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BRENT JESSEE RECORDING & SUPPLY, INC.

1566 West Algonquin Road #111

Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

Phone 847-496-4546

6SL7 TUBES CURRENTLY IN STOCK


This page lists all of the 6SL7 tubes I currently have in stock, including all industrial and European versions.

It is a long page, use your scroll button and scroll down the page to see it all.

These are extremely high demand vintage tubes, so I have these listed on their own page, as my stock changes rapidly. If you need a quantity of these tubes, or have specific needs such as matching, special construction, etc., please e-mail me.

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An Important Note About NOS Tubes. Please Read.

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The 6SL7 is a high-mu twin triode in an octal based glass package. To my knowledge, there were not any metal shell versions made. Each triode section operates as a class-A amplifier. This tube has much higher mu than it's cousin, the 6SN7. It's factor is 70, whereas the 6SN7 is only 20, therefore these two tubes are not interchangeable. There is still a good population of hi-fi and musical instrument amps using this tube in the preamp stage out there, and these tubes are still available. The 6SL7 was never as popular as the 6SN7---due to the 6SN7's widespread use in television chassis design---so this tube does not turn up as often whenever vintage tubes are being sold. It is, in the proper circuit, a wonderful sounding tube, and audiophiles would do well to try the NOS vintage 6SL7 tubes before buying anything currently made today.

These tubes come in glass packages, and have envelope sizes similar to the 6SN7 family. GE usually used a short glass shell, RCA used the medium, and Sylvania, Westinghouse, and Raytheon often used the "tall boy" style. There are many variations among brands, and even within brands. Here is a summary of what is most often available:

6SL7GT / G:

This is the standard version of this tube produced by most USA makers. Nearly all have a pair of cylindrical plates, usually mounted low in the tube. Early versions have an RF shield sprayed on inside the glass (greyglass), and then since about 1952 were made of clearglass. RCA used the famous blackplates and a bottom getter, as did early Sylvania. In the 1950s, Sylvania went to a top getter, called chrome tops, and used both a short and a tall boy style. General Electric used a short glass envelope, bright nickel plates, and a side mounted getter. They also made tubes for other brands. Whenever you see the bright plates, even in tall boy glass with bottom getters they were most likely made by GE. Ken Rad tubes are just like GE. Early Tung Sol tubes looked like RCA, but later went to small grey rectangular plates that looked like tiny 6SN7 GE plates. Tubes made after 1975 used the coin or wafer base. These are all great vintage tubes.

5691:

This is the "industrial" version of the 6SL7, and has premium qualifications. These include a long life heater, extra thick mica spacers, extra support rods, and often a low loss micanol base. RCA made these in their famous "red base" line, identified by their red marbled micanol base. Other brands sold a 5691 with brown or black bases, but virtually all were made by RCA. The early versions have dull blackplates and the old circle RCA logo on the base and/or the top of the tube. Later versions have greyplates, and the modern RCA logo in orange on the redbase. Both sound and perform identically. Since the greyplates are usually easier to find, they are usually priced lower, giving a great opportunity to own a real 5691 at a savings. These tubes are great, and last a long time. They have also nearly disappeared. Their high price is justified by their high quality and demand in the market. The military versions of the 6SL7 are often just as good, so don't despair if you can't find 5691 tubes!

ECC35:

A very rare European type of 6SL7. Philips are what are mostly seen, if rarely. The Holland made versions are similar in size to the "tall boy" USA types. These usually have high-mounted cylindrical plates, and brown micanol bases. These are sweet and rare versions of the 6SL7, and are plug and play compatible with any 6SL7 or 5691 type tube. Some say they have all the best attributes of the 5691, with better richness and vocal clarity. Very hard to find in the USA, and worth grabbing whenever you can find them!

JAN 6SL7GT, JAN 6SL7WGT, VT229:

These are the military versions of these tubes. The Joint Army-Navy used the term "JAN", sometimes (but not always!) with the letters WGT, and / or (but again, not always!) with the designation of VT229. A true military tube will always be marked "JAN". They may or may not have listings such as "WGT", which is mil spec ruggedized; or VT229, which is the military type number of this tube. A common belief is that VT229 tubes are better than JAN or WGT types. Not true! These ARE ALL THE SAME TUBES. They may or may not have brown micanol bases. All have extra support rods and mica, and are very rugged tubes that sound wonderful. The RCA, Sylvania, Ken Rad, and Tung Sol JAN blackbase tubes look much like their civilian counterparts. JAN Sylvania, Tung Sol, GE, and RCA also made versions with brown bases, mostly with short glass envelopes. The JAN Sylvania have a light marbled base, and the plates inside are very short black cylinders. These milspec versions are an endangered species, and stocks may be wiped out when the 5691 series of tubes vanish. Prices are on the way up because of this.

