What is your favorite tube for a preamplifier ?

6SN7s are nice as they have a low microphonic aspect. They are great in line stages and can handle a lot of current so wide bandwidth is easy. Although they have less gain than 6DJ8/6922s or 6H30s, the reduced microphonics compared to those tubes is profound- so it is easier to make a line section that is neutral with the 6SN7. Of course you can hand-pick the miniature tubes for low microphonics, but in doing the same for the 6SN7s the same advantage of the 6SN7 is realized.

Great suggestions so far.
If you are into DIY, 76 and 6J5 are two of the most linear tubes ever made.
The 6SN7 is a direct descendant of the 6J5.
Have fun!

Also agree with the 6SN7.

For me, so many 6922, 6H30, and 5687 based designs sound bright, glassy, and etched in the manner that many audiophiles often mistake for resolution or neutrality. I find many of them artificial and difficult to listen to for any length of time.

My Rogue Athena uses a quad of the 6h30 super tube and for good reason they are the most linear small tube made .
My preamp is very accurate and musical their smart parts
decision had a lot to do with that.

Hi Gang. In reference to Casouza's post stating the 6sn7 as a direct decendent of the 6sn7.


Although electrically equivalent and both employ the same octal base, the 6j5 is a single triode whereby the 6sn7 is a dual triode [basically two 6j5's in one tube] and are not direct substitutions.

While there are so many different flavours to experience in the 6sn7 family of dual triodes, and as mentioned by Ait in an earlier post.
In my experience, the 7193 is sonically superior to any 6sn7 regardless of manufacture... nos or otherwise.

Comparatively speaking: the 7193's sonic signature is a combination of the best of the 6sn7 family.

Combine the bass power and depth of the Kenrad black, the 3 dimentional midrange of the old tungsol round plate,the bloom of the Rca grey glass with the treble extention of the best nos sylvania's.

Although a little more difficult to find these days, they generally sell for a fraction of the cost of the nos 6sn7's.