Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[adamaley]

Nice! Which type and vintage RGN2004 rectifier did you use?


Back from planet Unobtainium tube$ to Joe-Lunchbox tube land, I picked up a thrifty quad of these 6P6S Soviet tubes (no adapter needed as 6V6 equivalents) and have been enjoying their ambient, dimensional, slightly more romantic, and laid-back sound. They were very dark (think older BAT gear) at first, although at about 100 hours they sound much more open. They rank a little higher than the RCA 6J5s for me and not quite as high as the Raytheon 6J5Gs nor Sylvania JAN 6sn7WGTs, which have superior air and a sparkling top end, with a more forward, energetic, crystalline, dense, and detailed presentation. However, with their ambiance retrieval and cozy warm-blanket nature, the 6P6S tubes are hard to remove in any non-critical listening session. It's choosing between Beauty and More Beauty or perhaps Different Beauty here (what is Truth, anyway...)

Up Next: A quad of 1940's National Union / Ken-Rad JAN-CNU-7193s with Frankentube adapters. As grandfather to the 6j5, this should be a fun one in the GA TRP and Poseidon

I just spoke to Laszlo a few days ago requesting TP adapters for the 2C22/7193 tube. I have both the KenRad and National Union. I'm finding them to be just as enjoyable in my system as any other tube. I need the TP adapters to give them a fair fight against my other TPd tubes. I ordered RCA 2C22s, which should arrive any day now.

The Ken-Rad is wonderfully revealing of detail. It does everything right besides having a sense of hollowness to the images. The National Union is very grounded and weighty but might be lacking for air.

Please keep us posted on your impressions.

 

[budburma]

@Socrates @Designsfx
Howdy. Having just put in a pair of NU 7193's into my single ended A3 TRP and let them loosen up a bit...wait for it...WOW. Similar in tone to 6j5's but much denser and richer. I have pairs of Mullard and Haltron CV6's on the way from across the pond and an ugly duckling pair of Kenrad from this side of the pond. Seem a little hard to find? If you can share a source, I'd appreciate it. The K-r and Mullards are supposedly the cream....I've not read anything about the Haltron - they should all be some kinda fun to explore if these NU are any indication.

Really, really nice sounding, layered, detailed, nuanced, tonally dense, great bass control and really hometown good feeling midrange. The highs....well I have some hearing loss there, so you tell me! It doesn't irritate or tire my old dog ears or cut short my listening.... That's first blush, so time will tell, but I'm impressed. Even enough to give up on my no adapters enthusiams!

OH - I initially had the caps reversed and got very little sound out of them. Neither the anode/cathode pegs on the tube or the adapter capss are labelled. For my adapters from Xuling Labs the right cap top went to the front peg - see the pics.

I've been using an Oldway Brimar 5r4gy rectifier as my favorite with the 6j5's. I'll run through what I have to confirm - I know the Brimar is richer and smoother than the Sophia 274b v1. There are a number laying about here - Winged C 5r4u, Valvo globe/mesh AZ1 and RGN1064, RCA, Marconi and Majestic globe 80's, Bendix 6106, and RCA 5r4gy....I think that's about it.

 

[budburma]

 

[budburma]

I just spoke to Laszlo a few days ago requesting TP adapters for the 2C22/7193 tube. I have both the KenRad and National Union. I'm finding them to be just as enjoyable in my system as any other tube. I need the TP adapters to give them a fair fight against my other TPd tubes. I ordered RCA 2C22s, which should arrive any day now.

The Ken-Rad is wonderfully revealing of detail. It does everything right besides having a sense of hollowness to the images. The National Union is very grounded and weighty but might be lacking for air.

Please keep us posted on your impressions.

The NU 7193 sound SO great at first blush in a lot of respects - but especially tonal density. Mine are still shaking off decades of cobwebs, but I can appreciate what you're saying about air lacking...not quite sure that will persist. Not boring in any way though and hoping that bit fades as they loosen or a different rectifier might open that up.
I have a pair of Haltron E1148's (perpenicular plate parallel to the floor) and of Mullard CV6's. My KenRad's need some love and cleaning - if anyone cares to share a source, that would be awesome. Happy to share impressions as we go.

 

[adamaley]

@Socrates @Designsfx
Howdy. Having just put in a pair of NU 7193's into my single ended A3 TRP and let them loosen up a bit...wait for it...WOW. Similar in tone to 6j5's but much denser and richer. I have pairs of Mullard and Haltron CV6's on the way from across the pond and an ugly duckling pair of Kenrad from this side of the pond. Seem a little hard to find? If you can share a source, I'd appreciate it. The K-r and Mullards are supposedly the cream....I've not read anything about the Haltron - they should all be some kinda fun to explore if these NU are any indication.

