My current tube lineup has an expensive input tube and cheap output tubes. The black glass round plate Tungsol 6sn7 has a well deserved reputation for sound quality. A supreme all rounder, it does everything very well. Unfortunately that reputation has made them crazily expensive. Of course that is why God invented 12v tubes lol.
So I have that tube but the 12sn7 version (using an outboard power supply for the heater) driving a pair of Ge 6bg6ga. There are two types of those, these are the ones with the smaller plates. This makes for a thicker, richer sound than I was getting from my Cossor 807/Sylvania 12sn7 mix. It reminds me a lot of the sound I have heard in systems using the McIntosh MC240 but with better bass. Earlier I had been using a brown base Sylvania 6sn7wGT with a short bottle. It is clearer and has a more extended top end but the upwards tilt made it sound lean and lacking bass. I anticipate I will get a better result with the 14af7 and the "bad boy" Sylvania 12sn7 than with the 6sn7wgt. For now I will enjoy this combo until the urge strikes me for a different flavor.
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