Best 6922 for pre

I way too many tubes of the 6DJ8/ECC88 family, 6922/E88CC, 7308/E188CC types (except Telefunken -- I just couldn't bring myself to pay the price!). Very generally speaking, there is a fairly consistent "house sound" to Siemens (sometimes labeled RCA), Philips Holland Heerlen factory, sold under various names), Amperex (Hicksville, NY), and Mullard.

"Best" is a matter of taste and synergy with your equipment. So "try 'em all." Buy "slightly used" tubes and have a party.

I change tubes from time to time. Which is best? Whatever I have in the pre-amp at that moment.

The Tubeworld web site has a great deal of information and discussion of one type versus another. The tubes are extremely well selected, but it is reflected in the prices. Tubemonger has quality tubes at good prices. I won't make any negative comments here.

As far as price goes, my view now is that it can be cheaper in the long run to buy a primo pair of tubes from a reputable dealer, at a high price, than it is to buy several pair of the same type on eBay, chasing that elusive bargain. Just my opinion, based on experience learning the hard way.

If you enjoy a very linear, extended freq. response(without glare or bloat), liquid mids(no coloration) and wide dynamics: The pre-1968 Siemens CCa is the tube for you. The ones manufactured after '68(silver plate under getter support and internal date code) are rather strident on top. The early CCa's are very costly lately, because so many share this opinion, but worth every penny. The E188CC/7308 is no slouch either. In an otherwise transparent system, they will provide you with a very natural presentation. Whatever tubes you choose to seek out: Be certain they are tested and certified "pre-amp grade".

I like Telefunken 6DJ8s the best. 6DJ8s have a lower voltage limit for anodes. So you may want to check the anode voltage of your preamp first.

A suggestion. Different pre-amps respond differently to identical tubes. My personal best (or anyones for that matter) does not exist in a vacumm. If you want some help in selecting tubes for your pre-amp and have a predisposition for certain qualities or tone, why not just list the particulars and you should get some good feed back.

If you just want to see what a lot of folks think about 6922's in general I would suggest that you could get a much broader view from doing some reseach in the archives here and more importantly on the Tubes Forum in AudioAsylum.

FWIW.

Last tube pre I had the pinched waist amperex were great. Excellent dynamics and dimensionality but they are pretty hard to come by. I would check out Andy at vintage tube service.

I moved to a JC2 and couldn’t be happier; I don’t miss the tubes at all….