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My 6922 Tubes Are Too Bright!

I recently bought a Canary CD-100 CD player.  I swapped out the ElectroHarmonix 6922 tubes for Amperex NOS made in Holland since I had read a review stating that the tubes it came with were too bright.  Unfortunately, it's still too bright for my tastes.  Does anyone have a 6922 they would recommend that's a bit warmer?
Thanks!
wbaggesen
tls49's avatar
tls49
1,351 posts
 

Have rolled quite a few 6922/7308/6DJ8. The early Siemens 6922/E88CC with gray shield was one of my favorites and always sounded excellent, never bright. Sometimes they may be labeled RCA, made in West Germany.

audioengr
3,282 posts
 

I used the Siemens CCA grey-plate tubes in my tube DAC I used to manufacture.  Excellent tube, fast and clean.  They can be $450 a pair from Germany on ebay, but worth it. 

If your system still sounds bright with this tube, then there is something else wrong in your system, probably too much jitter from the digital source, or may be your preamp.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
I’m wondering if the problem is indeed your CDP and tube selection. With regard to your Amperex, there are many variants and levels of that brand leading up to the PQ. The higher you go, the more refined the top-end.

I have also rolled quite a few NOS 6922/7308/6DJ8 in my DAC. I did not find them bright, but found differences in the bass slam and sweetness of the mids.
    Siemens and Telefunken are tubes that have open, dynamic sonics. Their top-end is extended but smooth, never bright. I would not use many of the new production tubes as a reference since few of them present linear sonics. Possibly try the
JJ/Tesla E88CC recommended by @newbee .

Can you tell us what the rest of your system consists of? Room size, any acoustic treatments?
It may be this CDP does not have the right synergy with one of your components, such as speakers, ICs, or preamp.




roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,092 posts
 
The only 6922’s that I have experience with are the Telefunkens that I have in my DAC, and they’re not bright. I bought them NOS from Upscale Audio.
bigshutterbug
385 posts
 
I have rolled a LOT of different NOS 6922's in various amps, pre-amps and DACs over the past 20 years. Stay away from the newer orange label Amperex 6922's, as well as the green label ones. The early 1960s U.S. white labels are less forward sounding and have stronger bass than the comparable Holland versions, and well balanced all around. Prices are not near as high as the Telefunkens, which are wonderful tubes as well, but a bit "cooler" sounding (not as warm). The Tele's are hard to beat for detail and clarity, but the Amperex ones I mentioned come quite close. Mullards are warmer, sweeter, and not edgy in general. 
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