| NEW TUBES
- Currently installed in M3A and L2 preamplifiers |
6922 SOVTEC, RUSSIA - GREY PLATES |
| Currently imported from our sources
in Europe, these tubes have excellent sonics, low microphonics and distortion. |
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| 6H23EB RUSSIAN MILITARY, RUSSIA
- GREY PLATES |
| Most are NOS currently imported
from our sources in Europe. Similar to 6922 Sovtec "Grey Plate" tubes. Closely
resemble tubes installed in Modulus, series 2 and 3 preamplifiers between 1988 & 1996.
Excellent sonics and reliability. |
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| NEW TUBES
- Recommended, but with some reservation |
E88CC JJ ELECTRONIC, SLOVAK REPUBLIC |
| Excellent sonics but somewhat
microphonic. Similar tooling to classic German Amperex installed in Audible Illusions and
Audio Research preamplifiers in mid-1980s. New tubes have approximately 50% rejection rate
for excess noise and microphonics. Inexpensive, worth the trouble to sort/select. Ideal
line stage tube. |
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ECC88/6DJ8 - ELECTRONIC
INDUSTRIAL, YUGOSLAV/SERBIA,
A-FRAME DIMPLED RING GETTER |
| Tube installed in Modulus series 2
preamplifiers in mid-1980s. Similar to tube manufactured by Phillips-Holland in the 1970s
for Amperex. Sweet sonically. Most are very microphonic. |
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| 6922 SOVTEC - RUSSIA, MFG. BY
REFLECTOR - PLATES PARTIALLY UNCOATED |
| Current production Sovtec tubes
currently used by several tube preamp manufacturers. Initially this tube checks out OK but
many prematurely fail due to poor construction. Has noticeable midrange glare when
compared to "Grey Plate" Russian tubes. |
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| NEW-OLD-STOCK
TUBES - From our extensive tube library we recommend these NOS tubes with some
reservation.
Ranking in order
of reliability in Modulus preamps. |
1- 6922 AMPEREX, GERMANY, SHIELD WITH RING GETTER |
| Installed in Audible Illusions,
series 2 and Audio Research SP8 and SP10 preamps in the mid 1980s. Very open-dimensional
sonics. Excellent reliability but most tubes microphonic. One of the finest sounding
preamplifier tubes ever made. |
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| 2- E88CC TUNGSRAM, HUNGARY,
SHIELD WITH RING GETTER |
| Excellent sonics but somewhat
microphonic. Good tube life. Very popular tube for current production Modulus preamps. |
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| 3- 7308 SIEMENS, GERMANY, SHIELD
WITH RING GETTER, GOLD PINS |
| Somewhat microphonic but performs
well in A.I. preamps. Excellent line-stage tube. |
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| 4- E88CC SIEMENS, GERMANY,
SINGLE RING GETTER, GOLD PINS |
| Excellent sounding tube. Sounds
like a cross between a good Amperex and Tungsram. Somewhat microphonic. |
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| 5- ECC88/6DJ8 AMPEREX BUGLE
BOY, HOLLAND, SHIELD WITH RING GETTER |
| Hard to find and expensive.
Excellent sonics with sweet top end. Manufactured for Amperex in the 1960s and early
1970s. Somewhat microphonic. Probably the finest sounding preamplifier tube ever made. *DO
NOT confuse with "rebranded" Sylvania 6DJ8’s currently sold by Richardson
Electronic. |
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| 6- ECC88/6922/7308 AMPEREX PQ,
HOLLAND, SHIELD WITH D-RING GETTER, GOLD PINS |
| Rare. Very open-uniform sound.
Somewhat microphonic. In mid-1980s Gold Aero was branding them 7308’s and selling
them for $50 each. Excellent line stage tube. |
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| 7- ECC88/6DJ8 AMPEREX, HOLLAND,
A-FRAME DIMPLED RING GETTER |
| Manufactured for Amperex in the
1970s. Same tooling as EI-Yugoslavian tube but superior workmanship. Sweet sonics,
somewhat microphonic. |
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| 7A- ECC88 MULLARD, GT.BRITAIN,
A-FRAME DIMPLED RING GETTER |
| Same tube as above. Manufactured
for Mullard by Philips-Holland in the 1970s. |
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| 8- 6DJ8/ECC88 AMPEREX, HOLLAND,
SINGLE RING GETTER |
| Tube actually manufactured for
Amperex by Matsushita/Japan during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Installed in early A.I.
Modulus series 1 preamps, this tube has a very sweet-uniform sound. Somewhat microphonic. |
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| 9- 6DJ8 MULLARD, ENGLAND, SINGLE
RING GETTER |
| Similar tooling compared with
Matsushita/Japan tube but manufactured by Philips-Holland for Mullard. Sweet sounding tube
but most have excessive microphonics. |
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| 10- ECC88/6DJ8 ZAEREX, RUSSIA
SINGLE RING DISH GETTER |
| Tube used almost exclusively by
Counterpoint Electronics in the 1980s. Quiet-smooth, low microphonics but somewhat fat
bass response. Has a tendency to oscillate in early Modulus series 1 and 2 preamps. Do
not use these in older A.I. models. |
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| Tubes with
questionable sonics and unacceptable technical performance
NOT RECOMMENDED
for Audible Illusions preamplifiers |
6DJ8H CHINA, SHIELD WITH FLAT-SQUARE GETTER |
| Plates only partially coated. Tube
has glassy sound and unacceptable microphonics. |
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| 6DJ8 SYLVANIA-USA, SHIELD WITH
RING GETTER |
| Tube has uneven sonics and midrange
glare. Most are microphonic. Currently being re-labeled with Amperex "Bugle-Boy"
logo and sold for high price by Richardson Electronics. |
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| 6DJ8 PHILIPS, USA, JAN/JOINT
ARMY NAVY |
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