winged c 6550c is not good for ref 5se??

 
FWIW, the GE6550A (now NOS) is not a good tube for the REF 5/SE or REF Phono 2/SE. ARC discourages its use in those applications. I tried the GE6550A in the Ref Phono 2 and compared to stock it was tad warm, soft, and not as spacious. A fine tube in earlier CJ amps such as Premier 11 & 12.

The 6H30 DR works well in the ARC RP2SE and 5SE, but the difference from stock is not, imo, so great to justify today's prices. Hard to believe 10 years ago these were ~$30, but the last of 'em were brought over from Russia some time back by Conus Audio. It is a nice tube with a long life. In the ARC unit I heard it offer a touch less grain and a bit more refinement and extension in the top end.
 

@Jtimothya,

Of course ARC wouldn't recomend the use of Vintage Valves in their equipment, they don't retail them !

I am rather surprised at your findings with regard to GE6550!!! Which I have never yet found applicable to the several GE's that I have rolled as the regulator in a Ref5se, and for my part leave the stock Sovtek sounding a tad etched and sterile in comparison.That said I have no experience of the same comparison in a Phono 2.

Are you certain that you tried an 100%, or close to, emissions example?

Jtimothya..thanks for letting know your point of view.Ill have a little play with the 6550 just to know.

Hi,Tsushima1,the ge and the winged c sound good thanks.They seem smoother on my older recordings ,which is nice.Have you tried the tungsol black plate.1950s

Where did you get winged c ? . I want to try them on my system.