Sonic Frontiers Line 3 tubes and cap recommendations

[mclsound]

I just picked one up and was looking to change out the tubes as I believe these are original and the LV1 & LV2 are the main 2 game changers..
Parts connection recommended V-caps but at near $800 Canadian I dont think so..
Anyone beefed one up

 

[SY]

Don't bother with the coupling caps- hype, legend, and religion aside, they make little to no difference in any competent circuit. Tubes may make some difference- what type do you have in there?

 

[mclsound]

I thi k the original Russian ones

 

[SY]

No, I meant the tube type. Like 12AX7 or 6DJ8 or whatever.

 

[mclsound]

10 ...6922 (6dj8).....have a gold S on them and ...made in Russia
2......6gh8a. ........these go in LV2 & V1......I presume the are the most important ones

 

[kevinkr]

Not sure why you assumed that. All are important, all of the 6922 are in the signal path. (I don't have a schematic unfortunately)

 

[SY]

There's a lot of good 6DJ8/6922 out there. Among new production, I have some EH that seem to measure quite well and show low microphonics. I'd stay away from the crazy NOS collectors' market.

It's possible, maybe even probable, that the tubes you have in there are still absolutely fine.

 

[mclsound]

Not assuming. ..just a guess really
I ha 2 tubes with the damping rings melted to the tubes and although they work..I am very uncomfortable with this. .

 

[SY]

Get rid of the damping rings. No competent circuit needs them. Problem solved.

 

[mclsound]

I have tried but they are baked on and slid near the bottom...I mean baked on

 

[SY]

If a few minutes with a razor blade doesn't fix that, it's not really worth worrying about. If your tubes need replacement, this will usually manifest itself as lower gain, more noise, scratchiness in volume controls, and degraded RIAA conformance. If you're not experiencing those things, then spend your budget on music.

 

[kevinkr]

SY is right, the problem is with the damping rings and not the tubes. I recall these are run at fairly high currents which makes them run hot. The unit utilizes differential topology and replacement tubes should be reasonably well matched.

 

[mclsound]

I gave this unit back as he said it was a 9 condition but more like a 5-6/10...not what I paid for so I may have another one coming from a original owner in mint shape....its never been touched.
I had a chance to listen to this first one and although the bass wasn't bad the mid/hi was pretty rough..very metallic sounding in my ATC 75 / 150s mids and SS 7100. .

 

[kevinkr]

Hopefully the next one proves to be better.

 

[mclsound]

Thanks
I figure I will lose $1000-$1400 in currency exchange and taxes to find a nice VAC or VTL in the usa so I will put that money into tubes n caps and a few other things. .
But first I will research a few others that have donecsome work on it.