JackarlTwo
500+ Head-Fier
OK - back to real tubes again. In these days of ever escalating prices of desirable tubes I have found a garden variety RCA 6SN7GT that IMHO is a top tier tube. This tube should be inexpensive but it is a little hard to find but not because it is rare; I'll explain:
This 6SN7GT tube is from the late sixties. RCA made several different such tubes, but I only found one variant that sounds great. This variant has a little heater wire above the top mica and black parallel plates. All the ones I have seen have red print on the base. There are also rebranded such tubes that should make them even cheaper (I have pair Stromberg-Carlson branded ones - S-C was a radio manufacturer). The problem is that most such tubes when pictured in the ads don't show that little heater wire. Here is a spotters guide:
My tube in action; more pictures below:
If anyone has this variant, please try it and let me know what you think of the sound.
I've been using these tubes for a while now. Sounds pretty close the RCA VT-231 gray glass I have, but not as rolled off up top I think. Very good sound imo, especially for the relatively good price.