6SU7GTY / 6198:

This is a premium version made by Tung Sol, possibly made by them for other brands as well, as GE lists it in their own "Essential Characteristics" book. It has a brown micanol base and the triode sections are factory matched. Sometimes the tube is listed by the industrial number of 6198, some military types list both numbers on the tube, and yet some don't use the industrial number. It's the same tube regardless. These are great 6SL7 substitutes said to sound sweet, but are rare.

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Tube

Description

Price Each

Quantity In Stock

JAN 5691 RCA military redbase premium 6SL7GT, blackplates, short glass envelope.MATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock original Box and white box. This is a very good, very rare dual triode. Rugged 4 support posts, 10,000 hr. life, low microphonics. Military JAN designation, milspec. Built like a tank, awesome tube! 1 pair made for Raytheon military stock. Matched pairs of the JAN military types of this tube are rare, and are the best of the best! SINGLE TUBES, WHEN AVAILABLE, ARE $65.00 EACH.

$155.00 per pair

0

5691 RCA redbase premium industrial 6SL7GT, blackplates, short glass envelope.MATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock original box. This 1950s to early 1960s vintage redbase is a very good, very rare dual triode. Rugged 4 support posts, 10,000 hr. life, low microphonics. The real vintage RCA red full octal base deal, built like a tank, awesome tube! These are great matched pairs!

$135.00 per pair

0

5691 RCA redbase premium industrial 6SL7GT, greyplate, short glass envelope.MATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock original Box and white box. This 1970s vintage redbase is a very good, very rare dual triode. Rugged 4 support posts, 10,000 hr. life, low microphonics. Early 1970s vintage with greyplates, but retain the excellent sonics of the redbase line. The real vintage RCA red full octal base deal, built like a tank, awesome tube! These are great matched pairs! Save big on a real RCA 5691! Some made for GE or other brands. SINGLE TUBES ARE $50.00 EACH.

$100.00 per pair

2 singles

5691 GE brownbase or blackbase premium industrial/military type 6SL7GT, short glass envelope.MATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock original Box. This 5691 is a very good, very rare dual triode. These appear to be RCA military stock tubes with flat plates and extra support rods, with military brown micanol bases, just like the RCA redbase tubes. 10,000 hr. life, low microphonics. Built like a tank, awesome tube! These are great matched pairs, get a real 5691 at a savings! SINGLE TUBES ARE JUST $30.00.

$70.00 per pair

1

CV1985 / ECC35 / 6SL7GT Brimar made in England, brown micanol base, grey cylindrical plates and square getter, 1959 Footscray, UK factory production, MATCHED PAIRS.

New Old Stock White Box. Beautiful and rare British military 6SL7GT tubes, with brown micanol bases, all 1959 porduction. This tube has a very wideband frequency range and is extremely smooth and accurate from the deepest bass to the most ultrasonic highs. These were the best British tubes, intended for the military only in the UK and not for export. Similar to the even rarer ECC35 at half the price!

$150.00 per pair

3 pairs

CV1985 / ECC35 / 6SL7GT Brimar made in England, black base, grey cylindrical plates and square getter, 1967 Footscray, UK factory production, MATCHED PAIRS.

New Old Stock White Box. Beautiful and rare British military 6SL7GT tubes, with later production black bases, all 1967 porduction. Old Brimar logo in orange on the black base. This tube has a very wideband frequency range and is extremely smooth and accurate from the deepest bass to the most ultrasonic highs, similar to the rarer brownbase above. These were among the best British tubes, intended for the military only in the UK and not for export. Similar to the even rarer ECC35 at half the price!

$120.00 per pair

2 pairs

ECC35 Adzam, made in Holland by Philips, gunmetal cylindrical plates, Adzam logo, 1953 date codes.

New Old Stock white Box. Beautiful and rare Holland made 6SN7GT tubes, often rated better than the highly regarded RCA redbase above. One of the "holy grail" type of 6SL7 tubes in the USA, as they are very rare. These were the best Holland 6SL7 tubes, intended for sale only in Europe and not for export. Brown micanol bases, tall boy glass envelope. Maybe the best 6SL7 to ever grace your ears!

$325.00 per pair

0

6SL7GT / VT229 blackbase JAN Sylvania Military grade, black cylindrical platesMATCHED PAIRS

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Scarce tubes, hard to keep in stock. Medium glass envelopes. Great early 1950s Sylvania military blackplates, nicely matched in pairs. SINGLE TUBES ARE $45 EACH.

