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Do vacuum tube test values reflect sound quality?

I recently ordered a pair of output tubes to try in my LTA MicroZOTL preamp. Two Sylvania 6SN7WGT tubes, Gold Brand. I’ve had good luck with Sylvania 12sn7gt bad boy tubes, so I thought I’d give them a try.

After I bought them, I saw a similar pair for more money that had slightly higher test values. Does that mean they might sound better or that they just have more life left? What properties do you look for in tubes?

Below are the values of the tubes that I bought.

 

Tubes are matched for dynamic gain and structure, testing at 3000-2750 and 3000-2750 where pass/fail is 1625 micromho. They have the same structure inside and out, having matching date codes of "922", the 22nd week of 1959

sls883

Showing 1 response by unreceivedogma

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
1,082 posts
 

I get my tubes these days from a guy who drops them off, I listen for a while and then decide if they are the real deal. Hearing is believing. 
 

How tubes measure matters, but only as a baseline. You could have tubes that are identical in brand, and measure identically, and still sound different, though not likely better or worse if they are from a reputable provenance. 

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