Really, really nice sounding, layered, detailed, nuanced, tonally dense, great bass control and really hometown good feeling midrange. The highs....well I have some hearing loss there, so you tell me! It doesn't irritate or tire my old dog ears or cut short my listening.... That's first blush, so time will tell, but I'm impressed. Even enough to give up on my no adapters enthusiams!

OH - I initially had the caps reversed and got very little sound out of them. Neither the anode/cathode pegs on the tube or the adapter capss are labelled. For my adapters from Xuling Labs the right cap top went to the front peg - see the pics.

I've been using an Oldway Brimar 5r4gy rectifier as my favorite with the 6j5's. I'll run through what I have to confirm - I know the Brimar is richer and smoother than the Sophia 274b v1. There are a number laying about here - Winged C 5r4u, Valvo globe/mesh AZ1 and RGN1064, RCA, Marconi and Majestic globe 80's, Bendix 6106, and RCA 5r4gy....I think that's about it.

From my research online, the CV6 is a variant that requires the cap wires be reversed to get sound. I've been tempted to purchase a relatively expensive GEC CV6 from eBay. Roughly $150/pair and have been trying to confirm whether my current adapter will do the job - I ran into some musings online that suggested CV6 and 2C22 are similar except for cathode and anode. Even adapter builders may not know that.

 

[budburma]

From my research online, the CV6 is a variant that requires the cap wires be reversed to get sound. I've been tempted to purchase a relatively expensive GEC CV6 from eBay. Roughly $150/pair and have been trying to confirm whether my current adapter will do the job - I ran into some musings online that suggested CV6 and 2C22 are similar except for cathode and anode. Even adapter builders may not know that.

Hooboy. Keep me posted. I'll shoot a question to China - Xuling is generally responsive and knowledgable. Easy enough to reverse with cap wires as long as the pinout connections are correct.

 

[Designsfx]

@budburma
Damn It! Now I’m going to have to go out and buy some of these- hopefully I can find quads It seems there are plenty of the NU’s out there- they had the market cornered on those.

I’m still parsing down my Billington list so I’ll keep these last suggestions in mind. I’m a little miffed on the high frequency comments though- I have a couple of 6J5 quads that are relaxed like that and I always end up jumping back to my older metal tubes.

 

[budburma]

@budburma
Damn It! Now I’m going to have to go out and buy some of these- hopefully I can find quads It seems there are plenty of the NU’s out there- they had the market cornered on those.

I’m still parsing down my Billington list so I’ll keep these last suggestions in mind. I’m a little miffed on the high frequency comments though- I have a couple of 6J5 quads that are relaxed like that and I always end up jumping back to my older metal tubes.

Funny, I left the metal cans and didn't look back - maybe I should! They seemed thin to me at the time. So right now, the NU 7193's with a Valvo big mesh globe RGN1064 is as good as I've heard tonally. The stage isn't as wide or layered as other combos - some are insanely huge. That seems to also be a specialty of the VAC Phi alpha integrated, too. But, yeah, 7193's. There are a lot in that family: 7193, 2C23 are the OG and US based - across the water there are , CV6, CV3601, VT232, VR135, E1148, DET20 (dual emitting transmitting 20 from Marconi-Osram)...Here's some whacky E1148 I have on the way. I need to be sure the same 7193 adapter will work, though.

 

[budburma]

 

[Socrates428]

Nice reports! I'm still waiting (weeks!) for 7193 adapters, hopefully getting out of customs limbo soon. The GEC CV6s " look the business" from their internal construction. Too bad anything labeled GEC is premium-priced and the law of supply and demand don't seem to apply...

 

[adamaley]

reports! I'm still waiting (weeks!) for 7193 adapters, hopefully getting out of customs limbo soon. The GEC CV6s " look the business" from their internal construction. Too bad anything labeled GEC is premium-priced and the law of supply and demand don't seem to apply...

Price is scary and there's no guarantee the sound will be commensurate. I've purchased many times from that seller on eBay though, so at least there's that .

 

[budburma]

See the lampiztor golden atlantic + trp thread for more info and pics on adapter lead orientation....

 

[Gryffles]

Well the PT14 tubes just didn’t do it for me in my original Golden Gate.
Managed to find a set of the RK Anniversary PX4’s and in combo with an EML mesh rectifier the sound is wonderful indeed.

