Heads Up on Gold Pin Sub-Miniatures

[Dr.Ears]

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[Alrainbow]

That is a shame there is so much counterfit out there of everything. The internet causes this simply by its ease of access. I bought some ps audio power cables who knows of they are real
no one can tell unless you cut them open. I have someone's I bought from ps audio directly I cannot tell either.

[MylesBAstor]

I believe there are more gold pin sub-miniatures offered on eBay that were ever produced.
Sadly, I must warn you to avoid these as they are probably counterfeits. I have been trading NOS tubes for over 25 years and have never seen anything like this before.
Do not buy NOS tubes on eBay unless you have access to a decent tube tester. I was running a 50% not as described rate before I finally gave up.

What tube tester are you using? I'm not sure what to believe when reading tubes. I use George Kaye's old tester for small signal tubes but truthfully, I think tubes that are worn out still test good. In other words, you can hear they lack dynamics but still sound sweet. But I do like the ability to test tubes for microphonics on George's tester. I've had some tubes--the EI ECC83s come to mind--that sounded like a metal mattress ringing. And in just one of the two triodes for instance.

At times, have thought about the Amplitrex but just can't justify the price. The other test have considered is the Maxi-matcher.

"There's a theme going on here. " Success brings death?

I hope you got those DR 6H30s before the supply ended and prices sky-rocketed (higher demand.) As NOS they went for ~$35 from Evgeny at Conus, but those days are long gone. I tried them in a CJ Premier 140 and heard only small improvements to top end extension. More improvement but still overall small effect in ARC Ref phonostages. Transient attack and decay slightly better. Today, imo, they're over-priced for what they deliver, though a bit longer lived.

[MylesBAstor]

I wasn't sure the Conus ones weren't counterfeit. I bought some from Parts Connexion a way back ('86 vintage IIRC) and they didn't sound very good. At least for the price. (I think they were $50 a tube then.) The Conus looked like the same tubes Parts Connexion was selling.

Then I bought four BAT sourced DR tubes off audiogon a while back and they were definitely better. Just more solidity, resolution and harmonics. Plus I don't find the new 6H30s deserve the name supertubes. I've had quite a few fail. Fail spectacularly too. No failures, knock on wood, with the DRs.

But I've also got two pairs of DR tubes I bought from a tube dealer that I've dealt with on occasion from Turkey who in turn ordered them from his Russian source. Two weeks later, two pairs of '70s vintage DR tubes arrived from Russia. But haven't tried them because the BAT tubes seems to last forever.

Back in '05 Eugene (Conus) told me he was bringing back the last 1500pcs available and half of those he sold to The Tube Store. Those looked and sounded the same as those I bought from him in '04 and showed the same sonic improvements over the EB versions. Agree about lifespan - I'm still running four of those. Today I would not buy any from someone I didn't know well. I think they're gone.

[Dr.Ears]

The "Tube Depot". Get yourself a pair of NOS NIB RCA 6C4 black plates, which are offered on eBay, at $15 to $20 a pair, the older the better!
FWI; No Sylvania, GE, or any gray plated tube ever made it into my reference system.

[MylesBAstor]

You think the RCA 6C4 sounds better than the Mullard version?

[Dr.Ears]

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[MylesBAstor]

Myles, they are so cheap that they are well worth a try. No Mullard tube ever made it into my system and I tried many different types of Mullard tubes. I use a simple knock-out rule, when doing A / B comparisons, once a tube makes it into my reference system it stays there until another tube bests it. Mullard tubes have a warm and mushy mid-range. As I stated in the 12AX7 section, the Tesla's are a best buy, they are the Tele ECC803S minus the gold pins and in my critical listening, gold pins do not make an audible difference. It is best to assume the real Tele ECC803S'es are extinct, any that'd are being sold are most likely counterfeits, they were made in such limited numbers, I seriously doubt that NOS ones exist and they are among the most counterfeited tubes along with the ECC88's with gold pins. In my A / B comparisons I could not break a tie between the Siemen's black plates and the Mazda nickel plates. The Siemen's had a better bottom end, while the Mazda's were more detailed. Given how little a portion of your overall system cost these small tubes are, I would do some rolling. My first suggestion would be a 5751 with black plates and triple micas, they have 70% of a 12AX7's gain and are referred to as an audiophiles 12AX7. They can make a big difference, especially in phono sections because the lower gain means less noise. I abandoned the 12 volt sub-minatures because I think they have too much gain for their small bottles and went with the 6 volt octals. I am now going back to the generation of tubes before the twin triodes, like the 6SN7 and 6SL7. The 6J5-GT, 6J5-G and European L 63's all feature one triode per bottle, each is the equivilent of one half of a 6SN7. The 6SF5-GT are one half a 6SL7 on steroids. They have a gain factor of 110 versus 80 for a 6SL7. In my first few days of reading posts on Audionirvana, I find, in general, your members have not done enough tube rolling compared to how much you spend on the rest of your systems. I don't know where this belongs, but Lampi' has a 211 VT-4-C output tube based integrated, which is well worth a listen (8,900 Euros wirhout options). Audio Note also makes a 211 based integrated at $26,500 US. GE made 211's like potato chips, so JAC Music has plenty of them NIB NOS, circa 1945 at $600 per pair, which was in the Golden Age of vacuum tube manufacturing. I read a review, which puts this amp close to your cj ART mono-blocks and I believe the unit, which was reviewed had current production 211's, not the GE's, which I just mentioned. I am shocked at how many manufacturers are using the Russian 6H30C, you can hardly spend $50 on a tube. Audio Consulting uses a pair in their Lithium battery powered MITA tube amplifier, 15 watt output at $310,000 US with your choice of finishes. These Swiss guys have to make the most expensive audio gear in the world. Check out their website for some laughs!

