Totally Tubular: The Tube Thread

[dansomeone]

I’m not selling; just sharing!

Manley Stingray For Sale | Audiogon

Manley Stingray Tube for sale. Perfect condition. Highly regarded EL-34 based integrated amp. Fixed bias, dual mono block configuration on a single...

www.audiogon.com

Good gravy this seems like an incredible deal. I understand it's the I, which went out of production in 2009. But the current model, the II, retails for $8299. That $2400 retail price in the ad has to be from back when this seller bought it, and with inflation...

 

[HiFi Guy]

Good gravy this seems like an incredible deal. I understand it's the I, which went out of production in 2009. But the current model, the II, retails for $8299. That $2400 retail price in the ad has to be from back when this seller bought it, and with inflation...

As much as I love the Stingray, $8299 is insane. I wouldn’t pay that in this lifetime, or my next one either.

 

[Joe Mac]

New Tube Day!

Almost 2 years in and 3 of my 4 KT88 are always flashing on turn off so I decided to give something completely different a try! I’m both going NOS and a different tube for the first time! Got rid of those 3 and kept the 4th KT88 as a spare.

These are Svetlana Winged C 6550. I got the ones from the TAD Selected Batch. They say that they have picked the best performing ones out of the NOS they have and stamped their logo over the original factory one. You should see both logos in the picture. It was only a €5 extra a tube so worth the chance.

Really looking forward to hearing something new!

 

[dansomeone]

New Tube Day!

Almost 2 years in and 3 of my 4 KT88 are always flashing on turn off so I decided to give something completely different a try! I’m both going NOS and a different tube for the first time! Got rid of those 3 and kept the 4th KT88 as a spare.

These are Svetlana Winged C 6550. I got the ones from the TAD Selected Batch. They say that they have picked the best performing ones out of the NOS they have and stamped their logo over the original factory one. You should see both logos in the picture. It was only a €5 extra a tube so worth the chance.

Really looking forward to hearing something new!

Plus one for slipping the white Wharfedale gloves in there.

 

[Joe Mac]

Plus one for slipping the white Wharfedale gloves in there.

Can’t be handling tubes with bare hands!

 

[HiFi Guy]

New Tube Day!

Almost 2 years in and 3 of my 4 KT88 are always flashing on turn off so I decided to give something completely different a try! I’m both going NOS and a different tube for the first time! Got rid of those 3 and kept the 4th KT88 as a spare.

These are Svetlana Winged C 6550. I got the ones from the TAD Selected Batch. They say that they have picked the best performing ones out of the NOS they have and stamped their logo over the original factory one. You should see both logos in the picture. It was only a €5 extra a tube so worth the chance.

Really looking forward to hearing something new!

View attachment 170038View attachment 170039View attachment 170040

You should like them. As I understand it, 6550s are the American industrial version of the British KT88. I think the KT88 sounds a bit better, but the 6550 certainly lasts longer.

 

[Joe Mac]

Burning in nicely with a lovely blue light in there!

 

[AnthonyI]

Burning in nicely with a lovely blue light in there!

View attachment 170248

I miss that glow sometimes

 

[Joe Mac]

I miss that glow sometimes

It absolutely adds to the ambience!

I’m also going to have to learn how to take low light photos better. I’m guessing a tripod to compensate for my utter lack of a steady hand!

 

[AnthonyI]

It absolutely adds to the ambience!

I’m also going to have to learn how to take low light photos better. I’m guessing a tripod to compensate for my utter lack of a steady hand!

A Tripod would be your best buddy in that situation

 

[OMC]

EL84s are smooth and sweet along with being spritely dynamic in the right set up.

 

[Joe Mac]

Well today I blew a fuse on the adaptive auto bias board and learned how to change it.

The change to having the little screw out fuse next to the on off switch on the evo series is definitely a positive one!

Edit: Ordered 10 replacement fuses from a local parts place and put the GL KT88 back into the amp in place of the faulty 6550 and fired an email to the tube supplier in Germany looking for a replacement!

 

[bdm105]

I miss that glow sometimes

I'll send you a pic whenever you'd like

 

[Angsty]

Ahhhhh…
View attachment 167433View attachment 167440

How are your tubes and Pass Labs holding up versus you prior configurations?

 

[Slimwhit33]

How are your tubes and Pass Labs holding up versus you prior configurations?

I guess I haven’t posted here in a bit about impressions….

I actually moved the Decware on last week as, in my setup, it was really just adding a bit of noise and I realized that I get 95% of the tube lushness with the Luxman with better bass grip and control. My tube amplification days are kaput.

However, I do have the Luxman listed on USAM at a price that I’d accept. I’m in no hurry. I put aside the Decware dough, and if the Luxman sells, I’m considering a couple different options including a McIntosh MA352 Integrated (SS amplification/Tube pre) or some Pass separates.

The Pass XP-15 is an awesome phono stage. I love it and don’t see myself changing it.

I won’t derail this tube thread with my speaker thoughts. I’ll discuss in the Klipsch thread…

 

[Angsty]

I realized that I get 95% of the tube lushness with the Luxman with better bass grip and control. My tube amplification days are kaput.

Given that 95% is a high percentage, what benefit would you anticipate from a McIntosh hybrid?

 

[Slimwhit33]

Given that 95% is a high percentage, what benefit would you anticipate from a McIntosh hybrid?

Good question. More power. Greater flexibility with speaker choice. I haven’t tried a tube pre and a SS amp combo and I’d like to and figured the McIntosh might fit the bill.

 

[Angsty]

I’m considering a couple different options including a McIntosh MA352 Integrated (SS amplification/Tube pre)

I’m a lurking McIntosh fan. Per the HiFi World review, it seems very nice indeed. I can see why you’d be interested.

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/-/media/Files/mcintoshlabs/ReviewAwardDocuments/MA352-Hi-Fi-World-February-2020.pdf

 

[SnowmaNick]

This is a little rambling, just wanted to share.

TLR version, Raytheon black plates rock.

I recently rolled in some NOS Raytheon black plate 12AU7 and used Herbie’s tube dampers while putting them into my Margules integrated. I was running RCA clear tops previously as the Sylvania’s that came stock didn’t sound right to me.

These Raytheon’s and the tube dampers totally changed the sound. Everything is so much more solid and powerful sounding. The RCA’s had a touch better imaging holographic and air, but the Raytheon’s imaging is nothing to be mad at.

Funny enough, with the new tubes, I’m rethinking future upgrades. I have an order in with Decware for their phono and SUT, and I think I’ll maybe get a new DAC next instead of the pre/power combo I was thinking of.

 

[Joe Mac]

This is a little rambling, just wanted to share.

TLR version, Raytheon black plates rock.

I recently rolled in some NOS Raytheon black plate 12AU7 and used Herbie’s tube dampers while putting them into my Margules integrated. I was running RCA clear tops previously as the Sylvania’s that came stock didn’t sound right to me.

These Raytheon’s and the tube dampers totally changed the sound. Everything is so much more solid and powerful sounding. The RCA’s had a touch better imaging holographic and air, but the Raytheon’s imaging is nothing to be mad at.

Funny enough, with the new tubes, I’m rethinking future upgrades. I have an order in with Decware for their phono and SUT, and I think I’ll maybe get a new DAC next instead of the pre/power combo I was thinking of.

Let me know what you think of that phono. It’s definitely on my list for my next one!