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Any opinions on these tubes? I did a search and found very little.
Follow Ups:
Les,This is not a direct answer to your question; although I have some AWA Radiotron 6SN7 / VT-231s which I find to be very nice with good extension top and bottom and a slightly warm to neutral sound.
The main reason for my post was to show you the following link. It's an interesting look through the old factory in Sydney.
Regards,
NJK
G'Day Les!Radiotron made excellent tubes based on RCA tooling in Ashfield, Sydney. I've used this tube in audio circuits and IMHO it's on a par with any other 6SN7. The Radiotron is perhaps best described as possessing a neutral and dynamic character. No unwelcome microphonics either, unlike some military variants!
spindrifter
AWV (the valve making division of AWA) made excellent valves. I think their 12AU7's are simply the best in my line preamp. Their 6SN7's are likewise very good, although I prefer Sylvania chrome domes.Interestingly, I have beed told on a few different occasions that they used Mullard designs, not RCA. Their 6SN7's look a bit different to the RCA ones that I have - but I don't have Mullards to compare.
Oscillatus wrote:
Interestingly, I have beed told on a few different occasions that they used Mullard designs, not RCA. Their 6SN7's look a bit different to the RCA ones that I have - but I don't have Mullards to compare.Dear Oscillatus and inmates
AFAIK Mullard (UK) never produced a 6SN7, although Mullard Australia may have sold 6SN7 valves made by AWV. That doesn't mean that they were Mullard designs. For example RCA tubes branded 'Zenith' certainly weren't Zenith designs!
Some of the valves sold by Mullard Australia were produced by AWV. Mullard Australia strived to offer a full range of valves so they sourced valves from many manufacturers. A couple of examples:
6SL7GT marked Mullard made in USA which are obviously made by RCA.
5AS4 marked Mullard made in Australia made by AWV
12AU7 and 12AX7 marked Mullard made in Australia.None of this means that such valves were falsely marked. Such relabelling was quite common. Australia's tarriff structure at the time meant that it was cheaper for Mullard Australia to source valves locally, even if the same types were produced by Mullard in England. AFAIK Mullard made no tubes at all in Australia
Valves marketed by Mullard Australia were usually sold in pale blue boxes. I'll post a pic of one tomorrow.
Yes, Dave is spot on. In my collection of Oz 6SN7GTA's the AWV and Mullard are indistinguishable physically. It figures because our meagre population meant domestic tube market demand was always somewhat limited.Also I would humbly suggest AWV did utilise RCA tooling but did not necessarily directly copy US RCA types. Patent, trademark or other intellectual property infringements wouldn't go down too well, and Aussies tend to innovate....
BTW, agreed, those AWV 12AU7A's are a sweet little bottle!
Hi DavidDo you know the source of the Australian Mullard 6BQ5 offhand and how they measure up with European Mullards and TFKs etc.
thanks
Dear Byron and inmates> > Do you know the source of the Australian Mullard 6BQ5 offhand and how they measure up with European Mullards and TFKs etc. < <
I'm not sure where Australian Mullard 6BQ5 valves were produced, I don't have any in my stock. If they have the Philips etched codes near the base then they were produced at the Philips Valve works in Hendon, South Australia. In old consumer gear (TVs, radios etc) I see a lot of Australian made Philips 6BQ5. In AWA equipment type 6AQ5 was very common
David Crittle
critter@retrovox.com.au
I have some of these marked 'Made in Australia' and will post the date codes when I get home. If you look at them at an angle there is a girl in a small bikini drinking a beer. Wait, it's not a beer, looks more like two BIG cans of Fosters on her chest. I love these tubes. Possible Aussie innovation?
Thanks guys,The factory tour is interesting. Assembled by hand, no wonder valves can sound different. Going to try some AWV's.
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