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Re: What's the word on the 1960's Japanese 6DJ8 tubes?

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Very good tubes. Buying them "blind" on ebay without auditioning is a much safer gambit than with European types-- they are much less prone to microphonics and imbalance of the triode halves than European types. Can be a bit "clinical" so may not be the best match for digital media or BAT or late model ARC preamps etc, but very solid, good tubes. I obtained 94 mixed Toshiba, Matsushita, and NEC 12AX7 variants, including NECs legendary 7729 subcontracted by CBS-Hytron and have had astonishingly high rates of tubes with good balance of the triode halves, TOTAL freedom from microphonics ( a buddy used a pair of the May, 1968 Toshibas in an MC headamp with excellent results) and above NOS specs. Until broken in, they disappointed me a bit as they were rather "dry" and transistor-like, but after 50-100 hours the mids opened up and MAN are they nice. For any application besides highgain phonostages or V1 tubes in guitar amps, they are TOTALLY acceptable. They absolutely trash 1980s Tungsrams, and there is absolutely NO comparison with any current Russian or Czech 12AX7. Only a selected Ei elite ( i.e. a selected selected tube!) compares. The $100 I paid for all 94 makes them all the sweeter... I'm not gloating, believe me it's the first break in a long string of negatives...


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  • Re: What's the word on the 1960's Japanese 6DJ8 tubes? - Chris Spafford 19:39:39 04/03/03 (0)


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