6DJ8 vs. 6922?

BDP24,

The 6DJ8 tubes come in a large number of variants with different names for the US spec, Euro spec, and even Russian. These variants often come in 3 versions: a consumer (some can be really good), commercial (usually very good, but some can be AMAZING, and military spec (which can be better still. The commercial and Mil Spec tubes cost more, but you will get longer life out of them than the consumer grade; and they sound sublime.

I stay away from tubes made in Asian countries (too hit or miss), most tubes from the 1950s and 1960 are incredible, 1970s are really solid if not great, and some 1980s tubes can be really good.....but rule of thumb, older is better. 

Some of my favorites are:

(1) Inexpensive - RCA "Clear top" 12AU7 - There are better tubes, but this is a steal at $20 a pop and easy to find in matched pairs, same with similar Russian tubes Voskhod 6n23p

(2) Next level - Better sound, higher costs. RCA "long black plates",1950s and 1960s, GE 5814 early 1960s, Amperex ECC88/6DJ8 Made in Holland", Philips 5963 (Mil Spec)

(3) "Damn these are good!) - Amperex 6922 "PQ" made in Holland, Amperex 7308 "PQ" made in Holland, Mullard 12AU7/ECC82, Mazda 12AU7 made in France, and Vokshod 6N23P "single wire) made in Russia

(4) Holy Grail and ungodly expensive - CCa made in Germany (mostly), 12AU7/6DJ8 "Pinch Waist" version, some people will even put the hard to find Vokshod 6N23P "Single Wire, Silver Shield" here as well

Advice: Read through the link I will post below, and use a reputable supplier that will know exactly what you are looking for. I have used Upscale Audio for rectifiers, but prefer Tube Depot over them. The best in my opinion is Brent Jessee out of Illinois......knows everything about tubes, carries a large selection.....even really rare tubes, and is a really honest guy.

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm

Thanks a lot everyone. Lots of great info, and links to sources of even more. I have a box full of the small signal tubes I bought back in the 90’s, gotta look through it again. I know I have some 7308’s (Gold Aero iirc), 6922 Amperex’s I believe, and definitely some RAM’s.

The Music Reference RM-5 Mk.IV I just received (according to the serial number one of the last twenty of the 1,000 RM-5’s Roger made. Bone stock, no mods) is fitted with a 6922 Mullard in socket V3 (line stage), a pair of Sovtek (isn’t that the 6922 ARC uses?) in the phono stage.

I have a bassist/guitarist pal who has some old Telefunken’s, but he’s not interested in selling any. Selfish sob!

read this:

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm


the first thing to read in learning about the 6DJ8 family is brent jessee's 6DJ8 page. 

someone else posted it. 

also, lots of people here are quick to offer misinformation. its often swift and immediate. its worse on facebook groups. 

READ THIS:

http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm

learning the 6DJ8 family begins with familiarizing yourself with this information here. its not entirely correct, but its the best out there. 

     Whatever, "misinformation" MIGHT be found: the OP asked if the mentioned tubes tubes are interchangeable (6DJ8/6922) and favorites.

     No iteration mentioned in this thread* IS NOT directly interchangeable, with those, in a circuit designed for a 6DJ8 or 6922.

                             +1 for Brent Jesse's observations.

                       A wealth of listening impressions/info, here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/6922-tube-review-17-top-6922-6n23p-e88cc-cca-7308-e188cc-tubes.761078/

                       *Outside of the 12 Volt tubes mentioned, obviously.

I’ve tried more tubes in this variant than I would care to mention. Oddly, favorites were the Amperex 6DJ8 with a white globe. I’ve never seen these anywhere else, and they sounded better than other Amperex 7308 (military spec) with white lettering that are $$$, despite the 6DJ8 spec supposedly being the lowest of 6DJ8/6922/7308. If you can find any Amperex 6DJ8 with a white globe on em, try it out. 

The Amperex JAN 7308 is white good as well, as is the Reflektor 6N23-P. The latter are still available on Viva Tubes, where I’ve purchased some in the past:

https://www.vivatubes.com/true-nos-nib-matched-pair-6n23p-ev-soviet-russia-6922-6dj8-mil-spec-vacuum-tubes/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvJyjBhApEiwAWz2nLW99-7nP7mCqeHI5qaNO9Vg8Bh1LO1_4SJh4OZ29vft9PlZBAPwElRoCTFoQAvD_BwE