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BEL E88CC/6922 tubes - what can I expect?

Lately I've been tube rolling 6922s in the gain stage of my Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp, and considering trying the BEL E88CC/6922 from Upscale Audio.  Since Upscale doesn't provide explicit recommendations on tubes and these aren't available other places, I wanted to see if anyone has opinions on these, or maybe there are other tubes I should try?  So far have tried 
-  Svetlana (came with preamp) and these were dull, lifeless.
- Electro Harmonix gold pin - ok but kinda boring compared to others.  Currently using these in input position.
- Amperex white label - fun but a little too tubey.
- Matsushita - I really like these but also a bit too much tubiness over time.
- Mullard - favorite so far, just sound right.
- GE "smokies" - still evaluating.
FOMO is creeping in as it looks like Upscale's inventory is dwindling.  Any opinions?  Other tubes I should try?

System - Thiel 2.3s, Krell KAV amp, SF L1 pre, bel canto 3.7VB DAC, decent room treatments, always think the higher end could get better if less sibilance/reediness.

Thanks!
thosb

Showing 4 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
new telefunken’s are a rebranded slovak-made tube, the oem maker is jj electronics which also sells the same tubes under that ’basic’ brand name

https://tubedepot.com/products/telefunken-black-diamond-ecc82-12au7?utm_source=google&utm_medium...

https://tubedepot.com/products/jj-5751-preamp-tube

below is ’must’ reading for those new to the vacuum tube game... so you know what you are getting when you pay up for ’modern-day’ tung sols. mullards, gold lions, telefunkens and so on... not to be mistaken for old stock real deal tubes of these makes -- "what it may seem to be, it is not... "

https://hackaday.com/2020/08/06/just-who-makes-tubes-these-days/

not to say modern tubes are bad tubes, many are not... but they are not the legendary old stock tubes that put those great names on the map, not even close
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
sonic frontiers is long gone as a going concern, though chris johnson is still in ontario canada, now running parts connexion, the online hifi components seller, and doing some mods on equipment on a limited basis

you could reach out and ask him his findings on the old s-f line1-3 units

andy and brent are good vendors, their prices on the rare and really good stuff are getting sky high (brent even higher than andy), and their advice is usually valuable on tubes’ sonic signatures, but be sure to be specific about what gear is using their tubes... rolling tubes can make or less of a difference in different gear with different circuits
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@thosb

Final question - this might be too SF pre specific, but is it worth to put high quality tubes in all six positions?


i will say it again... the search bar above is your FRIEND...

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tubes-for-sonic-frontiers-line-1

first post of this gem of a thread from 2005 when the sonic frontier linestages were the cat’s meow

""Chris suggested putting your best tubes in the two back spots, and I ended up with Siemens CCa in those spots and Siemens 6922 nickel pins in the other four spots.""

have fun, and good luck rollin’...
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
my recollection on the bel tubes is the same as @tomcy6
philips/amperex set up a plant in india and these were among their production

i never had these, so cannot comment on their s-q

being old stock tubes made under the auspices of one of the major 1st world producers, i would guess they would sound better than modern day 6dj8 equivalents, which are poor sonically
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