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I have been thinking about trying out some different valves than my old stock GEC KT88s and have the chance to buy from a very reputable valve supplier two used old stock Tungsol 6550s.
They are matched on test values but one has "a top getter" and the other has "side getters but otherwise identical."
So it seems the the top getter could be an early black plate and the other one a later model.
My question is that does it matter that they are valves are from different versions. Will they sound materially different.
Thanks
Follow Ups:
The TS NOS are superior in every way to the new production KT88 tubes...I wish it was the other way around!
The different tooling of each tube will effect the sonics - I would never recommend using different tooled tubes in a stereo application. That's like using similar sized speakers and expecting a great result.
Paul
Images of the valves attached. no three holes but they describe the valve on the right of the two together as black/grey and it has a date code of 6235. Is this a Version 3 grey plate?
Anymore thoughts??
thanks
Light grey, dark grey and three hole, all bought NEW/NOS now less than 100 Hours on all.
Surprisingly, the three hole plate seem to sound better.
Arguably, less 'tube like' or 'tubey' or 'lower mid focused'
The new production TungSol 6550 are some of the best I've heard! If those are too expensive, it would'nt be worth it IMO!
I second the motion on the new production New Sensor Tung-Sol 6550 tubes. There is really little information on the net about them, what I love about them is their ability to convey realistic "Decay" through my amplifiers (I have used them in VTL MB-450 and MB-300 with Signature transformers). I didn't use them long, just a few hours, and have not tried them in my Wotans, which still have the original SED Svetlana Winged C tubes.
Although all the SED 6550 in my MB-450, MB-300, and in the Wotans tested quite high, I do not get the sense of decay through them that I do with the Tung-Sol 6550. Perhaps that is because the SED are older, and have some wear in them,and this is why some people advocate replacing tubes so early despite the fact that they have much usable life remaining. All I know is that in the future, I'm not going for anything else besides the New Sensor Tung-Sol 6550. Price is a concern, I don't want to pay for the Gold Lion name, nor the SED name either, since the SED are essentially NOS now as production of them is OVER and the most recent ones were of spotty quality anyway...
I agree. There are some very good current production 6550's. Do a search here and you will find quite a few posts about gassy NOS 6550's.
No, that's a smooth grey plate (the second major version made by Tung-Sol) and they date from 1960 to 1963. The one pictured would've been made the final week of August, 1963 according to the date code.
Ideally, you'd have two of one or the other but these are closely matched (about 2.5% variance) so IMO would be worth a shot especially if you're getting them at a good price. Assuming you do get them, you will notice a difference in sound between them and the vintage GEC KT-88s you've been using.
Joe
One tube is a solid grey plate 3 getters and the other is a black plate 1 top getter. Not even close to the same tubes. While they will work together, they are not a pair and will sound slightly different.
Hmm - that seems a shame. If it makes a difference the date code is 6235 on both of them.
Should I take a chance?
Tung-Sol made three versions of the black plate: top getter only, top + one side, and top + two sides. If the two side getter tube is also a black plate, I wouldn't be particularly concerned. If, however, the second tube is a solid grey plate or a three hole grey plate, there will be some sonic differences but whether you would consider them "material" is difficult to tell.
Joe
Well I have had the 3th version of solid black plates. Yes Top getters only - 1 top and 2 getters on 1 side and the 1 top and 1 getter on each side. It was a very late 1959 production pair. I agree the solid grey plate does sound different from the black plate (ever so slightly less bass and just a hair more mid range). Very musical sounding tubes with a mid range that rivals the EL34's but more bass punch and highs. And very different sounding than the original GEC KT88.
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