$99.00 per pair

1 pair

6SL7GT/WGT/VT229 blackbase, JAN Sylvania Military grade, black cylindrical plates

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Scarce tubes, hard to keep in stock. Short and medium glass envelopes. Some are standard Sylvania green label. A few have other brands on the label, but are Sylvania made.

$45.00

1

6SL7GT / VT229 blackbase, BLACKGLASS JAN TungSol Military grade, black OVAL platesMATCHED PAIRS

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Scarce tubes, hard to keep in stock. Short glass envelopes. These are rare early 1950s Tung Sol military blackplates, with the early white label on black bases, nicely matched in pairs. Some made for Ken-Rad and National Union. SINGLE TUBES, WHEN AVAILABLE, ARE $60.00 EACH.

$120.00 per pair

1 PAIR,3 SINGLES

6SL7WGT brownbase JAN Sylvania Military grade, black or gunmetal cylindrical plates, heavy top and bottom mica spacers, top getter (chrome top).

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. These are virtually the same as the 5691. Short glass envelopes. Famous Sylvania "chrome domes", long since out of production, heavy demand is making these scarce. Matched pairs at just $80.00!

$35.00

9

JAN CKR6SL7GT / VT229 blackbase RCA, GE, Raytheon, N-U, or KenRad Military grade, cylindrical plates

New Old Stock whitebox. All medium glass envelopes, clearglass (greyglass on two Tung Sols). The rare Ken Rad or Tung Sol military tubes, all from a 1948 job box of JAN tubes. The VT229 is one of the best 6SL7 type vintage tubes, and some clients prefer it over the 5691. MATCHED PAIRS ARE $90 PER PAIR.

$37.00

1

6SL7GT/WGT brownbase JAN Tung Sol Military gradeMATCHED PAIR

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Short glass envelopes, rare large ribbed greyplates. Carefully hand matched pairs.

$65.00 per pair

0

6SL7GT/WGT brownbase or blackbase JAN GE, Tung Sol, Hytron and other USA brands, Military grade

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Short and medium glass envelopes.

$27.00

1

6SL7GT Tung Sol blackglass, oval plates

New Old Stock Original Box and white box. This is the early version of this tube, from the 1940s, with an internal RF shield sprayed on the inside of the glass. Like the fames Tung Sol 6SN7 oval plate, this tube is very sweet sounding and increasingly hard to find. 1 blackbase and 1 brownbase. Some are OEM labels made by Tung Sol.

$60.00

2

6SL7GT RCA greyglass

New Old Stock Original Box. This is the early version of this tube, from the 1940s, with an internal RF shield sprayed on the inside of the glass. MATCHED PAIRS ARE $50.00. Some are OEM made by RCA.

$19.00

5

6SL7GT RCA clearglass

New Old Stock Original Box. Demand for these is on the rise, making this fine tube a vanishing species. Get yours now! MATCHED PAIRS ARE $50.00.

$19.00

8

6SL7GT Sylvania top getter (chrome tops)

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. These "chrome domes" are great tubes, and still a bargain! MATCHED PAIRS ARE $40.00. Green label, bottom getter, oval plates available at $25.00 each.

$19.00

3

6SL7GT General Electric side getter

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. These have bright nickel cylindrical plates in a short glass envelope. MATCHED PAIRS ARE $40.00. A few have other brands on the label, but are GE made.

$19.00

28

6SU7GTY Tung Sol Brownbase, clearglass, Tung-Sol

New Old Stock Original Box. Medium glass military type, made by Tung Sol. This industrial 6SL7 has matched triode elements. An excellent sounding step up from standard 6SL7 tubes! MATCHED PAIRS ARE $110.00 PER PAIR!

$50.00

7

6SU7GTY / 6198 Brownbase, blackglass, black oval plates, Tung-Sol

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Oval Blackplate, short glass military type, made by Tung Sol. This industrial 6SL7 has matched triode elements. An excellent sounding step up from standard 6SL7 tubes!

$60.00

1

6SU7GTY / 6198 blackbase, clearglass, black plates, Tung-Sol

New Old Stock Original Box and whitebox. Blackplate, tall boy glass military type, made by Tung Sol. This industrial 6SL7 has matched triode elements. An excellent sounding step up from standard 6SL7 tubes!

$49.00

0

6SL7GT Other USA brands

New Old Stock Original Box and white box. Most of these are made by GE, with the nickel plates. Most are bottom getter, in either medium or tall boy envelopes. Brands include Westinghouse, Tung Sol, Raytheon, Motorola, Zenith and others. All vintage USA full octal base.

$13.00

4

HOW DO I PLACE MY ORDER?

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