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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 4, 2017 22:01:19 GMT
I might be interested in your 12SN7 and 12SX7 if the flogging is only skin-deep. ;-) A 1940s grey glass RCA 6SN7 is a wonderful choice - great for taming bright, dimensionally-challenged recordings. Still very affordable - VT-231s...not so much. You could mention the microphonics - in case the prospective purchaser plans to use the tubes in a preamp with a vinyl speaker rig. Of course a vinyl-head, by definition is a masochist, so might even be an incentive. I let my wife listen to the headphone rig - even if she hates phones because they mess with the hair - and she really likes the sound and the glowing bits. LOL! And since I'm a recovering audiophile having purged the big speaker rig/tube amps/TT/MC cartridges - my headphone setup is a 'cute' cheap hobby by comparison. Possibly best to purchase more tubes from one good dealer at strategic intervals.
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Post by mvneufeld on Dec 5, 2017 0:25:03 GMT
Once I get my HD6XX headphones from Massdrop (they should ship 12/20) I really need to spend some time listening to the tubes I have before making any more purchases. (I keep telling myself this is the smart thing to do...) However, I think my next tube will be a grey glass RCA 6SN7. You're right - it's probably a good thing to mention if the tube's microphonic but say that it's not an issue in a headphone amp. That 12SX7 is another thing I'm waiting for. It's coming from Taiwan and should be here in the next couple of weeks. Once it comes I'd be happy to sell it and the 12SN7 to you. How does $15 for the two + $4 for shipping sound? My wife hasn't heard my rig yet - I'm gonna wait until I get the HD6XXs. She has looked at it and says it's very pretty with the LED lighting up the tube. She likes the TS 6SN7 "mouse ears" tube because of the glowing bits in the middle and up top. See avatar
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 5, 2017 0:43:32 GMT
Smart thing to do indeed. The 6XX are very revealing of amp/tube changes. As is having a grey glass RCA ready to go when the 6XX phones arrive. Sold. PM me when it arrives.
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Post by mvneufeld on Dec 5, 2017 1:57:42 GMT
Sure thing - I'll let you know as soon as I get it.
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 6, 2017 1:38:05 GMT
Did you get it yet? Did you get it yet? Just got a cheap(ish) VT-231 Sylvania that took 2 months to arrive. Sadly, it sounds mushy and a bit hissy. Caveat eBay. LOL!
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Post by mvneufeld on Dec 9, 2017 21:14:27 GMT
I just checked on the RCA 12SX7GT and now it says Tuesday, Dec 12, 2017 - Monday, Jan 15, 2018 Sorry! I have the Westinghouse 12SN7GT now, though.
I got word that my Sennheiser HD6XXs have shipped - two weeks earlier than expected! They should be here in about five days.
I sympathize with you re your VT-231 experience. I decided to take your advice and get an RCA 6SN7GT grey glass. Unfortunately, the one I bought on eBay that was a dud, so I just returned it. To console myself I bought a Sylvania 6SN7GT Bad Boy.
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 10, 2017 0:51:28 GMT
Bad Boys can be very good!
Don't give up the search for a grey glass RCA from the 40s tho - worth the hunt. As is a black glass National Union.
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 10, 2017 20:41:09 GMT
So what’s a reasonable price on a grey glass 1940’s RCA? Are we talking NOS or used tests ANOS?
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 11, 2017 0:57:11 GMT
Great post - thanks! I think I'll try flogging my Westinghouse 12SN7GT and the RCA 12SX7GT on eBay or this forum since they are not really compatible with my Horizon. I'm listening to my Raytheon 6GC7 right now, and I have to revise my opinion of it. It's just a bit bass-heavy, but the highs and mids are very full and detailed. This is one thing I'm really enjoying: as my newly acquired tubes burn in (and maybe my DAC, too) their characteristics are subtly changing. I, too, generally prefer 6SN7s to 12AU7s. A couple of my 6SN7s and even one of my 12AU7 tubes have pretty noticeable microphonics, but as you say, it's not much of an issue in a headphone amp. I'm selling several of my tubes on eBay and Reverb, and I wonder if I need to mention the microphonics (the people I bought them from didn't). I really want to get a grey glass RCA one of these days, and that Sylvania VT-231 sounds like something to check after Christmas. Need to take a little tube-buying break, though - my wife is getting alarmed at all the little packages that arrive every week. One question - what is your opinion of 5692 tubes? Are they as good as some say, and are they compatible with the Horizon? I totally agree about G1217 hybrid amps - and you put it very well. They're incredibly versatile and fun to use. It's nice to be able to use a wide range of headphones and tubes by just changing jumper settings, and tube rolling is a kick. I'm glad there's a forum where I can talk with like-minded folks, because my wife and friends think I've lost my mind. Thanks again to you and Solderdude. Speaking of 5692’s. I was digging around in the chest I store my power amp tubes in and found several CBS/Hytron 1958 JAN-CHY-5692 brown base tubes. I swapped them out a few years ago because one of the six went bad. Anyway, got out my 6SN7 adaptor and plopped it in the Horizon. It’s not fully warmed up, but already they are great on female vocals. More later. Edit: Found a spare I never used. It’s NOS! Sounds very nice in the Horizon III. DSOTM is sounding as it should. Edit: Tried a different tube. Unlistenable. Static. You can’t win them all.
