EAT Tubes vs. NOS Tubes

[Mendel]

Sir , 6 hours is too little a burn in , cook it for a minimum 100 hours, if not more for it to develop .

I agree that 6 hours is too little for full burn in, however also agree that the basic sonic signature of a small signal 9 pin tube should be apparent after this time. If you don't like it after 6 hours, don't expect miracles after 100 hours.
The reports so far seem to indicate that some like the EAT, some are not so crazy about them. Depends on the gear and the person's taste. Sort of like different old stock tubes---some like Amperex, some like Telefunken, some RCA etc. So for $450 a pair the EAT's are not a slam dunk. And no one has commented on the life span of these tubes, although like good old stock you would expect (but maybe not get) thousands of hours.
Maybe it just me, but doesn't it seems that EAT is cashing in on its near mythical reputation for producing great sounding (KT88) tubes in the past (even though by many accounts these had a high failure rate) and charging extremely high prices to "prove" to high end audiophiles that their tubes must be great? They have to be great otherwise how can they charge $450 for a pair? Or over $400 each for their current KT88s. Does it really cost EAT 10X the cost of other current manufacturers to produce the same tubes?

 

[Scott]

I got a pair of EAT 6922s for my CJ GAT on Saturday morning. Huge disappointment . Tried to like them having spent nearly $ 400. On Sunday evening reverted to a pair of old used Amperex. No comparison. The EAT 6922s IMHO have all the refinement of the CJ supplied stock EH 6922s sans the gold pins.
I am looking forward to a pair of Amperex NOS 7308s from Brent Jesse.
Cheers
Pradeep

Would you like to sell the EAT tubes?

Scott

 

[Sunnyboy1956]

Would you like to sell the EAT tubes?

Scott

Yes please.
PM if you want to proceed further.
Pradeep

 

[thedudeabides]

mep,

Don't know about tube phono pre's but the EAT is "dead" quiet in my ET5 (like my SS CJ 18LS pre) with ears right up against the treble - midrange pods on my MBL 116's, unlike the factory tube supplied, which had an audible hiss within two feet of the pods.

GG

Update. Have maybe 1,200 hour on the EAT 6922. Tube has developed a very audible hiss that you can hear from a couple of feet away from the speakers. More so on the left speaker versus the right. Somewhat surprising to me but this is my first "tube" pre that I've owned in probably 30 years. Don't know if this is "common / to be expected" or not. Thoughts please.

Not an issue when playing music but...................

GG

 

[zztop7]

Thoughts please.
GG

RETURN THEM. The Hiss will not go away. Should be under warranty/guarantee???

zz.

 

[thedudeabides]

Six months, which I believe has passed.

 

[mep]

It's been awhile since I have been on this thread. I thought we had determined that EAT does not actually manufacture their own 9 pin miniature tubes. Based on the fact that some 6922 tubes for instance came with gold pins while other people received regular plated pins, they seem to sell whatever tubes they get their hands on. It's not even clear to me that the 9 pin miniature tubes they sell are NOS from famous companies like Amperex, Telefunken, and Mullard to name but a few. I don't know why anyone would want to buy an unknown brand 6922 tube and pay $400 a pair for grading and matching services.

I would much rather go to Upscale Audio and buy real no BS Amperex, Telefunken, Mullard, Valvo, etc. tubes that have been matched and graded from Uncle Kevin with reasonable prices than buying a pig in a poke from EAT at $400 a pair. You can buy a pair of Telefunken gold pin E88cc/6922 tubes from Kevin for $258 per pair.

 

[LL21]

Update. Have maybe 1,200 hour on the EAT 6922. Tube has developed a very audible hiss that you can hear from a couple of feet away from the speakers. More so on the left speaker versus the right. Somewhat surprising to me but this is my first "tube" pre that I've owned in probably 30 years. Don't know if this is "common / to be expected" or not. Thoughts please.

Not an issue when playing music but...................

GG

In my experience, the GAT ate up the EH tubes like popcorn at a movie theatre...hissy before the movie even started. I got a replacement set and it went bad in 3 months. Then I went to Amperex...6-8 months. Then I came across Mullard CV2492 from Alfred Kayser in Canada...and after 18 months, rock solid quiet...and I mean I have 31db of amp gain, 26db of preamp gain and 95db speakers...and at 1am...I need to stand with my ear 3 inches from the tweeter to hear it. Lucky I guess.

I got a so-so pair from Alfred to replace the set...he took it right back and had his guys search for a set that (so far) has been absolutely dead quiet again. It is amazing to play at 1am at volume 1...and have no tube hiss during quiet passages even on solo instrument recitals.

BTW, an absolute MUST (for me) with these tubes are EAT tube dampers...worth every penny at 19 bucks each. Good luck.

 

[thedudeabides]

LL,

What are the "EH" tubes?

My EAT has been in my CJ ET5 for some three months. Approx. 250 - 300 hours of usage per my calculations today. My first guesstimate of 1,200 hours included the 600 hours of pre amp burn in. I used the stock tube for that.

