvania. I cant remember off the top of my head and i cant see the markings while they are in and they are hot right now.

I wanted to try some other tubes. I found these at "the tube store". My question is do i need balanced triodes, tube matching, microphonics and hi gain options? The extra cost is minor foe thoes options. I just dont know if it is a good idea to have all that?

What say you?

treitz3

Calling H9....

Tom

Faustin

I would look for new old stock tubes.

CH46E

I already have some NOS. Wanted to try something new. Curious as to the sound.

I am happy with the sound of my nos tubes. But simply want to try some others. I am alway tinkering! Lol

F1nut

You don't want any EH tube.

pitdogg2

Try some triple mica early 6BX7 or 6BL7 in there great tubes for that. I have the same buffer. I have tried everything from 5692 early 1942 6sn7gt, hytrons, CBS, GE bridged filament 6sn7. All have a flavor but very subtle. You can get very close on the triodes but many are not exactly balanced.
50$ per tube buys you some very nice nos tubes from the late 50' to early mid 60's that are better tubes.

heiney9

I wouldn't bother with new production tubes if you already have old production. What pitdogg2 says is right on. I'd recommend 5692's or the early sylvanina "chrome dome" tubes.

H9

[Deleted User]

"Tube guidance please"
What do you want to know doc?

pitdogg2

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pair-of-NOS-NIB-Sylvania-6BL7GT-Triple-Mica-Tubes-USA-1953-Tested-Great-/112451799281?hash=item1a2ea648f1:g:X3sAAOSwLF1X4qNo&_trkparms=pageci%3Ad8e321ba-7540-11e7-ba7e-74dbd1805908%7Cparentrq%3A943e656015d0abc59fd23bc5ffff5e43%7Ciid%3A2

http://m.ebay.com/itm/NOS-NIB-PAIR-SYLVANIA-6BL7GTA-Getter-VACUUM-TUBES-Mint-TESTED-E-3360-/152498009720?hash=item238196f678:g:3i8AAOSwpkFY5AuM&_trkparms=pageci%3Acc917c06-7541-11e7-942a-74dbd180ee08%7Cparentrq%3A9444a26215d0a9c9768b4829fff9e306%7Ciid%3A18


The 6BL7 tubes come with 2 different plate designs. Flat and round seen here and flat ladder plates like RCA 6sn7. I have used both.

I have only seen 6bx7 with the flat round plates.
Both of these tubes were recommended to me by Brent Jesse. They 10yrs ago were much cheaper than now. Seems some have opened their eyes to them and the prices are starting to show.

voltz

Hey Brock
I found some "6SN7 tubes : "Silvertone - made in USA 312 - with Guarantee writing on side also. They are Short stubby tubes with silver tops..(chrome dome's ?

got these on a auction of 4 matching tubes for $27 and wondered what you thought of them? a s they sound better then all my new 6SN7's.

pitdogg2

Heres my flat ladder plate triple mica 6BL7 from late 1949 or 1950

pitdogg2

voltz wrote: »

Hey Brock
I found some "6SN7 tubes : "Silvertone - made in USA 312 - with Guarantee writing on side also. They are Short stubby tubes with silver tops..(chrome dome's ?

got these on a auction of 4 matching tubes for $27 and wondered what you thought of them? a s they sound better then all my new 6SN7's.

Newer RCA's iirc short bottles and a smaller base? Silver writing on the base.
Good tubes RCA made a ton. In my system mine do not get used there is something about them that I dislike but they made some nice tubes.

CH46E

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

pitdogg2

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

No

kharp1

Sylvania and RCA made a tin of 6sn7's and they're readily available fairly priced.

heiney9

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

Hard to say as I don't buy new production tubes. But based on general readings and assumptions the build consistency leaves a lot to be desired compared to old stock tubes, so I am guessing they can vary widely so I'd opt to pay for matching.

Have no idea what a "high gain" option is. It either meets spec or it doesn't. Each tube designation has a certain gain factor, not sure how the same tube can vary so much as to call it "high gain". Never heard of that before. Actually I have heard of that for new production power tubes for guitar amps.......not sure how they achieve it or what it means to tube life/sound.

