Buy a pile of cheap vintage 6SN7s at internet auction and see what you like in your equipment. There is little information in those "reviews" because they are simply marketing documents intended to sell tubes. The sound that one gets from a tube can be very dependent on the operating point which is rarely given in a "review."
I agree with Palustris. I have a number of pre-amps with 6SN7s and different amps like different 6SN7s. I do like the Suguang CV-181 in a couple of different pre-amps.
Best what I heard was a pair of NOS CV1988. Full stop.
But I think Tung Sol or any of the famous NOS brands are maybe just another flavor.
It all depends on YOUR equipment.
But I think Tung Sol or any of the famous NOS brands are maybe just another flavor.
It all depends on YOUR equipment.
I have tried all sorts of 6SN7 including GEC B65 , Tungsol round plates , Sylvania chrome tops etc . Tungsols , if the round plate version are pretty decent but IMO not much between NOS , which is now severely depleted
If going DIY , abd you can put up with topcaps , I would suggest using a pair of 7193A rather than a 6SN7 . These to me sound much better than all the 6SN7 variants
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If going DIY , abd you can put up with topcaps , I would suggest using a pair of 7193A rather than a 6SN7 . These to me sound much better than all the 6SN7 variants
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Not much out there and for sure not everybodys favorit with this design. I would never use such a type with ears like Mr. Spock.
I would stick with the famous types because they sound good enough (often better than the amp sounds) and are readily available in 30 years from now.
Just because a tube costs 20 bucks more I wouldn't kick it. Calculate this in listening hours, its a joke.
Btw why should this type sound better than a CV1988 NOS? Absolutely no reason for this.
I would stick with the famous types because they sound good enough (often better than the amp sounds) and are readily available in 30 years from now.
Just because a tube costs 20 bucks more I wouldn't kick it. Calculate this in listening hours, its a joke.
Btw why should this type sound better than a CV1988 NOS? Absolutely no reason for this.
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CV1988 was the 6SN7 supplied to government organisations and the services . Brimar manufactured all sorts of versions of the CV1988 with combinations of black glass , oval anodes and micanol bases . The best sounding to me being the early 1950's black base , clear glass with wire spacers .I have only ever seen Brimar and Tungsram (very rare) CV1988 , many claim Mullard manufactured this valve but this type was never manufactured by Mullard
7193A has a very similar specification . Much better sounding if you ask me
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The tubes were manufactured by Mullard. Had some pairs of black glass brown base. They command high prices today, maybe the highest of all NOS 6SN7. So they are ment to be excellend I think.
But not free from all the design inherent problems with those kind of tubes.
But not free from all the design inherent problems with those kind of tubes.
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Sylvania U.S. Navy WGTAs vintage 1958. But that's probably just because I bought a case of 100 of them about 20 years ago. I can cherry pick for matched section plate current, low noise, low microphonics etc. and never worry about running out. 😀
What ? Mullard never made a 6SN7 . 6SN7 never appeared in Mullard's literature apart from being labelled as a 'replacement type' . As I previously stated British Tungsram (KB/T Tottenham) and Brimar were the two UK manufacturers that produced CV1988 . Look up the specification of these valves under the CV register if you need further information . Mullard manufactured the ECC32 , ECC33 and ECC34 .None of these valves was a 6SN7 They never produced a 6SN7 in the UK althoiugh you may find 'imported' 6SN7 manufactured by Philips , Holland buit never branded as CV1988
If you need me to double double-down on your misinformation , please let me know 🙂 What is printed on your valves KB/?? Probaly KB/AD which is not not a Mullard factory marking
You probably have Brimar CV1988 which you are singing praises about . Brimar manufactured the vast majority of CV1988
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I'm not a nerd to check and double check for old tube manufacturers.
You can see that professional tube sellers sell them as Mullard tubes:
Cv1988 Mullard NOS Tube 7250 6sn7gty b65 Tubes Tube original box Pre el34 kt88 211 6sn7 | eBay
“CV 1988 MULLARD # NOS TUBE # VALVE NIB # 6SN7 # B 65 # B65 # STRONG # TRIODEPRE AMPLIFIER TUBE ”
But what did they know?
Since I sold them some ten years ago the price have skyrocked.
They came NOS from old GB army stocks and they had the KB designation printed on black smokey glass in white letters.
Those are the best 6SN7 that I recall in my equipment.
Every audiofool should know that a sound justification is highly subjective and always depends on the gear used.
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I've recently revisited 6SN7 Tube Rolling in my Power Amps.
I am limited to one per channel which is good for the budget.
I've used New Stack EH6SN7, Tung -Sol 6SN7 and TAD 6SN7.
EH6SN7 works best with my system out of these choices.
I also have Sylvania Black Base Green Text 6SN7GTB and Ken Rad VT231 Black Glass.
The Sylvania in my system is extremely bass heavy, I is very forward in the low registers and can be overwhelming, the Mid's and Highs are noticeably cleaner that the New Valves and is much more attractive to my ear..
The Ken Rad is my got to 6SN7 at present is offers a SQ that is very accurate to how I perceive the delivery should be, and the bass is a very Honest delivery, without the feeling of being overwhelmed by its authority.
I am limited to one per channel which is good for the budget.
I've used New Stack EH6SN7, Tung -Sol 6SN7 and TAD 6SN7.
EH6SN7 works best with my system out of these choices.
I also have Sylvania Black Base Green Text 6SN7GTB and Ken Rad VT231 Black Glass.
The Sylvania in my system is extremely bass heavy, I is very forward in the low registers and can be overwhelming, the Mid's and Highs are noticeably cleaner that the New Valves and is much more attractive to my ear..
The Ken Rad is my got to 6SN7 at present is offers a SQ that is very accurate to how I perceive the delivery should be, and the bass is a very Honest delivery, without the feeling of being overwhelmed by its authority.
The valves in the picture have KB/FE factory code . Not Mullards . These were produced in the STC/Brimar Oldbury facility . Good valves though...
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I tried a bunch of different NOS and new-production 6SN7 in my Mac Gyver amplifier. As long as the tubes were still in good shape, they all sounded equally good, and the measured harmonic distortion spectra and THD were the same (this was not the case with different KT66 output tubes). I guess the operating points used with the 6SN7 in this amplifier are well in the range where they all work fine. I ended up using the new-production EHX tubes because I thought I might be able to sell the NOS ones for good money, but in the end I was too lazy to put them up for sale.
They know how to sell on eBay and list a bunch of popular search keywords to get more hits.
They don't claim they are made by Mullard, nor that it is a B65 or a 211 for that matter.
If you're willing to spend 2 grand on two 6SN7's, you should do some research to know what you're buying.
Wait, what? Two grand?? 😱
Excuse me, I'll be inventorying my stash. 😎
You are definitely not Nerd, but Ignorant.
And proud of it.
Publicly dissing Original Manufacturer data screams so.
https://www . ebay . com/itm/253653957163"]Cv1988 Mullard NOS Tube 7250 6sn7gty b65 Tubes Tube original box Pre el34 kt88 211 6sn7 | eBay
So now EBAY 😱 is the Source of Knowledge. 🙄
Your "professional sellers" are professional liars instead, since those are NOT Mullard tubes.
They "may" know, but so what, the proper word is "dishonest". 😡
IME a lot of the NOS tubes sold on Ebay have already been "cherry picked" and are someone's culls.