Your feelings on vintage audio.

Corazon, Sorry, I did not complete what I sought to say. I have found several manufacturers of excellent ss equipment. The Ypsilon and Bridge Audio equipment is certainly exemplary, but solid state no longer sounds as my Crown gear used to sound. When I hear my old tube gear, I hear the faults of tubes as well as its virtues, lush midrange. But they lack the soundstaging that so thrills me now. And I no longer have to face the harshness.

OK Boys and Girls....

Got a call today from the shop I took my 299 to for restoration and it is done. Hope to get up to Austin soon to pick it up. Can't wait to hear it!

The gentlemen told me it sounds great and a few of the tubes while still quite viable could be considered as candidates for replacement in the future.

So I have a few questions...

1. ECF80/6BL8: Driver tubes correct? European/American designations correct? Have been to the HH Scott site and verified these tubes are specific to the amp. Are there some other tubes that can be substituted for these that run as the originals would in the unit, voltages, temperatures, biasing etc?

2. 6BQ5/7189: Output tubes? European/American designations? Are there some other tubes that can be substituted for these? Have been to the HH Scott site and verified these tubes. I have read at Franks Electron site that the EL84 many claim to be a substitue for these is not correct and in fact could cause problems. It is the EL84M that would be the correct substitution. Apparently the 6BQ5/7189 runs at higher voltages than the EL84 does preventing it from being compatible.

I have been to Tubes and More and Upscale Audio looking around tonight. They seem to list the EL84 as a compatible substitute. What do you all know/think about this?

So.. substitute recommendations, sites/sources to find these tubes, the 7189 and 6BL8 seem to be a little scarce.
NOS vs. new? Brand recommendations and why. European vs. American.

I realize I am asking a lot but after perusing the forums here and with all the wealth of information posted and knowledge many of you have, I thought it prudent to post and ask.

Thanks in advance, I'll continue to update as my journey in vintage progresses!

Best,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Your findings are mostly correct. The 7189 and EL84M output tubes are rated to handle significantly higher plate and screen voltages than the 6BQ5 and EL84, and the Scott 299A and 299B designs run them at voltages that are above the limits for the 6BQ5/EL84.

The 6LN8 is listed in my old Sams Tube Substitution Handbook as being a substitute for the 6BL8/ECF80. I compared the technical specs of the 6LN8 and the 6BL8 in an old GE Tube Manual I have. The only difference was that the filament voltages that were listed were 6.0V for the 6LN8 and 6.3V for the 6BL8. I would not expect that 5% difference to be significant, especially considering that all of the other specs are the same, and the Sams listing.

(For the record, though, I'll mention that the Sams handbook indicates that the converse substitution, 6BL8 for 6LN8, would not be suitable in circuits having series wired filaments requiring controlled warmup times. That has no relevance to the Scott application, though).

Continued good luck!

Best regards,
-- Al

Hi Al,

Thanks for your response. I appreciate your time and help.

Researching I am discovering just how scare some of the NOS tubes are! They aren't inexpensive either! I've seen some going for the same amount as I spent on the restoration! Wow!

While there are new tubes available most reading I've done seems to suggest the older tubes really sound the best on these older amps.

Thanks to all for the great participation in this thread, I look forward to a lot more.

Will keep you up-to-date

Best,

Dave

Hi all,

Been a while! Crazy at work; you all know.

Got my 299 back recently! Hadn't been able to hook it up so it was sitting atop a file cabinet in my office. I was on the computer and my daughter was there talking to me when I noticed she had her hand in the amp. She was curiously touching things.

About a week later I was thinking I have the time so lets hook it up. I remembered my daughter and thought "I hope she didn't mess with the bias". When I saw her and asked she said yeah she had played with it.

Well I thought I will take it back to the tech when my 299b is ready and have it re-biased. Gotta learn how to do it anyway. It was then I noticed one of the weaker tubes was white on top. I remembered reading that indicated the vacuum was compromised. I went to remove the tube and as it came out it was cracked at the base! DOH!

Can't get mad at my girl, I love her curiosity. Part of the reason I began this trek is to introduce her to good sounding music, good looking gear. Other than her iPod and portable CD player.(Not bashing iPods!)(or portable CD players!)

She has already developed a preference for the higher fidelity offered by our modest stereo. Insists on using it during good movies, watched Cars with her this afternoon! What great fun! She loves to listen to her favorite FM and CDs on the stereo.

I love she is discovering this! I suppose a little delay in set-up is acceptable.

So I now have 3 original H.H.Scott Amperex 7189s. One weak and 2 strong. The 2 weaker ones were on one channel and I was told they would need replacing soon. But as the tech said to me "I like to let fine horses like that run 'til they die". Thought that was kind of colorful!

Currently looking for replacements and will return when it is up and running!

Best,

Dave