For my Torii MK3 i'm running the stock Tung-sol el34's, OB3 and stock OC2's.  
Edit: My rectifiers are RCA  5u4gb's.  I also have Rca 5y3gt and Philips 5R4GYS on hand.
I currently am using as inputs the Matsushita / National PCC88 / 7DJ8 from Upscale Audio.  I like them a lot.  Would like to experiment w/ some other 7dj8's that those with experience would think would be an improvement.  Would love to hear some Telefunkens and the like but w/ Xmas here I'm tapped out for new ones.

I have about $67 in my paypal account to play with.  Now I know it ain't much $, and as far as I know I'm nobody's first cousin here.    But... if you have some used fancy pants 7dj8's that you've moved on from but still have decent life left in them and you think would improve on the Nationals, I'd be interested.  

Edit: Just thinking, I've got a nice Philips 5R4GYS Made in Holland  rectifier w/ less than 300hrs on it I could add to the $.  Since I sold my CSP2 not too long ago, I don't need it anymore.  It came from Upscale Audio. They go for $55 there now.

Thanks,

Greg

I'm preparing to try some yellow label Tesla PCC88's in my TABOO MK III, TORII MK IV and ZEN CKC. What are they like in these applications?

Hi Will.   Sorry I forgot to include the rect's I'm using.  Rca 5y3gt and just recently rca 5u4gb's.

The current sound I'm getting is really great, but if it can be improved on then I'll spend for it.   What I'm getting now is a very natural sound. Texture, transparency,  spot on warmth and accurate bass/treble is what i want.  I'm really satisfied with those attributes now, i could live with it and be happy.  But curiosity has me wondering if there is still room for improvement in the listed departments.

I'm currently focussing in the input tubes because i think I've got what is for me, the right rect's and drivers.  I tried the G.L. kt77's and Orangecrush was right in his description elsewhere on this site.  An exciting sound in the mids and treble, really lively in the best sense.  It's just that they really seemed to put out too much bass for my room and spkrs to handle accurately.   (DM945's with the new companion cabinets) .  The bass was bloated and flabby .   If my paradigm studio 80s were working it would have been cool to see how they handled the bass.  They are impressive in that department.    So I went back to the tung-sol el34s the bass is back to where i like it.  Deep, textured and at the right level.  I have a nice balanced sound.  

So long story short, I want what I've got now only better if it's possible.

Greg

Greg, have you tried any OB3 or OC3 with the KT66? In my rig these both diminish bass output considerably and diminish what Will rightly calls "the push." May be just the right compromise.

Though. . .every time I try a tube in the Mk III that doesn't engage the Hazen Grid mod, I just feel something is not quite all it can be.

Well I just sold the Philips rectifier so that's off the table.  On the other hand,  I now have a few extra bucks in the Paypal acct so can pay more if needed for input tubes.

Greg

Lon, I am guessing you mean to try a OB3 or OC3 with Greg's KT77s? I think he is using OB3 and I agree, OC3 could be another good option that might bring out the KT77s with less bass. I have some sweet sounding Hytron OD3s. From the 40s better, but from the fifties very good. I find both to chill the push and bass nicely, but with a very natural and balanced sound. I almost always use OB3 with my MkIII in this room, but I have done a lot to calm the bass with treatment and EQ. Without that, I would likely be using OD3s.

Also Greg, I guess you tried the 5Y3GTs with the KT77s? I find that generally 5U4GBs have the deepest bass, 5U4G-STs a bit less, and 5Y3s the least.

I will get back on PCC88/7DJ8s. They are getting harder to find. For me, in a general way, I have liked the Nationals and Telefunkens the least, but can see how they might be just right with the right tubes to compliment them. I will do a little listening.

RR,

I have not tried the Teslas, but from my experience with their 60's ECC88/6922s, I suspect they will have a biggish open sound with good micro detail and delineation.

Pann,

I don't know why LS's CSP3 is so flexible output tube wise, but mine was not. It did well with different tubes in the input position, but was very sketchy in the output pair position...I think so much that it was frying tubes....can't say this for sure, but I did lose one of a pair several times after the CSP3 attempts. Mine is #3, is that before your LS? Maybe, mine just had a bad resister or something....

I sent it back in for a mod that I think Steve may have integrated into later builds to give more output tube flexibility.

Anyway though, I agree...try the 7DJ8 up front. It will be really nice I suspect. Open the sound up a bit and refine detail.

Dear Greg,

First of all, I apologise for derailing your WTB thread!

I hope you get what u are looking for.


