(10 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
Loading...“The sound with the tungsols was wider, deeper was very smooth and had great body and very nice detail with out any edge.” Read
“Good detail without edge. Smooth but not vague. Affordable tube with no glaring negatives.”
“I can’t believe what a difference this tube is making in my headphone amp. It’s replacing a JJ tube, which is a brand I’ve always liked, but this is day and night.”
As much as I wanted to get excited about this tube, based on so many positive reviews, I just couldn’t. The tube has a smooth sound, but it’s not the Tung-Sol of old. Yes, the sound stage is wide, but it’s not holographic at all. Yes, the sound is smooth compared to Chinese or JJ tubes, but that smoothness comes at a price of details. Overall the tube is a solid performer and sure is an upgrade for any amp that comes with cheap tubes. Good run-of-the-mill performance, but nothing to write home about. I did test this tube in a very transparent SET tube amp, so it might be OK in a push-pull amp, but I just can’t imagine any application that would make this tube shine. It’s not Sylvania or Mazda, but it’s also much more affordable. It does live up to 6189 designation, the tube is quiet, measuring -86 dB for noise. Gain is around 15-16, so close to spec.
These work great in our Conn 640 tube organ. As good as the original Sylvania.