VAC amps 6SN7 tube rolling

[Dizzie]

I know Kevin carefully voices all of his equipment but I wonder if the need for affordable and plentiful tubes limits performance. Has anyone swapped 6SN7s in VAC amps for better or worse? I am not fluent in tube history so I would prefer something new and readily available. I refuse to search for a quad of NOS tubes made in the afternoon of the second Tuesday in May, 1952.

I swapped Ray Tubes Reserve 6SN7s into my Linear Tube Audio DAC. The performance improvement was dramatic. But in that case, LTA recommended the tubes and took the worry out of my decision.

 

[gadawg]

I own the Statement 452IQ Mono amps and currently am running the Sophia Electric 6SN7’s. I had some NOS Sylvania 6SN7’s that were better for sure by a long shot but they were just too noisy. I haven’t found a good clean set of those .. 8 tubes in all for me so I’m sticking with the Sophia Blues for now. If I can find the Sylvania’s that are noise free though I’ll go there in a heart beat. I did buy the Amplitrex tube tester to try and match tubes before putting them in. I’m finding that even when I buy matched sets of new tubes they are most often not matched within 10% much less 5%. In my Statement Linestage I did finally find a true NOS pair of Bugle Boy 6dj8’s in new condition and that matched both sections in each tube and to each other by less than 5% difference. WOW did those tubes make a difference. I did try and buy a few more pairs but all of the other tubes so far tested nearly end of life not NOS. The Amplitrex has already paid for itself. Good luck!

George

 

[Michaels HiFi]

The Amplitrex has already paid for itself. Good luck!

George

I agree!

A good tube tester.....or 12 as I have.....always pay for themselves if you have tube gear.

Most new tube producers consider 10% "matched". I'm not saying I agree.

 

[Dizzie]

I own the Statement 452IQ Mono amps and currently am running the Sophia Electric 6SN7’s. I had some NOS Sylvania 6SN7’s that were better for sure by a long shot but they were just too noisy. I haven’t found a good clean set of those .. 8 tubes in all for me so I’m sticking with the Sophia Blues for now. If I can find the Sylvania’s that are noise free though I’ll go there in a heart beat. I did buy the Amplitrex tube tester to try and match tubes before putting them in. I’m finding that even when I buy matched sets of new tubes they are most often not matched within 10% much less 5%. In my Statement Linestage I did finally find a true NOS pair of Bugle Boy 6dj8’s in new condition and that matched both sections in each tube and to each other by less than 5% difference. WOW did those tubes make a difference. I did try and buy a few more pairs but all of the other tubes so far tested nearly end of life not NOS. The Amplitrex has already paid for itself. Good luck!

George

George,

What level Sophia Electric did you buy? There are 5 levels maxing at $230/tube.