6SN7 recommendations requested

[Daddy Dee]

Well, I've been having a great time checking out a few different 2A3 tubes in the Wright 2A3 monoblocks. In my non audiophile and MOSTLY undisciplined and lacksidasical comparisons I'd rank my preferences as the following:

AVVT 2A3 Mesh: These are absolutely killer tubes.

RCA JAN 1943 vintage: These are simply great tubes, excellent in every way.

TJ Mesh: These are chinese tubes, and actually a perforated plate, not real mesh, but excellent. Dr. Bottlehead's high end tubes.

SOVTEK: This tube is no wussy. The definite winner in bang for the buck dept. One has to maybe quadruple the price to get any real improvement. Geo Wright's choice for shipping with his 2A3 amps. He no longer sells NOS 2A3 tubes with his amps.

Valve Art: Another Chinese tube. Not a slouch. O.K. It's the basic tube that Dr. Bottlehead ships

Electro Harmonix Gold Grid: These tubes suuuuuuuck. No bloom whatsoever, complete embarassment for the Russians. (note that the EH 6SN7 is quite presentable)

Now after bearing with this preface....

I'm looking to check out some 6SN7 flavors and would appreciate some recommendations. I have used the EH 6SN7 and they are o.k. and the Sylvania Chrome Domes are very nice. Anyone's experience with particular tubes which would be a compliment to the Wright monoblocks and or any of these particular 2A3 tubes. Anything to stay away from? Any killer 6SN7's in your experience?

Appreciate your take here.

[ssh]

Dee,

If you hear a better 2A3 than the AVVT,please share the info.

SSH

[Deang]

Which Sylvania "chrome domes"? Try to stay in the 6SN7GT/WGT/WGTA brownbase family of tubes (1950's) with these. There are also some gems from the 1940's, and I like the 6SN7W JAN Sylvania blackplate clearglass, short glass envelope, black base.

[dodger]

Hello:

A very good friend that works at Richardson Electronics tried anumber of differnt brands and models stated the G.E. to be the best he has tried.

dodger

[Deang]

From Brent Jessie's website.

6SN7GTA / B by General Electric With Side Getter, short glass envelope, copper grid posts. New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. These sound as good as the redbase RCA at a fraction of the cost. A bit of pleasant warmth in the midrange, plus some reports indicate the side mounted getter adds ridigity to the plate structure, reducing microphonics. These are a bargain now, but as "fad" NOS tubes vanish, these quality USA performers will be worth their weight in gold.

Nice call Win.

[sunnysal]

I have concluded that generalizations about tubes is mis-guided. I think that 6SN7s behave so differently from amp to amp, topology to topology, etc., etc. that is is foolhardy to try to guide you.

Unless someone with the same component can give some ideas from experience.

I have a number of top 6SN7s from the 1940's, 50's' and 60's in my amp the brand spankin new EH 6SN7s sounded best to me, as I related in an earlier post on the subject. though, at the time, everyone I asked swore that the various NOS "holy grail" tubes would be a sonic improvment. they now sit in a tube caddy as spares in case the EHs fail who'd a thunk it?

if you have a chance to invite friends over to try out their NOS tubes in your amp you might save yourself some bucks by pre-qualifying some. if not, you could end up like me with hundreds of dollars in NOS 6SN7s collecting dust.

regards, tony

[Daddy Dee]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback here. The tip on the GE's is interesting. Considered to be quite similar to the redbase, but not hotly sought after, so it has a friendlier price.

Tony, that is an interesting observation about the behavior of 6SN7's in different amps and different topologies. It is actually o.k. with me if I don't spend any more money on tubes right now.

Some time ago, I asked Geo Wright about suggestions for other tubes and he only mentioned two tubes. The RCA 2A3 and the Sylvania chrome dome 6SN7. Right out of the box he delivers a great product, and one is hard pressed to improve upon it. I may very well already have it as good as it gets with my setup.

