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Is there a worthy 6922 presently made?

Why hasn't any tube manfacturer designed a good sounding 6922 tube? The paucity of decent designs only fuels the exorbitant price gouging the tube dealers are doing with NOS 6922/6DJ8.

I think it is pretty universally accepted among tube fans that the Sovtek 6922 is a dependable & strong tube, but a sterile, thin, & dead sounding device. Some have praised the JJ 6922, while others have proclaimed it rather mediocre, and some have blown up their amplifiers, like an ARC owner who burned out parts of his VT-100's circuit board when attempting to substitute the JJ's for the stock Sovteks in the input stage.

Sovtek's owner, New Sensor, has come out with a "new" 6922 in the form of an Electroharmonix 6922, with claims it is significantly better than the Sovtek. But some have said it is nearly the identical tube and sounds nearly identical. Audio Research claims it is a better tube, but.....

Why hasn't Svetlana designed a 6922? Or someone else? We are left with two tubes made by the same manufacturer, and one from Czechoslovakia. That's it! Any thoughts or experiences?
kevziek

Showing 4 responses by kevziek

kevziek OP
323 posts
 
Imin2u,

Can you give us a sonic description against a particular NOS and a Sovtek?
kevziek OP
323 posts
 
I don't think there is any design difference between the gold pin and regular EH 6922; just the pins. Anyway, that's what New Sensor told me. Glad to hear some of you are liking the EH tube.
kevziek OP
323 posts
 
It is fine to love NOS tubes, but don't have a disrespectful and condescending attitude towards those of us who simply aren't interested in spending gobs of money on supposed NOS tubes. I've been there, done that, know people who have, and there are plenty of tubes supposedly NOS and highly tested that are not what they are being represented as. Speak to Bob at Eurotubes (US distributor for JJ tubes) and he'll tell you this: Tubes can measure as new and be highly used. He has measured highly used old stock tubes and they will have strong, as new, measurements for thousands of hours. Then, they will suddenly show a rapid decline in performance and readings as they approach the end of their useful life.

Ken Stevens of CAT has some pretty harsh comments to make on supposed NOS tubes and their suppliers. Go to the following link: http://www.soundstagelive.com/factorytours/cat/
and open your eyes.
kevziek OP
323 posts
 
Eiiiiiiiiich! The EH 6922 has squashed dynamics? So many opinions......hard to draw any conclusions. I certainly don't doubt that Amperexes, Mullards, etc., sound better than current production stuff. I would guess the problem is that everyone wants to cut corners and main concerns are profits. It has been stated previously on this site that the metals and the techniques used on NOS tubes are not implemented by today's tube mfrs. It's time New Sensor, Svetlana and others get their heads out of their asses and learn how to do it right and be willing to spend the money to tool up to do it right.

Perhaps the 6H30 is to be explored. I know many dislike the result of ARC's designs with it. BAT loves it, and perhaps they do a better implementation. Tubes have become a love-hate relationship for some of us for these very reasons.
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