Shootout of Nos 6sn7 tubes

@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.

@dlcockrum ok update on Melz noise issue. Seller told me 30-40% of these older Melz tubes have noise issues due to old tin solder in the pins. He told me to heat each pin with a solder iron and get them hot enough to repair internal joints. He said it rarely doesn’t solve the issue. I got my solder iron out and the noise is gone now👍! Time will tell if the noise stays away🤞. These tubes paired with my DAC 1974 Reflector 6N23P Single Wire Silver Shields is beyond what I thought my modest system had in it. They just sound better in every way with zero fatigue. I am truly surprised the impact tubes can make.It is going to be hard to switch them out but each tube has its pro’s and cons.

@tksteingraber 

I have read that it’s closer to 50% of them are noisy/microphonic. That’s pretty good odds of getting bad tubes. You really need a competent and honest seller if you are going to buy them. 

@dlcockrum my light bulb E-6SN7 LinLai pair arrived and have 80+ hours on them now.  When I first played them they sounded quite bright with a booming bass and recessed dull midrange.  I was ready to send them back but read they needed 50-100 hours break-in for them to come to life.  On my system and my ears the LinLai  tubes have improved noticeably with break-in hours.    My assessment pretty much matches some of the other thread postings out there.  The Good:  excellent clarity, quiet, nice instrument separation, wide soundstage, fantastic tight clear deep bass. The not so great: treble on the bright side, soundstage is wide but flat lacking 3D depth, midrange just lacking a bit - just missing that full resonating sound.  Overall this is a very nice new construction tube.  I feel the LinLai’s had a Solid State kind of sound or digital vs analog analogy when compared to NOS.  I would highly recommend them for amp builders and anyone who doesn’t want to get into the NOS tube intricacies.  I could be very happy with this tube but I still prefer my NOS ‘50’s Melz, Sylvania GTA chrome domes, 6fg8’s.  I do like them better than Sylvania vt-231 and Ken-Rad black glass vt-231’s which I feel are a step down from the others listed.    Granted this is just my opinion, on my system with my ears and preference for the warmer tube so take it as such.  I will continue to give them more playing time.  They are definitely keepers and I will enjoy them for a different flavor choice.  

@tksteingraber Thanks for the thorough description of your listening impressions of the Linlai E-6SN7 tubes. Sounds like a good tube overall yet probably not one I want to add to my stable based on the weaknesses you noted.

The 1982 Melz 1578s have settled in very nicely as they accumulate more hours. I definitely place them in my top five. Still a touch forward in the upper mids but no longer objectionable. Their superb soundstage and bass continue to impress and, despite their reputation, one of the quietest tubes I own.

What’s up next for you? Perhaps a pair of Tungsol 6f8g round plates?