ARC Ref 3: Tung-Sol 6550 in power supply?

Guido

it seems to me that you, as I, have experimented and have found no appreciable gain with tube rolling on the Ref3. I still maintain my stance on that as you and I have found changes that involve tube bloom etc. Again, differences will be heard, BUT everyone must ask of themselves "did I hear something better or did I just hear something different"

Strange that no one is offering comments on swapping a KT88 for the 6550C

I did try the Tung-So in my Ref 3 and went back to the SED 6550C rather quickly. In power amps the Tungs were better but the Ref 3 seems voiced for the SED 6550C. I also found the Tung more noisy. I am using a Tube Store SED, but the best so far has been the ARC provided tube!!

I will be swapping my $1200 Ming DA 2A3 preamp with a friend who owns a Ref 3. I had my pre up to his house for a comparison with his Ref 3 last weekend and it was a tossup. Some things done better by one and some better by the other. The tubeset in the Ming DA cost more than the preamp. It would not be competeive without these tubes. The Ming DA had all the stock caps and resistors when the comparison was conducted (inexpensive components that do not do justice to the preamp but unavoidable at the asking price). We then installed two blackgate power supply and two Mundorf SIO output caps in the Ming DA. This tightened the bass dramatically (even without proper burn in of about 300 hours) and eliminated the area in which the Ref 3 outperformed the Ming DA. To my ears it is superior to the Ref 3 in all parameters at this stage. We intend to address the resistors, tube sockets and rails next. I will use his Ref 3 for about a month while he uses the Ming DA. I have invested over $20,000 in an NOS tube collection over the past four years (I am trying to acquire a lifetime supply of the very best NOS before they are gone). If you are convinced that the SED 6550C is the ideal tube in the Ref 3, great. I would be very interested in hearing what Elberoth thinks of the Tung Sol when he tries it. Assumptions are often incorrect in this hobby. Experimentation is what helps us progress.

Bart

"Assumptions are often incorrect in this hobby. Experimentation is what helps us progress."

I completly agree. What I did say was "been there, done that and decided originals were best for my ears". Others seem to have the same feeling.

BTW by the time your NOS collection is gone today's stock tubes will be the NOS tubes of tomorrow. Just a thought but perhaps you should be stockpiling some current generation tubes for listening 30 years from now.