Why NOS tubes are so special compared to newly manufactured Tubes

[stevieboy]

Hi Vortex,

Welcome glad it was of help Nopes sorry have only one pair of 45s. You'd have to check ebay regularly to find a good pair, but from a seller only 99% feedback and higher. I don't know if its folklore or real but engraved bases are better than printed bases, probably cos the engraved bases were made earlier and hence had different quality material. Not sure. I did see a couple of shoulder ST RCA engraved base 45s within the month on ebay. Must have gone by now. I've tried only the RCA, Rajiv has tried both RCA and National Union, I think he preferred the RCAs. The balloon shaped 45s have a silkier midrange but sell for much higher bout $200 a pair average.

Regards

 

[stevieboy]

Hi Maniac,

I have Viren's phonostage and his 2A3 Set amp in which I've substituted the 45 tube. The Yaqin buffer seems to be good to get a taste of tube sound. The guys on that thread seem to have good recommendations. You can check out a few. I don't have any experience with that tube but a little research from the tubes mentioned on that thread ought to give you some idea of what tube will give you what sound. They seem to be cheaper than 12ax7s so that's good for you!

 

[thevortex]

Hi Vortex,

Welcome glad it was of help Nopes sorry have only one pair of 45s. You'd have to check ebay regularly to find a good pair, but from a seller only 99% feedback and higher. I don't know if its folklore or real but engraved bases are better than printed bases, probably cos the engraved bases were made earlier and hence had different quality material. Not sure. I did see a couple of shoulder ST RCA engraved base 45s within the month on ebay. Must have gone by now. I've tried only the RCA, Rajiv has tried both RCA and National Union, I think he preferred the RCAs. The balloon shaped 45s have a silkier midrange but sell for much higher bout $200 a pair average.

Regards

Stevie, did a search on ebay and this is what comes up. Talks of radio tubes. I thought they were different from amplifier tubes, isthat right?

45 tube items - Get great deals on Tubes, Receivers items on eBay.com!

Is there anywhere other than ebay that I can look? for good 45 tubes?

 

[stevieboy]

Hi Vortex,

A lot of old radios used the 45 tube hence the mention of radio tube. Search in the general category not vintage electronics. There are tons of sites like tctubes etc but these are generally more expensive i've found. ebay if you keep looking you get a wider choice.

Regards

 

[stevieboy]

the siemens long plate mc6 tubes arrived yesterday. they sound quite different from the siemens short plates. really put the music in the room very expansive. the siemens short plates have a very clear bell like tone. this quality is not so evident in the longplates, more of a big spreading sound.

so far the mullards are the most seductive. utterly irresistible. the undisputed queen of ecc83 tubes that can beguile you effortlessly. if you have a tube set up and a well designed phonostage that runs ecc83s you're likely to love these beauts. nothing else comes even close to that feeling of just wanting to sit and listen for hours and reaching for lp after lp.

 

[gobble]

the siemens long plate mc6 tubes arrived yesterday. they sound quite different from the siemens short plates. really put the music in the room very expansive. the siemens short plates have a very clear bell like tone. this quality is not so evident in the longplates, more of a big spreading sound.

so far the mullards are the most seductive. utterly irresistible. the undisputed queen of ecc83 tubes that can beguile you effortlessly. if you have a tube set up and a well designed phonostage that runs ecc83s you're likely to love these beauts. nothing else comes even close to that feeling of just wanting to sit and listen for hours and reaching for lp after lp.

Stevie

if you want to hear tube rolling with ECC82s drop by.

I have Mullard (Blackburn) FunkWerks, BEL, Shugang, and JJ/Tesla

Cheers

 

[maniac_2004]

Stevie

if you want to hear tube rolling with ECC82s drop by.

I have Mullard (Blackburn) FunkWerks, BEL, Shugang, and JJ/Tesla

Cheers

Hi Gobble,
whts ur setup like ?

Regards

 

[mahiruha]

Hi Steven,
out of all the tubes you tried which offers the lowest noise floor? Nice report on the newly aquired siemens I have read somewhere they are quite similar to Telefunken's did you find the same?
Thanks.

 

[gobble]

Hi Gobble,
whts ur setup like ?

Regards

Its a cd60002> Grounded grid pre (chinese clone) > NAD 325 > Audire Callisto BS with Fostex 166E drivers.

ICs are Nordost Blue Heavens and solid silver DIO (Do-it-Others)

Cheers

 

[stevieboy]

Stevie

if you want to hear tube rolling with ECC82s drop by.

I have Mullard (Blackburn) FunkWerks, BEL, Shugang, and JJ/Tesla

Cheers

will see if i can make it one day!

 

[stevieboy]

Hi Steven,
out of all the tubes you tried which offers the lowest noise floor? Nice report on the newly aquired siemens I have read somewhere they are quite similar to Telefunken's did you find the same?
Thanks.

