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Favorite Tube Combinations

OK, I've never been a big believer in "synergy" except maybe as a last resort and never completely bought into the idea that this or that tube sounds different in your system than mine. Well recently I've been rolling 12AX7/ECC83/5751s and 12AU7/7316/5814s and I think I'm on to something.

After many recommendations of the CBS Hytron 5814a, I was able to acquire a nice NOSish pair. In combination with a Raytheon Black Plate it sounded gorgeous as long as I was using a SS CD player. When I hooked up my Cayin CDT17a (which uses Ei 6DJ8EGs) the sound became syrupy and sloppy, dark and really not too pleasant. When I switched to the 7316 / ECC83s (JJ copy of the Telefunken E803s), everything became clearer, focused with much better definition and life. (This combination with SS was just a bit much and a little dry in the mid-range for my liking). The Raytheon Black Plate still sounds beautiful as long as the 7316 pair is in the circuit but the ideal seems to be with the JJ, at least with the Cayin in the path.

I stand a changed man.

What combinations of tubes have you found to synergize?
anacrusis

Showing 2 responses by mrtennis

mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i have a tube preamp, tube amp and tubed cd player.

the tube types i use include, 12au7, 12at7, 67n7, 6922, 12ax7 and 807.

i have varied the brands of tubes in each instance. i have not noticed any synergy between tubes. it is said that each manufacture of tubes exhibits its own sonic signature. if so, slelect thos ebrands which achieve a sound which you like. the resulting combination may not connote a system synergy and there may be disagreemenrs as to what combination of brands achieves a synergy.

if anyone is interested, i believe i have a pair of the cbs 5814 which i will sell.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi anacrusis:

this hobby is very subjective. therefore, tube a, with tube b and tube c, may be considered synergistic to one audiophile , but not to another.

i don't think there is any synergy between tube manufacturers other than reflect personal taste, which varies among serious listeners.

there is no universal synergy which would be accepted by all, because, practically speaking synergy is a highly ideosyncratic term, aurally speaking.
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