Home Tubes Asylum

Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ

RE: What about Japanese Ten (Kobe) tubes? Esp. 12AX7




I hope this helps........., as someone whom was stationed in Japan ( USA Marine Corp ) between 1975-84, and having made quite a few life long friendships with quite a few of its natives, where our love for all things jazz was a common bond.

Yet it was years later that one of my three tube gurus would that the time to educate me on various brands from other foreign shores unknown to most Westerners at the time........., yet i seriously have to question why some look at Japanese tubes as inferior?, when many are using some cheaply assed made Chinese brand and swell by them.

" I'd later make direct contact with certain people whom reside in Japan, whom were kind enough to assist me in locating said desired brands | as well as educate me on how during the 60s, the Japanese government would take tons | tons of tubes out into open fields and run them over with bulldozer's ", which proved later onto me to have been " hearing wise " a huge mistake on their part......., from where I began | ended my own personal quest, and through the various friends I've met along the way from different countries, the one thing that stayed with me is " the German | French | British | Brazilian | Chinese | Japanese all desire American made tubes, while we tend to pursue more exotic tubes from elsewhere, that these same people ignore ", why is that I might ask?.

Fact is Japanese companies were built with assistance from westerners like NEC, was put into place with assistance from Western Electric | Matsushita was willing to invest in the tooling from the old Mullard UK factory........., how many other countries can claim to be willing to make such an investment at a time where most felt the days of vacuum tubes, were a thing of the past? | whereas TEN Kobe was to my ear one of the very best sounding tubes I've owned | sold a few | cherish to this very day.

https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Tubes/TEN-Kobe-Thomson-CSF-RFT-Mazda/12A_7-Types/178369

https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Tubes/Thomson-CSF-NEC-TEN-Kobe-Tungsram/12A_7-Types./Various./174890

All to say........, if I were you, I'd run, not walk and pursue as many as you can afford.

In the end, " do you ". Enjoy said quest.


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Sonic Craft  


Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.