You could do a lot worse.
6H30 replacement
I have looked for a western replacement for the 6H30, but I believe the 6DJ8, 6922 or 7308 would get destroyed because if the high voltage.
this is for a hybrid amp, Pathos Heritage. When I bought the amp, I was told that the voltage was low enough for 6DJ8, 6922 or 7308 but now I am being told otherwise.
I just have no ears for the 6H30s and I want to get them out of my amp if at all possible.
thank you for your help.
Astolfo
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When I get back to the USA to receive my TT, I will have the Telefunken and EH 6H30s with me. I also talked to Andy, Brent and Jesse and since I have the Telefunken the common tubes they recommended are: Mazda France SILVERPLATE TRIPLE MICA. 12AX7 Mullard LONGPLATE, Square getter, 1950s. 12AX7 Amperex Bugleboy type, long narrow plates, foil-strip D-getter, 1950s codes. 12AX7A / CV4035 / F6057 RARE Brimar box plate military type. I have a few amps/preamps I could use these so it will be fun. As for the DR, I am in touch with a French dealer and he has some so I will probably get one pair and see if I like them, he will put on hold another for 30 days so I can a pair for replacement.
If you have a specific 12AX7 you love, I would love to hear. |
Hello @jjss49 some here suggested to also change the other tubes in the Heritage, and I will try different tubes there. I have some EH gold pins and DR coming. This weekend match a few Telefunken that my dad bought many many years ago, and I am shipping them to USA so a colleague can swap the ones that came with the amp and power on the Heritage for a week or so to bring to life the tubes.
@mulveling I went to Kevin's site and did not see a video where he talks about 6H30s. Would you kindly share the link? Thank you! |
It’s not from a video. It’s Kevin’s written description under his sales page for Sovtek 6H30 tubes:
I’ve been buying 6H30 tubes from Upscale for years, both kinds, and that description has been up for a while. If anything the gold pins make the sound slightly warmer by a fraction of a percent, but it’s really splitting hairs. So, Kevin is right-on on this one.
It looks like OP also has an input slot that uses 12ax7. I don’t know if it’s in the same Pathos unit or elsewhere. I really like that mix - 6H30 for clean line stage (or driver) slots, and 12ax7 for MM phono stage gain. That affords both lots of rolling opportunities and some classic tube sound via 12ax7, while imparting some of the great clarity & linearity of the 6H30. 12ax7 can also be a great input tube, but it can impart a LOT of gain. The Mazda silver plate 12ax7 indeed has a bit of extra "zing" on top, but it’s not analytical nor sterile like a lot of tubes with a hot top end. It has a beautiful, liquid midrange and incredible bass. Gobs of detail and dynamics. Clarity for days (maybe so the French could call in their surrender loud and clear? 😂). But you DO need to avoid the 5751 variant of this tube - that’s just outright BRIGHT! Ugh, I got suckered into buying that one. |
@mulveling or the Mule as i have taken to calling him has a LOT of tube knowlege…in addition to others this very informative and civil thread - thanks to all…tuberolling is like winetasting….. Jim |
” If anything the gold pins make the sound slightly warmer by a fraction of a percent, but it’s really splitting hairs.“ My findings also in the last ARC gear incumbent in my system REF 10 into REF 250SE altho the Electro Harmonix that I tried were Cryo’d as well as gold plated pins. Were I to rate the variants with NOS DR’s as a 10 imho DR’s - 10 Elecrto Harmonix Cryo Gold pin’s - 7.5 Current production Sovtek - 7
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@astolfor … pleased that you went for the French guys DR’s , they seemed at least reasonable in an unreasonable market for NOS DR’s |
@tsushima1 he sold them to someone else although we had agreed. maybe it is for best, something else will show up.
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😂 And tuberolling is very much like winetasting! Sometimes I find that I’m just looking for a change. A tuberoll can easily impart that, but its positive effect might not last more than a few days before wanting A DIFFERENT change. That can be fun at first but it gets old. If you don’t find yourself settling down on a tube set, it’s probably best to re-examine the bigger component matches and setup. Mike |
Pathos will not give me any technical information, beyond saying that the amp is designed for the 6H30. 6n6p specs look similar to the uneducated eye. @mulveling What do you think about 6n6p as a direct replacement for the 6H30? I have been reading in the ARC forums that some use them and like the dynamics and not as in your face. Victor Khomenko (BAT), commented in a forum they are not exactly and might not last long so to buy a lot of them.... :)
Any thoughts?
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Not certain what the 6h30 does in this unit. The 12ax7 is used for input/gain and wonder if the 6h30 is somehow used as a driver for the SS amp section, otherwise I don't understand why it's even there. If it's run @ a lower bias than spec'd for the tube, then 6n6p may be a candidate as others have used it successfully as a sub in DAC's and some preamps in which the the 6h30 is ran @ lower values. Also confused as to why the manufacturer cannot answer (what would seem to me) a simple query. DeKay |
you are spot on, the X7 has a max gain of around 100 , runs at low current, (us around 1mA) and therefore has very poor driving ability, the 6H30 has a theoretical gain of around 16 and runs at a much higher current (us 15+mA), conferring excellent driving ability. It may even be configured in a cathode follower configuration, which sacrifices gain (only 0.9) for even greater grunt.. The max power dissipation of the 6H30 and 6N6P is 8watts both plates driven for both tubes, so I wouldn‘t be concerned about catastrophic failure if you made a substitution. The plate curves are somewhat different though, and the biasing would not be optimal, although the outcome might sound fine (you might still be in a fairly linear area of the plate curves). A schematic would be great, and I would really pressure the manufacturer to get one. |
@pesky_wabbit I am trying :) with Pathos. Hopefully they will give them up. |
Just noticed that Upscale Audio carries Pathos. Had a bit of a hissy fit/kerfuffle with Kevin Deal years ago (here I think), but we were both under "extreme family matter issues/pressure" @ the time so I'm over it, and also not blameless in the altercation. Anyway, although I assume that you did not purchase the amp from him, you might direct your 6n6p query to him (Kevin Deal). He's seems to be knowledgable about the lines that he carries, especially so for tube based gear as he also supplies aftermarket tubes for them. DeKay |
