6922 Tubes!

Strateahed:

In my system, while the Russian rocket logo 6N1P’s were indeed very quiet, they’re a bit sterile for my tastes. I think I have a quad of those in my accessory drawer somewhere.

Well, yeah. I can see your point, but it can also be related to system matching. Not long after I got my 6N1Ps, I put in a Denon DL-160 I had lying around, and it suddenly sounded engaging and dynamic. Then I got a Shelter 201, and it wowed me with its transparent and fulsome midrange, and strong but not overwhelming bass. Now I’m using an AT150 with Shibata tip mounted to a cherry wood headshell, and the combination is marvelous. The 6N1Ps may sound a little sterile with your current setup, but maybe if you warm things up a little elsewhere (wood headshell, warmer mat, etc.) it may help you appreciate the lower noise floor and broader dynamic range that the 6N1Ps bring to the party.

@mofimadness Thanks for that tip I bookmarked that page to try those out on my next retube, the price is right!

I got a full set of Philips 7DJ8 from Upscale Audio and I'm very pleased with them in my Chinook. Especially at $40 a tube, the price wasn't bad at all. You can save a little money and try a pair on the input stage (rear tubes) of the Chinook. Eva told me that this is where you'll have the most effect on the sound.

I've got the same Phillips 7DJ8s as @kgturner in my BAT VK-3i (also from Kevin).  They sound fantastic and won't break the bank.  Definitely talk to Kevin.  He may have specific recommendations for your equipment and he won't try to steer you to something more expensive than you want.

+ 1 for the National (Matsushita) 7DJ8 tubes from Upscale Audio.