The good news. Still under 6 month warranty. Will be replaced at no charge.

GG

 

[MylesBAstor]

LL,

What are the "EH" tubes?

My EAT has been in my CJ ET5 for some three months. Approx. 250 - 300 hours of usage per my calculations today. My first guesstimate of 1,200 hours included the 600 hours of pre amp burn in. I used the stock tube for that.

The good news. Still under 6 month warranty. Will be replaced at no charge.

GG

Electro harmonix. The tubes that cj supplies.

I had no problem with the first set of cj supplied 6922EHs. The second set, well..... not so good. About to replace them as they've become hissier than a pissed off cat.

 

[thedudeabides]

hissier than a pissed off cat.

Myles,

I like your description. Very analogue.

GG

 

[thedudeabides]

EAT tube replacement update.

Roy Hall is the US distributor. Tube has one year warranty. Called the dealer that I bought tube from yesterday. New one on the UPS truck headed my way.

Pretty good service, I think.

GG

 

[LL21]

EAT tube replacement update.

Roy Hall is the US distributor. Tube has one year warranty. Called the dealer that I bought tube from yesterday. New one on the UPS truck headed my way.

Pretty good service, I think.

GG

Agree...good service...pls let us know how the 2nd pair work out. Good luck.

 

[thedudeabides]

Shall do sir. My CJ ET5 needs only one tube.

 

[mep]

Uh, let me say this again; do any of you who are buying 6922 tubes from EAT have any idea of what tubes you are actually buying??

 

[thedudeabides]

mep,

You have raised a valid point. I'm a tube newbie so I can claim ignorance.

For better or worse, I've already taken a bite of the apple (money paid) and am committed.

From my view at this point in time, no harm in getting a replacement tube.

GG

 

[mep]

mep,

You have raised a valid point. I'm a tube newbie so I can claim ignorance.

For better or worse, I've already taken a bite of the apple (money paid) and am committed.

From my view at this point in time, no harm in getting a replacement tube.

GG

Especially when it's free. That's a no-brainer.

 

[thedudeabides]

Had a conversation with Upscale regarding the EAT 6922 tube (he said it was "crap" and asked me where I purchased it from) and buying a Telefunken 6922 tube for my CJ ET5 preamp. Why the "point of purchase" mattered is a mystery to me but the answer seems quite apparent.

He indicated (numerous times) that he would not provide ANY warranty on the Telefunken due to a "design / gain" issue with the preamp.

GG

PS: Not sure what I said to make him "annoyed" with me (as in I was wasting his time) but it was quite clear that he was from the outset of the conversation.

 

[mep]

Had a conversation with Upscale regarding the EAT 6922 tube (he said it was "crap" and asked me where I purchased it from) and buying a Telefunken 6922 tube for my CJ ET5 preamp. Why the "point of purchase" mattered is a mystery to me but the answer seems quite apparent.

He indicated (numerous times) that he would not provide ANY warranty on the Telefunken due to a "design / gain" issue with the preamp.

GG

PS: Not sure what I said to make him "annoyed" with me (as in I was wasting his time) but it was quite clear that he was from the outset of the conversation.

Here is the deal with Kevin Deal from my perspective: I start every conversation with Kevin by saying "I'm want to place an order." I have never had an issue with Kevin. He knows I'm calling to buy something at the beginning of the conversation. Can you imagine how many people call Kevin to just pick his brain and not buy anything from him? The thing with Kevin is that he sees equipment from a different perspective than most of us do because he re-tubes tons of gear and finds out the quirks of different gear and what gear eats tubes. For instance, Kevin will not sell any tubes for use in any of the VT-100 amps. The bias scheme is way too wacky and complicated to perform correctly for the average customer and failure to do it correctly will result in a very short life for the tubes. So if Uncle Kevin tells you there is a design/gain issue with your preamp, I wouldn't dismiss what he is saying. I'm still coming to grips with the CJ ART line stage having 25 dB of gain. That's a crazy amount of gain for a line stage. 6dB-12dB of gain is pretty normal for a line stage. 25dB is just wowie-zowie.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Here is the deal with Kevin Deal from my perspective: I start every conversation with Kevin by saying "I'm want to place an order." I have never had an issue with Kevin. He knows I'm calling to buy something at the beginning of the conversation. Can you imagine how many people call Kevin to just pick his brain and not buy anything from him? The thing with Kevin is that he sees equipment from a different perspective than most of us do because he re-tubes tons of gear and finds out the quirks of different gear and what gear eats tubes. For instance, Kevin will not sell any tubes for use in any of the VT-100 amps. The bias scheme is way too wacky and complicated to perform correctly for the average customer and failure to do it correctly will result in a very short life for the tubes. So if Uncle Kevin tells you there is a design/gain issue with your preamp, I wouldn't dismiss what he is saying. I'm still coming to grips with the CJ ART line stage having 25 dB of gain. That's a crazy amount of gain for a line stage. 6dB-12dB of gain is pretty normal for a line stage. 25dB is just wowie-zowie.

25 dB is a throwback to the old pre-digital days.