Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[BearCityUSA]

Originally Posted by timeout59

"Have you tried the Pope's with a 5Y3/80 rectifier? Lower power but very sweet. You can use any rectifier with them. Kevin Deal ran them with 450 volts on the plates. No issues."


I haven't tried the Pope 6V6GT with an 80 rectifier but will. Didn't know an 80 was even a possibility in the amp.

My favorite by far is the Bendix 6106, an indirectly heated 5y3. From dealers they can be a little pricey but on Ebay they can be found more reasonable. I do recall it taking a white to settle in but afterword the Popes and later Visseauxs became some of my favorites. Though I expect my 6106 to last forever I got a spare just in case I live forever.

BTW an 80 would require an adapter.

[FloridaBoy]

My amp has a UX4 4 pin rectifier socket. I need an adapter for 5Y3's etc. That Bendix 6106 is a special tube from the Redstone rocket project. Gott luv the Cold War. Yup, it will likely last 4ever. I found some Holland Pope 80's and it's a goodie too. The 80 is a 4 pin 5Y3.

[Comzee]

I also have a Bendix 6106, I'll have to let it burn in more. Happen to have the pope 6v6 too, but not sure if it'll give me the same magic in pentode design.

@Bombadil Ya it's on the cusp. Some low volume songs I do have to have my dial 75% or higher, but I've never run into an issue where 90% wasn't loud enough.

I also have low capacitance short interconnects (blue jeans cable)

[Musica Amantem]

Long weekend ahead. Plan to try several combinations I've yet to test, mostly with the Preamp:

1. CV-181 T or Super Radiotron 6SN7 GTA in lieu of GE CBX7, while running the amp with CV-181 T-II and GL KT77's or KT-66z
2. Yggdrasil direct to amp (several output/input tube combos)
3. Yggdrasil > ZBit (Balanced) > Amp (several ouput/input tube combos)

I will probably won't cover these many combinations but will try as many as possible.

[FloridaBoy]

Tubes and capacitors are like spice. Certain combos just hit the spot.

[timeout59]

On the hunt for a Bendix 6106. I do have a Sovtek 5Y3GT that came with the amp, I forgot about it. Using it right now with the Pope 6V6GT and sounds good. So far every tube I have sounds about the same, which is to say VERY good.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by timeout59

On the hunt for a Bendix 6106. I do have a Sovtek 5Y3GT that came with the amp, I forgot about it. Using it right now with the Pope 6V6GT and sounds good. So far every tube I have sounds about the same, which is to say VERY good.

You can also find a 6106 incorrectly re-label by Richardson Electronics as a 5AR4. No kidding. There is a 'Sylvania' 5AR4 on the auction site that is a re-labled Mullard. The date code is visible and it's a Blackburn tube.

[BearCityUSA]

Originally Posted by Comzee

I also have a Bendix 6106, I'll have to let it burn in more. Happen to have the pope 6v6 too, but not sure if it'll give me the same magic in pentode design. @Bombadil Ya it's on the cusp. Some low volume songs I do have to have my dial 75% or higher, but I've never run into an issue where 90% wasn't loud enough. I also have low capacitance short interconnects (blue jeans cable)

My 2013 KT Inspire (SEP) is where the magic of the Pope 6v6gt and Bendix 6106 happens. Of course that is with the rest of my setup so as always YMMV.

All my life I have had volume pots, none of which were linear I now realize. The LP-27a I got for Christmas has a stepped attenuator. This has been very hard to get used to after 40 years of non-linearity. I still have trouble turning the nob past 1:00 b/c that has always been the point of distortion or pain. It just doesn't feel right. With this pre though I really can use the full range of the volume knob though I have had to stop around 3:00. Again the pain.

[Comzee]

So much talk about the pope 6v6+6106 combo, might as well burn them in over the weekend.

[Bombadil]

Looking over the Psvane 6SN7 options. They make a white base 6SN7, a black base UK-6SN7, a CV-181 T Black, a CV-181 T Mark II Classic Grade, a CV-181 T Mark II Premium Grade. Perhaps more. They are all 6SN7 tubes and have the same specs. Makes one wonder how much difference there really is between them. One can't easily compare the structures, for several of them have coatings.

Then there are the Shuguang 6SN7 and CV-181 tubes, which have a very similar appearance to the Psvane tubes, same shape. Made in the same factory. Said to be different, but who knows? They always say that. The Psvane T Mk II claims to weigh 10% more than the Shuguang Treasure, which might indicate there are real differences. Or maybe the base is heavier.

I know some of the Russian tubes bearing different brands such as Sovtek, Tung-Sol, Mullard, Genalex and more, are essentially the same tubes. Others are very different. There is a lot of marketing going on out there. Profit margins can be way higher if a company can convince people there is an audible difference. Sometimes they alter the production line to use a thicker glass envelope, then raise the price by $20.