Tubes Asylum

Questions about tubes and gear that glows.

Return to Tubes Asylum

MicroTech E813cc update

70.17.203.223
Posted on August 8, 2009 at 23:02:46
Mike_in_MD
Audiophile

Posts: 310
Location: Maryland
Joined: May 1, 2005
 These tubes are the real deal. The best part is they do nothing wrong. A very neutral tube if there ever one was . Give them a try you know you've spent more for tubes, probably much more

I finanally got my pair...and they are VERY good..., posted on September 5, 2009 at 06:20:50
Skylab
Audiophile

Posts: 936
Location: Chicagoland
Joined: August 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: December 23, 2004
 I was *really* impressed. They went in my Ming-Da MC8407-C headphone amp, as the driver tube, where they replaced Mullard CV4004, which are pretty awesome tubes. The output tube in this amp are EL84's (in my case, again UK Mullards). Headphones used were Beyerdynamic DT770 600 ohm.

The MicroTech tubes are very detailed, very transparent, yet also sumptuously lush. They differ from almost all current production small-signal tubes I have heard in that they were positively grain free. No haze, no congestion. Very smooth, but highly open and transparent. I was far more impressed than I expected to be, and I didn't expect them to suck. But far more than that - they sound terrific. They are not coming out of that amp - they're in to stay.
Rob

"Let there be songs, to fill the air"
RE: I finanally got my pair...and they are VERY good..., posted on October 30, 2009 at 15:07:59
jbass
Audiophile

Posts: 4
Joined: March 16, 2001
 Tried to order tubes from the website. , but the shipping invoice would not display the state. Only street, city and country. Fearing a problem with delivery, I cancelled the order. Emails to the company came back with: message not received, will retry....
Any suggestions?

Thanks

out of business, posted on October 30, 2009 at 20:34:59
nc
Audiophile

Posts: 315
Location: San Francisco, CA
Joined: November 19, 2003
 the company is no more.

RE: I finanally got my pair...and they are VERY good..., posted on September 6, 2009 at 06:49:56
johnsonad
Audiophile

Posts: 265
Location: San Diego
Joined: June 9, 2008
Contributor
  Since: September 27, 2009
 I agree with you Rob, I can't get them out of my gear. So much so I bought another pair. These are the best sounding 12ax7 variety in my collection to my ears. I showed one of the tubes to my HAM buddies yesterday and someone commented that it was about time that we took a step forward in tube technology. Hopefully this will lead the way to power tubes at some point.

Heater Voltage, posted on August 11, 2009 at 18:19:52
Sondek
Audiophile

Posts: 1072
Location: Ft. Worth
Joined: May 17, 2000
 How big of an issue is this really? After reading the disclaimers on the spec sheet, it made me wonder just how much gear out there these are likely to be used in that will result in the kind of problem they describe

All the great things that have been said about this tube are true, but..., posted on August 10, 2009 at 20:57:48
Frihed89
Audiophile

Posts: 8445
Location: Copenhagen
Joined: March 21, 2005
 It's just too neutral, too quiet, too transparent for my tastes. To my ears it lacks the musical character of the US-made early 50s 12AX7s and 5751s. This is highly personal, of course.
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
RE: MicroTech E813cc update, posted on August 10, 2009 at 10:05:15
Mechans
Audiophile

Posts: 514
Location: East Coast
Joined: May 23, 2004
 Mac,
first you are not prone to typos like I am. It would appear you meant "if you live outside the UK" not US, but that makes no sense either. The reason being that you live in Denmark which is part of the EU you pay the applicable VAT. Here we don't but I am uncertain what other duty is applied when importing goods from counties other than NAFTA.
Do you know what the situation is for importing tubes.
My experience after buying a number of electronics from EU countries is that no duty or fee was added and the prices were specifically before VAT.
OTOH I am a friend of a former importer of some Chinese audio. The gear was subject to a number of taxes and fees above and beyond the ex factory plus shipping cost. There must be some sort of delineation.
OOps! I meant this to follow after Friheads comment, sorry about the ordering.

Sorry..I meant, posted on August 10, 2009 at 20:50:41
Frihed89
Audiophile

Posts: 8445
Location: Copenhagen
Joined: March 21, 2005
 If the seller and buyer live in the EU, the buyer must pay their own country's VAT. It is a consumption tax. But the buyer pays no duty because the transaction takes place within EU partner countries.. A US buyer of EU-made goods does not have to pay the sellers VAT, but does have to pay US import duty, if it applies, and the US collects it from the buyer (or ignores it on small items).

Canada is more rigorous, I understand.

I hope that is clearer. I think the UK VAT is like 12.5%?


"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
So where is the best place to order these? NT, posted on August 9, 2009 at 11:00:22
John PA
Audiophile

Posts: 2859
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Joined: August 27, 2000
The Elaborate DAC=Johnny's Balloon Meshplate 27 Balanced Preamp=Balanced Six Pacs=Newform Research 645
iRiver H140/120gb/iBasso D10/Monica II Dac, modified Woo 6/Ultrasone Ed. 9/JH13 Pro IEM's

see images at: www.pbase.com/jamato8
RE: So where is the best place to order these? NT, posted on August 9, 2009 at 11:28:04
jjmcs49
Audiophile

Posts: 7
Joined: July 20, 2009
 Currently, they can only be purchased directly from the company:

http://www.techtubevalves.com/about_us/index.php

It took only 4 days to get from England to Indiana. Communications and follow-up by the company has been excellent.

