Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by crwilli

I have read a great number of the pages in this thread and am always struck by the dedication to 'geekdom' and to the sound of these amps. i mean that with all respect. The level of detail you all share in nitty gritty technical aspects is incredible. It makes me want to hear it all. my system is on the other end of this hobby with big inefficient speakers requiring 100 times the power of these amps. I am intrigued by it all. Major respect!

If you try one of these amps with efficient speakers you will be amazed. It may not be 'better' than what you have but you may become addicted. With the right speakers you are simply drawn into the music.

The Inspire amps would not be embarrassed mated with these speakers. No. I can't afford them.

Oswalds Mill Audio | OMA

[FloridaBoy]

I used a CBS 5W4GT rectifier with Hytron 6K6GT tubes. Excellent results. Enormous soundstage. They are inexpensive and the combo is worth a try if you are so inclined.

I have a pair of 6Y6's and will give them a go too and post.

[FloridaBoy]

Psvane split from Shuguang and has their own production facility. I have no clue how distribution is being handled at this time. I have read that these tubes have been sold through less than controlled channels. In other words, tubes that should have been culled by the factory are being sold. Perhaps they were taken from the factory by workers?

I bought a single CV-181 from the auction site. The tube shown on the listing did not have test numbers. The tube I received had test numbers on the base with a 25% difference between sections. After about 100 hours it sounded distorted. It is being returned.

I have noticed that images in many of the listings for these tubes have the test number blurred or omitted. I want to give the Treasure KT66 a try but will
wait until I can find a legitimate pair. Ditto for the CV-181. Until I can be sure of the quality I am going to pass on them.

My 2 cents.

[pstrisik]

FB: Do you know history or differences between the 6AR6 and 6AR6WA? Also, any preferred dates, JAN vs. not, green print on base vs. white, etc.? Or are all of these basically the same?

Thanks............

[FloridaBoy]

Howdy Peter,

I only know what I have read on the web. There are some variations like rounded plates, which I don't have, and I have no idea if there is and sonic difference. I'm not going to try them all. They are just nice tubes and will likely
last 'forever' in these amps. One of the online dealers has NOS for $19.95 each. I got mine there. With the cost of the adapter they are still inexpensive. I just plugged them in and they sound very good with a 274B rectifer. YMMV. Rich and full yet detailed. Piano tone is good and that is my usual benchmark.

Hope this helps.

[pstrisik]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

Howdy Peter,

I only know what I have read on the web. There are some variations like rounded plates, which I don't have, and I have no idea if there is and sonic difference. I'm not going to try them all. They are just nice tubes and will likely last 'forever' in these amps. One of the online dealers has NOS for $19.95 each. With the cost of the adapter they are still inexpensive.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. These seem relatively unknown (6AR6). I did order a bunch of stuff based on your recent posts since it is all relatively inexpensive. Pairs of 6AR6WA, 807, 6BG6G (with adaptors) and 6K6GT (with lower power rectifier) all for less than a pair of GEC KT-77's. My list with prices paid is below.

I ask about the 6AR6 and variants since this is the tube that impressed me. I need to listen to everything more, but I found the 6BG6G a bit harsh, the 807 had very nice body, but less on the top end. Not sure yet about the 6K6's since I got a pair of RCA's but one was burning brightly, so I only listened for a few minutes (I did run them with the 5W4G). The one splurge was a quad of Visseaux 6K6GT's that I should have shortly. The Visseaux 6V6GT was my favorite of all the 6V6's I tried (Sylvania, RCA, NU, TS, Pope, and others) so I thought it worth trying their 6K6. Extremely hard to find also, so I grabbed 'em when I saw 'em. That will be my trial of this tube variant.

So, two nights with the Tung-Sol 6AR6WA's - JAN with green print on base. The first night I was blown away, but I reserved judgement and didn't post. It has happened to me before - impressed with a tube, but realizing that it was just different and I liked it less after some hours and swapping back and forth with the current favorite. So far the 6AR6 is holding its own against my GEC KT77 pair. I didn't expect this at all. But I am still reserving judgement until I've listened to them for at least several days and then going back to the KT77.

General impressions are that they are more lively, just as 3D, but have a balance from high to low that I've never heard before. Both more alive and more relaxed at the same time. Very easy and natural. We'll see if my opinion holds in a week.

Thanks for bringing these to light!


.........Peter


Pr. Tung Sol NOS JAN 6AR6WA - $23, Pr. Adapters - $25
Pr. Mullard NOS 1964 807 - $80, Pr. Adapters - $20
Pr. RCA NOS 1959 Silver Print 6BG6G - $35, Pr. Adapters - $24
Pr. RCA Used/Good Black Plate 6K6GT - $18 (one was bad)
One Brimar NOS 5W4G (lower power rectifier) - $40

Oh, except for the 6K6, these are all with British CV378/GZ37/53KU rectifier.

[nhparrot]

Peter,
Where did you get your 6AR6 and adapters from?

Glenn

[pstrisik]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

Peter,
Where did you get your 6AR6 and adapters from?

