The BEST new production 6SN7 tube? Ray 6SN7 Select review

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  • @wprimrose
    @wprimrose 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    I think LTA makes a top plate for big bottle tubes specifically. Might be worth reaching out to them.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Ooh! Thanks for the tip. I'll ask them and maybe get it at the same time as the Velo.

    • @keith9267
      @keith9267 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Yes, they do make and sell a different top plate for the MZ3 for big bottle tube types.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thanks for confirming!

  • @JTB--
    @JTB-- 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Just got the Ray 6SN7 Select Tube and it really works well in my LYR3. I'm very impressed. Never swapped any Tubes before. It's definitely an improvement over the Tube Schiit includes with it. Snappier Snare Drum and more impactful drums in general. Little more Growl in the guitars. I Like it. Makes a $500 Amp sound like a $1K amp now.. Probably be a nice upgrade for the LYR+ also. btw, needed a Socket Saver for the LYR3

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      That's great news! Thanks for sharing!!

  • @neilsnyder7915
    @neilsnyder7915 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Used to buy 1000's of 6sn7 tubes for $0.42 from Sylvania for my father's tv repair business. He ran a small shop in Buffalo, New York. He had 24 bench techs and 16 service trucks on the road. My childhood memories of tubes were cheap and very 😊poor quality.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Haha. Yes, like anything, there are tubes and there are tubes 🙂

  • @apparentlyretrograde
    @apparentlyretrograde 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I have been thoroughly enjoying the Apos 6SN7 in my TA-26S. I also happen to use the Sovtek 6AS7 as the second tube. I second what you were reporting.
    I love that the Apos tube is so clean but still bassy and with the life that a tube should bring. The 1940s Frosted RCA I was using is beautiful in that "syrup" sense you mentioned, but for modern music I prefer the Apos. And the Sylvania Coinbase 6SN7GTB are a good all rounder like the Apos, but just not quite as sweet bass through that tube, still excellent mids though.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks for sharing your experiences and confirming what I'm hearing. It's always nice to get a second opinion! 🙂

  • @Martijn1234
    @Martijn1234 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Yes we need more new production 6SN7s to choose from.
    I have a selection of NOS in the Melz 1578 (the good ones), RCA 5692 Red Base and Brimar CV1988 6SN7GTY. They are all superb tubes but the cost is just too high and one day they will all eventually become unobtainium.
    Psvane, Sophia Electric and Tung Sol (6SN7GTB) are still making new stock but i've only tried the Psvane CV181s. They are very good as well but those NOS (especially the Melz) are quite a bit better.
    Thanks for the suggestion; it's great to have more options available.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I'm excited by the new options too! I've also got some amazing NOS tubes (GEC KT66 in my case), but new production equivalents would be amazing!

  • @el_arte
    @el_arte 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    The secret sauce of Ray tubes is their marketing budget. They are almost certainly OEM Psvane tubes. But they send around tons of review copies, and so they get reviewed, and they don’t sound any worse than any tube matching the datasheet specs of any 6SN7 or 12AU7 tube, and so marketing wins.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      No doubt marketing is important, but the fact they're coming from the same factory as another tube brand doesn't make them the same exact tubes if there are different levels of tolerance etc. applied. To my knowledge, Psvane are pretty good tubes so using the same manufacturer makes some sense.

    • @el_arte
      @el_arte 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@PassionforSound All key parameters of a tube labeled 6SN7 are strictly specified in the datasheet of that tube. In this case, tubedata.wernull.com/sheets/137/6/6SN7GTA.pdf
      Now, tubes are made in factories and what comes out at the end of the assembly line can meet the datasheet numbers or not. Most egregious outliers are discarded.
      Beyond that, you have a spectrum of units, from perfect match with the specs to acceptable levels of matching. I know it's hard to accept, but all tubes that exactly match the specs will perform the same.
      So, a more ethical approach to marketing these tubes would have been: 1) We don't make these ourselves, 2) We draw production tubes that are within n% of the datasheet specs, 3) We verify all tubes to ensure they are indeed within n% of datasheet specs.
      Everything else is BS. In fact, you could buy the same tube from Psvane directly and there would be a significant chance you would get the same quality for half the price.
      Stating "our goal is to increase the supply of these tubes so that more people can enjoy them" is disingenuous since you don't increase the supply of anything by relabeling OEM products; you just change the label that appears on the product.

    • @s2300gt
      @s2300gt 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      THIS EXACTLY. These are the clear glass Psvane 6sn7-uk tubes. Nothing more, nothing less.

  • @0rogontorogon
    @0rogontorogon 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Sure looks like a rebranded psvane 6sn7s hifi series tube, while the reserve version seems to be a psvane cv181-T Mk 2.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Not rebranded so much as made in the same factory. I don't know how the tolerances and specs compare.

