ARC Ref 3: Tung-Sol 6550 in power supply?

"If evryone took oneobgyn's approach to this hobby, nobody would learn anything on this forum"

That is a laughable comment. I have probably done more tube rolling in my 40 years in this hobby than you can imagine. I have a friend who also has a Ref 3 and has rolled just about every tube imagineable. When all was said and done his analysis was similar to mine. All you are doing is creating a different "flavor", most far from euphonic and many with tube bloom. I am not saying "don't experiment". I am saying that I have been there and done that. BTW, I am surprised that none of you have tried KT 88's of different manufacturers in place of the 6550.

I have always asked myself when I change a piece of equipment or roll a tube, "am I hearing something different, or am I hearing something better?" That is what experience has taught me. But heck, that is just me.

The best 6H30 tube is the hard to find 6H30 DR. My Modwright 36.5 also takes 6H30 signal tubes. If you can find the true DR tubes that make a pretty significant improvement.

BTW - oneobgyn is a huge help to people.

I have a pair of NOS TungSol 6550 Black Plates (solid) from the early 50s - I will try them and will report back. I'm aslo burning in a quartet of NOS 6H30DR tubes.

Gentlemen, rather than waxing poetic in terms of 'better' and best', it may be useful to describe what makes us prefer a particular 6550 or 6H30 iteration over an other one. As for Tungsol 6550 on Ref 3, I much prefer the SED 6550C supplied by Arc because of its perceivable (by me) linearity and minimal bloom across the spectrum. If there existed a tube that is even more nimble, linear, extended, tight in the bass, and less bloomy than the Winged C 6550C, I may consider it. Anything warmer, I will instead. . . cheerily ignore. I have also tried a set of 5 6H30DRs in the Ref 3, and I could not tell if they made an audible difference.

Guido

it seems to me that you, as I, have experimented and have found no appreciable gain with tube rolling on the Ref3. I still maintain my stance on that as you and I have found changes that involve tube bloom etc. Again, differences will be heard, BUT everyone must ask of themselves "did I hear something better or did I just hear something different"

Strange that no one is offering comments on swapping a KT88 for the 6550C