[MIKELAP]

That looks like getter burn off to me and is harmless. If your tube is gassy you'll see a hazy nebulous glow in the tube (because there is gas in there that shouldn't be there). That smokey film you see on the glass is a common occurrence for tubes that have been used for a decent number of hours.

The filaments getting very bright is harder to diagnose. Some tubes do this normally, others only if they are being operated in a circuit that's slamming them with too much startup current or possibly has an incorrect first cap value for the tube.

Today tried the SP 274B in the WA22 .Everything looks normal

 

[whirlwind]

Let me know how that works for you. The vaccine I took has only been partially effective.

Ha...well if I could find a nice pair of Ken Rad 6J5G, I would be tempted to fall off the wagon

 

[chrisdrop]

Ha...well if I could find a nice pair of Ken Rad 6J5G, I would be tempted to fall off the wagon

I've got ones like these (no G). They are not expensive and have that KenRad vibe. (says the evil tube-devil on your shoulder #tubetemptation)

 

[whirlwind]

I've got ones like these (no G). They are not expensive and have that KenRad vibe. (says the evil tube-devil on your shoulder #tubetemptation)

I may try these at some point...really have my heart set on a pair of coke bottles though.
I have a couple of 6/12 SN7 so I am not in any hurry

 

[mordy]

On a related note... there was some discussion of "alternative assets" in a weekly financial newsletter that I receive on a Sunday every week. I didn't see tubes get a mention though.

ALTERNATIVE ASSET BUBBLES

Erin Griffith wrote in The New York Times yesterday that manias abound in alternative assets.

From crypto art to trading cards, people are engaged in “a series of manias that have gripped the financial world. For months, professional and everyday investors have pushed up the prices of stocks and real estate. Now the frenzy has spilled over into the riskiest—and in some cases, wackiest—assets, including digital ephemera and media, cryptocurrencies, collectibles like trading cards and even sneakers.”

I thought it said "speakers" but, alas, it says "sneakers" lol.

 

[mordy]

On another note, I have been playing with the idea of a pair of planar headphones - the Hifiman500. Today I saw a Massdrop offering for an updated Hifiman500 - the

DROP + HIFIMAN HE5XX PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONES​

https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-h...ontent=1615963285473.537305522863616768758715

The price is $220. What do you think about it?

​

 

[Zachik]

I've got ones like these (no G). They are not expensive and have that KenRad vibe. (says the evil tube-devil on your shoulder #tubetemptation)

I may try these at some point...really have my heart set on a pair of coke bottles though.

My thought exactly: they're not pretty like the coke bottle ones! Who cares if they sound the same?

 

[Xcalibur255]

The description made me chuckle: "metal rust tubes"......

 

[Monsterzero]

On another note, I have been playing with the idea of a pair of planar headphones - the Hifiman500. Today I saw a Massdrop offering for an updated Hifiman500 - the

DROP + HIFIMAN HE5XX PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONES​

https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he5xx?utm_placement=0&referer=YMFN92&mode=guest_open&utm_campaign=Automated Daily Promotional 2021-03-17&utm_source=SparkPost&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily Promotional&utm_content=1615963285473.537305522863616768758715

The price is $220. What do you think about it?

​

Reading thru the comments left by others, it isnt an actual re-release of the HE-500, which is a pity. Apparently its brighter than the original, with a possibly problematic 8k peak, wider staging too. Lots of the usual Hifiman QC complaints as well.

IDK, I'd prolly grab a pair myself if it was an actual re-release of the 500. The only headphone sale that ive made that I regret was selling my HE-500. Wish I had it back, though it would probably be collecting dust like the rest of my collection since the VC came around.

 

[gibosi]

Today I realized that Mullard 6080 and Telefunken rectifiers haven't gotten much love or attention from me in quite a while, and it occurred to me that together, they just might click.

A Telefunken RGN4004, Mullard 6080 and TS 6SN7. And yes, they click rather well.

(And for those with Lundahl transformers, Glenn is on record advising against the power-hungry RGN4004, as it draws 4 Amps of heater current.)

 

[Smallpie]

Today I realized that Mullard 6080 and Telefunken rectifiers haven't gotten much love or attention from me in quite a while, and it occurred to me that together, they just might click.

A Telefunken RGN4004, Mullard 6080 and TS 6SN7. And yes, they click rather well.

(And for those with Lundahl transformers, Glenn is on record advising against the power-hungry RGN4004, as it draws 4 Amps of heater current.)

I’m glad I grabbed two pairs of those Mullard before they sold out on Langrex.Listened for a bit last night and they sounded great.

 

[Smallpie]

Today I realized that Mullard 6080 and Telefunken rectifiers haven't gotten much love or attention from me in quite a while, and it occurred to me that together, they just might click.

A Telefunken RGN4004, Mullard 6080 and TS 6SN7. And yes, they click rather well.

(And for those with Lundahl transformers, Glenn is on record advising against the power-hungry RGN4004, as it draws 4 Amps of heater current.)

That telefunken rectifier is pretty pricey. Are there any other AZ 50’s worth trying out?

 

[gibosi]

That telefunken rectifier is pretty pricey. Are there any other AZ 50’s worth trying out?

Most AZ50 were manufactured at Eindhoven, Holland, by Philips, and at Blackburn, by Mullard. Hungarian Tungsram also manufactured the AZ50, which are more often labeled PV200/600. The Tungsram will sound more like a Telefunken than the others. However, they are all nice sounding rectifiers especially if some care is taken to finding matching drivers and output tubes.

 

[Smallpie]

Wow, the first quad went to big prices and then the second auction at about half. A pair just sold this morning for $450. (About the same as the 2nd auction)

I noticed there was a lot of chatter on headfi after the first auction(complaints about the relisting with same measurements and pictures, problems with soldered pins on one of the tubes, and that some thought either it was a seller bidding it up and relisting and/or giving incorrect measurements)

after talking to the seller and seeing all their other listings I don’t believe it was shady but more or less a lazy (and financially devastating) poor choice not to take new pictures of his other quad set and remeasure the tubes. (Maybe they tested the highest possible and that’s why they put 99/99? I dunno enough to comment). I wonder if most of the bidders of the first auction was on headfi and after talking here about it a lot of the buyers were put off by it thus not bidding on the second auction?

clearly a quad of NOS bendix 6070wb are worth more than $480 as another pair sold for $450 this morning. What your guys thoughts? How many budded on the first listing and not the 2nd? I for one did but felt disenfranchised after seeing how high it went that I ignored the second one only to realize that I wished I did bid on it. I don’t think the second auction would of been the same as I tired thus not having that pin issue on the one tube. I just pulled the trigger on a pair for $400 so the quad for $500 would have been ideal.

Who else owns these bendix tubes? Do you like them?

 

[leftside]

Mullard 6080 and Bendix 6080 are certainly some of my favorite power tubes. As with most tubes (especially by Mullard) there are many different structural changes that happened over the years, but personally I can't tell any sonic differences between the different Mullards or between the different Bendix. Mullard vs Bendix I'd say the Bendix take longer to warm up, but seem to provide a little more "grunt". I tend to use the Mullard over the Bendix as the Bendix are getting rather pricey and my amp is already plenty "grunty"