Tube Rolling w/Crack

[kylescholten]

Hey just wondering what the most loved 12au7 is for my Crack w/ SB. I have a Western Electric 421A for power tube and use HD600s. I've been looking everywhere for Amperex 7316 long plates but no luck, only expensive short plates which I've been told are not nearly as praised? I just heard of the Mullard CV4003 but found conflicting reviews on the musicality of it and don't know which year/plates to look for with it. Please let me know what the most sought after pairings are assuming money is no object. I know its subjective but I like to know the general consensus.

 

[Tom-s]

For good sound I don’t recommend the most expensive or rare ones. In my experience these very old long plate D getters have worn cathodes that easily give hissing noises.
For good sound a properly tested normal ecc82 from the Philips Heerlen factory is recommended.
These can be found for cheap. If you pm ill look for you to see what ecc82 I can spare.

 

[Happy Ghost]

Hey just wondering what the most loved 12au7 is for my Crack w/ SB.

I like the Brimar 13D5 paired with the TS 5998... Sound is very accurate.. a bit less holographic compared to a good 6SN7 but well worth it..

 

[DitchTrilogy]

Is there a standard grading system or reference for used tubes? I'm seeing grades like the below from some stockists but don't know what it means.

GRADE 1 TESTED 70% PLUS

 

[Paul Birkeland]

No, there is no standard grading scale, and what 70 means will depend quite a bit on the particular tester used.

 

[Colonl_Charisma]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a modern power tube?

I was astonished to see prices for TS 5998 and TS 6AS7G tubes. When I bought mine a few years ago, they were nowhere near as expensive.

 

[Happy Ghost]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a modern power tube?

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/bottlehead-crack.120/page-3

 

[Colonl_Charisma]

Very familiar with the SBAF forum. Jeb’s reviews of the tubes are fantastic.

I was thinking more along the lines of a modern tube like PSVANE. For instance, with an adapter, I use their CV181 as my input tube.

I was wondering if there are any modern tubes that people enjoy.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I was thinking more along the lines of a modern tube like PSVANE.

The old stock tubes are about the same price as what's being offered from China.  There isn't really any comparison between the two... (for now at least)

 

[bucketofguts]

I bought 2 from you know where. One was labeled Chatham the other Tung-Sol. I would like to decipher the date on the latter 322MR. Can't tell them apart in sound or looking at the internal structure.Chatham 6104 is 04 of 1961 I reckon. Some of the epoxy looks like bakelite dust is in one valve. I can hear it if I invert the tube I guess that is what I am hearing? WWll tube for a radar I think and an adapter for JAN-CHS-6SN7GT VT-231 US made by Sylvania has D4. SC 966 A on one the other has that # in a square. Clear top silver 1/2 " up from the bottom. I copied that combo from a really good article that mentions a few other mods I did as well years ago that mentions Doc B. When you first hear the Crack bone stock ; I remember it well I want to go back to that and hear it again, then listen to my modded unit w/ SB. New lambskin covers for my HD6xx look, feel, and sound nice.

 

[blackharp]

I just ordered a Mullard Blackburn long plate 12AU7 for around $57 and an RCA 6AS7G. Looks like the RCA may not be an upgrade to my 6080 (GE maybe?) but the Mullard may be better than the Baldwin 12AU7 it came with. Not sure there is much sound quality left off the table in any case. Nice thread. A lot of good info on here.

 

[Urshurak776]

I ordered one of those Svetlana 6H13C Winged 'C' tubes. Seems to be well reviewed. I don't really need it, I have a bunch of 6080's and 6AS7's. I was more curious than anything. I bought it on ETSY and it shipped from Ukraine like 3 weeks ago. Slooooooooooow shipping, but since it's from Ukraine and what they have going on, I understand.

Currently running a Philco 6AS7G and an RCA Clear top 12AU7. Sounds amazing and imaging is just chefs kiss. Never heard anything like it. This amp is just so cool! (Headphones are HD650's, Mass drop version and my DAC is a Topping E30 II Lite.)

 

[blackharp]

I ordered one of those Svetlana 6H13C Winged 'C' tubes. Seems to be well reviewed. I don't really need it, I have a bunch of 6080's and 6AS7's. I was more curious than anything. I bought it on ETSY and it shipped from Ukraine like 3 weeks ago. Slooooooooooow shipping, but since it's from Ukraine and what they have going on, I understand.

Currently running a Philco 6AS7G and an RCA Clear top 12AU7. Sounds amazing and imaging is just chefs kiss. Never heard anything like it. This amp is just so cool! (Headphones are HD650's, Mass drop version and my DAC is a Topping E30 II Lite.)

Nice. The Mullard I received sounds very good. I also found when I switched from my IFI zen to a NAD M51 DAC it made a big difference in clarity. Really fun amps. With the DAC and tubes, HD650s, it has to be the best headphone setup I've ever heard.