Hi,
i often need only 1-2 EH EF86, ECC83, E88CC and similar for inputs. That means low noise, they don't seem having problems with microphonics like some NOS. This are two very important parameters, sometimes also Ik and gm although rarely. I'm willing to pay a little more if tested and also buy driver tubes which are E88CC, 6CG7, 6SN7, 6H30, ECC81 and others. TAD has selection of tested tubes, the problem is that i setled on EH because i know them very well, most of them perform well and i don't wan't to deal with fake or used NOS where good were picked out long ago ime. When retubing a lot of people ask for EH. Btw, i compared their sound and parameters to well made and tested Tesla tubes (beside some others too); EH performs as good in terms of sound, noise is a little higher on most of them. Can you recommend a shop with no woodoo like cryogenic and such things in EU? eBay is option but many shops don't carry all of EH reciving tubes. I prefer shops where they carry other items like sockets.
Thanks for any suggestion.
Mischa
i often need only 1-2 EH EF86, ECC83, E88CC and similar for inputs. That means low noise, they don't seem having problems with microphonics like some NOS. This are two very important parameters, sometimes also Ik and gm although rarely. I'm willing to pay a little more if tested and also buy driver tubes which are E88CC, 6CG7, 6SN7, 6H30, ECC81 and others. TAD has selection of tested tubes, the problem is that i setled on EH because i know them very well, most of them perform well and i don't wan't to deal with fake or used NOS where good were picked out long ago ime. When retubing a lot of people ask for EH. Btw, i compared their sound and parameters to well made and tested Tesla tubes (beside some others too); EH performs as good in terms of sound, noise is a little higher on most of them. Can you recommend a shop with no woodoo like cryogenic and such things in EU? eBay is option but many shops don't carry all of EH reciving tubes. I prefer shops where they carry other items like sockets.
Thanks for any suggestion.
Mischa
I source Sovtek valves as they make Electro Harmonic. Have a look on Siberian-shop, Electronic tubes, ICs, capacitors and sockets
They tend to offer good, very good and standard valves.
I have just purchased 100 x 6AX7 low noise high gain and they are excellent. They do sell small quantities and one offs as well.
They tend to offer good, very good and standard valves.
I have just purchased 100 x 6AX7 low noise high gain and they are excellent. They do sell small quantities and one offs as well.
Thanks for suggestion. From types i need they don't have normal priced E88CC and 6H30, don't carry 6CG7 and ECC81. I had a lot of noise from various pentode wired NOS 80's Svetlana EF86. They have them very cheap but higher noise than EH or Tesla just don't do in mic amps, or similar very low level applications. I find them ok for guitar use. Did they test 6AX7 for you?
I find lack of tested EH tubes for pro audio very strange, since it isn't hard to get them matched and what not for guitar amps. I know for experiences they are less noisy than late NOS Svetlana (what is mostly left) and perform very well.
I find lack of tested EH tubes for pro audio very strange, since it isn't hard to get them matched and what not for guitar amps. I know for experiences they are less noisy than late NOS Svetlana (what is mostly left) and perform very well.
GlowSignal,
I know it is more expensive to get tubes from out of country, but price is not the only thing.
I recommend that you go to eurotubes.com, look at their site, and contact them. They ship to customers in the UK, and I believe to the rest of Europe.
Eurotubes sell current production JJ tubes (not from years ago, some very early JJ tubes may have had not as good a reputation). Eurotubes do extensive re-testing after they receive the shipments from the factory in Slovakia. They have continuously added to their test equipment, and to their tests. Noise testing is one area where they have recently added equipment that is capable of more sensitive noise tests.
I have always had very good performance and reliability in my Hi Fi amplifiers, with JJ tubes that I purchased from Eurotubes; both preamp and power tubes.
I know it is more expensive to get tubes from out of country, but price is not the only thing.
I recommend that you go to eurotubes.com, look at their site, and contact them. They ship to customers in the UK, and I believe to the rest of Europe.
Eurotubes sell current production JJ tubes (not from years ago, some very early JJ tubes may have had not as good a reputation). Eurotubes do extensive re-testing after they receive the shipments from the factory in Slovakia. They have continuously added to their test equipment, and to their tests. Noise testing is one area where they have recently added equipment that is capable of more sensitive noise tests.
I have always had very good performance and reliability in my Hi Fi amplifiers, with JJ tubes that I purchased from Eurotubes; both preamp and power tubes.
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Thanks. I will look into it because it is truth JJ had problems with early tubes, as did EH. What got me off from JJ at first were their EF806s which didn't come close to a lot of nos at the time. They didn't deserve being called special tubes suposedly designed after EF800 series. Even good Tesla or RFT EF86 were quieter and had longer lifetime. Same with ECC83 types, chemical composition and mechanics were not up to the lower nos standards. There were steps they didn't want to do because of economics...
Eurotubes tests on AT1000 which is a very good thing, i will give them a chance and see how it goes. Hope they are not of average quality with hq stamps. JJ EF806 costs almost twice as EH EF86, then saying one type or another have such and such sound is questionable. Under what dynamic conditions, after how many hours, which circuit, etc. As you can see i'm not into common audiophile testing; saying how tube device sounds takes at least producing one album, then there are variables like trafos, tubes, caps and other material. And of course electrical design. Will also see what EH proposes for their tested tubes if any exists. For sure it is wise getting latest tubes from any factory if they don't have known problems as in the past.
Eurotubes tests on AT1000 which is a very good thing, i will give them a chance and see how it goes. Hope they are not of average quality with hq stamps. JJ EF806 costs almost twice as EH EF86, then saying one type or another have such and such sound is questionable. Under what dynamic conditions, after how many hours, which circuit, etc. As you can see i'm not into common audiophile testing; saying how tube device sounds takes at least producing one album, then there are variables like trafos, tubes, caps and other material. And of course electrical design. Will also see what EH proposes for their tested tubes if any exists. For sure it is wise getting latest tubes from any factory if they don't have known problems as in the past.
I usually buy valves at Radio Twenthe, Stille Veerkade 11, 2512 BE The Hague, the Netherlands,
www.radiotwenthe.nl. Most of their valves are new old stock, but if I remember correctly they also have some from Electro Harmonics.
www.radiotwenthe.nl. Most of their valves are new old stock, but if I remember correctly they also have some from Electro Harmonics.
Triode mode is interesting because of very good linearity, it sounds good to me this way although seems like a waste of good pentode. EF86s were carefully designed for high gain in certain applications which partially also defeats noise problems. I noticed quite a few Winged C EF86s are microphonic/noisy, don't last long and some have faked OTK (MIL) stamp.
12AY7 is similar in terms of gain, costs less, isn't as problematic with simpler internal structure and most are quiet. I noticed EF86s don't last as long as many triodes. My latest project uses them because circuit sounds very good as designed, i also don't need to fiddle with input pentodes. But there is something special about EF86 sound, not only higher noise in some
12AY7 is similar in terms of gain, costs less, isn't as problematic with simpler internal structure and most are quiet. I noticed EF86s don't last as long as many triodes. My latest project uses them because circuit sounds very good as designed, i also don't need to fiddle with input pentodes. But there is something special about EF86 sound, not only higher noise in some
No they didn't, I use my AVO 160 to check them before I use them. So far 52 have been very quiet and good gains.
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