Upgrading my Sovtek 6922 vacuum tubes

Some USA-made 6DJ8's will be a significant upgrade over those Russian 6922's! 

Hi,
for better bass response try Amperex 7308, Siemens E88CC or any Holland E88CC. All from early to mid 1960 production.
If you want to keep the same character of what you are having now but with everything way better try Voskhods 6N23P from 1976-1978 period.
If you want new production ones try Gold Lion E88cc. Bear in mind that most advertised as NOS tubes are used, the few true NOS left are way too expensive. That does not preclude trying a little used tube from the golden era. Find a good vendor who can supply tested tubes. Still you may find that you do not have to spend your budget.

I have the Pathos Classic One MKIII and have tried many types. My suggestion is to get a Platinum grade, matched pair of Matsushita 7dj8’s. These are excellent, affordable and will work great in your amp.

https://upscaleaudio.com/collections/preamp-tubes/products/matsushita-national-pcc88-7dj8

I tried Matsushita 7dj8 in a Herron preamp, didn't find them to be anything special sound wise

Brent Jesse still has Amperex Holland 6dj8's for well under $100/matched pair.

I would suggest that late 60's production that typically has an Orange/World Globe logo over the older Bugle Boy version.

DeKay 

Thanks dekay,

I'm looking into the Amperex options. Do you feel they would be an improvement over say Gold Lions (platinum) series from Uuscale?

+1 DeKay

1974 6N23P Reflector Silver shields.
1975 6N23P Reflector Grey shields

I have not used recent production small signals tubes in anything owned/listened to for the past 20 years (with a few exceptions), so no opinion on the GL’s.

The later production Orange Globes were always one of my go to’s for the input tube in an Audion Night Silver Night 300B SET and also for a Consonance preamp that also used 6922 types.

It was a "go to" for balanced harmonically rich sound, but with more detail than some/most of my favorite Mullard types.

As you said you liked the Sovtek’s (aside from the bass) I figure that they might be what you are looking for.

They should be richer/fuller (still detailed), but with more bass bloom.

I would not recommend 7308’s for anything other than systems using FULL range speakers as they all seem to be shy of mid-bass.

When selling off my 6922 type collection (years ago) I noticed that satisfied buyers of the 7308’s all used large full range speakers (sans powered woofers and/or subs) which makes perfect sense to me.

However, they could work with a simple (non active) satellite/sub setup in which the stand mounts have a substantial mid bass bump/peak (like vintage LS3/5a’s) as they might help better blend the subs with the speakers.

I have other rec’s (my taste), but they would probably be too thick/full sounding for your taste.

What speakers are you using?

DeKay

I'm using a new pair of Decware DM945 monitor speakers with 
two REL T/5i subwoofers.

Interesting speakers as I looked @ them maybe 10 years ago, if it’s the same speaker (think around $1K/pair @ the time).

Anyway, as an affordable experiment I still hold with the Orange Globes (which are ready to buy from a reputable dealer well within your price range).

However, Brent may have other/better options if you email/contact him.

Never done business with Brent Jesse and just going by feedback from those who have.

Not keen on Kevin Deal, but this goes way back and it is of a personal nature (I have never purchased tubes from him, but attempted to purchase WE 300B’s years ago).

The Voskhod (rocket) tubes rec’d have been pretty much unattainable for the past 10 years (decent testing low noise versions), but if you can find a suitable pair you may like them.

The Mullard’s I used/enjoyed were later production 6dj8’s dimpled disc getter’s from Blackburn (I think) and dimpled disc getter ECC88’s from the Mitchum (sp?) plant.

They were saturated rich/creamy with somewhat loose bass and somewhat rolled off HF’s (awesome organic musical tubes in my gear).

Think I still have a pair of 1964 Amperex Hicksville 7308's as well as a sleeve of ecc88's (Japan), but not certain if I have any pairs of the tubes I used most (can't access them now anyway as they are buried).

DeKay  

Thanks again Dekay, you've been very helpful. I just sent an email to Brent Jesse.

