Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : )

Posted by Eli Duttman (A) on August 5, 2006 at 14:27:55

In Reply to: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) posted by McGruder on August 5, 2006 at 13:09:47:

Ken,

You've asked a lot of questions. Let's see if I can provide some answers.

NOS is most definitely NOT a guarantee of superiority. Consider 12AX7s, where the NOS Philips JAN 12AX7WA is OUTCLASSED by the current production Sovtek 12AX7LPS.

Purity and handling of materials were better in the heyday of tubes. Cathode melt composition and handling techniques were CLOSELY guarded trade secrets. The information has gone to the grave along with the workers who used it.

In spite of setbacks at EI (Serbia) and JJ (Slovakia), there has been a trend towards a better product in current production. The ever improving products of the Saratov, Russia plant under New Sensor's guidance provides hope. Free market pressures actually work.

Your preamp uses 6DJ8 family tubes. Prices for quality NOS 6DJ8 family tubes have long since passed the OBSCENE point. There are 2 current production tubes that are quite decent. The JJ E88CC is voiced fairly close to W. European NOS, but it may not be quiet enough in phono section service. OTOH, the ElectroHarmonix 6922 is both quiet and low microphonic. However, the voice of the EH tube is not quite as nice as the JJ's voice. In a full function preamp, EHs in the phono section and JJs in the line section just may be the way to go.

BTW, microphonics refers to sensitivity to vibration. Badly microphonic tubes are exactly what the adjective suggests. They behave like microphones and mechanically pick up all sorts of unwanted crud.

Eli D.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - McGruder 13:09:47 08/05/06 (18)

Coolers - Eduardio 08:55:01 08/07/06 (0)

Thanks for your responses... - McGruder 09:23:09 08/06/06 (0)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Frihed89 07:42:07 08/06/06 (2)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - McGruder 16:19:21 08/06/06 (1)

Sweep tubes and BC - Frihed89 01:08:29 08/07/06 (0)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Jimmy 14:45:52 08/05/06 (9)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Mechans 19:37:01 08/05/06 (8)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Jim McShane 12:27:14 08/06/06 (4)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Mechans 02:07:17 08/07/06 (3)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Jim McShane 07:22:40 08/07/06 (2)

NOS Indication........kind of - Jimmy 10:48:57 08/07/06 (0)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Mechans 10:25:46 08/07/06 (0)

I do not fully agree Mechans - Jimmy 21:04:49 08/05/06 (0)

Errrr......... - Jimmy 20:22:51 08/05/06 (1)

BTW- - Jimmy 12:14:38 08/06/06 (0)

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Eli Duttman 14:27:55 08/05/06 (2)

Eli- 'to the grave'......... - Jimmy 15:07:10 08/05/06 (1)

Adder......... - Jimmy 15:19:57 08/05/06 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: Help this pathetic newbie to tubes : ) - Eli Duttman 14:27:55 08/05/06 (2)

Eli- 'to the grave'......... - Jimmy 15:07:10 08/05/06 (1)

Adder......... - Jimmy 15:19:57 08/05/06 (0)

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