First Sound Preamp Owner's - What NOS tubes?????

I've tried Siemens 7308 "D" Getters (1965), Siemens 6922 "D" Getters (1959), Amperex 6922 PQ USA White Label, and Amperex 6922 PQ Pinch Waist "D" Getter, and Phillips 6922 SQ in the First Sound Presence Deluxe II.

I preferred the Amperex 6922 PQ USA White Label tubes. They have bass equal to the Siemens, and are equally extended, but they have a slight midrange bloom, which I like. The Amperex 6922 PQ Pinch Waist tubes were not significantly better than the Amperex 6922 PQ USA White label tubes, and therefore I could not justify their exhorbitant price. The Siemens are excellent, with the flattest, most neutral response across the frequency spectrum, but I found their sound to be a little hard in the upper mids and highs. The Phillips 6922 SQ have a slightly softer top end than both the Amperex and Siemens tubes. This is all subject to personal preference.

If you haven't already read Joe's Tube Lore, then I'd suggest doing so. While his is only one man's opinion, he has been spot-on in my opinion.

When I owned a FS preamp, I really liked the Philips SQ E188CC tubes. Very well balanced tubes.

When one mentioned Philips SQ E188CC, one has to realise that Philips produced E188CC over many years. This mean that the sound of Philips SQ E188CC can be very much different within themselves. There a total of 8 product codes for Philips SQ E188CC representing each period of it. Starting from the most earlier VR0, follows by VR1, VR2, VR3, VR5, VR6, VR7, VR8 and VR9. You can find this code etched on the glass. I didn't come across VR4 all these years, if anyone come across it, do let me know.

Cheers!
Ace_Hayashi

Well, for the record, mine are VR5s. Thanks for the info Ace. I didn't realize there were so many variations.

I preferred the VR5s to any of the Amperex 7308 or 6922 tubes in the First Sound, as well as others.

I have found my FS Presence Del. Mk II, like any other component, highly sensitive to other gear in the system.

My Merlin TSM-MM monitors were excessively bright and this was tamed by moving from NOS Amperex (D-getter 6922, BB and Orange Globe 6DJ8s) to '60s vintage Mullard, Blackburn factory ECC88s.