arnett
Consigliere
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2001
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NOS tubes = New Old Stock. Old tubes that have never been used and made in the ‘golden age’ of tube manufacture.
Modern production tubes = new tubes usually made in Russia, China, or the former Yugoslavia.
Issue: do NOS tubes deserve all the hype they get?
Based on the glowing reviews here and on audio asylum, I bought the recent production JJ 6922 to try in my Moretto HAP-03 tube headphone amp. I have 50 hours on them so far and I’m blown away at how good they sound. In fact, I prefer the JJ 6922 + stock EI Yugo 12AU7 combo over the NOS Mullard + Amperex combo I used previously. The JJ + EI combo is warmer, less extended in the treble (that’s a good thing with the Beyer DT 770), and more punchy in the mid-bass. Basically, the JJ + EI combo sounds like what I expect from a tube amp. The NOS Mullard + Amperex combo sounds ( . . .dare I say it? . . .) more solid-state.
I had a similar experience tube rolling the MG Head DT. I made the mistake of buying a very expensive matched pair of Brimar EL84’s. They were so bright and thin sounding as to be practically unlistenable. I preferred the modern production EI Yugo EL84. The EI Yugo sounded much more natural to my ears.
I had tried the Mazda Chrome Plate 12AX7 and a Mullard CV4004 but ended up preferring a cheap Chinese 12AX7 that a friend gave me to replace a tube in my guitar amp. The Chinese 12AX7 was sweeter in the upper mid-range and had greater bass extension.
To my ears, and in my somewhat limited experience, NOS tubes are bright. Often a bit too bright – especially with headphones. Also, NOS tubes generally seem to lack the body and warmth of their modern production counterparts. I can understand how the ‘treble boost’ effect of NOS would play well with speakers but with headphones it often seems a bit over the top. I have tried several NOS brands and four different tube types. To my ears, modern production tubes sound more ‘tubey’ and, as a result, are more fun to listen to.
According to what I read on audio asylum and elsewhere, NOS tubes sounded bright because equipment in the golden age (mid-50s to mid-70s) sounded a bit dull and thick. A boost in the treble was quite a desirable thing. But that seems not to be the case with modern tube amps. Nowadays, tube amps sound relatively quick and transparent (this seems to be the convention wisdom anyway). Thus, NOS can take the treble in modern amps over the top. And with headphones, which already have plenty of energy upstairs, this brightening effect can be downright fatiguing.
In comparison, modern production tubes sound a bit less refined (less air and definition) and generally have a narrower soundstage. But, in my experience, they have a more intimate and fuller sounding midrange and a thicker sounding mid-bass. I believe this matches quite well with headphones.
Now, I’m not saying all modern production tubes are great. I’ve never heard a Sovtek I liked. Of course, many NOS tubes sound like crap as well. But I think modern production tubes are getting better and better.
I highly recommend people try modern tubes before spending the big bucks on the diminishing NOS types. In short, don’t believe the hype. IMO, there are plenty of new tubes that can work just as well, if not better, than NOS tubes in any given system.
[size=xx-small]Note: please keep in mind this is a generalization. I have not heard all NOS brands or types nor do I claim to be a tube expert. [/size]
Modern production tubes = new tubes usually made in Russia, China, or the former Yugoslavia.
Issue: do NOS tubes deserve all the hype they get?
Based on the glowing reviews here and on audio asylum, I bought the recent production JJ 6922 to try in my Moretto HAP-03 tube headphone amp. I have 50 hours on them so far and I’m blown away at how good they sound. In fact, I prefer the JJ 6922 + stock EI Yugo 12AU7 combo over the NOS Mullard + Amperex combo I used previously. The JJ + EI combo is warmer, less extended in the treble (that’s a good thing with the Beyer DT 770), and more punchy in the mid-bass. Basically, the JJ + EI combo sounds like what I expect from a tube amp. The NOS Mullard + Amperex combo sounds ( . . .dare I say it? . . .) more solid-state.
I had a similar experience tube rolling the MG Head DT. I made the mistake of buying a very expensive matched pair of Brimar EL84’s. They were so bright and thin sounding as to be practically unlistenable. I preferred the modern production EI Yugo EL84. The EI Yugo sounded much more natural to my ears.
I had tried the Mazda Chrome Plate 12AX7 and a Mullard CV4004 but ended up preferring a cheap Chinese 12AX7 that a friend gave me to replace a tube in my guitar amp. The Chinese 12AX7 was sweeter in the upper mid-range and had greater bass extension.
To my ears, and in my somewhat limited experience, NOS tubes are bright. Often a bit too bright – especially with headphones. Also, NOS tubes generally seem to lack the body and warmth of their modern production counterparts. I can understand how the ‘treble boost’ effect of NOS would play well with speakers but with headphones it often seems a bit over the top. I have tried several NOS brands and four different tube types. To my ears, modern production tubes sound more ‘tubey’ and, as a result, are more fun to listen to.
According to what I read on audio asylum and elsewhere, NOS tubes sounded bright because equipment in the golden age (mid-50s to mid-70s) sounded a bit dull and thick. A boost in the treble was quite a desirable thing. But that seems not to be the case with modern tube amps. Nowadays, tube amps sound relatively quick and transparent (this seems to be the convention wisdom anyway). Thus, NOS can take the treble in modern amps over the top. And with headphones, which already have plenty of energy upstairs, this brightening effect can be downright fatiguing.
In comparison, modern production tubes sound a bit less refined (less air and definition) and generally have a narrower soundstage. But, in my experience, they have a more intimate and fuller sounding midrange and a thicker sounding mid-bass. I believe this matches quite well with headphones.
Now, I’m not saying all modern production tubes are great. I’ve never heard a Sovtek I liked. Of course, many NOS tubes sound like crap as well. But I think modern production tubes are getting better and better.
I highly recommend people try modern tubes before spending the big bucks on the diminishing NOS types. In short, don’t believe the hype. IMO, there are plenty of new tubes that can work just as well, if not better, than NOS tubes in any given system.
[size=xx-small]Note: please keep in mind this is a generalization. I have not heard all NOS brands or types nor do I claim to be a tube expert. [/size]
