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In Reply to: RE: C-J CAV-50 Stuff posted by tvr2500m on January 04, 2016 at 21:20:06
The 6CG7/6FQ7 is still in production, the Electro-Harmonix tube (quite good!) is available in standard or gold pins.
The 12AU7 Tung-Sol and B749/12AU7 Genalex reissues are really good too.I use and recommend both highly.
The KT-77 Genalex reissue is off the charts, a superb tube. I cannot recommend it more highly. The 6CA7 EH is another terrific tube, and the Tung-Sol EL34B is quite good as well. The other current EL34s are good tubes too, but those 3 stand out IMHO.
The current generation Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB tube is quite good as well. Is it as good as NOS? In some cases yes, but probably not the very best of the NOS. Of course, the price is not like NOS either. The only beef I have is a number of them have slightly tilted glass bottles, which is cosmetic only but still I wish they were straight!
In your case the replacement of the Sovtek 12AX7s would be my #1 move, followed by a set of KT-77 Genalex. You may like the Sovtek 6SN7s with a warmer toned 12AX7 in place - if not at least try the current Tung-Sols.Your RFT is a FINE tube, leave it.
My $0.02 antway...
Follow Ups:
I would second Jim's Gold Lion KT-77 recommendation I've been using them the last few years in my pushpull EL34 amp nothing comes close to them. Lots of good 6SN7's out there I am running Sylvania 6SN7GTB's in my amp they sound great and seem very rugged. Good luck with your amp and have fun tube rolling!
Hey, Jim:Thanks for the recommendations. Always appreciate your insights. Looks like quite a few good current production EL34s/6CA7s to choose from. And the current generation TS 6SN7GTB. I know about the EH 6FQ7. It is quite good. I'd be plenty happy that C-J had continued to use the 6CG7/6FQ7. From my decades of using C-J and ARC gear, I've got just about every variant of these tubes ever made - and there were a lot of them - so I have a huge inventory of them! But now I'm lookin' at 6SN7s.
Absolutely agreed on the RFT 12AU7. Oustanding tube in every way. I've been on a bit of an audio avocation hiatus. Before this, though, searching this Asylum you'll find plenty of posts from me about that tube. I'm not sure I need to be running that 12AU7 at all in the CAV-50. Apparently, it's only there to drive some output functions, and otherwise isn't in the audio path. I think just to see how it works I'll hook up a separate amp and use the CAV-50 as a low gain linestage. I'd prefer not to burn a 12AU7 if I don't have to.
I am quite enjoying the CAV-50 with its OE tube complement. Just can't resist exploring a bit with some tube rolling. Seems clear that the Sovtek 6SN7 isn't a favorite.
OH, how about the Chinese EL34/6CA7/KT77s and 6SN7s? I haven't had anyone mention any Chinese tubes. I LOVE the sonic performance of the Shuguang 6550s (particularly the 6550A-98 and 6550B) and KT88s (GEKT88 and KT88-98). I even really like some of the 12AX7s and 12AU7s.
I'm checkin' out your recommendations now.
Edits: 01/05/16 01/05/16 01/05/16 01/10/16
I had intended to stock the EL34B Shuguang as an economical EL34 choice, but my source of supply discontinued them! I've heard a lot of good about the tube, it seems like a nice bargain.
I've not dealt with the expensive Chinese tubes at all, so I have nothing to base an opinion on.
Thanks, Jim. I haven't tried any of the more premium Chinese tubes, either.
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