A vintage inexpensive tube tester cannot tell you if one tube sounds better or worse than another, assuming both tubes test in the "good" category. And if one is going to invest in a tube tester, one ought to look for one that measures transconductance. Hickok and a few other brands that sold testers actually made by Hickok are good to look for. Such a tester can only tell you if a tube is worn out or shorted. I have tested many a 6SN7, for one example, that exhibited borderline transconductance yet sounded wonderful, superior to other samples that tested better. (Transconductance goes down as tubes age, so it is a reasonable way to monitor aging if you are buying used tubes, etc.). Transconductance is also a good criterion for judging matching of sections in a dual section triode. I have a Hickok 533B that I bought about 25 years ago. It just keeps chugging along, was very used when I got it in the first place and is one of the most basic of the Hickok line. Paid $75. Now if you want to spend big bucks, more than $1000, you can buy new testers that are really capable of evaluating tubes qualitatively by tracing curves and other fun things For example, the old Hickoks mostly could not supply enough current and voltage to test power tubes under their actual operating conditions in an amplifier. Since most tube characteristics (mu, transconductance, plate resistance) differ in a nonlinear fashion depending upon grid bias, plate voltage, and plate current applied, the vintage testers can give misleading results. (The best way to do that is to measure voltages in the actual amp.) The modern new testers can test power tubes ex circuit under authentic use conditions.
One Component You Would Never Change One Type You Would Return To
You are given an opportunity to revamp the system. Is there one component you would never change, and one you would want to return to?
For me my SOTA Cosmos Eclipse with Origin Live Agile tonearm is an end game table. It will not leave. I might put a different cartridge on it, and have been considering moving my Kiseki Blackheart to it. I would like to try the Audio Technica ART20 on it also.
What I would return to is SET amplification and tube preamp. I have loved the sound of SET gear, and left because speakers I bought meant I needed different amplification.
That is the rub. To return to SET I would need something other than my JBL 4365. They are expensive, large, and hard to sell. Also I would never get them back, as nice a shape as mine are or as affordable a price.
For SET I would need something like the Pure Audio open baffles. Or possibly a pair of Klipsch Belle where I would retrofit a modern horn like the Fastrax or something equivalent
What would yours be?
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Keepers:
- London Pickups: Reference, Supergold w/Decapod. - Tonearms: Zeta, Helius Designs Omega Silver, Trans-Fi Terminator (Linear Tracking Air Bearing). - Townshend Audio Elite Rock turntable (Mk.2). - VPI HW-19 Mk.5. Mk.5? Yes, a Mk.4 with the stock platter and bearing replaced with those from the TNT Mk.5. And the stock motor replaced with the SAMA. - The Phoenix Engineering Roadrunner Digital Turntable Tachometer and Eagle PSU Controller.
- All my Music Reference electronics: RM-5 Mk.IV, RM-9 Mk.2, RM-10 Mk.2, RM-200 Mk.2. - First Watt B4 crossover. - McIntosh MR-78 tuner (with Modafferi update) and MI-4 Maximum Performance Indicator. - Revox A77 Mk. 4. - Nakamichi BX-300.
- Stax SR Lambda Professional ESL Earspeakers. - Rythmik Audio/GR Research OB/Dipole Subwoofer. - Eminent Technology LFT-8b (used in conjunction with the above subwoofer). With the LFT-8 and OB sub combo in my possession, I believe I can let my Quads and Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa’s go (eventually). - Clear Day Audio Double Shotgun speaker cables. - Vicoustic Multifuser DC3. - ASC Roomtunes.
- Townshend Audio Seismic Pods.
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@elliottbnewcombjr thanks! The tubes that ARC sent me seem to sound better than the ones that were in there but it might be too early to tell. The original set of Sovteks were in regular use (2-3 hours a day) for over 30 years and showed no signs of wear. The new ones are Genelex Gold Lions. I'm keeping the Sovteks in storage, I might never need them again but it's nice to know they are there. |
I for myself wouldnt anything at my 3 equipments. It sounds more than satisfying. But I did change 2 Pairs of speakers. Falcon LS 3/5a instead of Leema Xen2 Mikro-Monitors. Both sounds different, but each of ist very good. Other Hifi-Chain: Swans M1S Monitors (premium-crossover with Caps by Mundorf and Jantzen plus oil-soaked Coil for Magnetostatic tweeter instead of Neumann KH 120A (I dont sell it too). First changes since 13 years. |
What I wouldnt change ever: Croft Integrated Phono (Phonosection with two Valves ECC 83, Line Stage with ECC 82), McIntosh MHA 150A Line and Headphone-Pre, Denon DP 3000 NE and Technics SL 1210 GR, two Denon DL 103 Standard, Ortofon SPU Stereo and Mono, Koetsu Rosewood Standard, Miyajima Zero Mono and Miyajima Kotetu Mono, Daniel Weiss Dac 204/I, Reclockers Mutec MC3+ USB, Streaming Bridge Lumin U1 Mini, LPS Ferrum Hypsos (for Weiss DAC), Nagra Melody Phono with APCS LPSU, Speaker Cables by Tellurium (Black II and SilverQ), RCA-Cables by Kondo, TonstudiotechniK Funk (Berlin), Acoustic Revive, Tellurium Black, Neotech NA 1266, Powerdistributors by Nordost (QBase 4/III) and two Vibex ONE, Vibex Powerblock Rhodium, Speaker Stands MusicTools ONE (for LS 3/5) and Dynaudio Stand 4. |
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