2. amps-preamps
  3. 173329-10297

Anyone try modern 6sn7 Shuguang WE type vs NOS RCA,Ken Rad

I just bought a KT-88 amp that uses 6sn7’s and the matching preamp uses the 6sn7 tube also. It came with kt88 Shuguang WE plus and all 6sn7’s in the amp and preamp both came with the same Shuguang WE plus.
 

I have a huge stash of old 6sn7’s Ken Rads vt231, gray glass rca, Sylvania vt231 and many others. I am going to pull them out this week and see what these new production tubes can do.

 

I’ve never used new production signal tubes. To be honest the Shuguang sound pretty good but have never compared them to anything. 

 

What are your views on these new tubes are they even close or as good or even better? Are they cheap and will go up in smoke, thanks for any insight.

paulcreed
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,402 posts
 

I hope you get some answers, I’ve been asking about Shuguang WE 6SN7s on different forums with no replies.

I’m using Ken Rad VT-231s with Sylvania VT-231’s in my amp and the sonics are revealing, dynamic, and holographic.

noske
783 posts
 

I too have a stash of NOS 6SN7, all of the above and more, bought about 10+ years ago. I now use new production Tung-Sol coz these NOS babes are getting too expensive to get out of the box and use!

The new production TS 6SN7 (they are GTBs - actually heaps more robust than GT types) sound perfectly fine with my amp (EL34 push pull with 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier).

So Shuguang have always been on my radar, and they look pwetty. This is important, of course.

However -

I am confused about all the variants, and they are sometimes (often, usually) shown as CV181, which are in fact electronically not equivalent and are likely to blow up the amp. The current draw of CV181s is 50% more than 6SN7s. Ouch.

So, I’d like to see a test/specifications before I use any. Google is usually my friend to find specs but computer says no with Shuguang 6SN7/cv181. Might be someone else here who can help.

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,402 posts
 

No specs listed, but these 6SN7WE are not the same as the Psvane CV181.

https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/shuguang-electronic-tube-valve-c-68/shuguang-we6sn7-plus-vacuum-tube-high-end-western-electric-best-matched-p-5281.html

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,402 posts
 

Oh, I see there is a Shuguang Treasure CV181 as well.

More WE’s...

https://m.aliexpress.com/i/32985770711.html

noske
783 posts
 

Lots of words in this rant from about 2009, and worth reading it all at one’s leisure.

In the meantime, this is the relevant message, about half way down just above the picture of the tube on the left -

This is why the CV181Z might not be a drop in replacement for the 6SN7. Typical 6SN7 heaters draw about 0.6A and the CV181z draws about 0.9A (900mA), the old Mullard CV181 drew 950mA. This 50% increase in heater current amounts to 0.6A for a pair of CV181 in a circuit, which as you can see represents the load of a whole extra double triode.

I’d be more decisive. "This is why the CV181 (Z, whatever) IS NOT a drop in replacement for the 6SN7." Eventually your amp will take up smoking.

More to discover