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Help me decide which E88CC tubes i should buy

Hey

I spent 2 days researching about tubes, from technicalities like measurements, what to look for when buying etc how they sound and which sound the best as a common consensus.

I only need a single driver tube for my Decware Taboo MK III, currently i am using a Siemens E88CC with silver shields, 2x Tungsram EL84 and 1x Svetlana rectifier.

Khadas tone board as DAC and Fostex X00 Purple Hearts as headphones. I really like how the Siemens sounds but i am not the first owner of the amp so i can't say how much use that tube has gotten already.

I've also tried the Philips SQ Heerlen '60, which are a bit cleaner/slightly less veiled than the Siemens, they were not new either around 66%/70% of NOS value. So it may not be a direct apple to apple comparison. They seem to boost the midrange quite a bit tho which is very noticable considering that my headphones have very recessed mids.

After testing back and forth i always end up back to the Siemens and don't feel the need to look back, but as soon as i try my Philips for more than 1 hour i start to miss the Siemens. But i don't think that the Siemens are objectively better than the Philips.

Anyway. I narrowed it down to:

Siemens E88CC. cca. Telefunken cca, Amperex 7038 or Amperex PQ US made, Reflector 1975 "holy grail".

They all score well above 100% except the Reflector which are like 95% of NOS spec and all costs around 80$, except the Siemens e88cc might find for a bit less.

Any suggestions?

I couldn't find much info on the Reflector seems a bit of a dark horse except that one head-fi thread where 17 tubes get compared. Really as good as they say or just one persons experience?

It would be interesting to hear your opinions and experiences, i haven't found any posts where these tubes get compared.

Best regards


128x128yoshimitsu
yoshimitsu's avatar
yoshimitsu OP
9 posts
 
I checked again and my current Siemens actually has a grey shield.

I would be curious to try out Tungsram E88CC, from what little i heard they sound very good but barely anyone uses them.

Has anyone experience with Siemens 6BQ5/El84?
rodman99999
6,164 posts
 
Thanks for the above info.    The only reason I've purchased tubes, from the Germany based, eBay seller mentioned: I was dealing with him,  years before eBay was a thing and very confident of his expertise/honesty.     It's been my iron-clad rule, never to buy anything on the Bay, from anyone with less than a 100% feedback rating.      Not even an inner tube, for my Grandson's dirt bike.        There are a select few tube purveyors, this side of The Pond, in which I place my confidence.       None, on eBay.      Happy listening!
brockwired's avatar
brockwired
53 posts
 
You can try a 5670 with an adapter from tube Depot for $14 for your input tube. Another popular rectifier in Decware is a globe 80 with a 4 pin adapter. You can also roll 5z3 and 83v rectifier tubes.  

You can always try 8bq5 power tubes or EL83 tubes.
yoshimitsu's avatar
yoshimitsu OP
9 posts
 
What would the advantage/benefit be of using EL83 or 8BQ5 instead of EL84?

Has anyone experience with the black plates RCA and GE grey ovale plate from 1960? And Sylvania black plates?

I am using Tungsram EL84 now, not sure if the RCA or GE would be an upgrade.
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
Seems the Tele E88CC's are ~~The Holy Grails~~~ as prices are $$$$$...I'm not so sure about E88CC's beating out ECC88's. 
I have my doubts.
I am rolling Siemens, Tele, Philips (= Amperex). and can hardly say which is superior in my cayin CD17 player, running a  pair on the unbalnaced out.
Maybe its not the ideal unit to makea  shootout.
I am very interested in these E288CC's I'm been buying lately. 
 
The list goes on, E188CC
PCC88
Ecc**
E88CC's, a  EU seller I've been buying from, maybe Bulgaria, says he perfers the E88CC's over all. 
again, I'm not so sure there is a  ~~significant~~ sonic dif in any of the above mentioned. 
I was surprised the E288"s ~~~failed~~ in shooting out all /every 6922 variety. 
Still , all in all, I'm hanging with the E288CC as it 's a  cool looking tube, and its a  ~~done deal~~..
Tele ECC88 just arri9ved today and again, did not hear any significant gain.
All sound ~~spectacular~~~.
I am not even going to attemp winning the Tele E88CC's on ebay,,although i am in the bid war,,I'm going to hold at $100,,and figure they'll fetch $160 winning bid. 
I am not going to chase the ~~Holy Grails~~ I think its all ~~snakeoil~~~.
I have a  pair of Tele's E288CC's, made by Siemens, NOS/NIB up on ebay, if anyone is interested,. also have Siemens 6DJ8/ECC88/pair/NOS/NIB +Philips Miniwatt PCC88/qaud/Test strong. + alot of other E200CC;s, amperex, Tele, Siemens, all NOS/most NIB. + I havea  pair of rare Dario Miniwatt E288's(but have to find them)), NOS.
As I say, all 6922's variations seem so close, its more inportant what caps in the unit.
I have new M SGO caps, which was a  huge gain. IOW a  new cap mod will mod the sonics far superior to any ~~Holy grail~~ Tele;'s. 
Just my 2 cents. 

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