6H30 tubes vs the others


I’m scouting the used listings and reading up on tube preamps. I see many of the older ‘heavy hitter’ brands like the 6H30 in their units, BAT using them in their upgraded pre’s even now, yet most threads/posts I read are down on that tube type. The flavor du joir seems to be the 6SN7, except in the mega-buck units. Probably a generalization, but it seems to be a theme I’m seeing. I’m considering an older ‘higher end’ unit as a way to try something, anything to see if I like tubes, and not loose too much if I don’t. I’m not technical enough to understand more than the most rudimentary explanations, but hopefully I can keep learning from those who have gone before...
english210

Showing 2 responses by dweller

The military grade (DR NOS) 6H30 is a truly great tube. These were manufactured pre Y2K (year 2000) and are scarce and very expensive ($200 - $300 each). That said, the quality of current production is mediocre (sound and durability). There is a large market for high-quality 6H30s and I've mentioned this to the new Western Electric tube factory in Georgia (U.S.A.) (no reply).
The basic design of the 6H30 is ideal for audio.  
I've been using the 6H30, in pre-amps, amps and integrated amps for 20 years. never noticed any microphonic anomalies (used with and without tube dampers).