10 reviews for 6SL7 / 6SU7 /5691 / VT-229 / 6N9S / 12SL7
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6SL7 / 6SU7 /5691 / VT-229 / 6N9S / 12SL7
$10.00 – $195.00 US
6SL7 / 5691 Tubes
$10.00 – $195.00 US
6SL7 / 5691 Tubes
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Jesse Curran (verified owner) –
Extraordinarily personalized customer service!
Rachael Warlond (verified owner) –
The MELZ (1952) 6SL7 valves truly are the best sounding valves of their type. The Shuguang ST black bottles I had for my Willsenton R8 couldn’t quite match the MELZ for its clarity.
Leon Petrulio (verified owner) –
Installed the tubes in my amp yesterday and all I can say is WOW! I have chased improvements in different bands of the spectrum for a long time. I could improve one, at the expense of others, until now. The tubes you recommended have provided a massive improvement across the entire frequency spectrum. They have truly raised the bar!
Thank You,
Leon
William Zapata (verified owner) –
Jim provides excellent service, communication is second to none, and makes excellent recommendations. As a brand new R8 owner I wanted to maximize the sound quality from the get go. Having someone that caters to the R8 and owns one makes a difference. My only regret I didn’t discover valvesnmore sooner. His YouTube videos are very informative. I’ve purchased different tubes from Jim, a Russian “line up” (Melz 6SN7s and 6SL7s), 6550 quad pair. I will continue to purchase from his store.
colin (verified owner) –
Hi Jim,
I’ve received safely the Svetlana EL34 vintage valves from you and put them in the Willstanton R8 alongside the Melz 6SL7 valves you sent me last month. Just wanted to give you some feedback; the system is sounding fabulous with the vintage valves. I’ve finally achieved the sound I’ve been chasing for over forty years. The valves you selected are incredible. The most amazing aspect for me is the age of my system – get a load of this:
Speakers: Tannoy Monitor Gold 15″ dual concentric all original from 1969 (52 years old)
Turntable: Thorens TD150 mkII from 1973 (49 years old)
Pre-amp: Sansui Six integrated receiver, using pre-outs into R8 from 1972 (50 years old)
Amplifier: Willsenton R8 power amp only, using valves from 1950’s (Melz 6SL7 and Svetlana EL34) (70 years old)
Ears: All original from new 1960 (61 years old)
When I play this set up to my audiophile buddies they are gob-smacked and can’t believe the age of the components. I should mention I built a dedicated soundproofed listening room, with it’s own power supply, acoustic room treatments blah blah blah……
Anyways, cheers Jim……Colin
Chris Harding (verified owner) –
I’m another Willsenton R8 owner and, having stumbled across Jim’s Youtube channel, decided to try out his Sylvania 6SL7 GTs to replace the Chinese stock tubes. Jim sent them off to me, and they arrived in Australia in only two weeks.
I have to say that the improvement is not small. Bass has tightened up in the upper range, and deep bass (seismic bass) only appears when it is on the recording – no added bloom.
Treble is now clear, sharp, and well defined, with no hint of edginess or listening fatigue. Soundstage is deep and open; and every instrument located in its place.
I have PsVane MkII KT88s, but now I’m keen to see how Jim’s recommended 6550s might go.
Scott Visovatti (verified owner) –
I purchased 2 matched Sylvania 6SL7s (based upon Jim’s recommendation) for my Willsenton. Incredible difference compared to stock tubes. Jim sent a handwritten note describing the tubes and their performance specs! I’ve never experienced this level of customer service before.
Chris Robinson (verified owner) –
Purchased a pair of Rogers/Sylvania 6SN7GTB “Tall Boys” and MELZ 6SL7GT’s and am gobsmacked at the improvement over the Bronze set for the Willsenton R8. Very nice sound, makes tube rolling fun and very worthwhile! As always Jim was very helpful recommending suitable tubes…Brilliant!
demetrio (verified owner) –
Purchased #46jn Sylvania JAN-CHS-6SL7GT (NOS NIB) on Willsenton R8. Wow, what a difference. Everything is better; bass response, mid-range sweetness and clarity. Would thoroughly recommend these tubes as well as the excellent service from Jim. Helped me every step of the way. Cheers!
Rachael Warlond (verified owner) –
I decided to roll in my all-time favourite MELZ 6N9S (6SL7GT equiv) tubes into the Jim’s & Charle’s MTK Phono Pre-amp, and surprisingly, the R752 held up very well against it. The upshot of all my listening, swapping from one tube to the other, is thus:
Treble – The R752 was just very slightly more airy, but it was the MELZ that was just that little bit more “realistic”. While the R752 could get a little harsh sounding, it is the more detail centric tube, although the MELZ 6N9S is a wee bit smoother in the top end, which most likely accounts for its lack of harshness. Both tubes, however, are still as extended in the top end when compared side by side. Also bear in mind that “audiophile recordings” sounded excellent, regardless of the tube being used.
Midrange – This area of the frequency range was so close, that it’s simply too difficult to call out an outright winner. The MELZ being just a tad warmer than the R752, although the warmth never impinged on the detail and inner nuances of the recording. The MELZ is very slightly fuller sounding in the lower midrange, which, depending on the recording, could make male vocals sound a little richer. In summary, the midrange comes down to a matter of personal preference. Both are excellent tubes for midrange reproduction.
Bass – This is where I noticed the biggest difference. The MELZ was definitely fuller and went down slightly deeper, which explains why male vocals (specifically the lower registers) could sound slightly richer; depending on the recording, of course. The R752, on the other hand, was never disgraced, as its bass, while not quite as deep or full, produces the more articulate bass. Neither tube had anything approaching “boom-boom” bass, but it was the R752 that had better texture and tone.
SUMMARY:
I believe the MELZ has finally met its match. If I had any complaints about the R752, it would be the depth of the bass, although it more than makes up for this with slightly better texture and tone. As I said, the R752 could get a little harsh, but this turned out to be more about the recording than the tube. Either way, this is me being highly critical, and either tube is, in truth, excellent.
CONCLUSION:
If you want a little more warmth, with a slightly smoother top end and slightly fuller bass, then choose the MELZ. It’s still a fabulous tube. However, if you would prefer a slightly more neutral sounding tube and are more concerned about the quality of the bass, rather than the depth, then choose the R752.