There has been a flurry of posting recently about the Create Synergy 5AR4. I'm using the tube in my ModWright Sony, and prefer it to my 1969 vintage Blackburn Mullard. In my opinion, it is a real find, since the old Mullards are getting to be hard to find and kind of expensive. It is not a sweet, tubey tube, so if that is what you are looking for you will be disappointed. The create is the only tube I have found that offers the dynamics of the Mullards. The create tubes are offered for sale on audiogon. Check username fork. |
Mlsstl, you got me. I'm not an ee. I would have expected this from an output tube, not an ee. I had my ModWright for some time before I started rolling rectifier tubes, because I was skeptical. I tried a couple different new production tubes, got ripped off on a vintage Mullard, then finally got a good Blackburn Mullard. A short time thereafter, my back ordered Create tube arrived. All I can say is a number of people have found this tube to their liking, but not everyone. |
Mofimadness, The create tubes are reasonably priced compared to what I paid for my vintage Mullard. It is not an expensive experiment to try one out. Even if you don't like it as well as the Mullard, its probably worth having as a very good back up to have for when the Mullard gets weak.
I held on to my vintage Mullard because its not unlikely that at some point down the road, I'll find it has better synergy with my system than the Create, though I prefer the Create in my current set up. Also, the time draws near when the vintage mullards will be impossible to find, so I feel pretty good about having a good strong mullard sitting on the shelf.
The Create has its virtues. Very dynamic and a very low noise floor. Jet black background. Detailed, but not bright. It does not have that lushious, romantic, tubey sound, but surprisingly, I don't really miss that so much as you might expect. I encourage you to run the experiment and see for yourself.
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Dodgealum, Your findings in comparing the Blackburn Mullard and Create synergy 5AR4 in your LS 100 parallel exactly my take on the two tubes in the ModWright Sony 5400. I agree that they are both superb tubes, with certain systems or tastes tipping the balance on which to use. As for me, I prefer the Create.
For Create to offer this tube at a time when the Mullards are in very short supply is a real boon. |
Bayreuth, Thanks for pointing these out. I have heard nothing about them, but I just bought one to give it a try. Got one for under 40 shipped, which is less than half the current price of the create synergy tubes.
I really love the synergy tube, but its an inexpensive experiment. I'd love a tube with the dynamics and low noise of the synergy with the classic tube sound of the old mallards. That is asking a lot, but ---- one can always hope.
By the way, love your user name! |
Wig and Bayreuth, the tube came today. I will give it a good listen Saturday night. |
Bayreuth, Wig, and all-- Just a real quick tube rolling session, 1st the Create, then my old 1969 vintage Mullard Blackburn, then the new production Genalex Gold Lion.
The Create and Mullard performed true to form-- The Create had superior dynamics, blacker background and more air, The Mullard sweetened up female vocals nicely but other wise the edge went to the Create. Then, I rotated in the new Gold Lion Genalex. This is a very nice tube! I think it one upped the Create on dynamics, matched on lack of any noise, maybe a draw on air. But it had the sweetness of the Mullard on female vocals, and seems to be better than the other tubes with the piano accompaniment. FYI, the recording is Schubert Lieder.
This is a pretty good showing right out of the box with no burn in or warmup. This tube will stay in for the weekend, and I will do reverse rolling Sunday night. I've got a strong feeling this tube will stay in. Nice find Bayreuth! By the way, I'll give Das Reingold a spin this weekend as the final test.
At under $40 shipped, this tube is a no-brainer. |
Yep, Mofi's link is the place. Tube came in about 3 days. |
Wig, I only had it burning for about 3 hrs last night. As I said, it was a great tube straight out of the box. I will give it another 6 hrs tonight and do more serious listening Sunday evening. This thing is stupid good for $40, and better than either the Create or the Mullard Blackburn.
So glad to see that people are figuring out how to reverse engineer the old classic tubes, and in this case, improve on them. |
Gold Lion 2, Create Synergy 0. No small accomplishment for GL to beat the create at half the price! Thanks again to Bayreuth for drawing this tube to our attention. Now, if they would just be so kind as to offer a 6SN7 that beats the Sophia! |
Goose, I think these Gold Lions are going to be hard to beat based on my experience so far. PSVane claims they have a 6SN7 equivalent that people really like in ModWright gear. One of the ModWright website photos shows an Oppo with the PSVanes. You might give Dan Wright a shout and see what he has to say about them. |
Wig and Goose, some good info!
Goose, I agree on the progress with new production tubes. With the advances in technology over the last half century, plus the fact that people like us are willing to pay high prices for quality tubes, you have to think that eventually we will see tubes that will beat the best nos tubes out there. Perhaps some at reasonable prices like the Gold Lions.
Wig thanks for the heads up on the PSVanes. I've got 2 sets of sophias, so I'm not included to run expensive experiments just yet. Thanks for sharing your experience with the PS 9 upgrade. I will shoot Dan an email and see what the cost is. |
Jazzdrummer, sorry to hear you got a dud. I've got 5 months of steady use on mine with no indication it is starting to go. I guess we will need to keep this thread running to see if others find a short tube life. At $40, if I went through 3 a year it might still be worth it. |
