Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Legacy Kit Products => Crack-a-two-a => Topic started by: plasticon47 on August 05, 2021, 08:52:57 AM

Title: Tube upgrades
Post by: plasticon47 on August 05, 2021, 08:52:57 AM

In my Crack, I settled on a Tung-Sol 5998 as a power tube and a Sylvania 6SN7 (with adapter) for tubes.  Questions for Crack-a-two-a:

1.  Is there any issue with my using a Tung-Sol 5998 in the main slot?
2.  Can I use a Sylvania 6SN7 (with adapter) in the driver tube slot?
3.  Is there any sense in putting "better" tubes in the 6AQ5 slots?  Will this impact the "sound" produced by the amp in any way, or is an impact negligible because they affect the power side only?   

I'm interested in anyone's opinion who has tried different tubes in any of these slots.  What was good?  What was better? 

Title: Re: Tube upgrades
Post by: Paul Birkeland on August 05, 2021, 09:24:20 AM

You can use the same tubes in the Crack-a-two-a.  I haven't found a huge difference between regulator tubes, but they are so inexpensive that it's an experiment worth doing.

Title: Re: Tube upgrades
Post by: plasticon47 on August 05, 2021, 09:37:13 AM

Hey Paul:

Thanks for the info on my 5998 and 6SN7. 

I will give a try on the regulator tubes.  That being said, I'm not sure what a "better" 6AQ5 would be.  I don't suppose you have a recommendation as to brand?  NOS? Etc.  It was easy to find info when I upgraded the tubes on my Crack (the Tung-Sol 5998 had much info on it), but I haven't seen much on a good upgrade for 6AQ5.     

Title: Re: Tube upgrades
Post by: Paul Birkeland on August 05, 2021, 10:02:17 AM

The 6005 seems like a nice option. I would at least pay for used/tested tubes, as a good number of the 6AQ5s that I buy in bulk don't test well.