Charles Heyborne

“I bought a pair of platinum grade & cryo treated, for a Vinnie Rossi LIO that I received a few days ago. Have had them burning in for a few days and just did some critical listening for the first time today . . . . Great googly moogly, I've found my new faves!! In the past, I've tended to usually prefer Mullard and Amperex for their added warmth (also bought a pair of each for comparison with the Telefunkens). These Telefunkens are more neutral sounding while still providing just a touch of added warmth, and sounding very natural, balanced, transparent and pure. They push all the right buttons for me; extended top and bottom, excellent soundstaging and image focus . . . and, did I mention natural, transparent and pure? Uncle Kevy knows his tubes and these are among the best!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“I purchased six of these tubes in Nov 2013 and an additional six tubes in Feb 2015. Two of the tubes purchased in 2013 recently tested "horrendous noise" after perhaps one hundred hours of use. Unfortunately, the warranty period has long past. Hopefully the remaining tubes will live up to their purported 100K hours expected life.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“These tubes are fantastic and a great addition to my Schiit Lyr 2. Really opened up the detail and clarity in the top end with a tightened up and full bass and really nice mid range response. Very sweet musically and dead quiet in the Lyr. Picked up a second pair as a backup since the price is right and liked them so much. Most assuredly recommend.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“Pretty honest musically, not tilted at the top end or full of glare like Chinese and Russian variants. My pre-amp controls 90% of the sound of my system and I've tried various 6DJ8's and 6922's in it for more than two decades now and my Audio Research LS2B MKII is very sensitive to it's tube. I pulled my 1959 pinched waist Valvo 6922 CCa (truly best of breed) to have my first listen to this tube. At first listen I felt something the silence was too great between the notes and something was missing. I ran the tube about 20 hours and settled in for a serious listen. Then reinstalled the Valvo and listened to the same album cuts. The Valvo plays third and fourth order harmonics the Telefunken doesn't, hence the darkness in the decay of notes, piano and vocals. In absolute terms this is a negative but in reality unless you are using the Valvo cited, or Siemens and Halske 6922's CCa from the late 50's or early 60's with grey plates and either A frame or 0 getter construction (both scary expensive and getting impossibly scarce as NOS) you will be well satisfied with the voicing of this tube. It's OK for a back stock spare for me, with first and second choice being much more expensive rare Valvos and Siemens and Halskes .. if you can even find them.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“Wonderful synergy in my fi pre with the best of my amp tubes. I took the advice and went for these, good decision. Great detail and clarity, very open sound.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“To my ears, the great strengths of this tube are clarity, especially in the midrange and a low noise floor that lets low level details flow through more than any other 6922 type tube I've heard. Also, compared to the other NOS tube I know well, the Amperex 7308, the sound is cleaner and faster with a more controlled bass, more pronounced transients, and so on, as others have described. In my system, the soundstage was actually pushed back rather than forward. I agree that there is a bit of hollowness in the midrange, which causes singers and instruments to lose some body, and the overall sound is a bit drier than the Amperex tubes I've heard, but in my system, these are not bad trade offs. It is a clear and beautiful rather than warm and charming tube. Not cheap, but a relatively sane audio upgrade.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“I am extremely happy with this Telefunken 6922, platinum graded tube which I purchased in December '14. Talk about neautral and dead nuts quiet, this thing is incredibly revealing. I am using this tube in my Peachtree NovaPre Preamplifier, in conjunction with my Peachtree 220 amp and Paradigm Studio 100 v.3 speakers...having a ball. I had read other reviews of the Peachtree products and the recommendation / inclusion of the warmer sounding Amperex 7308 tube, so I had thought I'd made a mistake, but I'm totally digging the Tele. Great imaging, blackest backgrounds, and everything is there -- tight and cohesive. Think I will pick up an Amperex 7308 for shits and giggles, but couldn't pass up this "Funken" deal! Thanks Upscale Audio!”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“I am not a tube roller by nature, but I wanted the most articulate tube sound possible in my Schitt Lyr headphone amp, and these Telefunkens seemed like a great opportunity to achieve that goal. They exceeded my high expectations, creating a sense of holographic space, and textured detail which transforms the listening experience into a thrilling performance. Don't miss out on this batch of 'Teles'. Only magic could do more to bring recorded music alive.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

Telefunken E88CC / 6922 Gold Grade / No Cryo Reviews