Shootout of Nos 6sn7 tubes

@markusthenaimnut obsession what obsession 😳. Don’t miss out on 7n7 with an adapter 🤪

@shkong78 got it and respect your decision to have us discover 6f8g’s on our own. Cheers! 

@dlcockrum ‘56/53 Melz arrived today.  Both tested closely matched and 100%+.  They sounded wonderful in all areas but  the bass, mid-bass and details were the best I have experienced.  The only area it may not be the best is the soundstage seemed focused and didn’t fill the room as other tubes do. The only problem is my fear of noise appeared.  The ‘56 tubes sputters quite frequently.  We’ll see if it works itself out but it will probably be taking a return trip back home.  Fyi- I cancelled the Ken-Rad 6f8g’s and ordered a pair of Linlai 6sn7-e’s instead.

Also, received a quad of Russian Foton factory ‘65 6sn8 black base.  At $30 including shipping best deal to be had.  They are new and test NOS. They sound just as good as any of the Sylvania 6sn7 line except for the vt-231/bad boy’s are more refined.  Russian tubes from Melz, Foton Voskhod and Refector from the ‘50-mid 70’s seem to be very nice tubes.  I have several ‘50-60’s Russian 63ps/6l6’s that are as good as any tubes.  Time to turn off the ebay/paypal line of credit🤣

Interesting thread. I have been a 6SN7 enthusiast since around 2003. After owning and using all the better versions in that time, I have finally stepped off of the 6SN7 merry go round and settled on my latest find. I am now using Ken-Rad 7193 with adaptors. 7193 is half of a 6SN7, same as the 6J5. They differ in that the 7193 has the anodes on top like the 6F8G. My adaptors are made by a guy in Bulgaria who point to point wires them as opposed to the circuit board type from china. I found a U.S. source for the Ken-Rads who has a huge supply of them, new in military box, and they are only $8 each. So at $32 a set I'll take them all day long over the stupid money people charge for 6SN7!!

@Linlai Elites E

$354 delivered for a pair of chinese tubes? Oh hell no. Plus, chinese tubes are notorious for short life span. Good luck with these. 

@charliee ken-rad 7193 sounds interesting but I need less choices not more🤪.  For $165 for a pair I am willing to give Linlai-E’s a go.  I have not heard that these Linlai-E’s have had short life issues?  Several well respected Amp makers now use them with glowing recommendations.  Anyone experience issues with Linlai E’s?

@tksteingraber Thanks for the feedback on the 50’s Melz tubes. I find your observation regarding the constricted soundstage interesting. My 1982 1578 exemplars excel at soundstaging IMO. Perhaps a loss of some soundstaging is the price one pays to get the reputedly more balanced midrange of the 50s tubes?

Apparently it is not uncommon for the early Melz to have noise issues. IIRC there is a tutorial (on head-fi.org?) for resoldering the pins on Melz tubes that has been reported to yield positive results in many cases.

Regarding the upper-midrange prominence I was experiencing early on from the 1982 1578s, I ran the ISOTEK break-in/conditioning track several times and it seems to have further reduced this. These tubes are sounding very good now, but I still perceive that, despite the strengths you denote in your post above, they lack the musicality and emotional engagement of the NU 6f8g’s or the TungSol VT-231s. More time will tell…

I am interested in hearing your feedback on the Linlai Elite.