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Hi,I was scouting for good 6FQ7 driver tubes for my ARC Classic 120 recently.
I have been using Ei happily but my supplier has run out of stock on the Ei.
So I tried Sylvania (NOS) 6FQ7 instead. They sounded lousy at first, heck, they still sound lousy after 30 hours of burning in! I lost my patience, I went scouting for Ei again. This time, I found it.
The Ei sounded superb even in its unbroken-in state. Why is that so??? Are Ei 6FQ7 vastly more superior than Sylvania?
Is there such a thing as driver tube matching with the ARC amp? I thought Sylvania is quite good tube.......
Follow Ups:
Although matching driver tubes is not as important for proper operation as matching output tubes on a push-pull amp, I have to contend that it's still desirable. A mismatched pair in a stereo setup could shift the volume balance and throw the image to one side for example. I think this would be more of a concern with used or vintage tubes however. New tubes should be close enough that it's unlikely you could hear an imbalance between them.
As for the Ei tubes, I have to agree that they are a good all-round performer and difficult to fault. I also like the vintage RCA's and some of the Japanese brands.
I must offer a correction here to this statement:"A mismatched pair in a stereo setup could shift the volume balance and throw the image to one side for example."
With the exception of a VERY few amps that use no feedback this will absolutely not occur unless you have wildly mismatched tubes (e.g., one dead/very weak, one new & healthy!). I'm not sure how this myth got started but it's simply not the case. The circuit gain is controlled not only by the tube, but by the other components and the layout/design of the circuit. In fact most circuits are built with consideration given to proper operation with mismatched tubes.
"New tubes should be close enough that it's unlikely you could hear an imbalance between them."
Well, that is true, although not for the reason you suspect. New tubes are often considerably mismatched, but it makes no difference as I said above.
Unless your amp/preamp maker says matched preamp/driver tubes are required, then you don't need them and are wasting money buying them.
Any reasonable difference between the tubes will be addressed by the circuitry.
I'm too honest. Can't and don't want to help it either. Just think of the premium one could charge for matching small signal tubes:)On to the important question. I like and use 6cg7's. I find a good black plate with sheild sounds the best. I don't like clear tops (find them bright). Slyvania black plates are great. So where do the Ei's fit in? I have read your comments before and agree that most 6fq7's/6cg7's do sound good...but still...are you saying you can't hear a difference at all between a Slyvania black plate 6cg7 and a GE grey plate 6fq7 (for example)? Not trying to start anything here....just get a feel for how they perform for you in the Citation gear that's all (as well as your thoughts on the Ei 6fq7).
Hey Russ, sorry I missed this yesterday."On to the important question. I like and use 6cg7's. I find a good black plate with sheild sounds the best."
I would say for me the greys and the blacks sound equally good, the tubes with internal shields seem to be best, I agree. There may be a difference between the blacks and the greys I just can't hear.
"I don't like clear tops (find them bright)."
I don't use RCA clear tops in Cit Vs, they do have a little more on top (which is nice in some apps), the V doesn't need that.
"Slyvania black plates are great."
So are the greys, the 1958 grey plate JAN Syls I had were awesome.
"So where do the Ei's fit in? I have read your comments before and agree that most 6fq7's/6cg7's do sound good...but still...are you saying you can't hear a difference at all between a Slyvania black plate 6cg7 and a GE grey plate 6fq7 (for example)?
Well, I do hear some difference, but it's pretty small to be honest. And I have a feeling I like the GEs more than you do. They work quite well in a Cit V, BTW.
"Not trying to start anything here..."
Understood, no problem at alll. Seems like you are asking good questions to me!
"just get a feel for how they perform for you in the Citation gear that's all (as well as our thoughts on the Ei 6fq7)."
I wish I was better at describing sounds/tone quality, etc. I really suck at that.
The Ei tube - this is not an insult to it, but what I like about it in the V is I don't even think about it. It just sits there, does it's job, and keeps it's mouth shut, so to speak. It has a nice tonal balance from top to bottom, it's a little bit less forward than some others as well. It doesn't emphasize the top end, which would make it a bit problematic in a V (the RCA clear tops can put a bit too much up top).
Russ, I'm doing a lousy job for you here. But maybe what I wrote gives you some idea of where I'm coming from anyway. I suspect you could plug in almost any 6CG7 and I'd like it, so when I speak of differences, think small, subtle. Not like the difference between a KT-88 SED and a KT-88 EH!
What I got out of that is the Ei is a well mannered tube that doesn't call attention to itself, either by being great or bad in any given area. I guess I was hoping for a cheap sleeper tube like their old 12AX7's:)I suspect (guess?) that because I use them in a circuit that is more optimized to a 6dj8's (self biased cascode direct coupled to split load invertor) that maybe some brands just run a little better at the lower voltages and currents.
I almost always like a black plate tube best. To my ears they have a certain sound quality...what some would call creamy or silvery I suppose. I call it a certain delicate sparkle that lets me hear the "brass" in bells, vibes, and certain types of cymbal techniques. For me (talking 6cg7's) black plate Raytheon's have been the best so far with the Slyvania's a close second. I hope to try some TungSols soon as I hear they are rather nice.
But yes, I know what you mean about trying to describe a tube's sound. I don't envy you that chore! But despite the inherent limitations in trying to do so I feel it does indeed help to "share" impressions. So thanks once again.
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