[OctavianH]

Beautiful tubes need beautiful photos. I like the Italy flag on my pair of EBC3.

The STC 5B/254M is a nice tube, I find it very musical and warm sounding. Some claim it is neutral, for me it's sweet and musical. Everyone has different views, but majority agrees that these are quite nice. My version of them are "vintage" with double D-getters.

This is a tube I will keep around. I like it and I am sure I can obtain more from it on my next amplifier with variable Vplate so I can put these to more than 200V/20mA. Until then I will enjoy it here.

Philips EBC3 is a brighter tube, has elevated highs, but it is very detailed and transparent. People who have problems with high frequencies might be careful with these, but for me they add a lot of detail and an idea more aggressivity where I felt D8000 Pro was an idea too polite: top range of the frequency area. But as usual, they have a problem and the problem are some too thin to my taste mids. Combined with the STC 5B/254M they shine. Because both have something which the other is missing.

 

[g0ldl10n]

This is the value of red series and in my view, the triode inside EBC3 is one of the best tubes I ever listened in my life.

Aha! You find it incredible too? Different base version of the VR55/EBC33. When I first heard some very old, small blue painted/coated ST Mullard VR55s, I was awe struck. So much so, the VR55 and commercial EBC33 is the tube I have the most of in my collection- I was determined to never go without them. I was lucky enough to find a listing on ebay shortly after I discovered them for a whole box full of the small ST blue Mullard VR55s, in the original military packaging for about $2/ea. I absolutely love the triode inside that tube, it is truly amazing.

 

[Isaacc7]

I got my amp back from the tech. Told my sad tale on the main Oblivion thread. One other thing the tech mentioned is that I should probably start my vt60 tubes at a lower voltage and then move them to operating voltage once they had warmed a bit. I figured that was probably a good idea. The main problem I have is that the adapters I use for one of my favorite input tubes, the c3m, obscures the pot to adjust the voltage. Once I put the tubes in and re-cable it I’ll see if a long, thin screwdriver would solve my problem.

In any case, I’m excited to get back to my amp!