[Mr Trev]

No, just equally bad in different ways.

Reminds me of when my web design instructor was asked which he preferred, Mac or Windows. His reply… "they both suck in their own special ways"

 

[pataburd]

My favorites:
#1: 6922-to-6SN7 adapter with mil-spec Sylvania 6DJ8
#2: 2x 6J5-to-6SN7 adapter with (2x) RCA 6J5
#3: CBS JAN-CHY 5692 brown base

 

[jonathan c]

With 6922 —> 6SN7 adapter, have you tried 6922 (premium 6DJ8) or 7308 (premium 6922)?

: Amperex PQ 6922, Amperex PQ 7308, Genalex / Gold Lion 6922, Philips BEL E88CC …

 

[pataburd]

Have only a J. J. Tesla 6922, that I don't care too much for. (It was left over from the KingSound M-20 that I had sold a while back.)
No 7308 yet.
Besides the mil-spec Sylvania 6DJ8--which I recently bought and am enjoying quite a bit, I also have gotten to like the Russian 6N23N-EB (also a leftover from amps gone-by).
If I see a good deal on a premium 6922, I might go for it. Thank you for the recommendations!
For the time-being, I'm content to remain blissfully ignorant (and fiscally solvent) .

 

[Pondoro]

I bought a Lyr 3 used, it has been trouble free. It came with no tube, I have had good luck with tube life, but recently two birth year 6SN7 tubes failed withing a month. I get it, they are old, my birth year was 1957. I, personally, could fail at any time. But still, two that close together? I would like to by a brand new 6Sn7 and run it for a while. I am more interested in reliability than ultimate sound. I just want to run it for several months and say, "OK the Lyr is good" or, "Wow, this thing eats tubes!" So I do not want to spend huge $$ on this tube. What new brands do people recommend?

 

[pataburd]

Did the NOS tubes you bought come tested, with good test results?
I have older NOS tubes [1940's] that are still going strong.

 

[Hyde00]

I bought a Lyr 3 used, it has been trouble free. It came with no tube, I have had good luck with tube life, but recently two birth year 6SN7 tubes failed withing a month. I get it, they are old, my birth year was 1957. I, personally, could fail at any time. But still, two that close together? I would like to by a brand new 6Sn7 and run it for a while. I am more interested in reliability than ultimate sound. I just want to run it for several months and say, "OK the Lyr is good" or, "Wow, this thing eats tubes!" So I do not want to spend huge $$ on this tube. What new brands do people recommend?

Did the NOS tubes you bought come tested, with good test results?
I have older NOS tubes [1940's] that are still going strong.

Was going to say I never had any of my tube die on me yet, maybe it's the good thing about having multiple tubes. None of them gets used for thatttttttt long LOL.

But generally I find I don't have issue with reliability.

As for recommendation, it depending on the sound signature you're looking for.

I like CBS JAN 6SN7WGTA for more "fun" sound.

Sylvania 6J5GT x 2 if you want super wide soundstage, but need twin tube adapter. If you don't want to deal with adapter you could probably go with Sylvania 6SN7GT.

 

[Pondoro]

Did the NOS tubes you bought come tested, with good test results?
I have older NOS tubes [1940's] that are still going strong.

The tubes were tested and came from highly rated sellers on eBay. They sounded good when I started and they lasted more than a year. I was simply surprised that I had two failures close together.

About the tubes sounding "good." I do not sit around listening to the inky blackness between notes. I can hear the effect of using an adapter to put a 6SN7 in place of a smaller tube on my Vali 2+. I can hear the difference between my Lyr and my Vali 2+. But I cannot claim to hear a lot of differences from one 6SN7 to another. Maybe I could hear the difference but maybe I do not try that hard. To evaluate equipment I listen mostly to acoustic guitars, horns and drums and ask, "Do they sound right?" I have heard a lot of acoustic music. I listen to the vocalist and ask, "How are they placed?" and "How tall do they sound?"

I like the way these preamps sound but I am no expert.

 

[Hyde00]

Lyr 3 is tricky, I initially tried a lot of tubes and they all sound the same more or less.

Then somehow the last few tubes I tried they all sound different LOL. I can't explain, maybe it's year? Or tube "type"? I find switching type seems to yield more difference.

As in:

6SN7GT
6SN7WGTA
6J5GT

Again...... can't say for sure, but also surprised your tubes died so close to each other.

Luckily 6SN7 types aren't too expensive to replace in general I think.

 

[reg66]

I bought a Lyr 3 used, it has been trouble free. It came with no tube, I have had good luck with tube life, but recently two birth year 6SN7 tubes failed withing a month. I get it, they are old, my birth year was 1957. I, personally, could fail at any time. But still, two that close together? I would like to by a brand new 6Sn7 and run it for a while. I am more interested in reliability than ultimate sound. I just want to run it for several months and say, "OK the Lyr is good" or, "Wow, this thing eats tubes!" So I do not want to spend huge $$ on this tube. What new brands do people recommend?

If it's new production tubes you're after you could go for Linlai E6SN7 here, if funds can afford - this tube I have read very good things about.
Or, this tube (Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z) from AliExpress is cheaper and probably not too far away from the above. This tube is an excellent all-rounder

 

[tafens]

I bought a Lyr 3 used, it has been trouble free. It came with no tube, I have had good luck with tube life, but recently two birth year 6SN7 tubes failed withing a month. I get it, they are old, my birth year was 1957. I, personally, could fail at any time. But still, two that close together? I would like to by a brand new 6Sn7 and run it for a while. I am more interested in reliability than ultimate sound. I just want to run it for several months and say, "OK the Lyr is good" or, "Wow, this thing eats tubes!" So I do not want to spend huge $$ on this tube. What new brands do people recommend?

I like the “stock” premium tube that was/is an option when ordering 6SN7-amps from Schiit, the new production Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB.

I have tried a few other new production tubes too, one that has better detail and sound stage than the TS, albeit losing a little of its “oomph” is (in my ears) the Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z (black glass).

 

[lostrockets]

anyone have a link for a 12au7 to 6sn7 base adapter?

 

[pataburd]

There's Amazon [eBay, etc.]:
https://www.amazon.com/handmade-12AU7-Vacuum-socket-Adapter/dp/B098JMC45R

Your best bet is @Deyan:
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/custom-tube-socket-adapters.11214/

 

[Hyde00]

I bought one off eBay, there's lots to pick from.

Though I find 12AU7 doesn't sound that nice in Lyr 3.

Lyr 3 I still like bigger tubes better (6SN7, 6J5....etc).

12AU7 I like it more on the Project Solstice.

 

[pataburd]

What is it about the 12AU7 that you don't like with the LYR 3? . . . not enough muscle?
[I like the delicacy and detail of a 6DJ8/6922 with the LYR+. Not slammy dynamic (at all), but great for vocals and acoustic venues.]