Glenn

Hi Glenn,

All of the tubes and adapters I got on ebay. The adapters all seem to come from China. Just search ebay for "6AR6" and you will get both tubes and adapters in the results. I believe you can also use adapters for 6384 tubes as well - That's the Bendix number for the same tube.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by pstrisik

Thanks. These seem relatively unknown (6AR6). I did order a bunch of stuff based on your recent posts since it is all relatively inexpensive. Pairs of 6AR6WA, 807, 6BG6G (with adaptors) and 6K6GT (with lower power rectifier) all for less than a pair of GEC KT-77's. My list with prices paid is below.

I ask about the 6AR6 and variants since this is the tube that impressed me. I need to listen to everything more, but I found the 6BG6G a bit harsh, the 807 had very nice body, but less on the top end. Not sure yet about the 6K6's since I got a pair of RCA's but one was burning brightly, so I only listened for a few minutes (I did run them with the 5W4G). The one splurge was a quad of Visseaux 6K6GT's that I should have shortly. The Visseaux 6V6GT was my favorite of all the 6V6's I tried (Sylvania, RCA, NU, TS, Pope, and others) so I thought it worth trying their 6K6. Extremely hard to find also, so I grabbed 'em when I saw 'em. That will be my trial of this tube variant.

So, two nights with the Tung-Sol 6AR6WA's - JAN with green print on base. The first night I was blown away, but I reserved judgement and didn't post. It has happened to me before - impressed with a tube, but realizing that it was just different and I liked it less after some hours and swapping back and forth with the current favorite. So far the 6AR6 is holding its own against my GEC KT77 pair. I didn't expect this at all. But I am still reserving judgement until I've listened to them for at least several days and then going back to the KT77.

General impressions are that they are more lively, just as 3D, but have a balance from high to low that I've never heard before. Both more alive and more relaxed at the same time. Very easy and natural. We'll see if my opinion holds in a week.

Thanks for bringing these to light!


.........Peter


Pr. Tung Sol NOS JAN 6AR6WA - $23, Pr. Adapters - $25
Pr. Mullard NOS 1964 807 - $80, Pr. Adapters - $20
Pr. RCA NOS 1959 Silver Print 6BG6G - $35, Pr. Adapters - $24
Pr. RCA Used/Good Black Plate 6K6GT - $18 (one was bad)
One Brimar NOS 5W4G (lower power rectifier) - $40

Oh, except for the 6K6, these are all with British CV378/GZ37/53KU rectifier.

Very cool. Your initial take on the 6384's mirrors mine. I am going to run them all weekend to be sure they are settled in. But so far for little $$$.

Did you get the 6BG6G from singerhouse sound on fleabay? The ST one's I got recently were not usable. (not from there) They may need more time or a different rectifier or they just may not be for you. I surprised that they sound bright but it is what it is.

The 5Z4GY/CV1863 rectifier is a 5Y3 with a lower voltage drop. I have a pair of Brimar's coming from England that I got from a reputable fleabay seller. $39 about 1/2 what US sellers ask.

There are NOS National Union 5W4GT rectifiers on the auction site 2 for $12.88shipped. I got CBS's for similar money before I saw them. Try the 6K6's with this rectifier. I need run these more but so far I like what is going on. I got a pair of Tung Sol ST 6K6's for $15 and they don't sound any different than the $10.95 Hytron's.

I have Shuguang KT66's coming from Upscale but I doubt they will better the 6384. I prefer the 6384 to KT88's in my rig.

BTW, Tube World has some different variations, rounded plates etc. of the 6384. I'm fine with what I have and can't confirm that they sound different or better. At least you can see the pics.

[pstrisik]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

Very cool. Your initial take on the 6384's mirrors mine. I am going to run them all weekend to be sure they are settled in. But so far for little $$$.

Did you get the 6BG6G from singerhouse sound on fleabay? The ST one's I got recently were not usable. (not from there) They may need more time or a different rectifier or they just may not be for you. I surprised that they sound bright but it is what it is.

The 5Z4GY/CV1863 rectifier is a 5Y3 with a lower voltage drop. I have a pair of Brimar's coming from England that I got from a reputable fleabay seller. $39 about 1/2 what US sellers ask.

There are NOS National Union 5W4GT rectifiers on the auction site 2 for $12.88shipped. I got CBS's for similar money before I saw them. Try the 6K6's with this rectifier. I need run these more but so far I like what is going on. I got a pair of Tung Sol ST 6K6's for $15 and they don't sound any different than the $10.95 Hytron's.

I have Shuguang KT66's coming from Upscale but I doubt they will better the 6384. I prefer the 6384 to KT88's in my rig.

When you say 6384, do you mean Bendix, or are you referring to the TS 6AR6?

You were referring to the 5W4G rectifier for the 6K6 earlier. The 5Z4GY/CV1863 is a different low power option or different numbers for the same? All these numbers are making my head hurt!

I got the 6BG6G (I can't stop thinking about the talking heads with this tube number - CBGB's) from debscows not singerhouse. They are supposedly NOS, so they may ease a bit with some time on them.

Edit: I have to wait a bit before replying. You keep adding something while I compose!

Looking at Tubeworld, Brendan charges something like $20 for a pair of the TS6AR6, but more like $140 for TS6384, so I guess they are considered different.


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