Blueface just arrived. Only been able to test it for a couple of hours but already have a soft spot for it.



Pentode is delicious, love the way you can dial it in exactly rather than just on/off. Sweet touch HCL.

FF works a treat on the electronic track I'm working on.

Pentode is addictive for sure and FF grips nicely.
Mids and presence come forward but it does something nice to bass too. I'm usually using it this way, but sometimes Triode really gives vocals a kind of luxurious touch.

FB with x2 timings is nice when you need gentle leveling too.

Versatile gear!

Yes the Pentode low end is very easy to get carried away with! Essentially a 'bigness' knob.

x1, FF, med attack, med/fast rel great for faster material. Might have a pop running a track though it again, but as you say: x2, slow A/R and FB.

Very happy with this piece.

Well, great to know the device impressed you.

In short, pentode is kinda "turbo mode", and can tweak boring, lazy stuff, in same time, triode can calm down some overheaten tracks, sources.
Subjectively, of course.
Check also differences in sound signature with different input level and Level knob, quite many types

Will do!

Varis owners - are you using the stock Haltron tubes? I have to change mine (one is playing up with random noise) and am not sure what to get.

Any thoughts on Sylvania 6SN7WGTA?

I just use stock tubes, sometimes they send 2 sets? I'd buy them from them personally. The thing about these Russian tubes is that they sound great and are relatively cheap because no one made pro audio equipment with them. But I think they sound as good as overpriced NOS tubes. I could be totally out of line...

Love the new Blueface Varis. Input gain sounds massive.

I had an output tube go relatively quickly on my blueface and didn't have a spare so I ordered a set of cheap JJs to keep me going. I intended to use them as backups once I had found some decent NOS tubes. However the JJs sounded good to me and ended staying in.

Good to know! Where did you buy the JJs?

I normally get my non NOS tubes from here in the UK:
Hot Rox UK - Computer Matched Valves - Guitar effects pedals - Speakers - Amp Parts - Guitar Strings Hot Rox UK. But I would have thought you you can pick up JJ Electronic tubes from any decent tube retailer.

Ahh ok I get it, you are using the JJ 6SN7?
I got recommendet to get 6N7 tubes which are much harder to find apparenty.

Yes, so far I've only had to replace the output tubes which were the JJ 6SN7s. £30 for a matched pair and came next day.

Replacement set coming from HCL. Tempted to get a NOS set for comparison but can't find 6N7 anywhere - just 6SN7.

Regarding input - I have to hit the Varis very hot to get the 3dB sweet spot using pentode/FF/1x/150HP. Threshold around 3pm. Sounds amazing though!


Did you buy a matched pair? They only seem to sell single JJs...

Watford Vales is another great UK store also.

Yes. Comes up as an option for me. Single, matched or quad.

JJ 6SN7 Hot Rox UK

Thanks!

6n7 looks like a totally different tube.

I/V curves looks verydifferent at first glance and heaters consume more current.

When i did MS version of Varis,I started using the 6Н7С-6N7 output tubes.Up to this point I used a 6Н8С-6SN7 tubes in blueface Varis.I was looking for the best combination of output tubes for new transformers.From this year,Varis MS has 6Н8С-6SN7 tubes,Varis has 6Н7С-6N7 tubes.

My M/S (Blueface) as 6N7 in it...

Ross,I wrote......from this year.

Apologies—missed that—thanks for clarifying.

How is your sidechain sensitivity set on the rear? I get a more usable range of threshold with the higher sensitivity setting.

Both set to high.

Need to note, this tube (big bulbs 6N7GT, or 6SN7GT, serves output) has status "audifile", with a lot of manufacturers (NOS of course), models, types, I would say - huge amount of variations, in price range from 5-10 to 50-100, and higher - for one piece.
Of course, checking with most these types is quite unreal, but with sure - you can install any glorified US/UK/DE/NL etc brand with excellent results. Though, with different sound results, with this rule, in audiofile world, with - endless holywars about signatures and its details, different articulations of bottom, or/and middle/high, transients.

But, main wishes - take/install NOS tube, tube is such thing which is better when older but not newer, in sense of manufacturing period, of course, not life span. This is second wishes, take only newer used, keep eye for this, and be care with deal .
So, pricetag on your choose, of course, how you can see/hear, sounding is good, with stock inexpensive bulbs even.

At last, pair links for western analogues, on this site you can find any type for any type :

soviet 6N7S = 6N7GT

6Н7С, Tube 6Н7С; Rohre 6Н7С ID18839, Double Triode

Soviet 6N8S = 6SN7GT

6Н8С, Tube 6Н8С; Rohre 6Н8С ID18840, Double Triode

I like to have the wish to optimize devices and many of them are worth it.
at hcl i don't do it consciously - soviet-NOS-tubes are very often absolutely great and the knowledge at hcl is based on "soviet-tube-technology". hcl already knows which tubes they use where and why and have built their circuitry around these soviet-nos tubes - so i like to let the fingers off.

Same. I'm starting to feel that its best to just use the tubes units are designed with. I've tried and tried to better Michelangelo's tone for instance with different tubes and I can't. I think Varis would probably be the same.

I really hate how many great products continue to come to market. Its so hard to fight the need to buy them.

May be pulling a trigger on a blue face soon, have to sell a few things first as I went on a tax refund spree that ran out

We are truly spoilt for choices these days!

I have a fairly new version of the Varis, in my opinion a very flexible compressor. The more I've used it over the last year or so I find it's elevated whatever is passed through it. At the moment it's across the stereo Vocal Sub Master on my console, and it's doing a sort of LA-2A with a little bit of something something added kind of thing. When I bypass it the vocals clearly lose their footing in the mix, and I have the compressor level matched so when bypassed the volume is extremely close to it when it's engaged. The tonal pallet is varied enough so that you're not scratching your head wondering if it's doing anything different from setting to setting. I don't do that much mastering these days, and although I'm not always a huge fan with Tube compressors across my mixes, it's worked really well on program material from time to time as well.

And like others have mentioned, I wouldn't get to caught-up in the Tube swap game, at least not until you've really put it to work and know what you're dealing with. I've tried different tubes, and in my opinion the ones that come stock with the compressor simply sound the best.

i use it a few years
usually for mix bus
or for mastering comp sometimes
absolutely happy

I have the black faced Varis. I have tried different types of tubes and have found that the Russian tubes do sound amazing. One improvement for me is using NOS Telefunken ECH81 / 6AJ8 Vacuum Tubes in the 2 spots second from the far left (front and back spots). This is replacing the 6И1П / 6AJ8 in those spots. This seems to add a bit of high end shimmer that is still very smooth without sacrificing the warm and detailed mids and lows.

I tried replacing the 6Н5П / 6N5P with ECC88 NOS Holland Amperex Tubes which did not sound very good, so went back to the Russian 6Н5П.

You received it March 8 and had to change tubes March 9??

Bought it second hand. HCL sent the replacement tubes for free too. Great support.