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 11, 2017 6:59:49 GMT
So what’s a reasonable price on a grey glass 1940’s RCA? Are we talking NOS or used tests ANOS? $30-$40 for ANOS - $50-60 for NOS are good prices.
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 11, 2017 7:09:06 GMT
Speaking of 5692’s. I was digging around in the chest I store my power amp tubes in and found several CBS/Hytron 1958 JAN-CHY-5692 brown base tubes. I swapped them out a few years ago because one of the six went bad. Anyway, got out my 6SN7 adaptor and plopped it in the Horizon. It’s not fully warmed up, but already they are great on female vocals. More later. Edit: Found a spare I never used. It’s NOS! Sounds very nice in the Horizon III. DSOTM is sounding as it should. Edit: Tried a different tube. Unlistenable. Static. You can’t win them all. Oh....CBS/Hytron 5692...fancy! ;-) That's a taste I want to taste at some point. After I've gorged my ears on a Bendix 2C50.
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 11, 2017 16:25:59 GMT
Speaking of 5692’s. I was digging around in the chest I store my power amp tubes in and found several CBS/Hytron 1958 JAN-CHY-5692 brown base tubes. I swapped them out a few years ago because one of the six went bad. Anyway, got out my 6SN7 adaptor and plopped it in the Horizon. It’s not fully warmed up, but already they are great on female vocals. More later. Edit: Found a spare I never used. It’s NOS! Sounds very nice in the Horizon III. DSOTM is sounding as it should. Edit: Tried a different tube. Unlistenable. Static. You can’t win them all. Oh....CBS/Hytron 5692...fancy! ;-) That's a taste I want to taste at some point. After I've gorged my ears on a Bendix 2C50. Wasn’t all that fancy 15 or so years ago when I bought them. Now. Crazy prices!
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Post by mvneufeld on Dec 13, 2017 22:01:48 GMT
Hi Jim - back to the public forum.
Auto-bias is the one thing I wish I had, although I kind of enjoy the tinkering. (I'd like it better if the damned adjustment screws were a little bigger or my eyes were a little better.) But my hope is to eventually settle on half a dozen tubes I really like and sell off the rest, so I won't be rolling tubes that often. I got the Horizon because I thought it would be the best choice to for the 300ohm HD650s I'd already ordered, but I gather the HD650s work fine with the Sunset and Solstice. Doesn't matter - I'm very happy.
I didn't realize that the Schiit tube amps use negative feedback that lessens the tube effect. Have you had the chance to hear a Bottlehead Crack? Maybe not on Vancouver Island... I haven't. One thing I wonder about the Crack, and the G1217 amps, is why they're designed around 12AU7 tubes. Aren't there much better tubes to start with?
I have a number of 12AU7s and 6SN7s as well as one 6CG7 and the 6H30Pi, and I'm wondering what other tube types might be good to check out after the holidays. I have an Amperex 6DJ8/ECC88 coming in a few days. I also just ordered a couple of Novosibirsk 6N6P tubes ($5 each - they were sold out of the $15 Fotons). Do you have any experience with/opinions on these tubes?
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Post by Mr Trev on Dec 13, 2017 22:25:16 GMT
I don't know if there's anything bad about starting with 12au7s. They're fairly cheap, readily available. Plenty of folks swear by the organ grade 12au7s. I have an EI Yugo 12au7 that's pretty sweet
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Post by lobalwarming on Dec 13, 2017 23:36:09 GMT
Agree. The 12AU7 is a great starting point - readily available and decently linear. Prefer the 5963 & 5814 JAN versions of the 12AU7 to the usual mid-priced vintage 12AU7s. However, haven't found a 12AU7 (or any miniature) that conveys the lush open soundstage of a good 6SN7/12SN7. That open spaciousness just feels so right to me on headphones. The 6SN7 was the tube the 12AU7 was meant to replace (similar characteristics - but with lower current and linearity) in the post-war cost-cutting tube market. Close, but not close enough for my tube-rolling pleasure. The 6CG7 was meant to be a direct equivalent of the 6SN7GT - 6SN7 plates in a tinnier glass. Have found the better 6CG7s are closely equivalent to an average 6SN7GTA. Not close to the great 6SN7s from the 40s to my jaded, yet delicate ears.
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