Tubes for Cary SLP-05

Hi Mitch,
You could go w/ the metal base Sylvania to get what you are looking for. I tried many 6sn7s and that was clearly the best.
Nick

Here are some other Sylvanias I have used and liked as much as the metal base and are a little cheaper. The 1952 tall bottle ("bad Boys") and the 6sn7W tall bottles. Which are pretty much the same as the metal base only plastic base. You can get some general info one the 6sn7s at www.tubeseller.com
Also if you do a search on www.head-fi.org there is a huge thread on the 6sn7 tubes. Type in.... The reference 6sn7 thread...lots of good info.

I have enough 6SN7's to start my own shop :) I have Sylvania, RCA clear glass, RCA grey glass, Elektro-Harmonix Gold, Western Electric, and the cheap Chinese jobbies that came with the SLP-05.

The Western Electrics are the most dynamic - clean, quiet, and with a lot of slam. They can sound a little sterile and do not have as nice a tone as the RCA clear glass.

I also like the Sylvanias - a less romantic sound than the RCA (which can sound fat and slow with the wrong recordings), but my Sylvanias are noticably noisier than the other tubes.

Another tip for you - the biggest improvement can be gained from changing the input valves (the two valves on the far left). Do not bother changing the tubes on the far right as these are for the headphone stage.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions