• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

current tube manufacturers and or brands

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opcom

opcom

Member
Joined 2008
bunkerofdoom.com
Being somewhat of a curmudgeon, I'm not too familiar with tubes like the 300B, the "811 with no plate cap" (what kind of thing is that!), and other what I'd call "foreign" tubes, or with what companies make them, etc. I'm more used to the ones seen in the USA like the 6L6, 6550, 811A, 4CX250, 3-500Z, etc. But these are not always the best choices for every socket, and there are alot of good tubes from other countries I want to know more about.

Is there a comprehensive list of:

1.) current tube manufacturers (with online datasheets?)

2.) rebranders/distributors who sell tubes from these makers (such as Penta labs -I use their 811A's and EL34's, for instance)

3.) "other" sources of tubes with forseen reasonable stock/availability into the future.

I am open to USA/copy, Chinese/Russian/European, whatever, as long as I can get full tech data for my design work.

I realize asking for a huge list is alot, but if a few people would tell what they know, it could be made into a list, and that would be helpful as well as current.

Maybe this has already been done and I have missed it somewhere.

Thank you,
Patrick
 
E

Eli Duttman

Member
Joined 2004
Pat,

The 300B's origin is very American, Western Electric. ;)

Some transmitting types are still made in the USA.

Tubes are being produced in China, Russia, and Slovakia.

SED of St. Petersburg, Russia, makes excellent 6L6GCs and EL34s, Their 6550C is nice too.

JJ of Jamona, Slovakia, is inconsistent. There are serious QC questions about their Octal production. OTOH, JJ's EL84/6BQ5 is good and their nice ECC99 is electrically similar to the 5687.

New Sensor of NY owns the Saratov, Russia, plant. A good case can be made for Reflektor/Saratov currently being # 1 in world. Among the good stuff made there you have: the Sovtek 12AX7LPS, the ElectroHarmonix KT88, the long plate "reissue" Mullard ECC83/12AX7, the "reissue" TungSol 6V6GT, and the "reissue" GEC KT88. In the "reissue" situations, New Sensor has acquired the rights to use the labels. The tubes clearly state made in Russia.

Shuguang, China is up and down. Chinese 845s and 211s have satisfactory reputations.

Tubes would not be made today without the demand from electric guitar players. Types found in Fender, Marshall, etc. musical instrument amps get produced. Fortunately, HIFI guys (like me) use many of the same types and get to ride along too.
 
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