What's the best 6NS7 tube you have tried in your Atma-Sphere MP-3 preamp?

I haven’t heard any of the Chinese tubes recommended by Don Sachs, though I’m tempted now. ;-) My go-to 6SN7’s for both my Williamson amps and my Aikido preamp, are:

1) GE 6SN7GTA or B. Well-made, non-microphonic, consistent. Open, textured sound. Can be had new or test-like-new for around $50.

2) Sylvania 6SN7WGT, with parallel (not angled) plates. Beautiful midrange. Around $75-100 each now, but people pay a lot more than that for new boutique varieties.

I currently use the GE’s in the amps, as they are a bit more neutral, and the Sylvanias in the preamp. It’s a nice combination.

@tyray , my bad--I referred to those Sylvanias as '55 Bad Boys. I just found the email regarding that batch of 6SN7s that the previous owner sent me, and they are ’52 Bad Boys.

@immatthewj,

Matt no worries, I’m just glad the moderator’s had to good sense to leave my post alone this time. It’s very easy to get a tube you thought is a Bad Boy and it is not, and it’s just as easy to miss out on a Bad Boy because you’re under the impression that only the '52’s are Bad Boys.

The best 6SN7 we've heard so far is the Linlai. There is a globe variant that I don't think will work as well- the globe resonates easily!

Of the NOS tubes the KenRad gets the highest marks.

The 12AU7 should not be ignored- it has the bigger effect in the line stage of the MP-3. The best of the NOS tubes has been the Amperex Bugle Boy 7316. The Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 is not slouch either. We have some good comments from customers about the Gold Lion reissue 12AU7 and also the Northern Sound 12AU7.

We have extended the range of the servo circuit in the MP-3, allowing it to work with a wider range of mismatch in the 6SN7 internal sections. It also reduces the DC Offset at the output by a factor of 10 or more, down to a few fractions of a milliVolt.

If you can get them, do so. One of the best in my opinion. They are better than the Sylvania VT-231 and other 2 hole Sylvania tubes as well, to me.

These are killer Sylvania 6SN7GT Bad Boys tubes with bass control beyond any other tube. Nowhere will you get the vocal sparkle these give you, believe the hype, these are performers; and their ability to involve the listener in a 3D soundstage we audiophiles love is unmatched.

These bad boys are an inexpensive way to vastly improve the sound of your system as they are better than the more expensive Sylvania 1940ish 6SN7GT/6SN7W Metal base versions IMHO, a tube rollers dream.