[UntilThen]

I had Deyan make me one of these adapters also...making it to the 3DG4 and the amps native support makes my mind much more at ease

If I can get one of those bald headed mesh plate rectifier, I'd be willing to get one of those adapter too.

 

[Zachik]

No worries at all as long as you get the Yamamoto sockets...

Thanks Joe. Definitely no Chinese sockets for me!

 

[Zachik]

Great snug fit and they sit nice and low on the chassis.....first round of tubes should be here next week some time.
Mullard EL34 XF2's single top getters from 1973

WOW! Gorgeous looking adapters.
Joe - what's the advantage of EL34 in the EL3N amp? Is it just "different tonality" or is there other advantages?

 

[attmci]

Current market price for a BGRP?

https://www.ebay.com/bfl/viewbids/312727003908?item=312727003908&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2565

 

[ColtMrFire]

Wondering if anyone's heard/owned the Torpedo 3 and compared to the Glenn amps. Looking to possibly upgrade

 

[Xcalibur255]

Anyone using Deoxit have a tried and true method? I recently started using the "Vacuum Tube Survival Kit" with the higher concentration cleaner. The included brushes and very nice. Before I was just using isopropyl alcohol. What I am finding is that following the recommended method of leaving the pins to soak overnight is inefficient and uses too much product (how convenient for them). It also leaves a hard to remove residue on the pins and base, this stuff does not clean off easily, and I'm not keen on gumming up my GOTL sockets. The only reasonable way to remove it seems to be an isopropyl alcohol bath at the end. Overall, not impressed.

Any tips are welcome, thanks.

Steel wool is what I use. Proper cleaning afterward is very important though, as you don't want a stray strand to accidentally bridge a connection between two pins. Unless the oxidation is severe I find the wool really smooths the pins and makes socket insert nicer. I sort of roll some into a little rope and loop it around the pin and slide back and forth, then pass over the tops that don't get hit by that first motion. Second step is Deoxit, let it sit for 5 minutes and penetrate a bit. Third step is cleaning with alcohol. I do both steps using Q-tips. It's important to clean with alcohol after using deoxit because that stuff will make a mess inside your sockets, especially if it builds up from inserting many different tubes.

I'm sure there are many approaches that work, but this is what I cooked up when I got into tubes. One thing I won't do is use a tube that hasn't gone through this yet. Getting stuff into the sockets is a major pain and much harder to clean than tube pins.

 

[mordy]

Wait till you see and hear Berlin, you would want one in your collection too.

In the meantime, I've to ensure I have enough EL11s to last me a lifetime, so I bought these Triotron EL11s. Who and what is Triotron, @gibosi ? The top of the tube construction looks like my Telefunken EL11.

Anyway I did a google and I saw @leftside have so many Triotron ECC32, ECC33, ECC34 and GZ34 metal base.

Hi UT,
Here is a tube from my EL11 collection:

This EL11 with the square logo looks similar your Triotron tubes. This tube is labeled Valvo and has the number 706 three times on the base in white letters. Looking underneath at the tube base it is written 2T in white lettering.
It is possible that this is a Tungsram tube - the 2T date code is October 1967.
I have another two ST shaped Valvo labeled EL11 tubes but they are very different looking.

 

[UntilThen]

Mordy there is a NOS pair of Tungsram EL11 for sale. The top of the tube is very different to my Telefunken EL11 and the Triotron EL11. I’m thinking of getting the Tungsram just to compare. Same seller as the Triotron EL11.

 

[UntilThen]

Bought it. Just about bought all the NOS EL11s pair under the sun.

 

[UntilThen]

Another addition to the EL11 tubes. A Tungsram EL11 with boxes. Notice the construction of the top of the tube. This is very different from my Telefunken EL11. It is also different from my RFT EL11, Philips Miniwatt EL11. I'll have to check the Siemens and Triotron EL11 when they arrive.

 

[UntilThen]

The Mullard GZ34 also arrived. It's so new, like hot off the press. The seller says it's a military issue.

 

[UntilThen]

Total count of EL tubes so far:-

2 x Telefunken EL11
2 x RFT EL11
2 x Philips Miniwatt EL11
2 x Siemens EL11
2 x Triotron EL11
2 x Tungsram EL11

2 x Siemens EL12
2 x RFT EL12N
2 x Telefunken EL12 spez
2 x Tesla EL12sp

That's enough !

 

[whirlwind]

You know Joe, that EL34 to EL3N adapter is a new dawn for your GEL3N amp.

Maybe, we shall see how some of these other tubes hold up to the EL3N in this amp......when considering the price of the EL3N tubes and add that to the performance you get from it
I can't see it losing the price/performance war...but maybe some of the other tubes could sound better....time will tell.




Joe - what's the advantage of EL34 in the EL3N amp? Is it just "different tonality" or is there other advantages?[/QUOTE]

I don't have the EL34 tubes yet, they should be here some time next week......just be different tonality I believe.
The EL3N tubes in this amp run extremely cool, this amp does not even come remotely close to producing the heat that the OTL amp does.
I am not sure if this will be the case with the EL34 tubes in the power position, we shall see.

 

[UntilThen]

This has been shown before but for anyone new, you might be interested in the EL34 story.

EL3N, EL11, EL12, EL6, EL8, EL13 all came before EL60 which became the forerunner of EL34.

https://translate.google.com/transl...bude.de/EL34-Story/EL34-Story.htm&prev=search

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Steel wool is what I use. Proper cleaning afterward is very important though, as you don't want a stray strand to accidentally bridge a connection between two pins. Unless the oxidation is severe I find the wool really smooths the pins and makes socket insert nicer. I sort of roll some into a little rope and loop it around the pin and slide back and forth, then pass over the tops that don't get hit by that first motion. Second step is Deoxit, let it sit for 5 minutes and penetrate a bit. Third step is cleaning with alcohol. I do both steps using Q-tips. It's important to clean with alcohol after using deoxit because that stuff will make a mess inside your sockets, especially if it builds up from inserting many different tubes.

I'm sure there are many approaches that work, but this is what I cooked up when I got into tubes. One thing I won't do is use a tube that hasn't gone through this yet. Getting stuff into the sockets is a major pain and much harder to clean than tube pins.

Thanks for your input, I'll consider it. I will probably move away from the Deoxit, I am finding it too time consuming and messy to use. But steel wool is something to consider. I'm having good success with 3000 grit sandpaper followed by IPA with a Q-tip, would be great to have a more efficient process though. I'm staring down my trove of 6BX7 tubes, I might be cleaning them for weeks! There is something relaxing though about listening to some great music while keeping busy cleaning tube pins.

I may look into using a Dremel in some fashion, hopefully with an attachment that will clean the pins well but won't annihilate the tube if I make a mistake. Will take some trial and error.