That may be true in many cases but over generalizing can also get us in trouble. Part is how the tube is used by cj in the driver stage. Bottom line, the ART's midrange-and a few have heard it here-is anything but mushy.

As as far as this 211 amp being close to the ART, did they compare in the same system? On what speakers? No way a little 211 amp will ever equal the ART on Magicos. I've read plenty of reviews too which claimed a lot of things-like this ss amp sounded like a SE amp-and after listening to the product in my system, the only conclusion I can come to is that they must have been stoned.

[Marcus]

I second that ART's midrange is anything but mushy. I used big Karan KAM2000 monos before ART and it's midrange was clean and clear as sky.

[Alrainbow]

Experience in tube rolling is pretty limited to each amp correct ? With A lampi I have over 100 pairs I use while some are favs over others. But as I do headphones and use two different lampi each type has a different sound while keeping to the type of course. Regarding tube testing Myles your right and to spend 2000 On a amperex and read how tube testers mostly don't test what's needed or perameters are wrong to test with.
While I make no claim to know anything except one thing.
And that is what I like regardless of who says what. Of course I do read and listen and try as well. I have tubes like 6A3 that are good for headphones as they are mid centric boosting it s but does wonderful things for bad recordings with headphones but with speakers they are odd. Some test poor or weak
i also have new nos same brands test as new and look it.
There is no difference I can hear.

Another view I have is we all hear somewhat different.
Now some will say this means some just have poor taste
Do you a urine yellow car from the 80. Well some people do and love it. Hiw many times I have gone to some ones place and was horrified and other times pleased
it's personnel someone somewhere loves it or hates it lol.

[Dr.Ears]

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[MylesBAstor]

Noc. 👀

[Alrainbow]

See I now I really like you lol. I love Learning as much as listening. I have many about 20 pair or so of 6 a3 and yes they do sound different even if they look simaler.

I have many brands and some cross over tubes that use a tube pin converter. I buy them and make them as well. Pretty easy stuff. The lampi dacs are not the same as the head dac has a driver and the big 7 does not. The new Kron sound best in the new one over the head dac.
Its exactly as you state its soup of many ingredients

[Alrainbow]

Here is idea we all can benifit from. I found this to be helpful for me. Find a pair of reference tubes and keep fhem aside. Use them when you buy new tubes be it nos or new. As I have many pairs of 6A3 that are from many brands , years and styles I use what I feel is very good as a ref tool. Also for anyone who has a headphone rig they yield better results than speakers in the way you see into he music with a microscope
grantness or added times may not show up in speakers alone.

[Dr.Ears]

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[Alrainbow]

Oh so true. Tube rolling is a rabbit hole
on a few lampi forums I posted about the virtues of a solid state recti. About a year later now it's catching on.
Tubby people are an odd breed of audiophile each feels they know all and most are not willing to share there trials lol.
You post honesty that is rare sir and most don't want honesty it insults there stature hahahhaa.

[Dr.Ears]

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[Alrainbow]

Many years ago when some of us were getting married for the first time lol. We all bought rings. Mine was bought through a child hood friend who worked in that business with his family. To me to have one in the trade is a plus.
He helped me pick a nice 1 k ring with great clarity a bluish color and brilliant shine with reflections
another friend bought a markie cut that had inperfections inside I could see with my eyes alone.
He asked my friend how did it look. He instisted Oman honest assessment. You now hiw well that went hahahhaa. Thanks for the replies very kind and honest