2 different Saratov 6n14n

[stoo]

So I got some tubes from tubetramp and somehow got them mixed up with my old ones
Both sets are 6n14n. Both have the Reflector/Saratov emblem. One set has a heavy circular getter with 3 supports (6n14n EB) the other has kinda a funnel shaped getter with one support(6n14n). The funnel type has a little structure sitting above the upper mica.
Any idea which is the newer version?
Thanks all!
Stew

[CurtissRobin]

No, but you can do what we can't: plug 'em in, play the crap out of 'em and decide for yourself. Never let anyone undermine you by telling you what sounds best because your own ears are your best judge.

KennyO

[stoo]

You are right of course . Just curious about the differences.
Stew

[dotfret]

The "planet" (funnel shaped) getter usually has two legs up to about 1974, one leg examples are usually later than that.

But Russian valves usually have a date code. The commonest form is 4 digits signifying year and month, eg. 8712 for December 87. Sometimes the order is reversed, sometimes the month is expressed as a Roman number (eg iv for April). Take a good look ...

[jamesrr]

I recently got a batch of Reflector 6P14P (6n14n) tubes - 1983.
They have the 'one leg' construction.
I checked them against a couple of Sovtek EL84s I got preloaded in a couple of Valve Juniors I bought.
They look identically constructed to me.
They sound great in my 'Baby Will' - but then, so do the Sovteks !

cheers,

James

[rock_mumbles]

I've been running the 6p14p-EV tubes in my Crate V18 and a Valve Junior, they have a brighter cleaner sound than the stock Sovtek tubes. The tone of the amp does change but there is a bit more clean headroom which I like. I biased the Valve Junior a bit hotter and it helped round out the sound. I'll be using these in my upcoming Baby Will scratch build and will probably play with the bias as well.

(Update) I just finished the Baby Will and stock Sovtek tubes sound a lot fuller and warmer than the (Saratov) 6p14p-EV tubes (I noticed a similar thing with the Crate V18 but it was boomy so the Saratov tubes were OK in it).

My brother also noticed the Saratov 6p14p-EV tubes work well in an SE amp but don't do so well in a pp amp.