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Old 12-02-2013, 11:10 PM
JohnA JohnA is offline
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Default Tubes for BAT

I was wondering if anyone with a BAT cdp or pre amp has swapped out the 6h30 tubes with the 6n6p tube.

I am reading mixed opinions on this one.

Lukasz Fiskus, who is the designer/builder behind Lampizator, modded many VK-D5's over the last decade. He seems to like the 6H6/6N6 tube. He posted, the biggest and quickest improvement is over 6H30P - the tube popularized by BAT and its creator mr. Khomenko. He raves that 6H30 is a supertube, but in my opinion it is very coarse, hard and glassy by comparison. I hate 6H30 in circuits which I tried, including my own BAT VK-D5SE cd player. Anyone having BAT gear should immediately give 6H6P a try without any other circuit mods. You will be surprised."


but then i read the 6n6p is not a direct drop in replacement for the 6h30.
plate resistance of 6H6P is more than twice higher which means that output impedance of player will go up

now with the price of the 6h30 supertubes going through the roof, i am wondering if anyone here has swapped them out with 6n6p
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Old 12-03-2013, 06:48 AM
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Myles B. Astor Myles B. Astor is offline
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The 6H30 doesn't sound glassy in cj gear. Don't think ARC would be using it either if it sounded glassy. Perhaps there's an issue somewhere else?
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:52 PM
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chessman chessman is offline
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My standard issue 6H30 tubes sound wonderful in my BAT CDP. Have not tried others. Just my two cents, but I would not drop in tubes the circuit was not designed to take.
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Old 12-03-2013, 04:32 PM
JohnA JohnA is offline
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thanks for the feedback guys

chessman, you say standard issue 6H30's, so i gather they are just the run of the mill EH or sovtek ones and not the DR that come standard in the BAT VK-D5SE
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Old 12-04-2013, 06:28 PM
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chessman chessman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnA View Post
thanks for the feedback guys

chessman, you say standard issue 6H30's, so i gather they are just the run of the mill EH or sovtek ones and not the DR that come standard in the BAT VK-D5SE
I did not know that the DRs came standard in the VK-D5SE. I will have to check mine. They sure do sound magnificent, whatever they are.
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Old 12-07-2013, 03:49 PM
bottomfeeder bottomfeeder is offline
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I have the VK55SE with a VKD5SE and love the sound. I would not switch tubes.

Steve
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  #7  
Old 12-27-2013, 08:15 AM
Swelfelo Swelfelo is offline
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Default VK-52se

I have a VK-52se and the sound is anything but "glassy and hard." Soulful, liquid and dynamic is more like it.
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Old 12-28-2013, 01:40 PM
4RE 4RE is offline
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Actually have done this tube swap at the time of ownership (have owned many BAT).

Liked the 6N6P conversion very much, just more musical then 6H30.
There were not any issues, and the new owner of VKD5se reported no problems.
i would however pick best tubes out of larger batch.

6N6P is still cheap, so buy a dozen and have them matched/sorted..
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Old 12-30-2013, 12:38 PM
JohnA JohnA is offline
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thanks for the info guys

will try them both and see which i prefer
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  #10  
Old 01-03-2014, 01:25 AM
JohnA JohnA is offline
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well have had the BAT VK-D5SE in the system for a week now, just getting use to its sound.

I came across this one second hand, and the price was just too good to pass up.
I hadnt had a cd player in the system for a while as moved to vinyl only, but over time, found more and more albums i wanted couldnt be had on vinyl.

So dropped a couple of hints to the wife and sure enough, this baby was under the xmas tree

Now my last cdp was the esoteric X03-SE.
these are 2 completely different beast in their sound presentation.

Now the BAThe outright dynamics or detail of the esoteric, but its got a smoothness to its sound that is very pleasing to the ear.

Some pics of it

DSC00368.jpg DSC00369.jpg

DSC00366.jpg DSC00387.jpg

DSC00375.jpg DSC00377.jpg

DSC00385.jpg DSC00374.jpg
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