Finally installed my Tung Sol 6550's

[madmax]

I finally got a chance to install my new 6550 Tung Sols this morning. This has got to be the sexiest looking tube ever made!

Of course it takes a good 50 to 100 hours for any of the tubes to sound really good but these sounded better than most tubes do when you first install them. I was listening to "50 Ways to Leave your Lover" by Paul Simon. I could pick out the kick drum right in front of me, a lower kick drum about a foot to the left, the snares slightly to the right and a little further to the right was the hi-hat. This recording and tube has the soundstage correct! I could even hear things at the correct height. For example the kick drums were at the floor, hi-hat at the top and snares in the middle. Voice was slightly right of center on this song and slightly higher than the hi-hat. The main thing I believe will happen after burn in is that the voice which now sounds slightly edgy will smooth out. So far so good!

BTW, I'm using Electro-Harmonix 12ax7's and 12at7's. So far they have become my favorite over all the NOS tubes I've tried. Cheaper too.

[TroyD]

Cool....I had two set's of the TungSol's but there was a bad tube in each quad. Chose not to try a third quad and opted for the EH's which I'm very fond of.

BDT

[dragon1952]

Cool....I had two set's of the TungSol's ....
BDT

I had mine removed when I was 6. Same year I got the mumps and chicken pox if I remember correctly. That was a bad year :(

[TroyD]

Oh, THOSE, still got 'em.

I missed out on the great ice cream feast.

BDT

[ND13]

I had mine removed when I was 6. Same year I got the mumps and chicken pox if I remember correctly. That was a bad year :(

WAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

[organ]

Excellent write up, Madmax.

Did you get NOS TS or the re-issues by New Sensor? If the new ones are this good, I'll have to give their new Mullard EL34 a try.

I agree about EH. My favorite current production 6922 are EH and JJ. The new stuff is getting so good.

Maurice

[madmax]

I got the re-issues I think. I got them new from Zzounds which is a musical instrument center so they must be the re-issues. One thing I forgot to mention is the way they light up. There is a nice thin vertical line of orange glow. On the jolida it shines across the top of the amp at a right angle. Looks pretty cool. I have had them powered up for about 20 hours but no change in sound yet.

On the EL-34, I don't think you could do much better than the Electroharmonix for a current production tube. The only tube I've heard that is better is the rare tesla deep blue tubes, not the current ones. I don't think anything is going to beat the EH's.

madmax

[organ]

If they say "Made in Russia", they're re-issues. It's cool to have a tube that lights up very nicely. 20hrs might not be enough. I hear improvements when my power tubes get around 100hrs. This is when the highs become more defined and mids more refined and smooth.

A few people who tried the new Mullard say it's pretty much EH with better bass and smoother mids. I'm not surprised because it's made by the same company and build is almost identical. Only reason I haven't bought a quad is their price. $40/pr vs $23 for EH. Have you tried SED? I like them as much as EH.

Maurice

[madmax]

No, I haven't tried the SED. I might try the new Mullard next.
madmax

[organ]

Tour purchased a set when they first came out but I haven't heard from him since. Those will be my next tube purcahse as well.

Maurice

[madmax]

It has been exactly four months since I installed these Tung Sol 6550's in my Jolida.

These are the first tubes I have been totally happy and satisfied with. Highs, mids, lows, soundstage, depth, warmth, everything is awesome. They have a little less bass kick than the Svetlana KT-88's but that bass kick is a little exagerated anyway.

Summary: I have no need or want of anything more than the new issue TS 6550. Pretty strong statement for me to make.

madmax

[Early B.]

Dammit, Max! Just when I swore I wouldn't buy any more tubes for my Jolida, and you resurrect this thread. Geez. I'm currently using EH KT88's. Pleeese tell me the TungSol's don't sound as good as what I already have.

[audiobliss]

I was listening to "50 Ways to Leave your Lover" by Paul Simon. I could pick out the kick drum right in front of me, a lower kick drum about a foot to the left, the snares slightly to the right and a little further to the right was the hi-hat. This recording and tube has the soundstage correct! I could even hear things at the correct height. For example the kick drums were at the floor, hi-hat at the top and snares in the middle. Voice was slightly right of center on this song and slightly higher than the hi-hat.

Now I can't wait to play that song on my system and see if I can pick out any of that stuff!

[madmax]

Never tried the EH KT88's EB. My first impression of the TS was that it was more in line with the EL-34's in power. I think this was mainly due to the bass kick. I will say, if you are lacking in bass these may not be the best tubes. Then again, with the midrange, soundstage and depth, you may not notice the bass being a little more in line. I have done no electrical measurements but believe the frequency response to be very flat. They just have all the magic the EL-34's do with more power and a big open sound. After the first 50 to 75 hours these tubes really started opening up and at this point I'm not seeing any down side at all. This is a first! Usually after break-in I'm right out there looking for something new to fix this or that. I doubt I will look elsewhere for future tubes. And just think, my Jolida only has a few mods. I can't imagine what they would sound like on yours.

madmax