  • @charlesclifton1006
    @charlesclifton1006 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Thanks from Canada🇨🇦 for providing this. Never heard of Apos Ray tubes so kudos to you for
    making me aware of them. I hope to purchase a Schiit Freya+ soon and I'd like the option of doing
    some tube rolling without spending a fortune. These just may fit the bill .... the price is certainly
    reasonable (to me). I'm really looking for a way of maximizing the Freya's mid-range without loosing
    top/bottom end clarity and of course I want to avoid sibilance. I know this is all very subjective so
    I know I'll need to roll a few tubes. BTW - this company ships free in the US and Canada - very nice!!!!!
    Again, thank you!!!

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      These will be wonderful in the Freya+ - very transparent and clean which will be ideal in a preamp setting.

    • @charlesclifton1006
      @charlesclifton1006 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Again, thank you... always look forward to your videos. No BS, just the facts!!!!!!!@@PassionforSound

  • @ClinChem
    @ClinChem 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Interesting - unfortunately it appears Apos don't ship to Australia - at least for now.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      No, not yet, unfortunately, but they are looking into options, I believe.

  • @Mau10
    @Mau10 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Nice Review! Looking forward to your LTA Velo Review.

  • @PhillioDoede
    @PhillioDoede 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Schiit uses these in the pre-amps as well if I'm not mistaken so it would be great if you could test them in a pre-amp as well.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I don't use any preamps, but the performance will be the same regardless. How a tube performs in one amp/preamp is the same in any other (assuming it's setup to properly drive that tube with the right bias, current, etc.) In other words, you can transfer what I've said here into the Schiit preamps and expect great sound there too.

  • @bling5279
    @bling5279 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Comparison vs the Apos Reserve tubes soon?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Absolutely! The Reserve 6SN7 is here, but I haven't listened to it yet.

  • @richardatkinson4452
    @richardatkinson4452 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Great review. BTW you sound awesome thru those Apos 6SN7 tubes in my Freya+. ;)

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Haha! I always love it when people listen to my review though the product in reviewing. 😂😂

  • @damienlahoz
    @damienlahoz 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I just bought two Bad Boys, id love to test them against these. I love NOS cause I want my tube amp to sound like a tube amp and not a class D. Hopefully these are able to do that!

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      New tubes are still tubes. The Bad Boys should be great, but it's nice to also be able to get new tubes of this quality level

  • @ScottoGrotto
    @ScottoGrotto 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Hi Lachlan,
    On the strength of this review I impulse purchased this Rays 6sn7 tube.
    Looking forward to trying it out. Hope it surpasses my nos raytheon current favorite in my schiit Saga og pre 🙏
    A review from iiWi said this tube could be bass light vs your bass just fine review.
    I wish i had seen your reserve Rays video first :)
    But we will see. It’s fun to try new things. I should probably sell a couple tubes that I don’t use 🙏✨⌚️
    My original Saga tube was defective, so didn’t use the tube stage at all for quite some time.
    The solid state is really clean on the Saga, so any tube roll has to be a net benefit over the ss sound. I don’t like losing resolution, and the nos Raytheon sounds nearly as pristine with just a bit more body to notes and a hint of sweetness.
    I’ll post back with my Ray Select impressions :)

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I'd love to read your impressions once you try it. I'm surprised iiWi suggested it's bass light. I'm guessing it depends on the amp and comparisons. A more detailed and articulate tube like these probably would sound less bassy than a thicker, warmer tube, but I don't believe there's any roll-off of thinness to the bass.

    • @ScottoGrotto
      @ScottoGrotto 5 หลายเดือนก่อน


      Thanks Lachlan :)
      Reviews by Wave Theory
      Which coincidentally reviews the Ray 6SN7 select in a Saga pre like mine gives an opinion impression closer to yours! With headphones too :) ++
      Congrats on being an Importer for Rays ✨👍🪄

    • @ScottoGrotto
      @ScottoGrotto 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@PassionforSound
      Here’s my Select Impressions with my Schiit Saga og :)
      300 hours in:
      Heard about this Tube on Passion for Sound. Decided to give it a try. This is the fourth tube I’ve tried beyond the stock tube.
      Also Tungsol, RCA, Raytheon.
      The Saga has a solid state or tube output option so you can easily a/b these.
      Saga SS has a mildly dark, detailed, clean, clear, with good imaging, and pretty good soundstage depth and width.
      I give the Saga SS ~ 8.6 rating.
      The Rays Select with Saga takes awhile to get to its potential, in my system ~ 300 hours. It just keeps giving more and more. First for frequencies to balance out, then for better definition in the background, then finally for a more cohesive detailed sound overall.
      The Select has a positive upbeat vibe which is nice and inviting.
      It has a mild gain in the upper midrange low treble which just brings out those images a bit more forward, and adds a bit of sweetness to the sound. Transients improved over time.
      The character of sound comes through well, imaging is good, depth is good, if there wasn’t the SS to compare to, it would appear complete.
      It is an enjoyable listen.
      I know it’s a good Tube in the Saga if I pick the Tube over SS.
      Where SS at this point still excels is low level detail, like the body of an upright bass, or a bit more of the harmonics in an instrument or piano, a bit more definition of background instruments in an orchestra.
      That said the upbeat positive sound of the Select is appealing and inviting. And comes close to the SS technically.
      Though I didn’t specifically try this I’m guessing this might be voiced nicely for female vocals.
      I’m currently giving the Rays Select an 8.3 overall.
      It holds its own with or exceeds the Tungsol and RCA.
      The Raytheon has less sweetness, it has a more neutral reference sound.
      The Select I think is good value and has a lot to offer, it adds a bit of organicness to vocals, it seems musical.
      It’s an enjoyable listen, and made the break in period rewarding!
      Shipping was faster than expected with the basic option.
      Thanks 🙏🎶🔊🎧

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That's great to hear (read)! Where did you originally post this?

