I would like to try a couple of nice foo valves in a phono stage. Only two valves.
1x ECC83
1x ECC88
I’ve actually got a couple of nice ecc83’s so not too worried about those but a nice ecc88 would be good to try.
Cheers
Reflector 6n23 (ECC88) I’m using one in my phono stage and it’s very good, pretty cheap if you buy them from russia/ukraine.
Do you need both the same or are they in a different part of the circuit
I don’t believe they have to be same manufacturer they are for a Puresound P10.
By the way NOS valves by their very nature can’t be foo.
They were designed for a purpose and they fulfill that purpose, whether that purpose was audio is another matter.
I suppose modern valves designed for audio like exotic 300B could be considerd foo.
Changed title to better reflect what I’m looking for.
I have either an Amperex Orange Globe JAN 7308 or a Mullard CV4108 either of which I believe you can use instead of the ECC88
I also have a Mullard CV2493 which is also compatible with ECC88
I have a couple of generic ECC83 and a Full Music 12AX7
Get one of the valve gurus on here to check what i have said above as it is a long time since I owned a P10 but these are the valves I used iirc.
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Also have a Mullard E188C branded Chelmer Valves which I think is also a 7308/CV4108
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I think all of the above are cross-compatible in most circuits.
My DAC and one set of monos use 6922s, I didn’t find the Russian milspec tubes to be much different to modern production 6922 - which are all good - but if you want to try them look for export grade with “-EB” (cyrillic, = EV) suffix.
I’ve also tried Brimar, JJ and some Chinese foo, but much prefer straightforward Mullard ECC88s - a way easier and more musical listen. Didn’t have much luck with older yellow label Mullards, but 1960s white labels have been great, and are dirt cheap still for some reason.
I also have a a few Russian valves 6H1П which I bought at a show years ago as being compatible with 6922 but I have never used them or been able to find any data on them.
6N1P - I don’t think they’re a drop-in for the ECC88 family - 4 and 5 are connected to a screen and the forward current is double. Might work in some circuits, but what’s the point?
I suppose the point is that I was conned by some dealer scum at the Heathrow show years ago who sold them as something they weren’t. 
Supposedly more linear all things being equal (which they won’t be). However, lower gm (I believe) and higher heater current.
Yes, a good deal lower I think. Mu is not so different, but the Russian valve was really designed to operate at significantly higher anode voltage than the ECC88.
VB
I must buy that lying bastard a pint some time 
Hopefully you won’t notice they can still be had for about a quid a pop on Thiefbay… 