LampizatOr Baltic 3

None of those listings are for the 1578 version Miguel - no holes in plates or large metal clips. You need to rely on the seller’s honesty - references, feedback and test results are helpful.
 
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"Is this the one you are looking for ?"

It does look like it but at $300 for a single I would pass. Also I still have a number of 6/12SN7s and 7/14N7s to work through. I tube binged when I bought the B3 plus already had a pretty good stash. Oddly the winner so far is neither one of the expensive classic bucket list 6SN7s or those others have preferred here.

I think that with the B3 it is a bit like cooking where putting together three individually tasty things does not necessarily have a good outcome. This means that with three tube positions and lots of tubes you need to set aside the entire Winter for analyzing all of the combinations!

Thanks for pointing it out though...
 
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None of those listings are for the 1578 version Miguel - no holes in plates or large metal clips. You need to rely on the seller’s honesty - references, feedback and test results are helpful.
Hello Mark,

I was looking at these exactly specs : 6N8S / 6SN7 / 1578 / MELZ, aren't those for the 1578 ?

If not, could i friendly ask you to point me where could i get the good ones ?, this seller seemed real for me , but who knows right ?

All the best thanks !

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Please refer to post #512 for a description of their visual features Miguel and a reference to a photo elsewhere in this thread. I don’t know any sellers off hand but if you set up a notification in www.hifishark.com then I’m sure a pair will pop up quite soon.

Here are mine

B8BA3A23-5A11-4E71-9F18-7CF262039EAD.jpeg
 
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I purchased a pair of Tungsram E80CC this weekend from an E-Bay seller in Ukraine.

I have no idea if I will receive them considering the circumstances, but part of me doesn't care if I get them or not.

He (or she) wrote:
We transfer 50% of sales to our volunteer fund, for the needs of the Ukrainian army and refugees from the regions of hostilities!

Thank you for your contribution to our fight!

Glory to Ukraine!
 
Of the one's you've listed, the #3 listing by valtek 2005 is absolutely the real deal. His price is fair and his testing using Roetest V10 is absolutely the best in the business. That said, I have tried both Meltz 1578 5 hole 1963 and Meltz 1578 no hole 1956. Both were very similar to me and I doubt anyone could identify them blindly. The Meltz tube strength is unquestionably its bass. Whether the rest of the range floats your boat is a different matter. I ended up selling both of these fine tubes as they were not my sonic preference in my system. Once you try a Mullard ECC32 the difference in suppleness and outright musicality is quite apparent, but again, this is nothing more than personal preference. If you seek bass, the other obvious contenders are the Ken-Rad and the Raytheon (I have not tried either as 15 novals and octals are more than my limit!). It's appropriate to mention that I'm using a Horizon, where the choice of tube may be less critical than in other Lampizators. To make things a bit more complicated, the final sound one obtains with any triode is also matter of the overall package in which the recti and pentode pairings can be equally important for what you might consider your ultimate sonic bliss. No matter what you use, even the stock tubes that Lukasz provides for the Horizon, are capable of real magic. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. It's your call.
 
I have the the most recent Bricasti M1 SE

Buying the B3 would be a sideways move or an upgrade? I am into realism and great sounding tones.
I recently replaced a Bricasti M1 Se (MDX) with a B3. I am very happy with the B3, and to me personally it sounds better than the Bricasti (specifically in micro dynamic nuances and also in overall resolution). I also had the option of getting the Big 7 Mk2, but decided to go with the B3.
Cheers,
Sid
 
As the background of the Melz 1578 tube is somewhat mysterious, unsurprising given its cold war soviet background which predates many of us, I thought I would share what I have learnt.

The Melz 6h8c is analogous to the US 6sn7 tube and was designed for audio use. Its cousin the 1578 was designed for use in demanding industry applications, most interestingly the Soviet nuclear industry to pass a 1578 signal, whatever that is.

Both versions share a similar appearance and both are labelled 6h8c. Some production runs of the 1578 were also labelled ‘1578’, though not all. Conversely, the ‘1578’ label has been added to the regular 6h8c to trick buyers into paying a premium price. My advice is to disregard it and focus in the internal construction.

The 6h8c tubes also used metal bases and drilled holes in the plates in their earlier production runs, which can confuse people into thinking they are 1578. There are however two internal construction differences unique to 1578 which will identify them

- the lower mica (below plates) is rectangular in 1578 but oval in 6h8c
- the upper mica supports (above plates) are large bent silver metal in 1578 but small straight opaque synthetic in 6h8c

I have only ever used the 1578 and not the 6h8c, so I can’t comment on the sonic differences but have read that 1578 is superior. The early production 6h8c might still be quite respectable however don’t be tempted into overpaying for them.

B7F73832-96BF-4EDC-863D-FFD1165948AB.jpeg5BBEFD5C-8968-43BC-91A1-397A038CAA81.jpeg
 
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I also had the option of getting the Big 7 Mk2, but decided to go with the B3.
Can you share your reasons to do this?
 
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Hi Sablon, this is a picture of my Melz tube. It has a faded 6H8C label as well as an OTK 27 label. Nothing indicating 1578 but the internal
structure is consistent with the 1578 as described above. Would you call this a 1578?
 
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Hi Sablon, this is a picture of my Melz tube. It has a faded 6H8C label as well as an OTK 27 label. Nothing indicating 1578 but the internal
structure is consistent with the 1578 as described above. Would you call this a 1578?
I was told by a seller in Kiev who sold me 1578 tubes that 1578 are 6H8C that are tested and selected for military use. Then, a 1578 label is painted on the tube. This is what I was told. I have never bothered to verify it.
 
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I was told by a seller in Kiev who sold me 1578 tubes that 1578 are 6H8C that are tested and selected for military use. Then, a 1578 label is painted on the tube. This is what I was told. I have never bothered to verify it.
that's the same thing I was told by the hobbyist whom I bought my tubes from. Since there was no label he called them 6H8C.
doesn't matter too much if the tubes sound good...
 
that's the same thing I was told by the hobbyist whom I bought my tubes from. Since there was no label he called them 6H8C.
doesn't matter too much if the tubes sound good...
That's right. The only question I'd like to have answered is what criteria makes 1578 better suited for military use...and does it affect their sound? I suspect any affect on sound is an unintended benefit.
 
That's right. The only question I'd like to have answered is what criteria makes 1578 better suited for military use...and does it affect their sound? I suspect any affect on sound is an unintended benefit.

Often, tubes are designated to be suited for military use if they meet tighter tolerances when tested.
 
I communicated today with a tube seller in Kiev who says he has matched pairs of Melz 1578. He wants $1100/pair. I paid $200/pair less than two years ago.
 
On the Tungsram E80CC side :

This one :

Or this one :

The o only difference I can see so far is price and the color red & yellow
 

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