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Atma-sphere amps best power tubes

This question has been debated before on A-gon but without a clear onclusion. I wonder, is it worth it, to upgrade from stock Russian or China output tubes (6as7g), to American NOS tubes?

It seems that everyone agrees that upgrading the Atma-sphere driver tubes from stock Russian/Chinese to NOS is well worth it. This is my experience also.

I am wondering about changing the output / power tubes too. I wonder if a change to NOS is well worth it also in the output case.

It seems likely, judging from my other equipment testing.

My Audiotailor Jade OTL headphone amp uses 1 6asg7 and 1 12ax7. No surprise - it sounds better with a good NOS 12ax7 compared to Russian/Chinese stock 12ax7.

More surprisingly, it also sounds clearly better with a NOS 6as7g output tube (General Electric US NOS). The improvement is largest with the driver tube but not so much behind with the output tube. Almost 50 50.

A lot of output tubes are involved - 28 tubes in my MA-1 amps. Changing them all is costly, and so I would like to know some user experience before I go into this.
o_holter
don_c55
823 posts
 
Why not Email Ralph at Atma-Sphere and ask the designer himself?
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
@don_c55 , he did that about a year ago.
mechans
2,999 posts
 


Now that you have some nice NOS power tubes.  Why not, try rolling some of the 6SN7s you may be pleasantly surprised.

mechans
2,999 posts
 
Try dome Sylvania Ws note not WGT ,  These have the renowned 'chrome dome'.  They are expensive but are very good.  The short bottle is relatively more common than the talls etc. and have been selling for unusually low prices of late -about $50  or slightly more for ea. .
o_holter OP
541 posts
 
Updating experience with NOS output tubes in the MA-1 amps (mainly RCA 6AS7G). I have had zero problems, no failures, over the last half year. This NOS set has now been running for close to two years. I enjoy the sound.
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