Kappa man 24 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Hey fellow tweakers of the tubes,.. so I'm sure this question has been beat to $%! since its inception years ago but I'm new to this fun filled rabbit rollercoaster of tube rollin and like to learn as much as I can from the ones whom have already tried and trued our gear. So I've had the Sunfire classic tube preamp for little while now and rolled a couple diffrent brands but as I've seen in the forums and found out for myself,...this thing is PICKY on what tubes she has in the line stage. I've heard from fellow member Cuda on his preferred tubes but what have you all tried,liked and had success with. I'm looking at Tesla Cca blue tips, Telefunken E88cc, Seimans Cca and Amperex 7308. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisTFM35 318 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 What did Bob specify from the factory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4krow 4,010 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Vintage Tube Services, IIRC, is the name of a 'store' owned by a guy named Andy. Read what he has to say about what he sells. I have never seen anything like what he has to offer. I'm out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJohn 6,565 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I've never done it, but have heard people call this guy, and have had a good conversation about all things..., tubular. BRENT JESSEE RECORDING HOMEPAGE (audiotubes.com) just a suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtexasdog 2,315 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 2 hours ago, AndrewJohn said: I've never done it, but have heard people call this guy, and have had a good conversation about all things..., tubular. BRENT JESSEE RECORDING HOMEPAGE (audiotubes.com) just a suggestion. +1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 On 2/13/2023 at 5:11 PM, Kappa man said: Hey fellow tweakers of the tubes,.. so I'm sure this question has been beat to $%! since its inception years ago but I'm new to this fun filled rabbit rollercoaster of tube rollin and like to learn as much as I can from the ones whom have already tried and trued our gear. So I've had the Sunfire classic tube preamp for little while now and rolled a couple diffrent brands but as I've seen in the forums and found out for myself,...this thing is PICKY on what tubes she has in the line stage. I've heard from fellow member Cuda on his preferred tubes but what have you all tried,liked and had success with. I'm looking at Tesla Cca blue tips, Telefunken E88cc, Seimans Cca and Amperex 7308. I was going to PM you just the other day as I was wondering how the Sunfire Tube pre was working out, has it worn off ? Wish you had not bought it etc. etc. I went through a lot of tubes until I found my current ones... I can't stand any noise no matter how good they sound lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weitrhino 1,414 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) I settled on Amperex in mine after comparing RCA, Telefunkn, and the Amperex. The Sovteks were bland. Edited February 15 by weitrhino typo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 That is about how I went, I have a few amperex orange and green but the white label has been dead quite for a long long time so until they make any noise they are the ones for me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kappa man 24 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 On 2/14/2023 at 9:09 PM, cuda said: Hey Bryce,.. It's crazy your reply talks about the noise ! I just now plopped on my listening couch for first time in a bit to come check out the question I asked in this forum about tube gear and talk about the back ground noise. My life has been SO freakin busy this year ! However I have had some time with the Sunny and I absolutely LOVE the detail/soundstage and over all performance of what this thing can do. (Although).. my ONE complaint is that it's not dead silent ! There is a noticeable shy "hiss" as soon as the amber turns to blue with gain at On 2/14/2023 at 9:09 PM, cuda said: zero. As soon as music starts playing you cant hear it but it is still there. I'm guessing that is the tubes ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Yep! I would have some nice tubes in and love the sound then I could put my ear up to the ribbons and hear a super faint hiss. Not when playing music but yep when idle. I would say it's ok then 5 minutes later start moving around tubes, then silent then noise it drove me crazy. The white labels 7308 Amperex I have right now make zero noise and sound great! But it took me awhile to find them. But on lots of forums dudes complain about the little hiss noise any many many hi end tube preamps so it is not just the Sunfire units. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kappa man 24 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 8 hours ago, cuda said: Yep! I would have some nice tubes in and love the sound then I could put my ear up to the ribbons and hear a super faint hiss. Not when playing music but yep when idle. I would say it's ok then 5 minutes later start moving around tubes, then silent then noise it drove me crazy. The white labels 7308 Amperex I have right now make zero noise and sound great! But it took me awhile to find them. But on lots of forums dudes complain about the little hiss noise any many many hi end tube preamps so it is not just the Sunfire units. Cuda,... can you snap a pic of the 7308 tubes your happy with! It looks like there is SO many gott damn versions ! I picked up 4 Amperex PQ-6922 but have yet heard the 7308s. My cell is 763-688-2228 for pic if you can. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kappa man 24 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 23 minutes ago, Kappa man said: Cuda,... can you snap a pic of the 7308 tubes your happy with! It looks like there is SO many gott damn versions ! I picked up 4 Amperex PQ-6922 but have yet heard the 7308s. My cell is 763-688-2228 for pic if you can. Also,.. have you or anyone tried Telefunkens / Reflektor 6N23p/ Cca or Siemens E88CC in the Sunfire ? .. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbskeam 1,557 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Sometimes I have to clean the tube pins and sockets. Other wise mine is dead silent till its turned to the 3oclock position, then I start to hear tube rush, not the same as a low level hum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 13 hours ago, Kappa man said: Also,.. have you or anyone tried Telefunkens / Reflektor 6N23p/ Cca or Siemens E88CC in the Sunfire ? .. First a 7308 from anybody is just supposed to be a higher quality control tube that is the same specs as anybodys version of a 6922. Some where military spec called a JAN 7308 and then the color of the writing is pretty much the year like white = 1963-1966 orange = 1967-1970's and green = 1970's upward. I am writing this off memory so they are not exact but close. I personaly have found what others have said is that the older tubes (white letters) have less noise. Then everybody and there brother will argue over the sound from white to green to orange, then they argue over do the hollands sound better than the ones marked USA? Do the PQ version sound better than the none PQ version? So you could find a 6922 you like and it will be as good or better than a random 7308 or vice versa you just have to accept the sound that you like and in my case I was searching for a tube that was quite at idle for over a year. And I just for the first time in a year and half put my cover back on as it has been off because of all the tube changing. I was just using a glass Sunfire stand as my top and I do not want to take it off again and run the risk of noise because I bumped it lol. Here is a white label 7308 Amperex But it says USA while mine look the same but say Holland 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kappa man 24 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Hey Cuda,... merely outta curiosity, have you or anyone tried the "holy grails" in the Sunfire ? Seimens Cca / Reflektor 6n23p / Telefunkens ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I tried some Telefunkens (used ones that tested good) but they had microphonic noise and I returned them, I have heard the Siemens are good tubes but never tried any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straylight 356 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) On 2/27/2023 at 2:47 AM, Kappa man said: Also,.. have you or anyone tried Telefunkens / Reflektor 6N23p/ Cca or Siemens E88CC in the Sunfire ? .. I have 2 quads of 6922/7308 variants...these are used (but testing strong) E288CC...vintage (not modern) SIEMANS gold pin...MADE IN GERMANY very, very rare. You can check them out on the web or many of the European tube collectors sites. Pulled directly from a working Audio Research SP-10 preamp with separate power supply. They will easily do the work of a 6922 or any 7308 (exact same pinout) but they require slightly higher filament current than standard 6DJ8s. May not be an issue if you are running only one or two but I make no promises regarding suitability for any particular preamp. The SP-10 preamp ran 6 of these tubes in the phono section alone and the preamp had extremely low noise and was a solid performer. The weakness of this preamp was finding quiet enough tubes since there were so many in the circuit. These tubes measured up to the task. I had once thought that the white labeled Amperex from Holland were the absolute best with the lowest phono noise in circuit. These may be a bit better then the Hollands in all regards and certainly will be as low if not lower in noise on the most gain-intensive phono preamp circuits (like 30 db to 45 db). If you are using them for just line level preamp these would better perform even better. These E288CC test high but will be retested if sold. PM me if interested. These are special tubes. Edited March 1 by straylight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) Cool looking tubes! It reminds me I should have also mentioned that the power supply may be a limiting factor on the better tubes. 1st it has always been rumored that after 2001 the Sunfire tube pre got a larger and better power supply. As I used different tubes my pre would take longer and longer to be able to be used from the time you turn it on. At first with the stock sovtek tubes it was like 20-30 seconds until the blue light came on and it was ready to be used. With most of the tubes that sounded better the time increased to 40-50 seconds. It also got longer when I added the phono board then put the 7308's in it also. I had noticed the newer power supply units in pictures on here and other sites of Sunfires that Greg had worked on of other members but had not asked about it. Edited March 1 by cuda 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straylight 356 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) 37 minutes ago, cuda said: I should have also mentioned that the power supply may be a limiting factor on the better tubes. The 6DJ8, 6922, and 7308 all require exactly the same filament draw, so should not be different from one another. Differences are more in the realm of tube life, noise levels and quality of manufacturing. The E288C is spec'd as needing slightly more filament current than the three listed. That does not, however, mean there aren't minor current draw differences between all tube brands and batches with the same spec but they should be near to the spec value. Power supplies should always be designed or upgraded considering how many tubes are drawing current in the circuit. Edited March 1 by straylight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuda 463 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 I do not know how the Sunfire Tube Pre determines it is ready to play I just know when the stock Sovtek's are being used it is half the time until the blue light comes on and it is ready to be used. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straylight 356 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 (edited) One last point regarding E288CC tubes. These are tall envelope tubes and therefore require at least 2 and 1/8 inch clearance. If the clearance in your preamp is less than this than they will not fit and should not be used. These require slightly more heater current than 6DJ8 /6922/7308 but pinout and all other specs are the same: 6DJ8 - filament current = (36 ma) E288CC - filament current = (47 ma) FYI... Edited March 2 by straylight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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