Some might wonder how, having concluded that a valve is NOS by your methods, you are then able to independently confirm that it really is NOS. Otherwise you have a circular argument:
"My tests reliably tell me which is NOS, and I have checked this with valves which I know to be NOS"
"I know which valves are NOS because my tests reliably tell me"
"My tests reliably tell me which is NOS, and I have checked this with valves which I know to be NOS"
"I know which valves are NOS because my tests reliably tell me"
A 6N8S is electrically equal to a 6SN7 so why would I pay 5-10X more for a "NOS" 6SN7 that might not be?
6sn7 made by good us tube company ...electrically same as 6n8s ...but in audio not same sound .so people pay more for best tubes ..no different fillips bd135 and telefunken bd135 but 12ax7 of telefunken is more expensive compare to Philips !
I think it's a figment of the imagination. Same as people who claim to "hear a difference" using a $2000 golden power cable. Complete nonsense.
I've personally listened to both NOS RCA black plate 6SN7GTB and Reflektor 6N8S and there was no difference in the same circuit. I've even tried a pair of each in both channels to see if one channel sounded "different" than the other but it didn't.
The only way for it to "sound" different is if the tube is physically or electrically defective IMHO.
I've personally listened to both NOS RCA black plate 6SN7GTB and Reflektor 6N8S and there was no difference in the same circuit. I've even tried a pair of each in both channels to see if one channel sounded "different" than the other but it didn't.
The only way for it to "sound" different is if the tube is physically or electrically defective IMHO.
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It can be marketing, too. Groove Tubes, for example, test their widely varying supply of tubes and grade them according to cathode current at a certain bias point. Some people like the "high" tubes in their amp better than "medium" but in an instrument amp you WANT certain levels of distortion.
Hi-fi dictates the opposite, but some people swear by a certain tube because some guy who thinks he's God's gift to music said so in some magazine.
Personally I want transparency in my tube amp so I design the circuit so as DF96 said sample variations don't effect the amp.
Hi-fi dictates the opposite, but some people swear by a certain tube because some guy who thinks he's God's gift to music said so in some magazine.
Personally I want transparency in my tube amp so I design the circuit so as DF96 said sample variations don't effect the amp.
IMHO, the moment you unbox the tube, then insert into a socket and energize the tube,
then you can not call is NOS anymore...
it is a used tube, no matter how short a time it took...
Exactly. When the tube is energized after a long time, thats the moment when the light oily surface evaporates. You can smell this and feel it before with your hands. After that moment, its gone and the tube is no longer real NOS.
In fact, just in those two steps much can be done the wrong way.
I have seen tubes just being measured as NOS and the user wasnt able to unbend the pins. Such a pitty, just with the first plug in the tube has been damaged because the tester is not beeing able to push and pull a precious NOS tube into the socket the correct way. Too lazy or to dumb?
Another thing that has to be considered: When an expensive tube (say WE 300B) for the first time after many dozens of years is being energized, this process should be applied under controlled condition with a large time from small voltage to max. heater voltage. This helps the tube heater to come back to life and to have longer lifetime. If you plug a tube that have been sitting for around 50 years on the shelf in a tester and whoop- 5V testing on heater is on, this tube will not feel comfortable. Its like an oldtimer car pushing on the autobahn after 50 years in the museum.
So better a tube is real NOS so nobody can make any fault possible.
Similar but different to the smell a toaster makes when you haven't used it in 6 months?
Yes, but we have to explore on the subject a little more.
Obviously your not a golfer?
I've personally listened to both NOS RCA black plate 6SN7GTB and Reflektor 6N8S and there was no difference in the same circuit. I've even tried a pair of each in both channels to see if one channel sounded "different" than the other but it didn't.
The only way for it to "sound" different is if the tube is physically or electrically defective IMHO.
onceI repaired a philips amplifier, which output tube was the el90.
I had two types of el90, one ... telefunken and the other was Zaerix
It was not believable telefunken el90 sound was musical !!!!. Both were new and both were el90.
When I got it right Siemens made some tubes in Germany up until the early 90ies for the military. The worst tubes of all I ever had are NOS military stock (yes, really NOS, sealed envelope with all labeling) with 90ies date codes. It was clear these would just go on a shelf to meet some regulation and never ever be used as the gear they were meant for is in the process of getting replaced.
NOS means nothing. It's nice for collectors but when I want to use a tube I'd much rather have a tested one without special oily touch and smell than some fresh dud.
NOS means nothing. It's nice for collectors but when I want to use a tube I'd much rather have a tested one without special oily touch and smell than some fresh dud.
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A Zaerix and Telefunken EL90 could have been made in the same factory. Not all Zaerix were from Russia, and probably not all Telefunken were made in a Telefunken factory.
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to day every body knows abut original telefunken valves and zaerix story . you can see my el90s in pics.these tubes are magic.
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