[sunnysal]

I think that if george wright himself mentions certain tubes, then that is a great starting point. re: NOSsing, I think you should take your time and have specific desires in upgrading tubes, then begin to see if you can audition certian tubes in your amp before buying or, at least get reccomendations from people with the same amp. nothing wrong with trying all those NOS possiblities, but I wanted to be sure you didn't end up with a tube collection versus a better sounding set up. warm regards, tony

[Daddy Dee]

Tony,

Yep, I think we're on the same page here.

Dee

[coda]

Sharing a starting point,

Chimera Labs 6SN7 ratings

In general the Sylvania chrome dome types offer nice resolution and energy when used with Wright gear in either the line or amp stage. Passing along a few other personal favorites that you might try with your 2A3 tube complement,

Ken Rad dark glass (JAN CKR VT-231) with the AVVT

*very* nice when paired with RCA monoplates or black plates

Sylvania green label (JAN CHS VT-231) with the TJ Mesh 2.5V

RCA grey glass (JAN CRC VT-231) with the Sovtek

One to stay away from? The Tung Sol black plate, because they are sought after and expensive. However they might just be what you're looking for.

Depending on your set-up, results above may vary.

[Daddy Dee]

A.F.E.:

Thanks for the recs and the link.

Dee

[mobile homeless]

Tony, you found the EH 6SN7 to be the best 6SN7 in your gear? Man, what's going on down there? heh.... Hear youre getting your amps back soon; maybe you'll come to your senses!

See some neat tube pics - heavy closeups I did in prep for a full review. ie waste of time

6SN7/5692 Photo Pictorial

George WRight was right on the money with his suggestions. Gary Numan was pretty sharp too.

kh

ps- Ton, send CARE PACKAGE of 6SN7!

[sunnysal]

hard to believe but yes I liked the EHs better than even MY tung sol 1940's black plates! why? better high end extension, somewhat mess murky (clearer) thourghout the mids and a slammier bass. what's not to like?

I expect jeff's amps back here with a week or two (third world customs, grrrrr) and will go through the lot again to be sure that the EHs come out on top. if they do I will have some 6SN7s as gifts for my friends.

I will also have some rectifiers since I have been warned off my U52/5U4G in favor of 5AR4 and GZ37s...maybe someone will want to trade some tubes?

let me get all set up and I will post for my buddies here what I have available...just in time for christmas. regards, tony

[mobile homeless]

Did you sample any 5692 and 60s Sylvania 6SN7? I have several pieces of gear that use 6SN7 tubes including amps and preamps and the results were anything but murky. I do agree with your assessment 100% regarding the different results relating to gear, however. While an excellent 5692 might sound like a rotton snow goose in one implemention, it will bring magic in another. I have a sweet spot combo in my Moondogs and the same 5692 tube sounds poor in the Wright Sound 2A3. People HAVE TO BE CAREFUL dismissing 6SN7 samples when heard in one operating point or implemention. IT happens all the time though.

Still, your results with the EH 6SN7 are surprising. I havent liked any of the Russian 6SN7 since the 80s. There is a pair of the EH for sale at my guitar shop here so I might ask if I can try some samples they have for the demos. The last pair of Russian 6SN7 I had from Sovtek were really poor to me. Since Sovtek and EH are hand in hand, I was just assuming.

kh

[sunnysal]

did not try 5692s but I do have a variety of sylvanias from the 50s through the 70s, chrome domes, triangluar plates, etc., etc...none sounded as good to me, in my rig, as the EHs...I say try the EHs, for the money you cannot go wrong even if they end up as "emergency spare tubes"! lol! I will probably keep the tung sols since they cost me so much and everyone says they are super, maybe someday I will like them too!? nice tube page by the way! warm regards, tony

[Chris Robinson]

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On 10/5/2003 8:30:23 PM DaddyDee wrote:

AVVT 2A3 Mesh: These are absolutely killer tubes.

RCA JAN 1943 vintage: These are simply great tubes, excellent in every way.

I'm looking to check out some 6SN7 flavors and would appreciate some recommendations.

