Ruby tubes reliability report

[talbany]

When it comes to the Blackplate RCA's I feel like Tom Hanks in BIG..
Ahh!! I Don't get it!!

I’ve tried set after quad and though they are nice tubes and have a sweet voice I fail to see why these tubes are so sought after or have been labled as grail... I find $300 bucks for a pair insane.. GenElec KT66's maybe NOS


Tony VVT

[BobW]

I had a tall bottle TAD 6L6GC (STR?) that redplated after only about 8 hours run time.
That kind of spooked me. When I had mentioned it a long time ago someone else mentioned they had the same thing happen.

Tall bottles not the same... Not even close!!

Best sounding NOS tube for a D-Style amp IMO. Sylvania/Phillips 6LGC or STR ..BIG round bottom... Great in a 100 watter...Bring on the critics!!!

Tony VVT

I agree. My particular STRs sound better than my RCAs, Winged Cs, EH or Sovteks.

[odourboy]

Just for the record - I had a brand new TAD 6L6GC STR red plate on me today after about 15 minutes. Of a couple of dozen of these that I've used, this is the first one to misbehave.

[Structo]

I had that happen on a pair of TAD's.
Had about 8 hours on them when one decided to go cherry red.
Sounded great before that!

[JD0x0]

correct me if i'm wrong but arent TAD, Shugaung, Sino, Groove tubes, Fender, Marshall and Ruby tubes all the same chinese tubes just relabled (with a few exceptions i think)

I use the Shugaung just because they are the cheapest since you dont pay for the "testing" and "relabling"

so far i havent had a bad set. My shuguang EL34's (+/- 3mA) are actually closer matched than my Winged =C= EL34's (+/- 12mA)

[David Root]

Tom, Tony, it is all a matter of taste!.

I have used RCA blackplates in all my amps except an old Marshall JMP and a pseudo SLO I built. Love 'em! Especially with Altec 417s.

I bought a quad of NOS MESA 415STR and put them in my #124. I think these are probably a killer high voltage tube, but I much prefer the RCAs at 435-440V.

But the 415 in a 500V plate amp, or maybe in a Music Man amp at 680V or so.....after all it is a 7581A, rated 500V plate and 35W Pd, now that's a different story. I heard a pair in a Mesa Son of Boogie when I rebuilt the cabinet on it, (fell off a pickup and did not blow out the tubes, unbelievable). They were unbelievably good at 510Vp.

[boldaslove6789]

So do these Ruby 6L6GC-M-STR sound any good ? I've got some on the way.....

[Structo]

correct me if i'm wrong but arent TAD, Shugaung, Sino, Groove tubes, Fender, Marshall and Ruby tubes all the same chinese tubes just relabled (with a few exceptions i think)

I use the Shugaung just because they are the cheapest since you dont pay for the "testing" and "relabling"

so far i havent had a bad set. My shuguang EL34's (+/- 3mA) are actually closer matched than my Winged =C= EL34's (+/- 12mA)

From what I gather TAD at least works with the Shugaung factory on the specs of his tubes, rather than a simple relabel.
Not sure about the others.