Hi Mahiruha,

Not really, a bit different. They are similar to the telefunkens compared to the other european tubes in that they are not warm sounding. Nothing quite beats the telefunken smoothplates for neutrality and superb extension at either end. I'll have to listen more and let you know. Just a day couple of hours so far... from the little I heard I actually prefer the siemens short plates! Superb bell like clear sound nice tight bass and really clear treble. I find this charm missing from the longpates.

Regards

 

[stevieboy]

Hi Steven,
out of all the tubes you tried which offers the lowest noise floor? .

Hi Mahiruha,

Little difficult to compare noise floors cos different tube have different pasts and that affects things. So impossible to judge which brand offers the least noise floor. Overall though the Siemens and Telefunkens highlight crackles and pops more than the Mullard which sort of tends sweep these under the radar.


By the way have picked up a pair of RCA globe 45s for a steal at $140 including shipping! Saw some pairs go for bout $255 so am happy I snagged these for such a low price. They were two separate tubes. Look quite worn but ought to last a bit. Let's finally see how these legends perform in ten days they'll be here!!!

Regards

 

[Rajiv]

By the way have picked up a pair of RCA globe 45s for a steal at $140 including shipping! Saw some pairs go for bout $255 so am happy I snagged these for such a low price. They were two separate tubes. Look quite worn but ought to last a bit. Let's finally see how these legends perform in ten days they'll be here!!!

:clapping::clapping:

great deal Steven.

Rajiv

 

[stevieboy]

yeah rajiv been waiting for quite a while for a deal like this literally fell asleep over my laptop cos the auction ended at about 3 today morning!

 

[mahiruha]

Hi Mahiruha,

Not really, a bit different. They are similar to the telefunkens compared to the other european tubes in that they are not warm sounding. Nothing quite beats the telefunken smoothplates for neutrality and superb extension at either end. I'll have to listen more and let you know. Just a day couple of hours so far... from the little I heard I actually prefer the siemens short plates! Superb bell like clear sound nice tight bass and really clear treble. I find this charm missing from the longpates.

Regards

Hi Steven,
I can see you are in a tube rolling spree. Sounds very enticing. I finally pulled the trigger on a pair of matched telefunken smooth plates and really excited to hear the performence of this legendery tubes when they arrive. Also got myself another pair of NOS mullard. The mullards you have are they box plates? I finally took the effort and filled sand in the hollow box below the speakers. I never really imagined that so much sand will be needed for this job almost a bag of sand for each box which in turn has made the speakers very heavy and very difficult to move. Sound wise there is bit improvement in the bass depertment they have become more punchier. I am hoping that with the addition of telefunken the system will be complete but you never know with these things.
Thanks.

 

[stevieboy]

hey that's good mahiruha! do post when you get them and listen, let us know which you prefer. i'm done now for a while! have to get around to setting it up right now wall bracket etc... hehe

i have the mullard box plates 641s, third gen long plates f92s and first gen short plates 161s.

regards

 

[stevieboy]

Listening to some delta philips tubes branded wurlitzer. Superb lively sound. Good bass, better than the mullards, decent treble and involving overall sound. I'd say if one wants the whole gamut of tube options, and doesn't want to buy every 12ax7, get the telefunkens, mullard short plates, siemens short plates and delta tubes and you've got it covered. neutrality, warmth, clarity and liveliness in the appropriate order of the tubes listed.

 

[GeorgeO]

Mahi

I know that there are some dealers who stock/sell NOS tubes in Calcutta-have you made contact with them? What kind of stuff do they have in their stash? I was also told that some Japanese enthusiasts came and picked up a lot of stuff from them..Don't know enough about the quality of stuff though.

I have passed on 45s at this time-I need two pairs for my amp, so switching to either 45s or 300Bs is an expensive proposition for me.

George

 

[mahiruha]

Hi Steven,
thanks for the pointer to another tube. Honestly with these NOS tubes Viren's phono stage is truly magical. Yesterday heard lot of music on my newly aquired Sonodyne Sm50AK through creek preamp although the music is very clinical but it doesn't have that emotional attachment. Now I am seriously thinking should I get another tube phono pre from the Lyrita stable. The option to roll tubes to get different sound signature is too addictive which a solid state phono stage simply doesn't have.

Btw be very careful to use any tube based gadgets made by Q since you must have taken out all the possible tubes by now.
Thanks.

 

[mahiruha]

Mahi

I know that there are some dealers who stock/sell NOS tubes in Calcutta-have you made contact with them? What kind of stuff do they have in their stash? I was also told that some Japanese enthusiasts came and picked up a lot of stuff from them..Don't know enough about the quality of stuff though.

I have passed on 45s at this time-I need two pairs for my amp, so switching to either 45s or 300Bs is an expensive proposition for me.

George

Hi George,
yes there are some places in Calcutta which sells NOS tubes but those are not traditional shops basically they stack stuffs in godowns.Once I sent one of my people to look for a tube and the feeback I got from him is not very encouraging. So I stay away from them.
Thanks.