Today's tube manufacters, best is?

[marin_iskra]

I just did search for some new tubes, mostly interested in EL34, ECC83 as usual proven combination for years.

Here I have this to buy, off course new:

Valve Art

Svetlana

Electro Harmonix


The last one is expencive, but nothin new for tube , also I newer try any Svetlana tubes (except in RF), other told me they are pretty good, and Valve Art is chines....hmm, newer did have good experiance in them with electronic components.

I ever tought to get some tubes and make test's on amps, using different tubes, but for now It's important to get my money in good ones.

So what would you recomend?

[kevinkr]

NOS Russian made tubes from vendors located in former Soviet bloc countries selling on eBay.. Can't beat the prices, and quality is often far better than current production. Some common European types are not always available from these fellows.

IF you buy current production make sure the power tubes are tested, matched, and burned in for at least 24 hours - this will save you a lot of grief as it tends to weed out the early failures.

[TubeHead Johnny]

I really like JJ Electronics tubes, most notable the EL34, 6L6GC and EL84 types. I try to avoid most Chinese types as well, although they made vast improvements over the years (so I've heard).

[Eli Duttman]

The best tube making in the world right now is done at New Sensor's Saratov, Russia, plant. New Sensor sells under several labels including: Sovtek, ElectroHarmonix, TungSol, Mullard, and GEC/Gold Lion.

The only Sovtek branded tube I recommend is the 12AX7LPS, which is quite good. Some GOOD tubes branded EH are the EF86, the 6922, the 6CA7, the 6V6, and the 6SN7. The EH 12BH7 seems to be OK.

"Reissue" TungSol branded 6V6s and 12AX7s are fine. The "reissue" T/S 6SN7 may be good too.

The "reissue" Mullard branded long plate 12AX7/ECC83 does give you some of the "classic" midrange accent.

The "reissue" GEC/Gold Lion branded KT88 has been receiving RAVE reviews.

Unfortunately, JJ's Octal type production is PLAGUED by quality problems. Some of JJ's miniature types, like the E88CC/6922, EL84 and ECC99, are quite good.

BTW, the EH 6922 is, in fact, the latest production of 6n23p-ev. As KK said, if you see a good deal on NOS 6n23p-ev tubes, don't be afraid to buy.

[Wavebourn]

May be it sounds not patriotically, but Russian NOS tubes often have too wide spread of parameters, like from Sevastopol to Vladivostok, so try to find some selected for army and navy that contain a rhombic stamp on them, they are more strict like between Moscow and Zelenograd.

[Eli Duttman]

Anatoliy,

That's exactly why I suggest looking for the ev suffix. That suffix indicates a tube of the highest military grade.

FWIW, I use phonetic transliteration when indicating Russian, Cyrillic, types. It's the limitation of my US English keyboard. GOVNO!! TDSL shows what the Cyrillic characters actually look like.

[Wavebourn]

Originally posted by Eli Duttman
Anatoliy,

That's exactly why I suggest looking for the ev suffix. That suffix indicates a tube of the highest military grade.

Not necessary. I don't remember all suffixes, but it seems to me E means more vibrations allowed, V means longer life guaranteed by manufacturer. It has nothing to do with tolerances, while rhombus stamped means special selection for military purposes.

[marin_iskra]

So mostly advice be to stay away from Chines tubes and get some Russian. I did already look for look for quartet of EL34 from SVETLANA because it's available here and isn't expencive, so that probably may be my choice, only to see them first and get some warranty on them.

[kaan]

I use current production chinese EL34B tubes in my amp and I am very pleased with them.

[Conta]

May be it sounds not patriotically, but Russian NOS tubes often have too wide spread of parameters, like from Sevastopol to Vladivostok, so try to find some selected for army and navy that contain a rhombic stamp on them, they are more strict like between Moscow and Zelenograd.

Not all Russian tubes are so bad. Try this military tube, RB300-CX, (GM-5Bi) with plate dissipation 300W and tube height 7.2 cm only Tubes are very close by measured parameters from one to one.PDF This tube sounds perfectly too.

About usage in audio applications:
http://www.pearl-hifi.com/06_Lit_Arc...Data_Sheet.pdf