What would you do with an awesome quad of 6BQ5?

Hmmm, interesting idea with the ASL? We will see...

I just scored an Antique Sound Labs HB-1 OTL headphone amp that uses two 6BQ5's and it is really a sleeper soundwise. If you decide to buy a headphone amp that uses two of those Amperex, I'd consider buying the other pair. I'm using a pair of Sylvania blackplates right now and some Mullards are on the way, but those Amperex come VERY highly recommended.
Neil
.

Of course! I have the source and speakers, I just amp roll instead of tube roll. Thinking hard of find some Williamson-2's. They used these?

If you got a good deal on the tubes and they are a matched quad with near-NOS measurements, you could always re-sell them for a tidy profit and use the proceeds to buy you some nice mountain bike equipment. (O:

Obviously, when you find a great tube, you build a new system around it. Find the preamp or amp is goes best in then work from there in both directions: source, speakers, wires. And you're done.

By the way, therapy won't help. Work is very slow right now, I'm simply bored but have a great hobby when not mountain biking.

I appreciate the Pilot suggestions. I've already owned a 245B (I think that was the model) integrated with matching tuner and multiplexer. I'm looking a little more obscure? I may end up getting something like a very old Williamson based amp? Thanks, keep the inputs coming :-)

Along the lines of Sherod's suggestion, wait a while and see if a Pilot SA-232 appears for sale, for a reasonable price. As you may know, it is reputedly one of the best sounding vintage 6BQ5/EL84 amplifiers, and should make for an interesting project and listening experience. You most likely could sell it for a profit eventually, if you so chose, if you cited in its description the excellent tubes, and excellent operating condition (following any needed restoration that you would perform).

Regards,
-- Al

And after your therapy, find a vintage Fisher or Pilot amp or integrated that uses these 6bq5 tubes and hear the magic that these tubes have. For current 6bq5(EL84) tubes, a good matched quad of JJ EL84 tubes are sounding very good in my refurbished Pilot 402 receiver.

go get some therapy.