Tube versus SS

Kennyc, no need to apologize when you're right. I have been in a "lock-down" inner sanctum communicating only with self for so long, that initially I failed to communicate effectively with others.

Tube versus SS is a wrong statement, should have been versus digital, and I have been comparing many different things in my head, that I didn't communicate effectively, but now I will straighten out as much as I can, and that wont be easy.

Years ago when there was much controversy about PC playback, I took everything in that the PC guys had to say, as well as what "Stereophile" had to say about changing cards in your computer, and what equipment to use for "down-loading" effectively. Now I "down-load" and then listen. My playback is identical to whatever it is that I "down-loaded"; if it wasn't, I wouldn't do it this way.

Start with my comparison to Jacintha on CD and Dinah on new fantastic LP's (dead quiet LP, the best ever for me) This is from a new 5 LP collection from "Verve". I noted that the CD had many of the same sonic attributes as the LP; they both were outstanding.

I had "down-loaded" a lot of material using the 6922 tubes; they were the same kind of tubes, but not the same identical tubes. You are absolutely correct in saying the new tubes could have been better tubes? But I made more comparisons, and discovered that what I'm down-loading now, is far superior to what is already on hard- drive; consequently I'll be doing a lot of things over.

In late March I noted an improvement in overall audio, that was akin to a gigantic wax removal from my ear. This improvement is the result of our COVID 19 "lock-down", which has given us the "quiet-grid"; of that I am certain, it's equivalent to having obtained a whole house power regenerator. Someone understood me to say that power regenerators were useless, when I stated that if you were getting perfect AC they were useless because you can't improve on perfection.

You're not overly critical, just critically correct. Now I'm going to get back to my huge job of "down-loading" LP's. Happy listening!

Cousinbilly, I wish I had your ability to hear; while what you say is true, not everyone has the ability to hear that difference.

Optimize, I doubt if I'll change anything radically; the reason being that a person can spend their entire experimenting with things as opposed to listening to music.

Thanks for your post.

That was meant to be "entire life experimenting with things"

Orpheus, if you’re in the digital domain, most likely the 6922s in your source equipment are only serving as a buffer stage, to reduce output impedance or in hopes of the designer to generate a more tube-like sound (I mean this in a good way). Buffer stage does not add any gain and therefore has very little sonic signature. 
To whoever asked: 6FQ7 is electrically identical to 12AU7. With one important exception. Before you make such a swap, you need to know what filament voltage is provided by your circuit. 12AU7 can be configured to operate off either six or 12 V filament voltage. 6FQ7 requires 6 V, only. If your particular circuit provides 12 V to the filaments, then you need to use a 12FQ7. Such tubes exist, and they are usually cheaper than 6FQ7, because demand is lower. Once you get the filament voltage right, you can drop in either of those tubes in place of a 12AU7. The other tubes You listed cannot be used without rewiring your tube sockets. I have replaced 12AU7s with 6FQ7s several times, and the result is always an improvement. 6CG7 is another great option but a little easy re-wiring is required IIRC.