Anyone looking for a quad or pair of PT14 tubes with Zebrano TP Adapters shoot me a PM. I got them directly from Laszlo

 

[Blake]

@Gryffles, thanks for the report and RK KR PX4 is definitely a nice tube. My favorites from KR are the RK KR242, followed closely by RK KRPX25, and PX4.

PT14 has been very well-received here, but we all have different systems and preferences. You never know until you try for yourself. At one level, at least you scratched the itch so you don't have that little voice in your head, wondering if you'd like the PT14

After rolling a bunch of options, PT14 and PT35 are my favorites, especially combined with the TP adapters. GLWS, they should go quickly.

Edit: what engine is in your GG?

 

[christoph]

@Gryffles, thanks for the report and RK KR PX4 is definitely a nice tube. My favorites from KR are the RK KR242, followed closely by RK KRPX25, and PX4.

PT14 has been very well-received here, but we all have different systems and preferences. You never know until you try for yourself. At one level, at least you scratched the itch so you don't have that little voice in your head, wondering if you'd like the PT14

After rolling a bunch of options, PT14 and PT35 are my favorites, especially combined with the TP adapters. GLWS, they should go quickly.

Edit: what engine is in your GG?

I fully agree with your KR order of preference.

The PT14 I know and love but what tube is the PT35?

 

[Blake]

I fully agree with your KR order of preference.

The PT14 I know and love but what tube is the PT35?

PT35 is another, more recent Philips tube discovery, from Laszlo and Tibor, it looks almost identical to the Philips PT14 and I assume it served the same intended function/purpose as the PT14 back in the day.

PT35 is outstanding, just like PT14. I am using PT35 in one system, PT14 in the other.

 

[christoph]

PT35 is another, more recent Philips tube discovery, from Laszlo and Tibor, it looks almost identical to the Philips PT14 and I assume it served the same intended function/purpose as the PT14 back in the day.

PT35 is outstanding, just like PT14. I am using PT35 in one system, PT14 in the other.

Thanks Blake.
And which one do you prefer?

 

[Blake]

Thanks Blake.
And which one do you prefer?

Good question. I'm not sure yet. I've been going back and forth on PT14/PT35 output, Telefunken C3G/Telefunken EF802 anode, and Valvo G2504 solid plate/mesh plate, so lots of potential combos.

I'm not yet at a point where I have any definitive thoughts on the differences between PT14/PT35. Both sound amazing with all the combos, but I will eventually get down to some focused A/B sessions to try to isolate the differences. The only initial thought I have is, the soundstage on PT35 might be pushed back some, set back further from the speaker plane, but I'm not positive.

EF802 is outstanding as well, exceptionally linear and "clean" sound. Lots has already been written about Telefunken C3G so no need to rehash that tube (mine are not the S version).

Oh, also, you need a different adapter for PT35, you can't use the PT14 adapter for PT35, but of course, TP makes the required adapter.

PT35's + EF802:

 

[christoph]

Good question. I'm not sure yet. I've been going back and forth on PT14/PT35 output, Telefunken C3G/Telefunken EF802 anode, and Valvo G2504 solid plate/mesh plate, so lots of potential combos.

I'm not yet at a point where I have any definitive thoughts on the differences between PT14/PT35. Both sound amazing with all the combos, but I will eventually get down to some focused A/B sessions to try to isolate the differences. The only initial thought I have is, the soundstage on PT35 might be pushed back some, set back further from the speaker plane, but I'm not positive.

EF802 is outstanding as well, exceptionally linear and "clean" sound. Lots has already been written about Telefunken C3G so no need to rehash that tube (mine are not the S version).

Oh, also, you need a different adapter for PT35, you can't use the PT14 adapter for PT35, but of course, TP makes the required adapter.

PT35's + EF802:

View attachment 129312

Thank you very much for your answer.

 

[Gryffles]

@Gryffles, thanks for the report and RK KR PX4 is definitely a nice tube. My favorites from KR are the RK KR242, followed closely by RK KRPX25, and PX4.

PT14 has been very well-received here, but we all have different systems and preferences. You never know until you try for yourself. At one level, at least you scratched the itch so you don't have that little voice in your head, wondering if you'd like the PT14

After rolling a bunch of options, PT14 and PT35 are my favorites, especially combined with the TP adapters. GLWS, they should go quickly.

Edit: what engine is in your GG?

Exactly right, there is no other way to know which tubes work best until we try them.

My GG uses the older 5942 engine so perhaps that has something to do with it vs the newer versions.

I would have tried PX25 except I’m limited by the combined heater current draw with this balanced model