You want zero to low microphony. So I guess if you have to pay extra to ensure that, well then pay extra.

Again, not sure I would bother with new production tubes, but maybe you just need to satisfy your own curiosity. I'd also look at the sellers guarantee policy. If it's short then you know the tubes aren't all that robust.

H9

heiney9

pitdogg2 wrote: »

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

No

I would think because of the high variance of production one would want to pay for these things on new production tubes. Of course it depends on the seller. Many of the stellar sellers like Jim McShane would match them and make sure they aren't microphonic.

NOS tubes I'd say no unless the tube has a known microphony issue.

H9

mhardy6647

heiney9 wrote: »

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

Hard to say as I don't buy new production tubes. But based on general readings and assumptions the build consistency leaves a lot to be desired compared to old stock tubes, so I am guessing they can vary widely so I'd opt to pay for matching.

Have no idea what a "high gain" option is. It either meets spec or it doesn't...

H9

Heh. A "high gain" 6SN7 is -- a 6SL7

pitdogg2

heiney9 wrote: »

pitdogg2 wrote: »

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

No

I would think because of the high variance of production one would want to pay for these things on new production tubes. Of course it depends on the seller. Many of the stellar sellers like Jim McShane would match them and make sure they aren't microphonic.

NOS tubes I'd say no unless the tube has a known microphony issue.

H9

yea you're right the old days those tubes in most cases would of been recycled had they not met spec.
only thing I can think of for the "high gain" is say the triodes are 5000/5000 new but they test out at 5600/5500 they are now considering those "high gain" which once again this would of been moot in the past as long at the fell within the requires spec's anything over was gravy.

No I would not spend the extra for the testing.

I would think a stellar company would be testing the tubes for their customers to weed out bad tubes. I would not spend 100.00 for new tubes for a tube buffer. Now IF my pre amp was designed around them maybe. They're tons of great NOS tubes out there for much less. I would and have spent 100.00 for NOS from the golden era from a legitimate seller who test's just to make sure what they are selling IS up to snuff.

mhardy6647

How many 6SN7s does the OP need for the buffer in question? Two? Four?
(I ask for a reason)

There are tonnes of good used vintage 6SN7 pulls floatin' around out there, even today.

heiney9

mhardy6647 wrote: »

heiney9 wrote: »

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

Hard to say as I don't buy new production tubes. But based on general readings and assumptions the build consistency leaves a lot to be desired compared to old stock tubes, so I am guessing they can vary widely so I'd opt to pay for matching.

Have no idea what a "high gain" option is. It either meets spec or it doesn't...

H9

Heh. A "high gain" 6SN7 is -- a 6SL7

Yep, that's what I use in one of my pieces

H9

heiney9

pitdogg2 wrote: »

heiney9 wrote: »

pitdogg2 wrote: »

CH46E wrote: »

So if i do order some new tubes is it worth pay a little extra for thoes features? Balanced triodes, hi gain and microphonics?

No

I would think because of the high variance of production one would want to pay for these things on new production tubes. Of course it depends on the seller. Many of the stellar sellers like Jim McShane would match them and make sure they aren't microphonic.

NOS tubes I'd say no unless the tube has a known microphony issue.

H9

yea you're right the old days those tubes in most cases would of been recycled had they not met spec.
only thing I can think of for the "high gain" is say the triodes are 5000/5000 new but they test out at 5600/5500 they are now considering those "high gain" which once again this would of been moot in the past as long at the fell within the requires spec's anything over was gravy.

No I would not spend the extra for the testing.

I would think a stellar company would be testing the tubes for their customers to weed out bad tubes. I would not spend 100.00 for new tubes for a tube buffer. Now IF my pre amp was designed around them maybe. They're tons of great NOS tubes out there for much less. I would and have spent 100.00 for NOS from the golden era from a legitimate seller who test's just to make sure what they are selling IS up to snuff.

That was sort of my point. A stellar seller is going to check for that. Also, now that I think about it matching probably isn't as critical in a buffer piece like the one in question.

