Deang Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Ryan, I do not have the expertise to understand precisely what you are saying here. It still begs the question as to why all of the available data says the 6U8 is a plug in for the 6BL8. Craig, Please send me a 6U8 with the package you have coming my way. I'm going to shake the wax out of my ears this week and give this a listen for myself. I'll hook the Scott up to my RF-7's, and if there's even a spec of crap in the signal -- I'll hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Okay I will even send you some treasured Telefunkens but these are my personal tubes out of my amp so treat them with care please. I figure this will be the ultimate test since you have premo telefunken 6BL8's in there now so it can be a Tele to Tele shoot out. Bill bittle posted that he has seen the 6U8 cause problems in some 299s but others no problem at all so who knows maybe I have just been lucky. I seriously don't think that is the case. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I had just remembered where else I had read that a 6U8 was a suitable replacement and also I have mentioned a sylvania 7687 before which I own a set and still prefer my Telefinken 6U8 but anyway its issue 12 of VTV. This artical was helped information wise and proofed by non other than the Vise Pres. of Engineering and HH Scott's right hand man during the time the 299 was produced Daniel Von Recklinghausen. So who is the expert ?? It does look like he does believe that NOS 6BQ5 are basically the same but that is neither here nor there. I see no point in running expensive and hard to find match sets of NOS tubes when perfectly good and cheap current production tubes sound fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I think the quality of the small signal tubes are important, jmho. Those should always be the best you can afford since they contribute so much to the end result. Consensus by most is that power tubes make a miniscule amount of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I agree completely they make little difference so why go and search out hard to find and expensive vintage 6BQ5's that rarely if ever match which in and of its self will limit there life when good mordern example can be had for $30 to $50 a quad. Just seems silly to me ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Measure? All I'ze got iz a meter thingy. I couldn't carry Craig's tool box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Mark, Very informative post and well said. Measuring this distortion would only be possible as you know with gear I don't have and I believe the Expert doesn't either. The fact of the matter is that the equipment to measure this is very expensive for top quality which I tend to demand in test equipment which seems important what good is a test if its inaccurate. At this time I just don't have the cash to buy it. But you can bet I will as the money becomes available. Its just not a required piece because in most cases what this measures is hair splitting differences and this is what were talking about with this tube subject. To make it sound like the use of this tube will create major audible distortion is insane. Of coarse I guess I should just consider the source. I just feel its my duty to inform my friends and customers here of the sources tendencies toward twisting and exaggerating the facts to benifit his pocket book and stature ! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Well, I couldn't find any 7189's at a reasonable price so I bought the NOS RCA 6BQ5/EL84's from a guy that had an old stash of tubes. The matched quad cost me $54.00. I also bought some of his NOS RCA (Mullard) 5AR4/GZ34's for $22.00 each. I thought the prices were fair myself. Has anyone tried any of the 6N14NEB's ? I've got Sovtek's in the other amp (222-C) for later comparision. Suggestions/comments appreciated. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Kieth, I supply all my customers that need tubes with the Russian 7189s (6N14N-EB) you mentioned for $32 a matched quad and I mean as matched as is possible. I let every tube sit in my tester for at least 30 minutes to warm up before ever testing them. This is time consuming !! These tubes are the value of the century.Triode get $40 and Upscale Audio get $60 and neither place does a descent job matching I know this first hand !! There is nothing wrong with using your RCA 6BQ5's that is not the point I'm trying to make. If your lucky enough to score a set cheap like you did its no big deal. But to suggest everyone go out and search for these tubes like they are the holy grail just isn't a smart thing. Its just not that easy for people to find tubes that they are going to be able to trust as matched sets or at least reasonably close which is all that is require in my amps if the customer opted for the bias mod. If you have a stock amp that has no descent Bias control which include every integrated amp Scott ever produced period mark then your tubes will go up in smoke over time. This is even true of the Scott amps that do have seperate controls not common to both channels because they gave no real way to measure the balance of these tubes and relied on the fact that tubes were cheap at the time. This is true of almost every Amp manufacturer of the hay day of tubes. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 6N14NEB? Hmmm. I thought they were 6P14EB's. At any rate, old Ruskie Military types. Sound pretty good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Good info there Craig, and thanks. I'll keep you in mind on the 6N14N's. I'm going to burn these RCA's for a while and get a grasp on their sound, then try others. Got any kind of an idea as to how long it will take the Russian oils to 'break in'(improvement in sound), if there is such a thing? I haven't run the amp over about 8 hours max, but I'm about to be off a couple of weeks and I'll heat it up good at that time. Thanks again... Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Keith, You should begin to see then become more transparent and the sound stage open up in your twp week warm up. Don't get we wrong this isn't a night and day difference but a keen and serious ear will notice it !! After two weeks of all day listening I would say your settled in !! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Thanks for the comments Craig. It sounds pretty good now. I'll let you know what happens. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Keith, One more thing keep those 6BQ5's biased properly. Do it when the amp is warmed up and if you see them varying much then you know they are indeed burning up from the extra voltage being applied to them. It will be interesting to see if they hold a stable bias day after day of heavy use. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I use the 6BL8 in my 299B. So, if I plug in a 6U8 -- I should hear a difference, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Oh yea distortion is going to increase 40 fold you won't even be able to listen to your amp anymore and the HH Scott gods are going to reach down and blow all your drivers out !! Like mark told me today its possible that the 6U8 could indeed increase distortion to some extend but it would take testing equipment "Expert" doesn't have and would not be a audible difference it would be that small. By the same token the differences could improve the amps output in others areas which could easily out way the slightly unaudible increase in distortion. Its the same old story "If it sounds good to YOU it is GOOD" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Ryan, Its really funny to me that you keep quoting a guy that you personally told me you hate and that he is a A-Hole that doesn't have a clue what he is talking about ! Its funny that now you think he is a rocket scientist. You are unbelievable Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Good go away and end the discussion I will admit everyone is wrong and you are right ! Oh and I have a very good memory and I believe I said Bill was "set in his ways" and you said he was a A-hole and so on ! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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