Full, lush, with bloom, a bit of recessed highs. They sound close to the Tung-Sol 6SN7GT with round black plates but a bit less aggressive and forward in the mids.
Thanks for the feedback. Would you consider it worth exploring, especially at the ~$700 price point? Edit: Are the RCA 5692 compatible with this amp?
If it's the sound you're looking for, yes. If the description sounds like it wouldn't compliment the other tubes in your system, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. The ECC33s would be great to warm up and fill the sound of a bright anemic system. Yes, the RCA 5692 are compatible but I wouldn't recommend them. Some like them but I found them to be not so great at exposing detail which defeats the purpose of hi-fi, IMHO.
Hello guys, I know some of you mentioned it somewhere on this thread, but as there are many pages, it's easier to ask directly. Wich ones are your favorites 6SL7 tubes on your LM-508/LM-805 amp? I've tried some (Shuguang WE, Tungsol, Ken Rad, GE, RCA, etc) and my favorite are my Tungsols by far (I have a pair of different year and I don't recall the exact model). I found some 6SL7 on my country at a very reasonable price, but there are too many alternatives and I don't know wich one to try! What about the Brimar 6SL7? If there's an equivalent to the 6SL7 tubes that can be used safely on this amps, also please mention it. Thank you!
This is what I wrote to SM in a PM: The ECC32/CV181 has its own sound. Not sure if it is due to the electrical difference (they have 50% more gain than regular 6SN7), or something inherent in the tube. It is not like most tube that will make things marginally brighter, darker, etc. for the CV181, the whole presentation is different. The best analogy is, that, when switching between different 6SN7, it is like changing the curtain, moving furniture around, but you are still in the same room. But for CV181, It feels like walking into a larger more spatious room. As mentioned, the ECC32 has wider/deeper and more holographic sound stage. Also being a Mullard, you should expect that it will be a bit smoother and recessed on the top end.
Kind of funny, I've been noticing the past 2 days my system sounding exceptionally good - I mean really good, to the point of wondering what's going on. Then I realized my RCA 805's and EML 300B-XLS's now have around 50 hrs on them now. I've never heard tubes improve this much over the first 50 hrs. Unfortunately they were both getting burned in at the same time so I don't know which were more responsible for the improvement. I suspect it was a bit of both tube sets. Does this match other's experience with these tubes? Or even 805's and 300B's in general?
Well, I don't know if the Shuguang black treasures CV181 are similar to the NOS CV181, but when I compared them to some 6SN7 NOS (Tungsol and Sylvania), I felt that the Shuguang had more air, bigger soundstage and a more alive sound. They were more engaging. The NOS 6SN7 were a little bit darker, maybe with better tone (by a very small margin), but less fun and with a more compressed soundstage. It sounded like if it was a less powerful amp.
All the new production so called CV181 are not real CV181. They just took the CV181 name but instead are just a 6SN7 electrically. CV181 is quite a reputable tube among Chinese audiophiles so they are just capitalizing on the name. NOS Mullard CV181 is different electrically compared to 6SN7. It has 50% more gain and thus it is not always a direct substitute.
There are many 6SN7s from both Sylvania and Tung-Sol, some fantastic and some which are below average. Which specific models did you try?
I bought them, two pair of Tungsols and one pair of Sylvanias, as 6SN7GTB black plate. One of the Tungsols pair is from 1960. To be honest, I don't have the exact model or year and for me it's too expensive to buy them just to try them and I don't have here dealers or audiophile fellows to borrow them.
You'd need to take clear pics of these specific tubes so I can see which ones they are. My guess is you didn't get the "right" ones as both the proper TS with round black plates and black glass along with the Sylvania 1952 Bad Boys sound airy, especially the Sylvania.
Sure, I will take pictures and post them to show you. Thank you On the other hand, can you tell me how to post pictures in this forum. When I click on "Image" there's a window asking about an URL and I have no idea how to do it.
Upload the pics to an image hosting website like Imgur. Get the link from that image, copy it, and paste it into the Image pop-up box you mentioned.
Here is my amp with the Shuguangs CV-181 Here are some of the 6SL7 I've tried (I have more somewhere in a box). Today my favorite is the Tungsol on the right (black glass), wich I'm using. I prefered it over a Shuguang WE-6SL7 I also have. Here are some of the 6SN7 I've tried (I also tried some others). All the ones on the picture sounded similar (darker, less alive and smaller) than the Shuguangs:
I had gone through Mullard ECC35, Sylvania vt229, Tungsol bg vt229, Russian 6n9s and RCA5691 red base. They are all excellent tubes with different flavors. If you want vivid details and utmost transparency, then you can go for RCA5691 red base, but it can sound hot if your system is on the bright side. Mullard ECC35 sounds similar to Acme 805 with nice texture, decent details and transparency. Russian 6n9s made in 1950's sound sweet with decent details and transparency close to Mullard ECC35 but at more affordable cost. Sylvania vt229 has nice bass but with dark signature thus suitable for bright system. Tungsol bg vt229 sounds close to RCA 5691 at lower cost but with less refinement. Thus you have to decide what you want in your system. I am taking turns deending on my mood and 805 tube to be used. RCA 805 with RCA 5691 sounds too hot. RCA 805 with either Mullard ECC35 or Russian 6n9s sound more balanced. But I prefer RCA5691 with Acme or United 805.
Thanks for the pics. Unfortunately, all of these are terrible tubes. The proper Tung-Sol 6SN7GT with round black plates, which is one of the very best 6SN7 tubes ever made, looks like this. Notice the glass and the internal construction being completely different.
Shootout of Nos 6sn7 tubes You also have to decide upon Shootout of Nos 6sn7 tubes You also have to decide upon the synergy with your system. If you want more details and transparency, Sylvania vt231 is a good choice and TS bgrp is overpriced with similar signature as Sylvania vt231 . If you want full bass, deep and wide soundstage then you can go for Melz 1578 but not suitable for dark system. Currently I am happy with Acme 300b and Melz 1578 in my system. Now I am using RCA 805 and Mullard ECC35 but may take turns with Acme or United 805 depending on my mood. If I switch to Acme or United 805 then I will use RCA 5691. My system is on the revealing side not dark. There is no best tubes for everyone. It will depend on your system and personal taste. Nos tubes are like vintage wines with different flavors. Thus I had amassed decent collection of tubes. Someone recommend me to try out Telefuken 6sn7 but it is overpriced at 1600$. I enjoy Telefuken 12 AX7 with Rogue Cronus Magnum II which is being used with Raal Sr1a headphone. I had paid 250$ per pari of Telefuken 12 AX7 8 years ago. But I am not willing to spend 1600$ on small signal tubes.
Thanks for the answer. Well, that's why I like the Tungsol 6SL7 with black glass. I also have another one just like the one on your picture, but 6SL7. I have never tried the black glass 6SN7 Tungsol. I hope I will someday. Do you have pictures of the famous Sylvanias bad boys?
Someone asked about the Brimar 6SL7 - High resolution, decent transparency, but extremely tipped up nature has to be compensated for. Not great at any other aspects, IMO. For cheaper, the RCA 5691 is better in all aspects with similar tonality.
I actually have some for sale on the forum. You can see the pics there. https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/1952-sylvania-6sn7gt-3-hole-bad-boys.1005152/
Yo You can try out 6n8s made in 50's which cost around 80$ per pair which sounds similar to 1578 with slightly less bass.
