Firstly, I would like to thanks Apos for sending me this pair of Ray 6SN7 Select tubes for review.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
iFi NEO iDSD 2 > Feliks Audio Envy Performance Edition > HiFiMAN Susvara / DT880 600Ohm / Grado SR80i and more.
Product highlights
• Hand-selected and tested
• Gold pins for corrosion resistance and excellent conduction
• A substantial upgrade from standard NOS tubes
• Low noise and microphonics
• Fewer than 5% of the tubes commissioned for production meet our voltage, current, and sound signature standards
• Apos 3 month warranty against manufacturing defects
Specs
• Tube type: 6SN7
• Socket: 8-pin
Packaging and Build Quality
The Ray 6SN7 Select tubes come in a lovely box, it has bold graphics on it and there is a magnetic closing flap that folds up to reveal the tubes inside. When you open the box, you are greeted with a small user manual / product guide, underneath this you will find the tubes tightly held in a foam insert which helps protect them during shipping. For a pair of valves, this is great presentation and you certainly feel like you have bought a high-quality product when opening them.
Tube build quality isn’t something that easy to quantify but, these do feel well put together with ceramic bases, gold plated pins and the internal structures look great. They look to be consistent on the outside, and Apos make sure to match the pairs before packaging them up. Considering we have tubes from WW2 with plastic bases that still function fine, I’m sure these will last a long time provided they are cared for.
Usage
Well, as these are new tubes, they do require a good 6hrs or more of burn-in before they sound their best, this just requires the amp on and you don’t necessarily need music playing to burn them in. I found the valves to be nice and tight in the sockets of the Envy amp, meaning good connection between the pins and sockets for optimal conductivity (no loose pins here).
Sound
As someone who has enjoyed the joys of buying many 6SN7 tubes online, for bargain prices where possible, I know that buying older valves can be a minefield and unless you spend good money you can sometimes end up with some duds. I’ve had microphonic tubes, but luckily, most of the ones I’ve bought have worked fine. Another issue you have is that, without a proper tube tested, you are relying on the seller to have genuinely tested them and that they are of the spec they say. If you are buying single tubes, it’s a little easier and cheaper, buying matched pairs though is more costly.
This is where tubes like these Ray 6SN7 Select tubes come in to play, you are getting new tubes and this means you are pretty much guaranteed to get quiet and fully functioning tubes the first time around, along with a 3-month warranty which would show up any manufacturing issues.
You may not get the variation of different sounds you get with other older tubes, but you will get a pair that in my opinion are fit and forget. The first thing that came to mind after fitting the Ray 6SN7 Select was just how quiet they are, there is absolutely no trace of any noise coming from the tubes and there is an excellent black background.
Secondly, there is a ton of detail from these, they don’t have that fullness that RCA grey-glass tubes have, but they have much improved treble presence without sounding bright or clinical. I’m a big fan of some of the mid 50’s Sylvania tubes, as they have lovely bass presence along with good detail, these have some similar traits but come across as better separated and more controlled.
The bass has a fullness that solid state amps never quite match, yet it’s responsive and only comes out when needed, the Ray 6SN7 Select is not a slow and muddy sounding tube. It’s nimble and snappy whilst retaining that tubey goodness that us “audiophiles” love. Tubes are not technically better than solid state amps yet, in a subjective way, they just sound so right and these tubes help with that.
I absolutely love how quiet the Ray 6SN7 Select are, you really notice it during quiet passages in songs. Lights – Flux and Flow (Acoustic) came on whilst reviewing these and the guitar sounds so natural whilst her vocals come across pitch perfect. The music really flows when using these tubes, they have a natural sound that doesn’t come across as too coloured, they don’t upset the tonal balance of the system. There are plenty of other tubes out there if you want to influence the sound in one way or another, these instead try and present the sound in an effortless, natural, and refined way.
Perhaps the only area they may sound slightly “constrained” is the sound staging, whilst they have great detail and separation the sound stage isn’t pushed out hugely. They are a little more engaging than relaxed, with a slightly more direct delivery – but one that isn’t aggressive or in-your-face. They still have an open and spacious sound, just not quite as wide as the pricier Psvane CV181 TII that came with the Envy Performance Edition.
Conclusion
It’s great to see companies bringing out new tubes to the market, they’re a sensible buy if you want long term reliability and less of a gamble than buying old used or NOS tubes. The great thing about tubes is that there are so many out there, you will find some that suit your preferences. I see the Ray 6SN7 Select as a fit and forget tube for many who just want to enjoy their music, it has enough tube warmth/smoothness to be a joy to listen to whilst still retaining an excellent level of detail and control. Being new stock they also benefit from a black background and low noise; these should serve those who enjoy them for many years to come.
These are an easy recommendation for me, they might not have as much colouration or character as some older tubes but, they are a lot less hassle and don’t cost a lot for a matched pair; that will easily last you thousands of hours of listening time.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (a no-brainer for those who enjoy tubes, but don’t want to gamble buying NOS – or those who want tube warmth with excellent detail and control)