AES tube brand mixing..

wicked1 · 22nd December 2009, 06:08 PM

URG this is getting frustrating...

I ordered 2 12sl7's from AES.. Both were different. This is one of the usual amp designs we make w/ exposed tubes, so I want them to be the same.
I ordered 4 more. EVERY ONE IS A DIFFERENT BRAND! Brands Ive never even heard of! (cunningham)
Am I having really bad luck, or is this their policy? I could see some people wanting different tubes, if they were tweaking a guitar amp or something, but this is not working out for me! I think they specify on their site that you should NOT request brands (but maybe that was a different tube store).
have other people noticed this?

Bob, W7ETA · 22nd December 2009, 06:27 PM

Tube manufactures used to buy tubes from other companies and put their label on them. Sears bought tubes and labeled them; Radio Shack; Military surplus "Standard Brand".

I gave up buying tubes from AES in the 90s, unless I was in Phoenix and could stop by their store.

They changed ownership a few times since then.

Best from Tucson
Bob

wicked1 · 22nd December 2009, 06:33 PM

yeah, Im not concerned about it being a brand I haven't heard of. It's just almost funny like they are going out of their way to do this..

Well I wrote AES to ask them, and the reply was that the puller just grabs whatever he feels like. I can request they be the same brand for an extra dollar per tube! I can see charging for internal construction matching or something, but the outside of the boxes are labeled w/ the brand! It doesn't cost them anything to grab a few of the same brand..
owell.. I haven't had any better luck from tubedepot or the big florida one.. It's like a mean joke the packagers pull... (or maybe they don't understand the tube hobby and are thinking the purchaser really does want as many different types as possible)

athos56 · 22nd December 2009, 06:39 PM

I would look for some with the same internal construction and carefully razor off the silk screening, sure the tubes would be unmarked and hopefully they didn't sound any different.

wicked1 · 22nd December 2009, 06:48 PM

Ohhhh that's where it gets even better.. only 2 out of the 6 Ive gotten match! and they're the ugly two...
and I just noticed they don't even really match! they're both coated glass, but still totally different

Mosquito · 22nd December 2009, 06:49 PM

Same thing happened to me. I ordered 2 ea 12AT7, 2 ea 6AU6A and 2 ea 6678/6U8A.
No one arrived of the same brand. I certainly was not expecting matched pairs but...

will see, hope for the best...

athos56 · 22nd December 2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicked1

Ohhhh that's where it gets even better.. only 2 out of the 6 Ive gotten match! and they're the ugly two...
and I just noticed they don't even really match! they're both coated glass, but still totally different

Ohhh wow, I see your point, that does suck! I buy enough from AES to get chocolates at christmas, but then again I only buy new tubes from them. Outside of paying the extra for tube matching, there can only be so many different types of that tube. Maybe they'll take some back??

Edit: But then again, they can't be SOOO busy that picking matching pairs would take to much time...

wicked1 · 22nd December 2009, 07:08 PM

6 out of 6 DIFFERENT tubes.. That can not be luck.. Unless there are hundreds of brands/constructions of this tube, which I know there aren't.
it's got to be either the person picking them thinks they're doing us a favor by mixing them (like were not using them, but collecting them) or they're literally out to make a buck.. They charge $1 per tube to match them.
It's not worth sending them back (cheap tubes). I'll just order more, and be confident this is one tube I'll never run out of

athos56 · 22nd December 2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicked1

I'll just order more, and be confident this is one tube I'll never run out of

Its always something

, kinda like my search for some good 56's.

Mosquito · 22nd December 2009, 07:27 PM

Or maybe they just don't realize that someone out there are trying to use tubes in hi fi stereo gear

22nd December 2009, 06:08 PM	#1
wicked1 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008	AES tube brand mixing.. URG this is getting frustrating... I ordered 2 12sl7's from AES.. Both were different. This is one of the usual amp designs we make w/ exposed tubes, so I want them to be the same. I ordered 4 more. EVERY ONE IS A DIFFERENT BRAND! Brands Ive never even heard of! (cunningham) Am I having really bad luck, or is this their policy? I could see some people wanting different tubes, if they were tweaking a guitar amp or something, but this is not working out for me! I think they specify on their site that you should NOT request brands (but maybe that was a different tube store). have other people noticed this?

22nd December 2009, 06:27 PM	#2
Bob, W7ETA diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007	Tube manufactures used to buy tubes from other companies and put their label on them. Sears bought tubes and labeled them; Radio Shack; Military surplus "Standard Brand". I gave up buying tubes from AES in the 90s, unless I was in Phoenix and could stop by their store. They changed ownership a few times since then. Best from Tucson Bob __________________ Still a novice with electronics.

22nd December 2009, 07:27 PM	#10
Mosquito diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Santa Fe, Argentina	Or maybe they just don't realize that someone out there are trying to use tubes in hi fi stereo gear __________________ I know how to walk over grapes

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22nd December 2009, 06:33 PM	#3
wicked1 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008	yeah, Im not concerned about it being a brand I haven't heard of. It's just almost funny like they are going out of their way to do this.. Well I wrote AES to ask them, and the reply was that the puller just grabs whatever he feels like. I can request they be the same brand for an extra dollar per tube! I can see charging for internal construction matching or something, but the outside of the boxes are labeled w/ the brand! It doesn't cost them anything to grab a few of the same brand.. owell.. I haven't had any better luck from tubedepot or the big florida one.. It's like a mean joke the packagers pull... (or maybe they don't understand the tube hobby and are thinking the purchaser really does want as many different types as possible)

22nd December 2009, 06:39 PM	#4
athos56 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yakima, Washington	I would look for some with the same internal construction and carefully razor off the silk screening, sure the tubes would be unmarked and hopefully they didn't sound any different.

22nd December 2009, 07:08 PM	#8
wicked1 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008	6 out of 6 DIFFERENT tubes.. That can not be luck.. Unless there are hundreds of brands/constructions of this tube, which I know there aren't. it's got to be either the person picking them thinks they're doing us a favor by mixing them (like were not using them, but collecting them) or they're literally out to make a buck.. They charge $1 per tube to match them. It's not worth sending them back (cheap tubes). I'll just order more, and be confident this is one tube I'll never run out of

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