Dan, I have a pair of those Brimar 5R4GY`s CV 717. It may have been Lord Soths mini rec shootout that put me on their trail. I may have been lucky that a pair were available. Long time ago and e-bay records wont go back that far but the figure of £67.00 comes into my head. Single or pair ? Probably pair.
The "Potato Masher" thread has had me looking for this tube as well and I cant find any ( Lord Soths thread gets thrown up on google as well ).
There seem to be some variants with the print on the tube.
My ones have 2 bottom vertical `O` getters, black, ribbed with an angled support rod.
I cant give you an evaluation as to what they sound like as they have been in my Rachaels for over a year....but because of the "Potato Masher thread I have pulled them out, replaced them with a pr RCA`s and just put one in the CSP2+. Immediate difference from the tube pulled is positive, not massive, just the incremental feeling that the sound is more of what you like. More solid in all departments.
Lord Soth waxes lyrical and I wouldn`t talk in those terms of audiophile heaven and slabs of honey. I can bliss out on the Decware SET mid range when a guitarist lets us into his tone secret weapon.
V/n tube Dan. They will turn up, and maybe a batch all at once.
Syd.

Edit :
I`ve just pulled my 2013 e-bay bought list down Dan.
I paid £135.00 for the pair. So £67.00 ea. Hey my memorys holding up.
Cant access the actual page so no pics.
So that looks to be around $200.00.  2013.

I have tried them all and really think the Chatham "potato masher" is the best.
Everybody likes their own thing though:)

Thanks for chiming in guys.  I get pretty distracted when remembering all the characteristics of each tube.  I should make up some sort of spread sheet....  Anyway.  Right now I'm using stock rectifiers from Decware.  I am also using KT 66's (the ones Steve supplies if you get that option when ordering the amp) so I think I might have a problem with larger rectifier tubes.  I do think my system is a bit on the bright side right now, but I frequently feel that way- it seems that I'm treble sensitive.  I did buy a cheap pair of early sixties RCA 5R4GYB's.  They have brown bases and side getters near the top on the side.  I don't know if I will have any positive results but at least I've started to see if the sound changes in any manner at all.  Thanks so much for offering your input fellas.  If anyone sees a deal worth sharing, please send the news my way, I'm still on the search for a great pair of rectifiers.  I guess I should tell you what I'd fancy sonically.  Or perhaps not prefer.  I'd prefer that the rectifier not heighten any of the treble.  If rectifiers can enhance the bottom end, that would  be cool.  Right now, I get fantastic detail.  If that can get better, that would be awesome.  I love warm, full, and rich sounding music with as much inner detail as capable.  

I hope I haven't been confusing and once again, I sure do appreciate everyone's input,

Thanks guys,

Dan  

Dan,
You should contact Frank Summers on this forum. I'm sure he has any rectifier you would like to try. I'm sure he would let you try before you buy and give you a much better deal on anything you found you liked. We both have hoards of NOS tubes and are glad to share.
Mele

OK Dan,  here's a pair of 50's single getter 5R4GYs for $25 plus S&H. The code he gives doesn't make sense, the last two numbers are supposed to be the week number...the number he gives is 554...there aren't 54 weeks in the year.  Ask for the codes.  I would ask for the testing specifics before buying, I always do...or I don't buy from the seller.  This pair should give you a good idea if you like this tube type without much monetary risk.  I'm liking the pair I bought in my Zen Signature Monoblocks but the jury is still out...I think I still like the 5U4Gs a little better.  I haven't tried the 5R4GYs in my Torii yet...not sure I will. Or if you would rather bid in an auction...here's one for a 1952 and 1954 single getter.  I have bought two pairs of tubes from this seller..Amperex 7308s and Amperex 6922s.  Mark.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Matching-Pair-RCA-JAN-CRC-5R4GY-Military-specTube-Test-g...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RCA-5R4GY-2-Units-NOS-/131433444855?ssPageName=ADME:SS:S...

PS...I just looked at 50's RCA 5U4Gs....people have gotten a little nutty on what they're asking.  You should be able to get a high testing pair for no more that $45,  I just bought a pair last week for $30.  Below are a couple single tubes priced appropriately. Also if you find tubes you like but don't like the price, ask the seller if he would take X dollars. Negotiate if you're up to the hassle. I do sometimes, especially when buying multiple tubes from the same seller. Mark.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5U4G-VACUUM-TUBE-BY-RCA-BLACK-PLATE-TESTED-STRONG-VERY-N...  This is a 1954 tube

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221695489296?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STR...  I can't see the date code on this one and he didn't give it.  If you ask for It...PM me and I can tell you the year of manufacture.  If it's a three number code the first being a 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 just add 50 for the year.  If it's a 4 number code the first two are the year of manufacture.  Don't confuse this with the manufacture code which will be 274 for the RCAs regardless what company brand is on the tube.

