2a3 alternative after NOS burning

[ziocalepino]

Hi everybody. An accident occours to me recently. I've bought a pair of 50's years Fivre 2a3. I've mounted on my Class A single end amplifer and after half an hour one of them burned.

A part the disappoint for this, I've decided never more buy NOS tubes.

So the matter is: which an I mount? I've seen at least these brands, in ascending price order:

- Sovtek
- Electro Harmonix
- Golden Dragon
- JJ Tesla
- Shuguang
- Emission labs Mesh
- KR

I use a pair of Acousta 116 cabinets with Lowther PM6C mounted and I listen classic and Jazz music.

Any help is really welcome.

Thanks

Ziocalepino

 

[Vinylsavor]

Hi!

Don't get frustrated because of one such incident. Tubes can fail no matter if NOS or new manufacture. Better check the amp if there might be a fault which caused the tube to burn. The get another nice Fivre 2A3 and enjoy.

Best regards

Thomas

 

[Osvaldo de Banfield]

Hi!

Don't get frustrated because of one such incident. Tubes can fail no matter if NOS or new manufacture. Better check the amp if there might be a fault which caused the tube to burn. The get another nice Fivre 2A3 and enjoy.

Best regards

Thomas

I agree. NOs and new ones can fail in the same amount.

 

[ziocalepino]

Maybe this is true but when it occours with a 60 years old "lady" I'm sad....
Another thing is that I've mounted a pair of "humble" Sovtek and they sound quite well. But I'm looking for something better...

 

[Alexontherocks]

I am sorry to hear that but NOS 60 year old is still 60 year old. Tubes are not eternal. Air does get in over time and the tube does receive a fair amount of physical punishment being manipulated over a period of 6 decades.

Not even a tested tube is guaranteed against sudden failure.

Golden dragon are chinese and so are shuguang. I think you might want to look at electro harmonix but persoally I think golden dragon are still pretty good for their price range.

Alex

 

[kevinkr]

Take a look at the TJ 2A3 globes, they're pretty good. (AKA Full Music if NOS)

 

[limono]

That reminds me of a pair of NOS Globe 45's I bought with high hopes and for hefty price . They lost emmision shortly after , and yes I burned the filaments overnight , ouch it still hurts. Somehow the memory of money on countless bottles of Scotch I drank since then (ten folds more) don't hurt in my memory like those small accidents with tubes

 

[ziocalepino]

TJs seem diffucult to be found, speaking of ebay. I have no idea if in Italy there are resellers. I'll try.
For chinese brands I think there are lot of truth and lot of lies about quality. Surely prices are not so high. Shuguang with carbon deposit inside cost 250 euros per pair. No SO much.

 

[Alexontherocks]

golden dragon, as I stated earlier, are quite good for what you pay them. If anything they are quite reliable.

 

[ziocalepino]

Right Akexontherocks, a friend of mine wants to try them too. And are really not expensive. I'll try them.

 

[Alexontherocks]

I have 6SN7 and 6SL7 fro golden dragon. obviously not the absolute best in the whole world but you can still sell them if you are displeased with their performance!

 

[alexg]

Got a pair of Shuguang 2a3C, so much better than the Sovek 2a3!

 

[ziocalepino]

I've red in an old italian forum that Golden Dragon, as well as Electron Tube and few other, are rebrands of Shuguang. So it seems have no sense to buy GD. I have to say that previously on my amp Electron Tube were mounted and a hiss / hum was present even cting on hum reducer knobs. So I suspect that ET (=Shuguang) may have problems on my amp, or maybe this depends only because a rebrand was used. With Sovtek no noise at all....

 

[Alexontherocks]

as you said there are truths and lies about chinese tubes. I don't understand why not to buy GD if you are not biased against chinese tubes.
You do have thhe right to rescind a contract if you buy online so why not try them out?

 

[ziocalepino]

I'm really not biased with chinese brands, in fact I have also a Dared MP 30B amp and I'm really satisfied by it! The fact is that keeping fixed a budget I'm looking for the best solution. I know very well that this is a quite nonsense question, but if many people say that a certain brand is bad and another is good this is a good start point for choosing.

 

[Alexontherocks]

Some people swear they here the difference between an AC socket (yes wall socket) before and fater burn in. They allso suggest the use of exotic cables/wires....I tend to believe my own findings.

There are differente variables when judging the performance of tubes. I can only suggest, logically that you try the least expensive and work your way up either trying the tubes out and rescinding the contract or selling the tubes.

 

[rmyauck]

I recently read over at AA that JJ 2A3-40 's are well liked for sonics and rated 2nd best. Construction of them is closer to the one plate design of the EML ones which were liked the best. They also rated the EML better than NOS. Most NOS are a 2 plate design with only a few of early production being 1 plate.

EML 45's ranked much better in sonics than any NOS too.

Randy

 

[ziocalepino]

Emission Labs tubes are the best for many people. They cost twice all other brands, except KR. I'm using JJ 300B on Dared single end ampli with good results. Well, Dared is an entry level amp but JJ sound well. The other amp of mine costs ten times than Dared when new, I've bought it used and it is time to find a pair of tubes to obtain better sound than the one with Sovtek. JJ have a nice price and are very easy to be found. My choice is always more oriented to these tubes. The optimum would be test some tubes knowing guys having them... a dream!!!