    • @ScottoGrotto
      @ScottoGrotto 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@PassionforSound
      Apos Rays asked for a review on their site via an email.
      I wrote that with you, this reply, in mind too :)

  • @Droog.28
    @Droog.28 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    They don't ship to Australia. Just tried to buy. 😞

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I know, but I believe they're working on it...

  • @mov3d-strengthforliving717
    @mov3d-strengthforliving717 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Hey Lachlan, are you going to test the Apos Ray 6SN7 reserve ?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Sure am. It's coming out VERY soon.

  • @andrewkateb
    @andrewkateb 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Was looking forward to your impressions of this Lachlan-it sounds like a great tube. I know you said not available in Australia at the moment, so you know if this will change down the track?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Yes. Apos are working on some options now, I believe. 🙂

    • @mov3d-strengthforliving717
      @mov3d-strengthforliving717 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​@@PassionforSoundgreat 👍

  • @Franky2A3
    @Franky2A3 11 วันที่ผ่านมา

    US don't make tubes. Where are they from? China Psvane/LinLai OEM? Also available is the top of the range LinLai E- 6SN7. I did purchase some LinLai 6SN7 a while ago but I was disappointed that the internal triodes did not match.

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I don't know the exact locations of production, but there are only a few factories still setup to make these tubes and most are in China or Russia as well as perhaps some other Asian countries. I know the Ray Tubes models don't come from Russia so...

  • @MrPastwa
    @MrPastwa 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    So you have come up with the title statement based on a single other 6SN7 from EH ? New production also includes 6SN7 from Linlai, Shuguang, Psvane, Tungsol, Sophia Electric...

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Please note the question mark...

  • @nissanlemon4054
    @nissanlemon4054 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    What is the height of the Ray tube?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      About 9.5cm or 3.75 inches excluding the pins.

    • @nissanlemon4054
      @nissanlemon4054 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you @@PassionforSound

  • @lastcall9998
    @lastcall9998 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Hi! It's me again! How are things going?
    Could I have a recommendation about headphone amplifiers? I have a Liquid Platinum but I want to ditch it for a true Solid State one. If you could recommend something with a similar sound signature, sound behavior, and if it was a Schiit model, the better (mainly because they seem the company will last forever and won't discontinue a product). Thank you!

    • @tylerstravis
      @tylerstravis 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Jot 2!

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I don't know the Liquid Platinum, but the Jot 2 is a great option from Schiit.
      How would you describe the Liquid Platinum's sound? What characteristics do you specifically want to maintain?

    • @lastcall9998
      @lastcall9998 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@tylerstravis Hi Tyler, have you used the Monolith Liquid Platinum?

    • @tylerstravis
      @tylerstravis 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@lastcall9998 I have not. I read a lot about it before purchasing it and a lot of comparisons to the Jotunheim. I'm very happy with my decision to buy the Jotunheim 2, and I kept my Vali 2+ for a bit more tube warmth.

    • @tylerstravis
      @tylerstravis 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@lastcall9998 aka take my opinion with a grain of salt, but check out the Jotunheim 2 :)

  • @Soundapple
    @Soundapple 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I guess you have distribution of Ray Tubes or at least sell them, right?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I do now. I didn't when I reviewed these. (I want even in conversation about it back then)

  • @cobar5342
    @cobar5342 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Hellishly expensive.
    Russian NOS is good enough for me

  • @lupoal4113
    @lupoal4113 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    c'mon those are chinese tubes... look like Linlai or, more probable, Psvane... so the question is: the extra-cost is because of?... and... what about reliability? what is the expect life of those tubes?

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Almost all tubes these days will be coming from just a couple of factories so yes, they're likely from the same factory as Psvane (based on the look).
      As I explained in the video, the tubes can all come from the same factory, but the specifications and tolerances are what separates one from the other. It's like Fiat and Ferrari being manufactured somewhat by the same people, but they're built to very different levels.

  • @phrayzar
    @phrayzar 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You are all kidding yourself as far as all these variants of tubes from these same factories go, yes there are differences in sound between tubes, but there is no way that the quality calibrates to the cost of these tubes. Just clear your head and make your own mind up. Yes I know that's a radical idea but just give it a go.

  • @guillermobrito4987
    @guillermobrito4987 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    oh dear God, please take me away from tube rolling......
    guess is just too late after this review

    • @PassionforSound
      @PassionforSound  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Welcome to the rabbit hole that's full of cans of worms 😂

  • @oscarvalencia9485
    @oscarvalencia9485 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    worst 6sn7