Thanks everyone, your experiences are really appreciated.  So I ended up rolling the dice and getting a pair of RCA 5R4GYB's.  They are straight sided, but who knows, maybe I'll like them.  I also bought a couple Coke bottle shaped RCA 5U4G's.  Wish me luck there : )     To answer a couple questions, as far as I know my rectifiers are Shuguang.. looks like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/281119090362?lpid=82&chn=ps

I'm using Tung-Sol KT66 reissues- I like them a lot.  I have a pair of Amperex 7308's that confuse me a bit because they have orange print, say made in the USA, but do not have gold pins- however I love them.  I have only tried the stock input tube provided with the amp and a pair of 6DJ8's.  I found the 7308's to be very special.  Super engaging and providing splendors in the details.  

Will- I am hoping you are right about the my system's possible lack of ability to sort through complex high frequency passages.  I have noticed that the better my system gets at "clearing" the treble, the less likely I accentuate it.  Either that or I'm going deaf... But lets hope not   : )

Mele- how can I get hold of Frank?  I couldn't find where or how to reach him.  Talk about my inability to use an interface....  : (

Mark58- Thanks for the links, someone had gotten to the pair of RCA 5R4GYB's before I did.  Also, a different pair tested was asked about but only tested 70 of 100 (I know nothing of tube testing, but I figured it was like a C instead of an A)  I did buy one of the RCA 5U4G's you listed and another that looked exactly the same from what I could tell.  

About the Hartleys.  They are a very satisfying speaker.  I would like them to be more efficient, but I don't know how efficient they are.  Not necessarily for volume, but for headroom.  They get loud enough for my usual listening, but the knobs are a little closer to maxed out than I'd like.  They are an interesting speaker to me.  They have a crossover that sends to the woofer, mid, and tweeter.  After that there is a super tweeter that has a cap on its positive side.  The mid, tweeter, and super tweeter are in a box that makes no attempt at being sealed, there are two holes in it for the incoming wire, and the wire down to the woofer.  The woofer, located below, is how you would think of a woofer in many(all?) consoles.  It is mounted to a baffle, has the walls of the speaker cabinet, but there is no rear wall, there is however a roll of sound absorbent material.  It is near the exact diameter as the woofer cone.  I'm sure these speakers are not for everyone, but I find few faults with them.  Detail loss from many crossover networks is a real thing, and I've experienced it with other speakers, but I can't put my finger on it with these speakers.  They seem to provide as much or more of the signal than many speakers I've listened to.  Perhaps I'm imagining what ever sonic feature they lack, but that's OK with me, they just sound Very good.  One last thing before I stop blabbing about them.  The Mid in them is a special driver.  It is called a 220MSG.  Originally it was used as a full range driver, then later a wide range driver with a super tweeter.  I happened across a pair in an antique store.  The 220MSG does not provide the dynamics of the Concertmaster speaker, but it is a pretty convincing driver.  

Again, thank you everyone.  I guess I'm still on the lookout for a pair of GZ32's to complete the rectifier trifecta.  I appreciate the help and experience you all offer.  I'll let you know if I have any sonic discoveries.

Hope to see everyone in October.

Dan

Real Amperex or not, if you love them as special and engaging over stock tubes and some 6DJ8s, they are good tubes for your system. I have seen Amperex with the plating off most of the pins...hmmm. And hopefully, those 5R4GYBs will be just right....If like RCA 5U4GBs over STs they will be different, than the ST 5R4s but they could be great considering your sound wishes...perhaps warmer and deeper??? I will be interested in your impressions. The Ruby's have never been a tube I like to use once I got nicer rectifiers, and they have all been a step up for micro detail here.

Though we can pull off mixing and matching, the chances of getting good pairs that match structurally and electronically from different sellers....the same seller and the same tester seems worth a little more to me. We have a lot in our systems and music, and tubes are literally the heart of the systems. With time, you can always find nice matched pairs at reasonable prices. It is really good to look really closely at everything about a tube though, even from favored sellers, just to make sure they are made the same.

