Shootout of Nos 6sn7 tubes

Agree it’s very difficult to say which 6SN7 tube is best.  We all have our preferences and our systems vary greatly.  For my system the Melz just stand out and hit all the marks although several others sound great just different.  I also like the analogy of fine wine…many taste good but with subtle differences in flavor.  Fun to rotate them for different moods.

@tksteingraber 

It is indeed fun to rotate the tube depending on your mood or music.

But be sure to use socket saver.

Otherwise, it will be lot of work to replace tube socket in your pre or main amp.

Just 2 cents.

Thomas

I also had tried four different kind of 7n7 out of curiosity 2 years ago.

Although they sound clear and detailed but lack overall musicality compared with vt231 or 6f8g tunes.

I got the impression that they sound rather thin in my system.

But 7n7 tubes are reasonably priced.

Thus you may try them for fun or different flavor.

You never know until you try them in your system.

It need adapter.

Thomas

Thus no more interest in 7n7.

Thomas

Good morning

can you tell me please which is the "less tubey" 6SN7 tube?

I mean, the more transparent (to the recording), the more detailed, not warm or coloured, precise, with great bass clarity and definition and soundstage too?

thanks.

Melz 1578, TS round plate, Raytheon VT-231 flat plates

@davenrk it seems you have mistakenly drawn the conclusion that tubes are generally not transparent, and detailed.  I find them more transparent and detailed than any ss amp.  It's like taking the heavy blanket off the speaker.

So any of the highly rated tubes are rated that way for detail and transparency.

I think "warmth" is often a euphemism for "less harsh".  People who have a harsh system try to add something to reduce the harshness. and if the harshness is caused by their pre, and they put a tube pre in, they think that tubes are less harsh,  they are really just more accurate. 

BTW, this is a 4+ yr old thread.

Jerry