6DJ8 vs. 6922?

They are similar, but not the same.

Lot's of misinformation on the WWW about ECC88/E88CC/E188CC (including this thread).

DeKay

Some of my favorite 6dj8 are the early 60s Mazda.   I had a pair of these from Brent Jessee and they sounded incredible.  Unfortunately they had kind of a short life in my CJ preamp.  That thing was hard on tubes.   

I replaced those with some mid 70s Reflektor 6922 .   Another very good sounding tube and RUGGED.   Those gave years of quiet operation whereas lesser  modern tubes would sound good for a few months but get noisy.   Like Audible Illusions the CJ preamps that used a 6922 ate tubes.   The only modern 6922 tube that is consistently good in my experience is the Gold Lion 6922 gold pin , gold grid.   

I like JJ tubes ,but  their 6922 were hit or miss.   When they were quiet they sounded great but in the CJ they weren't in there long before they were noisy

I use the JJ in my Quicksilver's driver tube and they are fine in that position

My Lab 12 DAC 1 Reference uses a pair of EH 6922 and after a year of use they still sound great .   It sounds so good with the stock tubes I am actually afraid to make any changes.   At some point I will replace them , most likely with Gold Lion .

The problem with 6dj8 and 6922 is that the NOS ones are scarce.  I'm talking true NOS, not pulls that look and test new but genuine NOS    

Once I bought a tube tester I quickly found out what tubes were good and what were junk.   I discovered that most of the tubes I bought from trusted sources were as described.  Strong emissions and balanced triode sections.   Matched quads are matched, etc    New production bought in a pinch from a music store  were the worst.   Readings were all over the map for 12ax7 and au7 type.  They must get what everyone else passes on.

BDP24,

The 6DJ8 tubes come in a large number of variants with different names for the US spec, Euro spec, and even Russian. These variants often come in 3 versions: a consumer (some can be really good), commercial (usually very good, but some can be AMAZING, and military spec (which can be better still. The commercial and Mil Spec tubes cost more, but you will get longer life out of them than the consumer grade; and they sound sublime.

I stay away from tubes made in Asian countries (too hit or miss), most tubes from the 1950s and 1960 are incredible, 1970s are really solid if not great, and some 1980s tubes can be really good.....but rule of thumb, older is better. 

Some of my favorites are:

(1) Inexpensive - RCA "Clear top" 12AU7 - There are better tubes, but this is a steal at $20 a pop and easy to find in matched pairs, same with similar Russian tubes Voskhod 6n23p

(2) Next level - Better sound, higher costs. RCA "long black plates",1950s and 1960s, GE 5814 early 1960s, Amperex ECC88/6DJ8 Made in Holland", Philips 5963 (Mil Spec)

(3) "Damn these are good!) - Amperex 6922 "PQ" made in Holland, Amperex 7308 "PQ" made in Holland, Mullard 12AU7/ECC82, Mazda 12AU7 made in France, and Vokshod 6N23P "single wire) made in Russia

(4) Holy Grail and ungodly expensive - CCa made in Germany (mostly), 12AU7/6DJ8 "Pinch Waist" version, some people will even put the hard to find Vokshod 6N23P "Single Wire, Silver Shield" here as well

Advice: Read through the link I will post below, and use a reputable supplier that will know exactly what you are looking for. I have used Upscale Audio for rectifiers, but prefer Tube Depot over them. The best in my opinion is Brent Jessee out of Illinois......knows everything about tubes, carries a large selection.....even really rare tubes, and is a really honest guy.

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm

Thanks a lot everyone. Lots of great info, and links to sources of even more. I have a box full of the small signal tubes I bought back in the 90’s, gotta look through it again. I know I have some 7308’s (Gold Aero iirc), 6922 Amperex’s I believe, and definitely some RAM’s.

The Music Reference RM-5 Mk.IV I just received (according to the serial number one of the last twenty of the 1,000 RM-5’s Roger made. Bone stock, no mods) is fitted with a 6922 Mullard in socket V3 (line stage), a pair of Sovtek (isn’t that the 6922 ARC uses?) in the phono stage.

I have a bassist/guitarist pal who has some old Telefunken’s, but he’s not interested in selling any. Selfish sob!

read this:

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm


the first thing to read in learning about the 6DJ8 family is brent jessee's 6DJ8 page. 

someone else posted it. 

also, lots of people here are quick to offer misinformation. its often swift and immediate. its worse on facebook groups. 

READ THIS:

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm

learning the 6DJ8 family begins with familiarizing yourself with this information here. its not entirely correct, but its the best out there.