Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => S.E.X. Kit => Topic started by: bullandvodka on June 14, 2011, 03:35:35 AM
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All,
I am considering this kit, but am a bit concerned that there aren't a lot of tube options out there. I saw a pic of the S.E.X. with some coin edge tubes and went searching for some but haven't found any.
I thought I'd ask the community are there a lot of 6DN7s out there? Who stocks the cool looking coin edge ones? Is there another name or numbering scheme for the same tube or a drop in replacement?
Thanks in advance from a noobie.
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It has been a while since I owned one, but if memory serves, people thought there were extremely small differences betweend 6DN7 and what variants there are available and my own experience verified this for me. If you buy the coin type it will be strictly for the look, the sound is the same. I was worried about the the lack of variants when I converted my FPII and III to 7N7, you can have any flavor you want as long as it is Sylvania. Not much in the way of real tube rolling between manufacturers. It turned out not to be a problem there either. But from what I remember of the S.E.X. amp it was wonderful. The lack of variants was never a problem (I just didn't listen to headphones much) and few seem to be too concerned about it. I don't know any tube sellers who have the coin type, but I also haven't been searching so I can't help you there.
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This is not to say that the SEX amp doesn't light you up with enthusiasm. Look through the SEX folder. You will find those that are amazed with the sound. There are tweaks, often inexpensive, that you can have to enhance the sound with both speakers and headphones. Browse....
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The original S.E.X. amp, from the mid-nineties, popularized the 6DN7 enough that the supply seemed to be getting tight by the time it was replaced (by the original Paramour). I think a bunch of people started to hoard the tubes; there were by then several 6DN7 amp circuits making the rounds of the DIYers.
The stereo version showed up a decade later, and it was deliberately designed so that it could be converted to the 6EM7 which has several variants. The same is true of the new version, though we have de-emphasized that because, as it turns out, we have not had much trouble finding tubes. It's a TV tube and was made by the millions back in the day - perhaps the tube dealers started to save them out instead of junking them as useless? In any case, these old TV tubes are pretty rugged and reliable.
The only exact substitute is the 6FJ7, which has a Compactron 12-pin base.
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I've had decent luck getting a couple pairs of coin base 6dn7s from Antique Electronics Supply:
http://www.tubesandmore.com
But you have to request them in the comments section on your order form. They can't always accomodate, but often they can. I've got about 4 or 5 pairs in total (only two are coin base), and I figure that's pretty much got me set for life.
-- Jim
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Paul Joppa, I suspect you might be right regarding premature "junking".
I remember several years ago inquiring at the local parts distributor about any tubes they might still have in the back, only to be told that they had been dumpstered two days earlier. I hate to think how many may have ended up in the landfill.
Another thing I've known to happen is that major stashes go undiscovered in the back of a storage unit somewhere for years until someone happens upon them. Usually, if I see a sudden drop in NOS prices, I suspect someone, somewhere was taking inventory in a military warehouse, and finally remembered where the key to the back room was!
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Thanks for all the comments guys. Much appreciated.
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There seem to be plenty of 6DN7s out there. I purchased a nice pair of matched coin base Westinghouse 6DN7s from a tube seller on eBay. They look cool and sound brilliant - different in character from the stock RCAs, which also sound great.
On eBay alone, there are loads of 6DN7s available. I notice that thetubestore.com and tubedepot.com list NOS 6DN7s, but I think you have to call them to see what they happen to have on hand.
I wouldn't be worried about 6DN7 availability.
All,
I am considering this kit, but am a bit concerned that there aren't a lot of tube options out there. I saw a pic of the S.E.X. with some coin edge tubes and went searching for some but haven't found any.
I thought I'd ask the community are there a lot of 6DN7s out there? Who stocks the cool looking coin edge ones? Is there another name or numbering scheme for the same tube or a drop in replacement?
Thanks in advance from a noobie.