Tube rolling in Yaqin Pacific Valve Tube Buffer

The label was pretty much rubbed all off so the price on eBay was very good. I decided to burn in the tube for 36+ hours on the outside chance it was actually new and it seems to be settling in. I will have to reassess it after that time.

In my own personal experience, EBay tubes are for the most part, used junk. I have a tube tester (BK DynaJet), and would have to say that over half the time I buy tubes on EBay they are worthless, so cheap is the key to an EBay purchase. Also, I have found some of the so called "reputable" tube sellers on the 'gon to sell questionalbe stuff that they claim is still good. See if you can find someone in your area with a good functioning tube tester (electronics repair services may know of someone or have one themselves).

I am begining to think that the answer may be that the Yaqin tube buffer is supplied with a Chinese 6N1 and was probably designed for that tube. While the 6DJ8 may work, it and 6922/7308 tubes have different heater elements etc.
In fact, in the reverse case, many do not recommend 6N1 & 6N1P (Russian equivalent) in circuits designed for the 6DJ8.
So, maybe what I am hearing is the result of this.

try 5654 tubes or mullard ef95 or 6ak5.i have had excellent results with all of those however i recomend getting russian american and tung sol [which can be found esaliy on ebay or anywhere] is pretty warm very warm to soft for me but when the supplied tubes break in 100 hours or so they dont sound bad even for the price! dont cry because the miracle dosent happen for 150$ LOL!!! great product.

I'm currently using Western Electric 6AK5 1940'S with great results, great improvement over stock chinese tubes. The unit with the tube upgrade alone sounds more cohesive with smoother top end. Consider doing some mods, it will transform this buffer. I have have replaced the output caps to Mundorf M-CAP Supreme Silver/Oil 1uf and removed the input capacitors now wired directly.