Moving to France next, this is the clear glass Visseaux 6V6G with a Mazda/Belvu GZ32. This combination was a lucky guess, that really caught me by surprise by its vibrancy and vigour.
LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP
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And while in France, just couldn't wait to try the metal base Visseaux 6V6GT... What a treat! So natural sounding!
An all French Mazda combo: the grey glass 6V6GT and the 5Y3GB. This al about kick and attitude...
This also like an homage of sorts for me... I did most of my tube collecting before the proliferation of the internet and there's a story, or even two sometimes, behind every tube: they involve radio repairmen, old parts shops lost in time and the smell of dust and human generosity. I apologise for the onslaught... I realise that, unlike me, it can all be a bit overwhelming...
Keep up the fun. I enjoy seeing all the different tube combinations.
I too have been collecting Tubes for 20+ years. And like you have met many of the “old-timers“ in TV and repair shops.
Many a great story from those that lived in the early “tube” era.
I'm jealous of you both and yet I have only myself to blame. I grew up at the tail end of the "real" tube era and fondly recall seeing console tube testers in every hardware store and even general/convenience stores. Tubes abounded then. But in the 70s I was a snot-nosed kid who knew everything and distained the guys who stuck with tubes. Neanderthals...
It was only 8 or so years ago I wised up and realized some of what I had missed out on. Solid state has some a long way and both forms of amplification can be compelling. But tubes can often do something special and we're seeing some of that here.
Nice work @tedwoods !
Cheers,
Robert
Wow- great posts coming from the home of @tedwoods! I’m glad to see the activity here as it seemed most had either moved onto other dacs or maybe had just settled in on the tubes they love and decided no further rolls were needed.
Not me- and tonight I’m posting a tube that I’ve had to wait two months to hear. So far, it was worth wait!
So while rummaging through the last radio swap meet I found a tube that I had never seen or heard of before. The tube is the Arcturus Type 18 pentode.
The seller had five of these, all matching date codes in original crumbling boxes- so five is what I took. I didn’t realize until I had gotten home that day that these require a UX-6 socket and 14V filament supply.
Since I have a variable voltage setup on my TRP all I needed were to order adapters with UX-6 to octal sockets with the appropriate leads- and that’s where the waiting came into play.
Finally- I’ve got these in and playing and I have to say that I really like what I’m hearing. I’m a huge fan of the early 6L6 ST glass tubes as well as the EL5 and so far these tubes have a little of both in common.
So far I’ve only listened to one release but the sound continues to open the more I play. The first thing that struck me was the power felt in the bass regions- so far a little stronger than most pentodes.
Highs aren’t exactly what I would call rolled off but are very even/level when compared to the midrange. So not overly sparkly but definitely present. These tubes have a very smooth sound, whether it’s refined or just relaxed time will tell.
I’m not sure about the overall availability on this tube as I’ve not seen them before but if you ever happen to come across a pair/quad, have UX-6 adapters and the ability to provide 14V to the heaters this is a very cool tube.
Not me- and tonight I’m posting a tube that I’ve had to wait two months to hear. So far, it was worth wait!
So while rummaging through the last radio swap meet I found a tube that I had never seen or heard of before. The tube is the Arcturus Type 18 pentode.
The seller had five of these, all matching date codes in original crumbling boxes- so five is what I took. I didn’t realize until I had gotten home that day that these require a UX-6 socket and 14V filament supply.
Since I have a variable voltage setup on my TRP all I needed were to order adapters with UX-6 to octal sockets with the appropriate leads- and that’s where the waiting came into play.
Finally- I’ve got these in and playing and I have to say that I really like what I’m hearing. I’m a huge fan of the early 6L6 ST glass tubes as well as the EL5 and so far these tubes have a little of both in common.
So far I’ve only listened to one release but the sound continues to open the more I play. The first thing that struck me was the power felt in the bass regions- so far a little stronger than most pentodes.
Highs aren’t exactly what I would call rolled off but are very even/level when compared to the midrange. So not overly sparkly but definitely present. These tubes have a very smooth sound, whether it’s refined or just relaxed time will tell.
I’m not sure about the overall availability on this tube as I’ve not seen them before but if you ever happen to come across a pair/quad, have UX-6 adapters and the ability to provide 14V to the heaters this is a very cool tube.
Thank you all for your kind words!
Today I'll be posting about a small selection of tubes of Italian manufacture. Italian tubes are the most "American" sounding out of all the European tubes and I love them for that. However, in the Atlantic this character of theirs does not become so apparent, as they all sound balanced and dynamic with ample body and plentiful detail.
First off a combo of Fivre 6V6Gs with a Sicte 5V4G recti.
