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Tubes Asylum: REVIEW: SOVTEK 6H23 Tubes by photomensch

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REVIEW: SOVTEK 6H23 Tubes

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Model: 6H23
Category: Tubes
Suggested Retail Price: $25
Description: Suggested alternate for 6922
Manufacturer URL: SOVTEK
Manufacturer URL: SOVTEK

Review by photomensch ( A ) on May 27, 2002 at 06:43:18
IP Address: 209.191.48.149
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for the 6H23


Just replaced a set of 6922 tubes in my BAT VK-30 with six 6H23s purchased from Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio (www.upscaleaudio.com). Here are my first impressions:

ASSOCIATED PROGRAM MATERIAL
Patricia Barber Modern Cool SACD (MoFi)
Blood, Sweat & Tears SACD (Sony)
Copland Sym. #3 CD (RR)
Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances CD (RR)
Smokey Joe's Café CD (Atlantic)

The new 6H23 replacements are very analytical, revealing some subtle and not so subtle detail I hadn't noticed before. By comparison, my 2-year-old 6922 Sovteks now seem, what is typically called, "warm and sweet." On classical music, the overall improvement is amazing. Soundstage is better, left and right, and front to back. There's more air around the instruments and added overtones in the sound of the tympani. It goes with out saying, the new tubes are very quiet.

On the Barber SACD all of the above applies, plus there's a noticeable improvement in the tightness and definition of the acoustic bass. On tracks that include some finger snapping, the sound seems to "holographically" hang in the air, then naturally fade away.

Smokey Joe's Café is arguably the best original cast recording of a Broadway show, with something for everybody - great music and ensemble, soloists, electronic and acoustic instrumentation, and "staging," all of which are enhanced by the 6H23s. And if you're a BS&T fan, you'll appreciate the naturalness of the band's sound and separation, combined with the impressive dynamic range of David Clayton Thomas' voice.

In conclusion, I must add that dealing with Kevin at Upscale Audio was as good as it gets. I hope VK himself is not listening, but I have to say that the improvement is so good, I now think of my BAT VK-30/6H23 as the poor man's VK-30SE.


Product Weakness: Twice the price of off the shelf 6922 Sovtek.
Product Strengths: See report


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: 2 Bryston PowerPac 120 mono amps
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): BAT VK-30
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony DVP-S9000ES
Speakers: Meadowlark Audio Herons
Cables/Interconnects: DH Labs
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Jazz, Broadway
Room Size (LxWxH): 16 x 12 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments: None
Time Period/Length of Audition: About 6 hours after burn-in.
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: SOVTEK 6H23 Tubes - photomensch 06:43:18 05/27/02 ( 5)