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Thread: The 6SL7GT valve & It's variants - MY ADVENTURES!

  1. #31
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    Sure pics when I have a little time. I 'm playing with a new valve MM stage at the mo!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  2. #32
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Cool beans, keep us posted

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


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  3. #33
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    Pt VIII Melzdown

    I intended reviewing the Melz 6H9C


    MELZ.jpg

    So, I get them installed only to find that one is completely knackered, supposed to be matched pair testing strong, hollocks! Never mind they cost about £30 so not a massive loss but still annoying. I did managed to snag a pair of General Electric 6SL7GT and here is a picture of the very valves. These are coming from the US of A.
    GENERAL ELECTRIC.jpg
    I also managed to snag another Brimar NOS 6SL7GT. I now have a pair of these and shall be testing them soon!


    DSCN3525.jpg

    Finally, I have tracked down the valve controlling line in to the RCA's from the phonostage which means that I can also start experimenting with valves here. I have been using a Reflektor 6H9C and whilst it's a great valve I feel that more could be had from the Croft. So, I''l be plonking in some bits and pieces in here to see what happens.

    Stay tuned.

    A
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  4. #34
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    PT IX - Mini mini update!

    These bad boys are coming from the USA.


    TUNGSOL.jpg

    Shaded 6SL7GT 1942-1945 vintage. Tung-Sol seem to have produced some of the best sounding valves EVER most people seem to agree!

    Anyway I now have a pair of Brimar's to install and listen.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  5. #35
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    Currently undergoing extended listening.

    DSCN3525.jpg

    Very detailed! More over the weekend!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  6. #36
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Pt X - Brimar 6SL7GT - Mullard's poor cousin?

    DSCN3525.jpg

    I waited for some time to put these into my Croft and after several weeks finally got around to listening to them. I'd heard good things about this valve, so here we go!
    These valves are a bit of a mixed bag in that they seem to excel in some areas whilst sound poor in others. Overall they are a step up from my Original Reflektor 6SL7 that I'd been using. These valves are not very good at producing female vocals but they do seem to excel in being able to see right into the mix of a record. They seem to be extremely good at extracting the smallest scintilla of detail. I tested the valves on the usual Jazz suspects that I listen to and seemed to notice a whole new level of detail and definition to the open double bass of So What on the Kind of Blue Album but this was juxtaposed against a terrible rendition of Cal Tjader album. What should have been a very intimate female vocal from Chris Conner sounded very flat, recessed and just not right. John Coltrane's sax did sound sublime and then the realisation kicked in. This valve is probably going to be great if you listen to nothing but stringed instrumental or brass based music and then fall flat on it's backside for anything else. This is a real shame as I had high hopes. So, I've given this one a 6.25 on its strengths of reproducing amazing detail when listening to instrumental music. It's a one trick pony and not an all rounder. I can highly recommend this valve for strings and brass otherwise do some more tube rolling.

    Here's how the shoot out list looks after 5 lots of tube rolling.

    1. Tung Sol 6SL7GT (Orange base) 9.5/10
    2. Mullard 6SL7GT (Black base) 9.25/10
    3. Slyvania 6SL7GT black base 7/10
    4. Brimar 6SL7GT (black base) 6.25/10
    5. Reflektor black base 70's version 5/10

    So what's next? Well we have some lovely General Electric 6SL7GT'S plumbed in, freshly picked from the US of A.

    DSCN3548.jpg

    GENERAL ELECTRIC.jpg
    Expect some scribbles soon! As ever, stay tuned!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  7. #37
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Pt XI - General Electric Black base 1970's.


    DSCN3548.jpg

    GENERAL ELECTRIC.jpg
    I've had these valves for quite some time and thought it about time that I plumbed them in and have a listen. Well, they were an instant improvement over the Brimar 6SL7GT's that I last had in. These GE valves are cheap, plentiful and make for an excellent valve. These came from the USA as most of my stock usually does. The GE 6SL7GT is an extremely detailed valve which is rich and fulsome. It gives little away to some of the valves at the very top of my list but dosen't quite have the magic of the black base Mullard or the rare military spec Tung Sol from 1963. The valve is prone to enhancing any transformer hum that your valve amp may have but this is a small gripe as the soundstage that I'm used to was slightly spoiled by a little extra transformer hum. The GE 6SL7GT has all the strengths of the Mullard and the Tungsol but to a slightly lesser extent. Reading the reviews for these two valves will give you some idea of how this valve sounds. On that merit alone I would give this valve a good solid 8.5/10 but because the valve is extremely plentiful and good value for money I'll rate it a 8.75/10.

    Here's how the shoot out list looks after 6 lots of tube rolling.

    1. Tung Sol 6SL7GT (Orange base) 9.5/10
    2. Mullard 6SL7GT (Black base) 9.25/10
    3. General Electric GSL7GT (Black base 1970's) 8.75 / 10
    4. Slyvania 6SL7GT black base 7/10
    5. Brimar 6SL7GT (black base) 6.25/10
    6. Reflektor black base 70's version 5/10

    I've now nearly run out of valves! But, these beauties are not sitting in the Croft. More when I have time.

