Hello a friend of mine has a chance to go in HK one week and I'm going to ask him a favour...
Is there a chance to buy spare chinese valves in HK? Which shop, street or address? (Better for him something close to the metro tube...)
Thanks
Is there a chance to buy spare chinese valves in HK? Which shop, street or address? (Better for him something close to the metro tube...)
Thanks
Anybody from HK will know better about this. Otherwise you can search on Google I think it's better.
Apliu street in Sham Shui Po.
You can take the subway to that place. I used to spend quite some time there and often found the shop keepers not very friendly. Some were downright rude. Things may have changed now. I used to look for tubes etc. They weren't very cheap at all. In fact Singapore used to be the cheapest place. Now I buy most of what I need over the Net so I don't look around for things unless I can't find it on the Net.
You can take the subway to that place. I used to spend quite some time there and often found the shop keepers not very friendly. Some were downright rude. Things may have changed now. I used to look for tubes etc. They weren't very cheap at all. In fact Singapore used to be the cheapest place. Now I buy most of what I need over the Net so I don't look around for things unless I can't find it on the Net.
I doubt now Singapore is cheap for buying vacuum tubes. You can't find it anywhere off the shelf as this technology is not commonly used.
This may not be current, but perhaps worth a look if you're near Central and have the time...
The Tube-o-phile Shopping Guide to Central
The Tube-o-phile Shopping Guide to Central
There are two shops on the ground floor next to Sim Lim Square called Burlington square in Singapore. Yes you will not find tubes in other typical parts stores. The exchange rate has changed a lot since I bought so I can't confirm the prices now. Maybe in another few months. I still think it will be a good place to buy them. They stock most of the usual types.The shop is full of tubes and transformers, chassis etc. Two shops almost next to each other. One used to be more expensive than the other . The less expensive shop was handled by an elderly lady and her daughter. Everyone used to call her Aunty. Wonderful person. I think it is Martin Electronics. The other shop is Well Audio Lab.
I also found them mentioned here.
Eric's Hi-Fi Blog: Hi-Fi Shopping in Asia
I also found them mentioned here.
Eric's Hi-Fi Blog: Hi-Fi Shopping in Asia
If you're ready to drop some serious coin but want good prices, this is the place:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/21588-real-electronics-audio-shops.html
It is SO hard to find. It's a laneway. Walked past it a half dozen times before I found it.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/21588-real-electronics-audio-shops.html
It is SO hard to find. It's a laneway. Walked past it a half dozen times before I found it.
I think they are no longer there because I went there few times to find but I can't locate their shops. Larry hifi should be located at Chinatown, People's park centre but the price is not cheap. Actually I think mostly imported from Hongkong and Japan. They used to carry Tango output transformers. I used to buy from an aunty and the shop is located at Kelantan lane near Sim Lim Tower, shop name is Hean Lee radio. These are all the old stocks left behind since 1970's but no longer importing vacuum tubes. I can managed to find RSD EL34, ECC88, EF86, 6L6GLC and etc. The quantity is not much left.
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I have read similar threads, so I have now the following doubts:
1) many folks say that the "web" is still more convenient than HK
2) The HKD exchange rate is becoming hard for us (1:8) today from 1:11 of just few months ago...
Still cheaper to buy there?
1) many folks say that the "web" is still more convenient than HK
2) The HKD exchange rate is becoming hard for us (1:8) today from 1:11 of just few months ago...
Still cheaper to buy there?
If you're in the Euro-zone, then perhaps HK is not that attractive at the moment. I try to take a walk down Apliu Street though when I am over there - there are a few older shops with valve stuff. And there are some very good outlets for chassis components, tools, etc. The WECL store is pretty useful for components too. WECL Online
if youre in HK then here is the way to do this. Walk up to any roadside magazine vendor and you will find one or two thick glossy hifi mags. Leaf through - one of them will have *LOTS* of ads with tubes, vintage gear etc etc. Those are the shops to go to. You probably should buy the magazine else the stall holder will get annoyed 🙂
Without their address you are likely never to find them. And yes there are a few in Central.
Agree there are a few shops in Ap Liu Street - but hoping for radio city Akihabara is probably going to result in serious disappointment....
Without their address you are likely never to find them. And yes there are a few in Central.
Agree there are a few shops in Ap Liu Street - but hoping for radio city Akihabara is probably going to result in serious disappointment....
To be honest the fun is in finding these places yourself and only sometimes the bargains.
In terms of Hong Kong, there are a handful of places around but many of them who used to be in convenient and easily found locations have closed up long ago. The ones that are still in those sorts of places won't really be the cheapest.
In terms of Hong Kong, there are a handful of places around but many of them who used to be in convenient and easily found locations have closed up long ago. The ones that are still in those sorts of places won't really be the cheapest.
Agreed. I found a couple of outlets in Taipei selling older stuff just by looking around, but you never quite know what you're getting, and my knowledge of Mandarin is only about 10 words greater than my knowledge of Cantonese (which is zero). 🙂
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