I recommend Telefunken 6922 from Upscale Audio.

Correction to my last post...

The Mullard Mitcham dimpled disc getters were E88CC's (not ECC88's/6dj8's).

I only came across 3 of them when purchasing lots of tubes on Ebay 18-20 years ago, so assume that they are fairly rare.

Two were labeled as Philips SQ (but the etched markings defined them as Mitcham production).

The other (3rd) one was labeled with the standard Mullard (non military) logo of the late 60's (early 70's?).

Think I may still have the single "Mullard" labeled tube somewhere (the SQ pair were quickly destroyed in an AI preamp as I did not know better @ the time).

Just to set the record straight for future Googler's.

PS:  I was never a tube dealer, just and experimenter/roller who purchased gobs of tubes when the prices were reasonable.

The most I ever asked for a matched pair of new testing 7308's (Siemens/Amperex/Telefunken) was $90 and 6922/6dj8's went for considerably less.

Karma paid off as I'm now rich, famous and extremely sexy.

DeKay

I'm on the same quest, the reflektor silvers and vokshods are great and inexpensive, aside of that look for German production Siemens

Small tubes when NOS could be great but noisy (especially when used in phono stages) which is the defacto typical application, using these in high gain stages you need to be sure they are not noisy (I don't say strong because a valve can be strong still noisy)

Hi,
a note for putting an ecc88 where the circuit requires e88cc. They will not last long as their anode voltage is considerably lower compared to the one in e88c/e188cc. Check your amp for this. If your amp is made for running an E88cc then you know why ecc88 is getting noisy after a while, even if some of them sound better in the mids compared to their expensive cousins.
Russian 6n23p and 6n23p-ev have even higher anode voltage figures than a E88CC/E188CC and can take a lot of punishment in a circuit.
Mullards dimple discs appeared in 1969, Mitcham factory only, as E88CC/CV2492, CV2493 (equivalent to Cca) and E188CC.

Petg60:

Mullard Blackburn produced dimpled disc getter ecc88/6dj8's.  

They are more common than the Mitcham (ddg) e88cc/6922, and they have a fuller sound than the Holland (ddg) ecc88 production.

DeKay 

Petgo60:

PS:

Your warning about using ecc88/6dj8's in an e88cc/6922 design is a good one, but it may only apply to a few popular companies (and their designs) which ran the 6922 type especially
 hard (otherwise known as tube eaters).

Off the top of my head this would be ARC, Sonic Frontiers, later CJ's and Audible Illusions*.

The older AI preamps (due to their design from what was explained to - which was over my head) were privy to AC line voltage in this respect in that a higher line voltage feeding the unit the harder on the tubes.

This may explain the wide opinions of what tubes can and/or will not last in the units.

There are also old production ecc88/6dj8's which do survive in some of these supposed tube eater models (Siemens/Tungsram come to mind) that I used in ARC and AI units with success.

However, the problem with both was that I (and the owners) did not care for the sound which was harmonically dry.

Best not to write off the use of vintage 6dj8's (in a 6922 design) on anywhere near a whole as they may very well be fine/long lasting in gobs of gear.

DeKay

Hi,
@dekay, Blackburn did make ecc88 a frames with ddg and indeed sounded warmer with better mids than both versions of Holland made ones. I was refering to Mitcham factory only for the ddg E88CC variants. I own SF and i know that an ecc88 will not have a chance in these units and some others too, that's why i believe the e88cc is the better bet valve for audio use from this family.

I'm curious as to what BJ rec's for the OP's gear...

Hope the OP posts an update/take.

DeKay

Brent Jesse recommended  Amperex Bugleboy Logo 6DJ8's ($110)
Should get them on Tuesday. I'll let you know how they work
with my system.

Good:

Hope they hit the/your spot.

Liked the BB's as well/a lot (nice rich/balanced 6dj8 in my old gear).

DeKay

Adding to my threads for future reference (as my audio mirror dac uses these tubes).  Please keep the recommendations coming.