Then an all Sicte combo:
... and finally, an all Fivre one, this time with the smaller bottle 6V6GTs and the small bottle 5Y3GT. This combo sounds like it's infused with sunlight. The high frequencies are radiant and silky but the bass is not subdued at all, it's ever present and slams quite nicely:
I am now listening to a set of MWT (Marconi Italia) 6V6GTs. I'll try and photograph them later...
Today I'll be posting about a small selection of tubes of Italian manufacture. Italian tubes are the most "American" sounding out of all the European tubes and I love them for that. However, in the Atlantic this character of theirs does not become so apparent, as they all sound balanced and dynamic with ample body and plentiful detail.
First off a combo of Fivre 6V6Gs with a Sicte 5V4G recti.
Then an all Sicte combo:
... and finally, an all Fivre one, this time with the smaller bottle 6V6GTs and the small bottle 5Y3GT. This combo sounds like it's infused with sunlight. The high frequencies are radiant and silky but the bass is not subdued at all, it's ever present and slams quite nicely:
I am now listening to a set of MWT (Marconi Italia) 6V6GTs. I'll try and photograph them later...
Sorry, can you please elaborate further? Do you perhaps mean the Bendix Red Bank tubes?
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Ah, you mean the Red-E series with the side contact base. Sadly, no. One of the drawbacks of collecting tubes some decades ago was the complete lack of readily available adapters. Back then, if you wanted an adapter you had to make one yourself and I only came across very few ready made vintage adapters (pentode to cascode double-triode, like EF86 to ECC83 or some octal to noval and such), mainly as part of old Army equipment, where availability of replacement tubes was of paramount importance. So, I was forced to only "collect" tubes that I could use directly in the sockets of my gear. Come to think of it, since all the various types I needed to have were not an insignificant lot, this was a blessing, rather than a curse...
Going Dutch!
First, the Philips Miniwatt 6V6GTs with a Philips grey plate 5Y3GB recti.
Then the venerable Adzam 6V6GTs with the Valvo metal base GZ34
And finally the lovely Pope 6V6GTs with a large base Mullard (made in Holland) GZ34.
I have a few more surprise trips to Germany and Sweden and a detour through France again, before heading off home...
Cheers,
Ted
First, the Philips Miniwatt 6V6GTs with a Philips grey plate 5Y3GB recti.
Then the venerable Adzam 6V6GTs with the Valvo metal base GZ34
And finally the lovely Pope 6V6GTs with a large base Mullard (made in Holland) GZ34.
I have a few more surprise trips to Germany and Sweden and a detour through France again, before heading off home...
Cheers,
Ted
How would you compare the 6V6 to the other power tubes you’ve shown? I have a few of these but they’re only singles that have yet to be matched up to form quads.
Funnily enough I was thinking today that the 6V6s actually seem to sound "better" in my system than other bigger bottle tubes.
This is not by any means, a rule of thumb, as our perception of certain aspects of the recreation of the musical experience tends to colour or even cloud our judgement at times.
So, please allow me to clarify "better": in my system, 6V6s have given guitars especially, a presence I have not yet heard from other tube types I have tried (namely 6L6/KT66 and EL34 variants) without sacrificing punch, body or frequency extension.
Again, this is just me and my system, as again the more ambiguous nature of system synergies creates sonic predilections that can influence our perception considerably, but I'm also sure the Atlantic design plays a big part in this.
Besides, we're human, after all and I just love this DAC for whatever I send its way, comes out as engaging and palpable.
The case for 6V6s sounding big and bold could not find a better supporter in the tube I'm showing below, the East Germany made WF (RFT) 6V6 (Russian designation -remember the Iron Curtain connection- 6Π6C), here with a brown base Valvo GZ34 recti.
And although German tube factories do not seem to have produced other examples of 6V6s (please correct me, if I'm wrong) this one knocks everything out of the park!
Just look at the construction details in the second pic...
That’s a very well built tube! I haven’t seen any on the usual sites where Russian tubes are sold. I did come across quite a few of OTK black glass but cannot attest to the quality of their sound or build.
OTK black glass ain't something to write home about... but this East German RFT tube is something else. RFT made tubes for Siemens. Their history is pretty interesting. Their 6SL7 and 6SN7 tubes (if you can find them) are also killer...
Check out their 6L6...
Rare Balanced Pair 6l6 RFT DDR tube amplifier el34 6l6g VT-115 CV1948 6Ð6 50's | eBay
Stable in manual bias, audition tested in the Manley Snapper and 6L6 SE Power amplifier. The fotos of the tubes from the SE 6L6 amplifier are for illustrative purposes only to show the test and audition.
www.ebay.com
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