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tubes with a 6V heater, and less than 600mA of heater current

Yeeterkeeter

Yeeterkeeter

Kermit the Frog
Hello, I am looking for good tubes to use with my Schiit audio Vali, and they claim that the Vali can take any tube with a 6v heater and a heater current less than 600mA. I've tried using Frank's electron tube datasheets to search for tubes with these specifications, but I due to the unorganized nature of the datasheets and the lack of specifications search, it has taken me a very long time and I have turned up with no results other than the 6N3P, 5670, 2C51, CV4013, ECC42, and the WE396A (and I am pretty sure that some of these tubes are the same tube but with different naming). Either way, if anyone knows tubes with these specifications, that would be a great help.
 
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What kind of sockets are we taking about? Also whats the stock tube? Lots of tubes fit this description but without knowing what type and pinout its hard to be specific here
 
It the tube has the wrong pinout your Vali can, and probably would go up in smoke. There is also the gain factor. Other tube types could have more, or less gain depending on the tube compared to the tube number Schiit sends with it. The Vali was most likely optimized for one particular tube type.
 
vinylkid58 said:
Those aren't enough options for you? o_O
Click to expand...
the 6N3P is a copy of the 5670 tubes (a near-perfect one at that), and in turn, the 5670 is a ruggedized version of the 2c51. Finally, the WE396A is Western Electric's version of the 5670. It is important to mention that I haven't heard any of these tubes except for the 6N3P, so I do not know how each of them sounds. If they sound audibly different, I would be open to purchasing some of these tubes. (luckily for me, I don't have to find a matched pair, since the Vali only uses one tube. Yay!)
 
2C51 and 5670 are the most common. ECC42 (if it existed) would have a different base - wouldn't fit. Tesla made a 6CC42 - probably what was intended.
 
Lots of options. You'll probably notice the 6N3P at the very bottom of the list. Worth mentioning, the higher up said list you go, the more expensive they get.

1st class,
WE396A (D getter)
WE2C51 (D getter)
Bendix 6385 (toooo expensive)
Tesla 6CC42 (rare but sometimes will show up in the market)

2nd class,
WE396A/2C51 (O getter)
Tung-sol 2C51 (they invent this tube, 1950s, D getter)
Raytheon CK5670 (1950s, D getter)
* Raytheon CRP 5670 windmill getter
RCA 5670 (1950s, D/Plate 2 supporting rod getter)
* RCA Command Series 5670
GE 5670 (3 mica structure, mostly 5 stars tube)

3rd class, (after 1960s)
GE 5670
RCA 5670
Tung-sol 5670
Sylvania 2C51
Sylvania 5670 (sometimes marked Mullard)
RTC 5670
Philips 2C51

4th class,
Russian and Chinese 6N3P, -E, -EB, -EV

I'm a fan of the Western 396A - Great mids, greater frequency extension, darker background, less shrill. The RCA Command Series 5670 has surprisingly robust sound considering that it's more of a bargain tube. Also right pleased with what I get using the Tesla 6CC42. Much brighter, strong mids (both nice for jazz in triode mode), and a bit short on bass, but I can correct that easily with a sub-synthesizer. You probably don't want to know what I paid for one of those NIB ... yikes! But, hey, I'm worth it. :D

*Warning - tube rolling can be addictive. Don't ask me how I know. And no, you can't have mine! :cool:

maverick-tubes.jpg


PS - maybe worth mentioning. I use this series tube as the primary driver on the tube output side of my Maverick TubeMagic DAC. That allows me to completely change the flavor of what I'm hearing with a simple single tube swap. FYI - the Maverick makes a right nice tube buffer that works well for fine tuning the system output and matching the amp, using the "volume" control to adjust the variable line in .
 
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sKiZo said:
Lots of options. You'll probably notice the 6N3P at the very bottom of the list. Worth mentioning, the higher up said list you go, the more expensive they get.

1st class,
WE396A (D getter)
WE2C51 (D getter)
Bendix 6385 (toooo expensive)
Tesla 6CC42 (rare but sometimes will show up in the market)

2nd class,
WE396A/2C51 (O getter)
Tung-sol 2C51 (they invent this tube, 1950s, D getter)
Raytheon CK5670 (1950s, D getter)
* Raytheon CRP 5670 windmill getter
RCA 5670 (1950s, D/Plate 2 supporting rod getter)
* RCA Command Series 5670
GE 5670 (3 mica structure, mostly 5 stars tube)

3rd class, (after 1960s)
GE 5670
RCA 5670
Tung-sol 5670
Sylvania 2C51
Sylvania 5670 (sometimes marked Mullard)
RTC 5670
Philips 2C51

4th class,
Russian and Chinese 6N3P, -E, -EB, -EV

I'm a fan of the Western 396A - Great mids, greater frequency extension, darker background, less shrill. Also right pleased with what I get using the Tesla 6CC42. Much brighter, strong mids (both nice for jazz in triode mode), and a bit short on bass, but I can correct that easily with a sub-synthesizer. You probably don't want to know what I paid for one of those NIB ... yikes! But, hey, I'm worth it. :D

*Warning - tube rolling can be addictive. Don't ask me how I know. :cool:
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the list. I wish there was a way to pin messages on AK
 
Not really sure if it matters - the JAN designation stands for military grade, and those tended to have to meet higher standards, especially for microphonics, as they were built primarily for use in sensitive equipment that they didn't want to go boom or worse when in service.

* Best way to tell is to check the production code printed on the tube.

antiqueradios.com

GE Tube Plant/Date Codes

HI ALL: Anyone have a good source for GE tube Plant/Date Codes? I know that 188-5 is KY and 188-20 is NY, but what about the others. I also know that the Dat…
antiqueradios.com antiqueradios.com

Problem being, you have to see the tubes to do that. Also, you might need to have a subscription to the antique radios forum to see the link I posted. And ... it's sort of a PITA signing up. Worth it if you're into "classic" equipment though.
 
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Also while a certain tube type, brand, etc. may sound good in one piece of equipment, it may not in another. I've found this to be true in a few pieces of equipment I have.
You migh5 start with a short list of what others seem to like in the Vali, and go from there.
 
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