RE: So where is the best place to order these? NT, posted on August 9, 2009 at 17:49:19
Mike_in_MD
Audiophile

Posts: 310
Location: Maryland
Joined: May 1, 2005
 $112.00 to Baltimore. Come on admit it you paid for worse tubes....yes you have...,.each of us all have, more than some will admit. While these tubes are not cheap they certainty sound magnificent to my ears. I'm 52 and I've heard many,many tubes
!!!!!!!

RE: So where is the best place to order these? NT, posted on August 9, 2009 at 18:28:50
jjmcs49
Audiophile

Posts: 7
Joined: July 20, 2009
 I'm not complaining. I think the tubes are well worth the price I paid. In addition, the after the sale follow-up and support has been great. I was asked to send them my impressions and comments. A couple of weeks after I received them I received a pair of dampers to use if I thought I heard any microphonic noise. I am very happy with the tubes and intend to buy the 2 types due out later this year/early next year.

It will be nice to see what type of life expectancy they end up . ., posted on August 9, 2009 at 19:11:30
John PA
Audiophile

Posts: 2859
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Joined: August 27, 2000
 having but I guess that could take anywhere from months to years to find out. It is exciting to see this type of tube being made again and a totally different look.

Are there any microphonics? I actually prefer a slightly microphonic tube though I wouldn't want one if it was in the phono section.
The Elaborate DAC=Johnny's Balloon Meshplate 27 Balanced Preamp=Balanced Six Pacs=Newform Research 645
iRiver H140/120gb/iBasso D10/Monica II Dac, modified Woo 6/Ultrasone Ed. 9/JH13 Pro IEM's

see images at: www.pbase.com/jamato8
RE: It will be nice to see what type of life expectancy they end up . ., posted on August 9, 2009 at 20:22:37
jjmcs49
Audiophile

Posts: 7
Joined: July 20, 2009
 There is some information on their website about how very high gain situations may cause some microphonics. I couldn't find it tonight but there was some info in the past about how taking all microphonics out of a tube made it sound lifeless. I have one of their tubes in the preamp of a Leslie 3300. Every time the horn goes around it aims right at the tube. I have not been able to hear anything other than organ tone. It does not seem to be bothered by it. I had the other tube in a Hammond XK-3. If I turned the overdrive up to the point just before I could hear distortion I heard what I thought sounded like an extra keyclick. I mentioned this to Andy at MicroTech and shortly afterward I received a pair of tube dampers. I think the damper made a difference. I must note that I was using the tube in a way it probably wasn't intended - a hot line level signal (being overdriven) and it is possible that the hotter signal exiting the E813CC may have caused the 12BZ7 it was feeding to make the noise. The 12BZ7 is being used in place of a 12AX7. Normally the XK-3 uses 2 12AX7s, one feeding into the other. I have been using a 12AT7 feeding into a 12BZ7 for about 2 years with excellent results - nice screaming overdriven Hammond B3 tone when desired. The tubes when not being overdriven sounded very nice and I did have both of them in the XK-3 for a while. It takes a hotter signal to get them to distort than it takes with my old tubes but it is a very nice growly/gritty overdrive.
http://www.techtubevalves.com/index.php, posted on August 9, 2009 at 11:25:48
Frihed89
Audiophile

Posts: 8445
Location: Copenhagen
Joined: March 21, 2005
 Click on "Buy the ...... now"

£30/ea, £40/ea with matched sections.

It says VAT included, but wait a second, if you live outside the US, you do NOT have to pay VAT because the tubes are being exported. If they are making US buyers pay VAT, then complain. If they are keeping the money, it is fraud. Point out: these items are for export!
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
RE: http://www.techtubevalves.com/index.php, posted on August 9, 2009 at 11:30:58
jjmcs49
Audiophile

Posts: 7
Joined: July 20, 2009
 I received an email a few days ago telling me that I was charged duty by mistake and that it will be refunded soon.

I think this happened to a number of people, and all of you should complain...., posted on August 9, 2009 at 12:32:36
Frihed89
Audiophile

Posts: 8445
Location: Copenhagen
Joined: March 21, 2005
 if you haven't been contacted. Me? I have to pay the duty + the difference between the Danish and UK VAT, but the shipping is less.

Get the to use the Royal Post. It will save you money.
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
RE: I think this happened to a number of people, and all of you should complain...., posted on August 9, 2009 at 19:57:07
ironbut
Audiophile

Posts: 1115
Location: no california
Joined: February 21, 2004
 Yes, I was contacted too. It's the first time I've been happy that the British pound is twice as much as the US dollar!
Now I'm rich,..rich,.. rich I tell you!

Page processed in 0.230 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2009, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ] [ Go Green ] [ Take5 ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]