[Starchild]

My preamp is a Margules sf220r.  It takes 4-12au7s and 1-6dj8/6922.  Interestingly enough the dealer  told me that using a 6es8 instead of a 6dj8/6922 would make my preamp really sing.  I tried it, loved them and I've never looked back since.  Due to the prevailing opinion that the 6es8 is not a good tube, they're dirt cheap (typically $5-$8/ea).  I'd be interested in an unbiased opinion of why this tube works so well.  Happy listening.

Mike

6ES8 works great as a buffer but not good for gain.  Your dealer probably realized that your preamp used the 6dj8 as a buffer so then he knew that the 6ES8 would work.  6ES8 is a variable gain tube, so it won't work for audio gain stage, but as a buffer (no gain) it will work just fine.  That is also partly why they are cheap.

Thanks for that information.  I'm technically challenged but your explanation makes sense.  I crossed over to tubes in 1998 and haven't looked back sense. 

Mike

[dyohn]

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[rajacat]

How about 12AT7s'? I've been evaluating EH, Mullard and Tung Sol. So far I favor the Mullards in my AVA T7. They seem more dimensional and organic without losing detail. I'm very curious about the Sylvania.

-Roy

[Tyson]

Rajacat,
I had the T7 for a while and did a bit of tube rolling in it.  Siemens were the best tube I found for it, with Mullards next, and Brimars being a poor match.  Never heard the Sylvanias.

Since then, my VTL tube amps used 12at7's, and I found I really liked Amperex and RCA Black Plates as well.  In fact, Amperex is the best 12at7 I've heard, although I've not heard the Telefunkens, which are supposed to be the very best (but are very expensive).

[rajacat]

Tyson,

Thanks, I'll have to put the Amperex and Siemans on my watch list. I've heard good things about the Raytheon black plates too. Soon I'll have a quad of Telefunken 12AX7s for use as trade bait. I also have a spare set of Mullard 12AT7s that I could use for trading too.

-Roy

[Tyson]

I actually have an octet (!) of cryo'd Siemens 12at7's, so if you are interested in trading, I'm interested in those Mullards, as I can certainly spare a pair of the cryo'd Siemens.

[Berndt]

How about 12AT7s'? I've been evaluating EH, Mullard and Tung Sol. So far I favor the Mullards in my AVA T7. They seem more dimensional and organic without losing detail. I'm very curious about the Sylvania.

-Roy

I hope those are the mullards I sent?
Glad they are working for you.

[rajacat]

How about 12AT7s'? I've been evaluating EH, Mullard and Tung Sol. So far I favor the Mullards in my AVA T7. They seem more dimensional and organic without losing detail. I'm very curious about the Sylvania.

-Roy

I hope those are the mullards I sent?
Glad they are working for you.

Yes, those are the tubes. I've just used one pair, the pair with the Mullard logo and they work fine. Perhaps it's my imagination but it seems that they needed about 20 hours to break in.

-Roy

[rajacat]

I actually have an octet (!) of cryo'd Siemens 12at7's, so if you are interested in trading, I'm interested in those Mullards, as I can certainly spare a pair of the cryo'd Siemens.

Yes I'm interested in a trade.

-Roy

[jimdgoulding]

Jim, What model ARC preamp are you using ? I agree with most of the comments here that it is circuit dependent. That being said i think the Siemens/Sylvania 7308 sound a lot better in my ARC than the Sovteks. I think you can still get these for around $20 from  http://www.halfin.com/shop/ . I also think the 6922 Matsushita from Tube Monger are even better for about $10 bucks more.
  http://www.tubemonger.com/Matsushita_Japan_6922_E88CC_Mullard_Tooling_NOS_p/591.htm
Sturgus

Thanks, Sturgus, I'm just now seeing your reply.  I'm using one half of your pre (right?), an ARC LS7.  I will check out those sites.  Anything else you think I should know? 

[AudioSoul]

I believe I will go with ARC's recommendation of a particular 6922 tube.  Sovtek 6922's are no longer available.  Last I checked, they were supplying Electro Harmonix 6922's.  I may try a set of JAN-Philips 6922's at some point.  Info on the Tube Store site says these are the tubes Bugle Boy sells under their own name.  I have tried a set of expensive Russian 6922's and thought they were fuller sounding.  I got a feeling based on a clip of a review of 6922's at large from Vacuum Tube Valley's magazine that the J-P/Bugle Boys have that in common with the latter.  Thanks, fellas, I believe that I am good to go.  Maybe others can benefit from your wisdom.  I believe I just have.  You da man.

    I just recently changed the tubes in my Counterpoint SA-3000 from Sovtek 6922 to Electro Harmonics 6922. The Electro Harmonics actually sound softer than the Sovteks, which are known to be softer sounding. A lot of it depends of the circuitry used in the preamp also. Just my $02

[jimdgoulding]

Audiosoul-  Good for you, mate.  I listened exclusively with a Counterpoint 5 (I think that was the designation- their all tube i.e. power supply) preamp for years.  Just high enough output so I could run my first generation Koetsu straight in.  Still got it in mothballs.  One channel is out.  Cheers.

[Frihed91]

I have a 6SN7 preamp - deHavilland UV2 or 3 model - and a custom Blue Circle SBT that is switchable between 6922 and 6DJ8.  The thing about the UV preamp is that you can "tune" it a lot more with the 6SN7 and subs than you can the BC preamp.  It's the tube, not the preamp.