[Slapshot]

As the title says, I am in need of some reasonably priced 6CA7tubes for newly purchased monoblock amps. NOS, or even used old stock that tests well would be fine. A big part of the problem is quantity. I need two matched quads of 6CA7's. I've checked all the usual places and pricing is through the roof. I cannot afford to spend $1000.00 or more to provide tubes for the amps.

This is also really driven by the fact that there is only one currently produced 6CA7 that I can locate, and its mediocre at best.And, of course, any NOS EL34's were, I think, gone before the Vietnam war. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Tom Bombadil]

I assume you are saying that the EH 6CA7 is mediocre.  I don't have any but have read opinions from several others who like them. 

If you can use KT77, which nearly any amp which runs 6CA7 can, then the new Gold Lion KT77 are excellent.   IMO even better than many of the vintage EL34 and 6CA7 tubes.   Also you can buy them in matched sets, which is nearly impossible for vintage.  Even when sellers list vintage/NOS tubes as "matched" they usually mean label-matched or data of manufactured matched, not truly matched.

I have two sets of 1960s GE/Sylvania "Fat Boy" 6CA7s and I like my GL KT77s better. 

Even the much less expensive JJ KT77 tubes are pretty decent.  More reliable than they were a few years ago. 

[FullRangeMan]

Not easy or cheap find matched quartet tubes of any model, I could sold such amp.

[Tyson]

6CA7, EL34 and KT77 are all interchangeable.  IMO the new Gold Lion KT77 sounds quite good and won't break the bank.

[Kw6]

Not easy or cheap find matched quartet tubes of any model, I could sold such amp.

Is Gold Lion KT77 better than new Tungsol EL34b?

[ArthurDent]

Not sure what you would consider 'reasonably' priced, but these folks appear to still have the Shuguang WE6CA7+ quad sets, 2 sets would be slightly over half your noted price. Shipping will bump that up some.

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shuguang-electronic-tube-valve-c-49?zenid=49ab0f0e3972828a907f327da1e75848

Recommended to me by Don Sachs, I got these as well as some WE6SN7s, service was great. Delivered in less than a week if I remember. I found the  WE6CA7+ a very pleasant & noticeable improvement over the stock EH 6CA7s in my AVA Ultravalve.  fwiw

[jjss49]

6CA7, EL34 and KT77 are all interchangeable.  IMO the new Gold Lion KT77 sounds quite good and won't break the bank.

i agree with this

new russian tungsol branded el34's are a very close second to russian gold lion kt77's - both linear top to bottom, good frequency extension, nice clear dimensional mids and mid bass, very good imaging... kt77 has a little more impactful bottom end but tungsols are not bad in the bass, kt77 just a touch more slam and depth

[rotarius]

Don't forget JJ makes a great sounding 6ca7.  You will need to get well tested ones,  not as reliable as EH tubes.

[Tom Bombadil]

My most surprising find of vintage Sylvania fat bottle 6CA7 was from Goodwill.  They had three of them.  I went home and got my tester, they all tested as new.  Gave me a 7-day return window.  I paid $90.  They were all good.  That was three years ago.  They all still work fine. 

[FullRangeMan]

Is Gold Lion KT77 better than new Tungsol EL34b?

Have no experience with the KT77, but I suppose it depend on the system, recording, type of music and personal taste.

[Markwatkiss]

I've had multiple varieties of 6CA7/EL34 tubes including Psvane, Shugaung,Siemens and in my amp the Genalex Golden Lion KT 77's were notably better.Only eclipsed by vintage Mullard XF2's but 4 times more expensive.

[DaveC113]

+43 for GL KT77. Not as reliable as NOS, but it seems to be the equal of many NOS tubes as far as sound.

The only issue I've had with the new Russian tubes is loss of vacuum. The getter on several of my new stock Russian tubes has turned white, it happens very quickly and usually pretty near the start of the tube's life. I think after some heat cycles some tubes seal may fail.

[FullRangeMan]

it happens very quickly and usually pretty near the start of the tube's life.
Sorry to hear this, it sounds the tube seller do no one burning on these tubes.

[lokie]

Hey... I've got some GE NOS. I'll pass them along for what I have in them.

My tech measured them recently and they are good. 4 matching and one for spare, so, 5 total.


Upon further interest, I can send pictures later today. Please let me know.

[knotscott]

Nesstone.com has some of the best deals I've seen.  I'm currently running the Nesstone brand, which I promoted over the EH EL34s, and EH 6CA7 fat bottles.  They took a while to break in, but have come to really like these tubes. I've read that they're made by Shuguang, but don't know for sure.  I do know they're cheap, and they sound excellent.

https://nesstone.com/product/nesstone-premium-hand-selected-el34-6ca7/

[FullRangeMan]

Do you could say what will be the time life of these Nesstones ?

[knotscott]

Do you could say what will be the time life of these Nesstones ?

Not yet.    250+ hours so far.  Tube life has as much to do with how they're used, bias, the circuit, ventilation, etc.  I have no reason to believe these wouldn't last as long as any other 6CA7/EL34 in this system.

[Kw6]

+43 for GL KT77. Not as reliable as NOS, but it seems to be the equal of many NOS tubes as far as sound.

Are the Kt77 warm sounding tube?
The only issue I've had with the new Russian tubes is loss of vacuum. The getter on several of my new stock Russian tubes has turned white, it happens very quickly and usually pretty near the start of the tube's life. I think after some heat cycles some tubes seal may fail.