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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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In Reply to: RE: NOS vs New Tubes posted by AudioSoul on May 31, 2016 at 21:57:20:
You're completely right. The technology is definitely there to build a better tube. I wouldn't even say materials or tooling are any kind of barrier, either. What made NOS tubes desirable are the tolerances. In the 60s, when you bought a 12AX7, you GOT a 12AX7, as per the spec sheet. Today, LOL, the typical values one refers can test from a little to WAY off: plate resistance, transconductance, amplification factor, and more. (see the link supplied below - highlights the variances between manufacturers, batches, and tolerances in QC).
The real barrier is the economics of tube production. Essentially, no one really needs them anymore, save for those who use them for antique restoration, Hi-Fi, guitar amps, radio broadcast, some satellite broadcast systems, and still-going Minuteman missiles lol. The whole industry that was predicated on the tube is essentially GONE.
So, while the available moneys for R&D, materials and tooling are an an issue, the other side of the coin (ie, "the market") is people's willingness to pay. And because this is a market that makes money per unit on low volume of sales, and really that means fewer opportunities for marginal profit and a poor investment for lenders.
Really, they can build wicked tubes, but they would cost 10x the regular, and people would still go elsewhere for the nuanced sound of another product. And to that effect, there ARE decent tubes in production today, including Gold Lion tubes by New Sensor, and a handful of high-end products out of China. But, they cost as much as a NOS tube (NOS that hasn't gone totally unobtainium). Some examples include:
-Gold Lion KT88, KT77 and KT66 - AWESOME vacuum quality (important for high voltage applications, in my experience).
-TJ Full Music / Northern Electric 12AX7 - awesome tube that closely follows tolerances.
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May your tubes be lively, warm, and long-lasting. Holy be thy heater.
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Follow Ups
- RE: NOS vs New Tubes - TubeAcolyte 09:12:56 06/01/16 (0)
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