• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

Western Electric New 300B made in USA 2018

Western Electric tubes factory is come back with 300B maybe the other tubes in the future as well let's dream.

Official prices per matched pair was 1299 $ after price update pair cost 1499 $ and single tube was 599 $ today price is 699 $

Probably available December 2018 :clock: in time for its 80th Anniversary.

300B — Western Electric - Maker of electron tubes and high fidelity

Western Electric- YouTube

Western Electric - Official Home Page

Library — Western Electric - Maker of electron tubes and high fidelity

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...3/000+Vacuum+Tube+Title_Index_Information.pdf

Enjoy :cheerful:
 

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Those 300B tubes are going to cost about $4000+ each. The $60k mono blocks are out of my price range.

But, I can't make tubes. They are advertised to last 40,000 hours. Maybe I'll buy a set and build my own 300B amp, or buy a Bottlehead amp and build it.

Glad to see that these tubes are being built again.
 
Western Electric new factory line is BIG and pessimistic folks can feel a bit worry ;)
Imagine in 2020 dozen DHT models in stock at reasonable price
 

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Only $20k? That's nothing, a drop in the bucket. :D

I don't blame them for charging that much honestly, I'm not a hater. There is a guy out there where $20k is like spending $200 to me and they won't bat an eyelash at the price. I kinda wish I was THAT guy of course. That guy where a weekend out on the boat is $20k to pay for gas and crew. Some people have too much money. I don't have that problem that's for damn sure so sweep tubes it is for me.
 
I have a problem with ripping off the poor, I'm rather fine with ripping off the rich. If they were mine I'd feel no guilt getting $20K for them.

The intriguing question is what the guy that buys will tell his pals, lies to show that he's a blessed and clever savant who found and bought them for $100 from a old TV repairman's widow, or boast that he actually paid $20K for them online.

The fun part of that TubeDepot page is at the bottom, "You might also be interested in..." Hey there, consider some spiffy new $10 EL84s to go with your NOS $20,000 300Bs!
 
Hi Jama & Diyers

Thanks for positive attitude!
Official message from WE director curve traced matched pair = 1299$ , single 300B price is 599$.
Upgraded life expectation ~ 40 000 hours ( thanks hi tech vacuum pumps )
 

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Considering the investment shown, price is most reasonable.

In fact , and given the foreseeable market (measured in *actual* monthly sales) , I´m not so sure on sustainability in the long run.

That same factory and investment can make and sell in a Month, say, 10000 bicycles , home theater systems, washing machines, clothes steam pressing machines or most any other product amounting to way higher and more stable sales.

I suspect lots of love,pride, or personal commitment behind this, more than plain old "business" mentality, and wish them the best.
 
I suspect lots of love,pride, or personal commitment behind this, more than plain old "business" mentality, and wish them the best.

Invest millions today make sense, this passionate WE Team bring to younger generation a factory and interesting jobs to can make preservation & development of the music reproduction excellence heritage of his grandparents. Western Electric Factory Tour • Vintage Tube Services A challenge YES :cheerful:
 

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Perhaps, given that the acquisition of the EI equipment has fallen through, im wondering what they are going to build besides 300B?

Indirectly heated tubes require better process control and more specialized equipment. Furthermore their ability to source the filament ribbon will decide the final quality of the product. There is only so much you can compensate by gold plating grid wires, and doing longer cook outs on the vacuum pumps.

For instance that grid winder is Old-old in therms of vacuum tube manufacture, later models will interrupt winding between grid sections so the operator doesn't have to manually trim the excess wire off. The last automated versions, will wind cut and stretch grids automatically.

Richardson electronics acquired the machines from the USA branch of Philips (Amperex) however my gut feeling tells me that stuff was scrapped after the FTC filed an antitrust against them.
 
There will always people with money to whom £3000 for a tube will mean nothing but they are in limited numbers in such a niche market. Once all of them have bought such tubes that market then dries up due to their longevity.

That hardly seems like a good business model for a long term company.
 

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There will always people with money to whom £3000 for a tube
will mean nothing but they are in limited numbers in such a niche market.

Single 300B price = 599 $

You can buy matched pair by Western Electric technicians cost = 1299$
 

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