Quote:


No telling exactly with different systems/room, but one of these is like it is made for the MKIV, at least in my system.

I have tried a number of GZ32/5V4Gs, but certainly not all. Though all I tried are good tubes and interesting, the ones I Love are Mazda's. And interestingly, my Mazda straight bottles are quite good too, though I prefer the ST a little. They are a touch more solid, warm and refined without being in the face, though both are balanced, powerful, open/natural mids, extended and musical. The straight bottles are great though, and would be better in some settings, a little less warm with slightly more open detail.

For me the STE/Brimars are seductive, but a bit too big and powerful...forward. RCA-STs and GE fat/straight bottles, both are a bit thick down low and a little lean mids up for me.

All have a nice open midranges and could fit really well in the right settings, but here, the Mazdas do something nothing else I have tried can...they are just right. Solid bass, fast, open, revealing and musical...ways I might describe a lot of good rectifiers. With these it is the way it all works together that is different. The slightly pumped up power and speed is the thing.

Dan,  if you really want the Brimars, the last link LS gave is a British seller and at 45 pounds each that's $69.30 USD...if you find out what shipping would be...share it here.  I've never tried the GZ32/ 5V4G but Lon has and likes them...not sure which brand or vintage. Mark.

Wow guys,

So much great information here!!  Thanks. I've got quite a bear of a weekend to deal with, but maybe some of the rectifiers I've ordered will come in and I can take some pictures to show.  I did look at the 7308's and they have the 4 ridges on the top.  The bottom number imprints are very hard to read on one.  Perhaps it is not a number imprint.  However, the other 7308 definitely has an 8 printed on the bottom.  As the rectifiers come in, I'll do a show and tell.  As listening becomes possible, I'll let everyone know impressions.  Thanks everyone, thanks so much.

Dan

Quote:
I don't know...Lots of older inputs have the ridges and notched/stepped riser plate, and from many companies and countries...Right?


I have been thinking further about the track of my system, tube exploration and preferences, especially with the MKIV. I hope this might be useful to some folks.

I understand consensus about the more revered NOS tubes. I seem to need rarer inputs to get the most from the CSP3, though with a dirt cheap (but great sounding) GE labelled 5R4GY with double bottom D getters.

But the MKIV circuit....I find with the levels of revealing complexity it is capable of, the amp itself can make some decent tubes quite beautiful, and some of the "best" tubes can be a bit overstated for me.

I think how well the MKIV can bring out tubes, and its amazing flexibility for tonal variations are remarkable design accomplishments. To get its best, we need very good room, source, tubes, cables, speakers etc, but then the amp's complex, revealing, and refined signature is capable of amazing variations of tonal synergy from a wide variety of tubes.

I inadvertently took this trait further with regular system tuning. This process revealed that my DAC was better than I thought, drawing even more musical complexity from it. And the Oppo was sort of even, fine for DVDs, but the comparison indicated it was not up to the MKIVs potential.

My MKIV needed over 600 hours to start showing its potential fully, and like source, all the system/room parts need to rise up to the amp to hear it fully (not hobbling it). This process taught me some about cables and power too! But finally, the amp circuit is so good, once the system is tuned to use it, ....not all, but many quality tubes can become extra good in my experience.

And this suits my preference well. I really enjoy changing things up now and then, helping to re-awaken my perceptions while pulling the beauty of the music in fresh ways. So for my love of exploring variations of beauty, the MKIVs capabilities and a nice variety of tubes are ideal.

I also understand more single-minded refinement.

I just like having a number of very good sounding rectifiers with different traits for fine-tuning. And with patience, most of mine were quite cheap, some ridiculously so. I could probably narrow this down to three rectifiers now if I had to, but then I also enjoy amazing bargains, taking exploration deeper. But I am in no hurry. I have plenty of nice tubes.

In this context, I found my Mazda GZ32 coke bottles on one of these exploratory tracks, and they are likely my current favs. BTW, they have horizontal (they look level), large, bottom D getters on both sides. Best I can tell from this not so good pic they look like the Mullards from a seller LS linked above. http://valvetubes.com/gz32-mullard-british.html

But my pair was about $78 delivered from Georgia! Not the one in the southern US.


AND LASTLY. My matched pair of Upscale Phillips 5R4GYSs have the original boxes (not perfect having a few dents and tears as I received them, but very clean otherwise). The tubes are in excellent shape, burned in, but not much more than that. I think less than 300 hours. I would take 130, my paying shipping to US addresses. PM if interested.


TUBES SOLD