Scott,

Not in a while (6N1P). IIRC, it was this tube Dennis supplied as the driver in my amp, though a current production one. I did try Voskhods and still have one. I can swap it in and see what it sounds like to me today (though I have new Omega speakers coming tomorrow and might be a bit preoccupied! :)). I went though my typical too long list of candidates and settled on the 6N23P. I've tried some of my previous drivers here and there, but keep coming back to this one.

I do have a couple of 1975 Voskhod gray shield, single wire getter post variants. These are supposedly the best along with the 1974 Reflecktor silver shields. I'm not sure there is much difference between that particular year and design compared to others around that time, but all were pretty inexpensive ordering from the Ukraine (like $20 vs $40) and I believe that there is nothing wrong with placebo.

It seems to me that the origin of this "holy grail" 6N23P was completely due to one person's review. He claims an extensive listening test with a dozen or more of this tube family with a spreadsheet of various criteria and systematic rating scale. But, he also sells these tubes with the ones he rated highest carrying a significant premium (sells them for $100+ each), so who really knows given the potential conflict of interest.


Florida Boy gets all the credit for introducing the 6AR6 and 6K6 tubes here. I also checked them out and now endorse both the 6K6 - I like the 1950's RCA's at less than $25/pair - and 5Z4 rectifiers - either the Brimar 5Z4G ST style or the very early RCA 5Z4 metal body. The Brimars are about $50, but the RCA metal is under $20.

It is amazing to me that, after spending way too much on tubes, some in the 100's of dollars, that my amp has power tubes that cost less than $25/pair, a driver that was $40 and a rectifier that was $15!

My LP-2 takes that obscure 6FM7 ($2 each!) and a rectifier. That rectifier is the most expensive tube I now have running - current production Sophia 274B. I'm kinda glad that my LP-2 doesn't take 6922's or my life would have been even more complicated and expensive (would be three each of whatever tubes I would have wanted to try).

Thanks Peter. I also run the Sophia 274B in my LP-2 with an RCA 6CG7 and the 2-6H1Ns (you would have only spent 2/3 as much on the 6922 but maybe the 6CG7 possibilities would have made you head spin).

I have the Omega Super 7 Monitor MK-2s and love them. I know you have been through a few variations of Omegas in the past and maybe this is a question for that forum but what are you awaiting tomorrow. Something custom? BTW, you are up early? I am in NC what time is it there?

AK is four hours behind NC so not so early. 8:00am now. Though it will be dark a while longer so it seems early.

The Omegas are certainly impressive. And an excellent match for the Inspire gear. I have a thread in the Omega forum on Audio Circle. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to post the link here. The thread title is "Peter's Super Alnico Monitors with matching powered woofers". Last post was in May (yes, it's been that long to get part of the project to me), so it's buried a bit. I will likely update it Friday with the arrival of the monitors.

Basically, I'm getting a pair of Super Alnico Monitors built with the wider baffle (14"w x 11"d instead of the other way around). These should arrive tomorrow. Louis is also building, to be shipped later, matching 14 x 13 x 11 cabinets to house powered woofers. The guts are the excellent Rythmik 8" paper cone, foam surround, massive magnet woofers and plate amps. I'll be doing active (line level) crossover using a Marchand XM66 that does 4th order/24db per octave/Linkwitz-Riley crossing. So the Inspire will only need to amplify, and the monitors only need to reproduce, above 75, 100 or 150 hz depending on settings. Much more detail in that thread. Here's a photoshop mockup (it's in zebrawood):

http://i.imgur.com/ZGxL6x4.jpg

The Popes have arrived. I have been eager to try these since they received some glowing reviews, and I haven't tried any 6V6 tubes to date. But now, I have a potential problem. I don't have a 5Y3 rectifier. I have only a 274B and a 5AR4. I have some recollection of posts suggesting that the Pope tubes could use the 274B. Any thoughts on the best approach?

I don't think you need to worry about it. When I first had my amp, I asked Dennis several times about combos of power tubes with rectifiers. He never said not to try them. I ran the 274B and several other rectifiers when I was running 6V6 tubes without any problem.

I asked Dennis about using a 5U4G or Sophia 274B rectifier with the 6V6s last March. His response was "Give the 5U4G I sent with your amplifier a try with the 6V6 tubes you are using. In a dark room check the plates of the 6V6 tubes after about 10 minutes of run in and see if they are glowing orange or red. If not you are good to go with the 5U4G or a Sophia 274B."

I have used a 5U4G, 5U4GB, and a Sophia 274B with some Pope and some Hytron 6V6's. YMMV

Thanks guys. FloridaBoy reminded me that Dennis shipped a 5U4G tube with my amp as well. I think I will give that a try and keep the 274B in the preamp.

My best results with the Popes is with the Shuguang 5U4 Dennis sent with the amp.

Try the 274B first and give the Pope's 50 hours or so to settle in. It will be waste of time to swap rectifiers until the tubes are settled in. The Pope tubes can handle the higher plate voltage and sound great. The Pope's are 6V6GT's. All the GT's can handle the higher voltage.

However, as nhparrot wrote:

I asked Dennis about using a 5U4G or Sophia 274B rectifier with the 6V6s last March. His response was "Give the 5U4G I sent with your amplifier a try with the 6V6 tubes you are using. In a dark room check the plates of the 6V6 tubes after about 10 minutes of run in and see if they are glowing orange or red. If not you are good to go with the 5U4G or a Sophia 274B. I have used a 5U4G, 5U4GB, and a Sophia 274B with some Pope and some Hytron 6V6's.

Glowing plates is usually called 'red plating' and happens when more voltage is applied than the tube can handle. Not good.

Per Dennis, you must use a 5Y3 or equivalent with 6V6G ST's These are the coke bottle shape from the 1930's - 1950's. Very nice tubes if you get a good pair but they cannot handle the higher plate voltage from a rectifier other than a 5Y3. With any other power tube you can use any 5 volt rectifier. See the above 'red plate' caveat.

Don't be afraid to swap them between the amp and preamp.