Hi Will,

My CSP3 was built much later than yours.
It was still WIP during this year's Decfest.
The guests attending Decfest probably probed and prodded my CSP3  which was lying on the workbench, hence it gained the "Mida's touch".

But seriously speaking, I have been in contact with another CSP3 owner, CKC.
He had some problems with hum and also with using other tubes in the Output section of the CSP3.
He informed me that his CSP3 was sent back and Steve D. made some internal changes such that the CSP3 could now accommodate other output tubes.

Maybe Steve D made some progressive production changes to the layout of the CSP3, much like what he recently did with the Mystery amp?

LS,

I would not doubt if yours has the mod I am getting.

Greg,

So hard to say with different system/rooms, but with the tubes I have in now, and here, I feel like the Nationals sound great with some stuff, and sort of unnatural with other stuff, in which case they can be a bit forward/edgy in the mids/upper mids but with really good texture. And at times they feel a bit restrained and unresolved in the low mids down. They go nice and low, they just feel a little sluggish there at times, but this may be in part in contrast with the up front mids.

If you want to stay big and open, I think the below are similar and almost exactly in your price area....To my ear, generally more natural in balance and tone. Smoother, but still clear mids and upper mids, and still big bass. In my room, perhaps a little better developed bass definition. They might be a good one to try...like the Nationals in a broad sense, but different enough to explore.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Zaerix-PCC88-7DJ8-tubes-Matched-Pair-Brand-new-in-bo...

They look Russian made with great range and balance and look just like mine. I bought them from the same seller a while ago, so likely the same tube.

Hi Greg,

LOL

I did not expect a road toll for this thread.

I can recommend getting a pair of Siemens PCC88.
E.g. EBAY item 221331998591
They are value for money tubes.

The Telefunken PCC88s currently sold by Upscale Audio are actually Siemens made PCC88s.
They have the same internal structure.
Even though they are newer tubes with silver shields, they are pretty good with linear extension at both ends of the audio spectrum.
The mids are also slightly warm in a good way.
They are also cheaper if sold under the Siemens brand name.

Regards,
LS

Greg,

I have a pair of Siemens early 60's 6DJ8s and they are really good tubes. Extended and linear, open, delicate detail, and transparent. Not sure how these relate in construction, but mine have single support hallow getters and are labeled Haltron. Also have a pair of Mullard labelled 6DJ8 A-frames with the same construction described, not sure the year, but a very nice tube also. Warmer than the Siemens, but with a nice open midrange, and pleasant but subtle euphonic thing going.

Not sure about the Heerlin tubes. I have liked bugle boys which are constructed similarly, but only now and then...they have a particular upper mid bump that can be good or not depending. Don't know if these would be the same either. Bugle Boys with D getters are different and quite interesting. Also the Heerlin made A-frames have an upper mid bump that is sometimes nice, and perhaps just right in the right setting, but I like the Mullards better here.

I think these are quite good prices for these NOS testing tubes.... good inputs of the open mid variety.

The Telefunken PCC88s I have, I got from tubemonger, and they are different than te ones LS describes from Upscale. Mine have the more typical chrome plate that the getter rises off of, and therefore I can't comment on the sound of the upscale ones or the like Siemens, but LS has done a lot of good homework for us all!

Hey Greg,

I'm guessing you got these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCC88-SEL-LORENZ-GERMANY-verys-strong-like-nos-matched-T...

I have a pair from Tubemonger bought some years ago and never really used them, but did listen to them the other day in looking for a National variation. I was concerned about commenting on them as they were not burned in, and above your budget on Ebay. So I put them in my MkIV that is burning in and they sound really good with a quad of Psvane 5881s (also just burning in, and sounded badddd! the first few days). These Lorenz are 2 mica. If you mouse over the ebay pic, you can see the pointy/ridged edges of the micas as they meet the glass, with the plates in between.

As I was listening the other day, when I was doing direct comparisons, I thought some tubes did better at coming close to the Nationals, and some worse, but when I just listened, each one of the 7DJ8s I tried was a nice tube at what it did. Especially with the MkIII bass and treble knobs.

I have been listening this AM to some Tungsrum PCC88s (cheap tubes still...I had these cryo'd) I had not heard for a while... with some JJ6CA7s, and the sound is very nice with music I have played so far!

Hey LS,

Yeah I should have figured as much given the $90 price on mine.  I'm sure the ones you refer to are way more expensive.  Oh well.  I kind of figured I was throwing caution to the wind.  We'll see.   I'm fortunate to have many used cd stores around to by cheap and flip online at a reasonable profit to pay for the tubes.

Greg