    DSCN3551.jpg

    Stay tuned.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  8. #38
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Pt X - Ken Rad 1945 Black base - Military grade

    Been a long time since I played around with the 6SL7GT's, so snagged these from the US of A. Never tried Ken Rad so should be good fun!



    KENRAD 1945.jpgKENRAD19452.jpg
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  9. #39
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Pt XI - Tung Sol (1945 Era) Black bottle VT229 6SL7GT

    This is another score from the USA. This pair was made circa 1945. Tung Sol happen to be my favourite American valve maker and I highly rate their brown/orange based 6SL7GT valves from the 1950s and 1960s, so I was hoping that this valve would be something really special when I plugged it into the Croft pre-amp. I started by listening to a new pressing of Time Out (The Dave Brubeck Quartet) which I purchased in Huddersfield at Vinyl Ta, this pressing was released on the Not Now label and is highly recommended. Initial impression of the Black Bottle's where good. Eugene Wright's double bass had oodles of timbral quality and sat right in the middle of the soundstage. The drums of Joe Morello produced plenty of snap when playing Take Five and Dave Brubecks piano notes seemed to start and stop on a penny. The black bottles produced a fantastic wide soundstage, maybe not quite as deep as some the valves in my collection but still pretty impressive. The black bottles also seem to amplify less surface noise from the vinyl and have reduced some of the transformer hum through the speakers so the soundstage is blacker and boy you can tell.


    Untitled.jpg

    Listening to the LLoyd McNeill Quartet is a real treat when they perform the Washington Suite. Each member can be clearly heard and maybe a little definition is lost in the vibes and oboe when compared to my Reference Tung Sol's but these black bottle are not that far behind. So far, so good. They are proving to be a real gem and certainly one that I'm keeping. I must say that double bass is probably one the Black bottles weaknesses as I've heard a few records now and it dosen't seem to produce quite as much detail as my Reference Tung Sol's this is also evident on the opening track of Kind of Blue "So What" where the double bass looses some of it's definition and reverb. The midband is perhaps a little recessed and not quite as sharp in definition as my other Tung Sol's but I am being quite picky. The opening track of Nefartiti highlighted this point very clearly.

    OK, so where do they rate ? Well contrary to what I've written I actually really really like these valves and make a really nice change from some of the valves that I've heard over the last few weeks. The black bottles are quite rare but do seem to crop up every so often on ebay.com. I'm going to give them a solid 9.1/10. They are not quite as good as my black base mullards or Orange base Tung Sol's but they do rate very very highly and can heartily recommend them. So, here's the shoot out now after 7 valve reviews.

    1. Tung Sol 6SL7GT (Orange base) 9.5/10
    2. Mullard 6SL7GT (Black base) 9.25/10
    3. Tung Sol 6SL7GT VT229 (Black bottle) 9.1/10
    4. General Electric GSL7GT (Black base 1970's) 8.75 / 10
    5. Slyvania 6SL7GT black base 7/10
    6. Brimar 6SL7GT (black base) 6.25/10
    7. Reflektor black base 70's version 5/10

    Next some Ken Rad 6SL7GT'S from 1945.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  10. #40
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Pt XII - Ken Rad Black Base 6SL7GT (1945)

    Yet another score from the USA. This time I decided to try some Ken Rad valves. This is a brand that comes up from time to time and I've had to wait for ages for a matched pair to surface. This pair date back to the first few weeks of 1945 making them 73 years old! I've not heard a great deal about these valves before but I plumbed them into my Croft Epoch and boy did I get a shock .

    KENRAD 1945.jpg

    I got one of those WOW moments the first time that I heard these properly. I've done quite a fair old bit of tube rolling over the last few months and these babies equal my reference Mullard and Tung Sols. They are every bit as good as the Tung Sols and Mullards but just lack a little of the "bite" that the other two demonstrate. They produce a wonderful wide soundstage with very defined instruments with plenty of time, space and decay in the soundstage. The double bass detail on some of my Jazz recordings is fantastic, really great timbral presentation with lots of detail as several musicians work the fret board. The mid-band is equally on a par to anything that I've tube rolled so far. Drum work, especially brush is so delicate it shocks. Saxophone is just amazing, I'm hearing more reverb than ever and I'm getting a better idea of how the Sax reacted in the room of the recording, the detail is that good. . So, the next question is just where do they rank of the shoot out table? A bit controversial but I think they rate 9.25/10, same as the black base Mullards. I could quite happily replace these with my Mullards and never listen to the Mullards again, but for the time being, I'll keep a hold of them.

    1. Tung Sol 6SL7GT (Orange base) 9.5/10
    2. Mullard 6SL7GT (Black base) 9.25/10
    2.= Ken Rad 6SL7GT (Black Base) VT229 9.25/10
    3. Tung Sol 6SL7GT VT229 (Black bottle) 9.1/10
    4. General Electric GSL7GT (Black base 1970's) 8.75 / 10
    5. Sylvania 6SL7GT black base 7/10
    6. Brimar 6SL7GT (black base) 6.25/10
    7. Reflektor black base 70's version 5/10

    Next time, more Tung Sol loveliness with a pair of 1960's (I think) Orange micanol bases.

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