In signal tubes I am a true believer in 15-20% mismatch being pretty much inaudible. So I don't worry too much about matching (meaning I don't obsess), but obviously the better matched, the more peace of mind. But I am not willing to pay double for a 5% match vs. 15% match on old stock tubes.

Some may chime in and disagree, but I have had very few issues with the tubes I use and they aren't all stellarly matched pairs. But the consistency was much, much better back then.

H9

CH46E

I only use two. Theses are what i have in there now. Sylvania 6sn7 GTA. NOS.

CH46E

They are far better than what came in the CD3. Just looking for a luttle differant flavor to toy around with.

Is there any specific reason not to buy Electro Harmanix tubes?

pitdogg2

Newer tubes are not in the same league as the old tubes. I suggest nos tung sol, raython, ge, cbs or the 6bl/bx7 i suggested earlier. They 6bx/bl7 for me have been the best i found to date.
If you want to go new do it only you can determine what you like

mhardy6647

If the OP is in the continental US and if he wants a coupla other 6SN7s to taste-test; I'd be happy to send a pair or two of used but good ones his way gratis. Send me a PM if you're interested & I'll check stock tomorrow

FWIW, I concur with what seems to be the prevailing wind in this thread -- I cannot imagine why anyone would be looking at new production 6SN7s -- yet. The time will come when good old ones are hard or impossible to find, but the tube was made for so long and used for so many applications (even, e.g., in the early television sets) that there are still plenty of very high quality kicking around.

CH46E

Mhardy, i may take ypu up on that offer!


So my paradigm tweeters just sold for $108.00. Thats gives me $108.00 for some new tubes. Choices choices.

CH46E

Im going to order these. TUNG-SOL. They are new. Just want to try some new tubes. $38.00 each aint to bad. Thats about what i paid for each of my NOS Sylvanias.

Thanks for all the info guys.

mhardy6647

So -- all of those "name brand" modern tubes are, to the best of my knowledge,
made in the same factories and are more or less (??) the same tubes.

This is from a recent listserv discussion of current production 5AR4 tubes, but reflects (no pun intended) my belief/understanding for the other types marketed under these brand names, too.

Expo-Pul in Saratov Russia makes the Sovtek, Mullard, Genelex and Tungsol versions [of the current production 5AR4, at least]. This plant is owned by Mike Matthews of New Sensor/Sovtek fame, and he's responsible for the marketing and what gets made. The only differences... are the base, markings, and box art. The internals appear to be exactly the same...

Faustin

Here is a good example of the quality or lack of quality of new production tubes. A friend of mine was having some issues with his tube guitar amp. Suggested checking the tubes. It uses some 6L6 power tubes, rectifier (can't remember which one) and 5 12AX7's. The 12AX7 tubes were Electro Harmonix dated around 2005 IIRC. A couple of them tested weak. We ordered 3 new production Sovtek tubes and decided to replace the other 2 with lower gain old stock 5751's in the pre section. The new tubes came in and everything was put back together. Something still was not right. I did not think of testing the new tubes before I put them in, so I decided to pull them back out and test them. Lo and behold 2 of the 3 tested bad. And unfortunately there was only a 30 day return policy and it had been 40 days. Ordered 2 more from another supplier and when they came in I checked them before I installed them, They both tested bad right out of the box. Returned those and ended up ordering 3 JJ tubes for him from yet another supplier. Those all tested fine when they arrived and we got the amp back up and running.

heiney9

In my experience early Tung Sol tubes are fantastic tubes and real sleepers. I have a ruggedized, military version with ultra matched sections from the factory 6SU7GTY that is a 6SL7 equivalent (cousin to the 6SN7) and they are almost as good as the very pricey (early 1950's) Brimar CV1985's.

You can't go wrong with early production Tung Sol tubes............one of my American favorites.

H9

P.s. I didn't see the Op's link, but it looks like based on the cost, they are Russian made Tung Sol's. Not bad, but not great either. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but there was no link in the post. You will most likely be disappointed compared to the excellent old stock Sylvania's.