Help verifying EF86

[Mikeymikelim]

Hello all!

I'm a long time lurker here but posting for the first time. Am hoping to pick your brains here regarding some Dario Miniwatt EF86.

I'm based in south east Asia and a local vendor has these for sale.

https://d2xngy2dw7hums.cloudfront.net/media/photos/products/2016/05/23/120639_54219301_thumbnail.jpg

From looking online, Darios seem to have a mesh plate and not "solid" plates like this. Wondering if any experts here will be able to shed some light on these?

Thank you so much!

 

[petertub]

Hello all!

I'm a long time lurker here but posting for the first time. Am hoping to pick your brains here regarding some Dario Miniwatt EF86.

I'm based in south east Asia and a local vendor has these for sale.

https://d2xngy2dw7hums.cloudfront.net/media/photos/products/2016/05/23/120639_54219301_thumbnail.jpg

From looking online, Darios seem to have a mesh plate and not "solid" plates like this. Wondering if any experts here will be able to shed some light on these?

Thank you so much!

There is no "mesh plate" ef86, what you see is a screen that is outside the plate.

 

[Mikeymikelim]

Hi Petertub!

Thank you! Still trying to familiarise myself with tube anatomy. So going by the image in the link.

https://d2xngy2dw7hums.cloudfront.net/media/photos/products/2016/05/23/120639_54219301_thumbnail.jpg

Will you say it's a genuine Dario EF86?

Thanks!

Mike

 

[kstagger]

I've seen vintage Mullard labeled EF86s that look like that.

Without factory codes - hard to tell though - especially with that picture. They certainly do look European though, and certainly not Ei or Russian made.

 

[Parafeed813]

Hard to see on the low res pictures, but I think you can see the production code on the lower part on the back of the tube the right. Could you take a look?
Mullard made a version with a solid screen with a single hole in itt, like these ones.

 

[Mikeymikelim]

Thank you all, unfortunately there is no way I can get a clearer picture of the codes unless I bite the bullet and make the purchase.

And.... I might just do that. It has to be a marked improvement from my current Winged C (russian) ef86 right?

Thanks!

 

[petertub]

It is unlikely that these tubes are "a marked improvement" from your current ef86, you
might be throwing good money away.

What is your problem ?

 

[Wavebourn]

6Ж32П

 

[Mikeymikelim]

Hello Petertub, Just a case of GAS.

Hi Wavebourn, yup this is the one in my amp right now!

 

[Mikeymikelim]

Hi everyone! Is this the factory code mentioned in the thread?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h5m9r41m7uqvrfk/Photo 9-6-16, 10 03 52 PM.png?dl=0

 

[DF96]

Yes, but it doesn't look like a Philips code. Some of their overseas suppliers, such as Ei and BEL, did very rough factory codes so it could be one of theirs.

 

[Mikeymikelim]

I see. If it's ei or bel, then these might not be worth the trouble after all.

 

[DF96]

In theory they would have been made using Philips tooling to Philips specification, maybe even using Philips-supplied (or approved) raw materials. In practice, who knows? The people who know are mainly quite old, probably not online; others who knew are no longer here.

Some other Ei valves seem to be highly regarded e.g. their copy of a Telefunken ECC83 - they seemed to be able to borrow tooling from several Western makers. I don't know about BEL.

 

[rotaspec]

Telefunken also used this style of construction, probably made by a contractor like EI. Here's one I have:

 

[Mikeymikelim]

Thank you all, seem like the only way to tell is to go ahead and purchase it!

 

[DF96]

So it could be made by Ei, using Telefunken technology, then sold under a Philips brand. This sort of thing went on towards the end of the valve era. One might almost call it a genuine fake?

Look for the Ei mark: a semicircle with a dot. If they made it for Philips then they should have put this in the factory code.