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Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them.

72.235.7.37
Posted on March 26, 2015 at 21:59:33
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 Hi, probably most of you are going, DUUHH! Well, it is a very convenient way to finally try my 6384 aka 6AR6 in my RH Universal amp which is capable of using the whole family of 6L6 based power tubes. You need to understand that I had those 6384s for almost 20 years. Back to the adapters, Immediately upon listening to the first notes from the amp thru the adapters I could discern a kind of a haze to the sound. There was a slightly diffuse quality to the music. I expected some degradation but that was too noticeable for me. In conclusion, I would recommend that one either makes your own adapters with high quality wire and solder or rewire the socket for the tube. Cheers, Dak

 

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RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 26, 2015 at 22:52:07
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12362
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 Curious why you attribute the poor sound to the adapters and not the tubes. As I'm sure you know, the 6AR6 family was designed primarily for pulse amp and radar sweep apps. As such, I wouldn't expect a 6AR6 type to be plug-n-play in an amp designed around the 6L6 family. OTOH, I'm not familiar with the RH Universal amp.

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 02:57:13
Alex Kitic
Audiophile

Posts: 182
Location: Serbia
Joined: June 25, 2014
 I make my own adapters, and therefore know that the wire length inside it is rather short. If properly done (adequate wire gauge, good soldering work) this cannot introduce "issues" with the sound.

I also install additional sockets in parallel (see the RH-TTA) and this solution actually requires longer cabling. Nevertheless, so far I have not felt let down by either solution.

OTOH, you wouldn't believe how poor soldering jobs some people are capable of doing (and selling the stuff).

I see no reason why the 6384 should not operate properly in the RH Universal, although it is not intended for audio use. The 8417 was intended for audio use and it does show unmistakably.


******

http://rh-amps.blogspot.com/

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 06:17:38
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 I have made my own adapters for years and never noticed any difference in sound from non-adapter set ups. I would not use them for permanent solutions as it just gives one more place for corrosion problems, but for temporary use they are great.

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 09:21:00
PakProtector
Audiophile

Posts: 12363
Joined: May 14, 2002
 I'd be cautious when using them on tubes likely to oscillate. No way I'd use one to plug a 6C45 into a 6J5 socket...:)
cheers,
Douglas
Friend, I would not hurt thee for the world...but thou art standing where I am about to shoot.

 

Excellent theory!, posted on March 27, 2015 at 10:15:33
gusser
Audiophile

Posts: 3649
Location: So. California
Joined: September 6, 2006
 This could be exactly what is going on. Because I can't see where the simple wring of a tube socket adapter could otherwise affect audio performance.

Now if this was an RF tube in a tuner, or a video amplifer in an old TV, different ball game.

 

Ahh yeah!, posted on March 27, 2015 at 10:18:36
gusser
Audiophile

Posts: 3649
Location: So. California
Joined: September 6, 2006
 Put in different tubes, you will / may get a different sound which may not be better at all. This seems even more plausible that the oscillation theory.

 

RE: Ahh yeah!, posted on March 27, 2015 at 10:54:17
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12362
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 While oscillation is certainly a possibility, the gm of the 6AR6 family isn't extraordinary and not too different from the 6L6. Based on the positive testimonials for 6BG6GB to 6L6 adapters, I'd think oscillation unlikely even thru a poorly conceived adapter. But you never know...... Soooo, assuming non-defective adapters, I'd be inclined towards the different tube causing the different sound and not the adapters themselves. Ahh, the joys of extreme tube rolling.

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 10:59:27
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 Well, too me, it seemed that the sound was affected by the adapter. I bought the adapters from china and the soldering was not the best. I read an article about a SE 6384 amp and the builder thought it sounded good. The quality of the sound was odd enough that I felt it was not attributable to the tube. regards, Dak

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 11:24:48
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 Yeah, I think I will try making my own and see if the audio problem was indeed an adapter or just the sound from the tubes. Dak

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 27, 2015 at 11:53:26
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17294
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 I build my own and place the grid stopper in the adapter.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 28, 2015 at 06:27:23
REL54
Audiophile

Posts: 1944
Location: Virginia Coast
Joined: January 3, 2003
 I have some 6BG6s and some 807s that I'd like to try in my homebrew amp. So, I looked around on ebay and found some firm in China selling adapters. Thought about getting them but then decided to just build my own instead.

So I went to Antique Electronic Supply (asylum sponsor) and bought all the stuff that I need to do the job. Currently the adapter build job is on my list of things to do, so.... maybe before 2020AD it will get done! LOL

My amp is somewhat of a Williamson style amp. Sounds a lot better than it looks. I mainly just wanted to be able to roll different tubes (since I already have some of them). I've always wondered about adapters and how they perform. Glad to see this discussion about them.

cheers,
roN

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 28, 2015 at 10:19:07
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 DIY! That's the ticket. I think the Chinese ones might suffer from poor quality materials or workmanship. I would make my own using 18awg solid wire with standard 60/40 electronic solder. regards, Dak

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 28, 2015 at 12:15:33
REL54
Audiophile

Posts: 1944
Location: Virginia Coast
Joined: January 3, 2003
 DAK, thanks for the suggestion about solid wire. I tend to favor solid wire in most applications. I have some solid copper wire (16 ga.) that is supposedly oxygen free. That is what I planned to use.

roN

 

RE: Tube adapters; I can't say that i recommend them., posted on March 30, 2015 at 00:03:06
Alex Kitic
Audiophile

Posts: 182
Location: Serbia
Joined: June 25, 2014
 I don't think it's all that much about wire thickness: solid core wire awg21 should be just fine for audio. it is more about the length involved and the quality of the soldering.

The best way to approach this is by imagining the adapter as an extension of the tube. What immediately comes to mind is socket quality (where you plug in your tube), soldering spots, and of course wiring.

If the wire is too thick, you will find it difficult to accomodate it in the body of the plug - and it doesn't need to be thicker of the internal wiring of the tube itself, i.e. the wire that protrudes through the glass and is soldered in the plug pins when the tube is manufactured.

The most important part is probably soldering quality, and this is probably where Chinese adapters fail.
******

http://rh-amps.blogspot.com/

 

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