Confusing about matching tubes in ref40, pls advice.

[TOGA]

Thanks you.
And I found these locally at half price of factory set of 6H30.
Should I take them? Ten of them. Non-matched, however.
Toga

[Coopersark]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Thanks you.
And I found these locally at half price of factory set of 6H30.
Should I take them? Ten of them. Non-matched, however.
Toga

I wouldn't do that. I always have my 6h30's matched. As I remember there is a couple dollar premium per tube for the matching, but well worth it in sonic terms. Since the 6h30's only have to be replaced every 4000 hours, the extra $20.00 charge that you will spend for their matching is nothing when amortized over those hours.

[tima]

Fwiw, Electro-Harmonix and Sovtek 6H30s both come from the same place; they're the same tube with different labels. Both brands and the company that makes them are owned by the same guy. I would not pay the premium some are charging for E-H tubes.

The SED (Svetlana) 6550C 'Winged C' (which comes from their old logo) is no longer in production and what remains at retail have gone up in price considerably ($70-$100/ea.) If ARC is supplying these for their power supplies they stocked up on them. Otherwise the Sovtek 6550C is the option. (I thought at one point ARC was also using the 6550WE in the power supplies for line and phono stages.) If these were power tubes in an amp it might be worth paying extra, but for power supply, not so much.

Part of the reason a complete replacement set is more expensive from ARC (4% of the Ref Anniversary cost?) is the culling, testing, extended burn-in, and matching they do, but yes a slight premium. Choosing individually by yourself may save a little money but for these tubes you won't achieve better sonics - the 6H30 comes from a single source and is not like a 6922 or 6SN7 where there are significant differences in brand. Fwiw, sometimes you can negotiate for a replacement set at cost as part of initial purchase.

[TOGA]

I realized A matched 6h30 should be used. But I am confusing about what kind of matching do I need.
And where to put each match set onto a board.

Do I need matched eight for pre amp chassis ? Or two sets of matched quad, and Do I put each matched quad for each channels. Or each rows from front to back .

Toga

[tima]

Originally Posted by TOGA

I realized A matched 6h30 should be used. But I am confusing about what kind of matching do I need.
And where to put each match set onto a board.

Do I need matched eight for pre amp chassis ? Or two sets of matched quad, and Do I put each matched quad for each channels. Or each rows from front to back .

Toga

The matching would be between the two sections of the dual triode - if you pay for this, it'll add about +$5 per tube. Think of the matching as a percentage of difference between sections. How close a match I cannot say, but under 5% difference is usually very good. Then ideally each tube in a matched group would have closely similar specs.

I believe there's a quad for each channel, and the matching would be per channel, so two matched quads. I don't have the board in front of me but the members of each quad should be grouped proximate to one another.

Odds are you will not hear the result of matching.

[TOGA]

Tima , this is how the board look like. Left row are followers, right rows are amplifier tubes. Lower four are for one channel. Upper for other channel. So can you tell exactly how to place each group of matched quad? Thanks Toga

[Harlequin]

Toga ,

I note that you have but recently commented in the 6h30 thread ~

http://www.audioaficionado.org/audio...tml#post569108

Were I to be in your position I would be giving serious consideration on ordering a complete set of cryo-treated EH 6H-30 Gold Pins from Cryoset whom it would appear offer a matching service at a most reasonable premium .

Jasper.

[TOGA]

Jasper,
Stranged, but Ron from Cryoset.com replied a short email to me just a moment ago.
He suggested me. Cryo'ed Sovtek 6h30 rather than EH. I am waiting for his more detailed
Explanation.
Toga

[TOGA]

Originally Posted by tima

From what I know of ARC board layouts, one matched quad would go in V1/3/5/7 and the other quad in the V2/4/6/8 sockets.

This is exactly what I am trying to get from this original thread. Thanks.
This means, there is chance of different gain between left and right channels in case both matched quad set a quite different?
But shops told me the variations on 6h30 are not great at all. Should have no issue.

Toga

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Jasper,
Stranged, but Ron from Cryoset.com replied a short email to me just a moment ago.
He suggested me. Cryo'ed Sovtek 6h30 rather than EH. I am waiting for his more detailed
Explanation.
Toga

Spooky ! I would be most interested in hearing more of Ron's thoughts on this Toga .

Jasper