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DD,

I only have any real experience with the RCA and AVVT 2A3 tubes. Jeff endorsed the AVVT with his Horus and I gave them a shot and love them. They take the RCA's merits and extend them just a bit more. Are they worth the (considerable) extra money? For me, they were, since Jeff didn't skimp on anything on the Horus's bill of material, and I wanted to hear the most from his efforts. They are outstanding efforts at that.

For the 6SN7, I've tried a few and I keep coming back to the Sylvania. I've had white, red and yellow labels, chrome tops. Currently the yellow labels are in duty on the Pantheon and I haven't had the inclination to rotate them out of service yet. I got ten of them for $20 from a guy in Ohio who had yanked them out of an old organ, dust and all. It was a crap-shoot because he had no photographs, no tester or anything. He just said they "lit up". Hell, they all tested like new so I was lucky. Sometimes Ebay auctions are just gambles, but for a few ducats, sometimes they have entertainment value.

My friend just sold his Canary 300B and has some of the black-coated 6SN7's to give to me. They'll probably be next up.

[Chris Robinson]

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On 10/7/2003 12:23:01 PM Chris Robinson wrote:

My friend just sold his Canary 300B and has some of the black-coated 6SN7's to give to me. They'll probably be next up.

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I called my buddy yesterday afternoon and he sent me home with a pair of RCA JAN VT-231 with the gray coating. Out came the Sylvania yellow label chrome tops.

I ran through a number of tracks on my "reference" CD's as well as some vinyl (SRV "Tin Pan Alley"). The sound was very nice; well defined bass and excellent articulation of guitar passages. On the whole, though, I couldn't really say there was a noticeable difference between the RCA and Sylvania tubes.

Perhaps both tubes are quite excellent.

Perhaps the Pantheon's design is robust enough to make the 6SN7 choice less a factor.

Perhaps my ears are just getting a bit older.

[Erik Mandaville]

SunnySal:

I'm glad you'll be getting your amplifiers back soon. What a long journey those things have had to make, not to mention the worry and patience you and Jeff have both had to go through -- how they will be handled, etc.

I couldn't agree more about the new EH 6SN7s! I use them in both my Moondogs, as well as my AE-1 preamp.

Very, very good sound for an excellent price!

I hope your amplifiers make home safe and sound!

Erik

[Daddy Dee]

Mobile's example of one tube sounding great in the Moondogs and sorry in the Wright's in a startling example of the 6sn7's characteristics in different applications. Absolutely amazing.

[Daddy Dee]

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On 10/7/2003 12:23:01 PM Chris Robinson wrote:

DD,

I only have any real experience with the RCA and AVVT 2A3 tubes. Jeff endorsed the AVVT with his Horus and I gave them a shot and love them. They take the RCA's merits and extend them just a bit more. Are they worth the (considerable) extra money? For me, they were, since Jeff didn't skimp on anything on the Horus's bill of material, and I wanted to hear the most from his efforts. They are outstanding efforts at that.

For the 6SN7, I've tried a few and I keep coming back to the Sylvania. I've had white, red and yellow labels, chrome tops. Currently the yellow labels are in duty on the Pantheon and I haven't had the inclination to rotate them out of service yet. I got ten of them for $20 from a guy in Ohio who had yanked them out of an old organ, dust and all. It was a crap-shoot because he had no photographs, no tester or anything. He just said they "lit up". Hell, they all tested like new so I was lucky. Sometimes Ebay auctions are just gambles, but for a few ducats, sometimes they have entertainment value.

My friend just sold his Canary 300B and has some of the black-coated 6SN7's to give to me. They'll probably be next up.

----------------

Chris, Yep, I'd have to agree on the AVVT's. I'd been somewhat skeptical that they would be worth the extra bucks, but was pleasantly surprised.

Jeff's Horus is something I have on my wish list just to hear at some point. I can only imagine something that sounds better than my Wright's already sound... but that will be something to look forward to.