FAKE EF5!?
Sep 23, 2012 at 2:20 PM Post #16 of 21
I ordered some of these:
 
[size=12.222222328186035px]Mullard CV4003 / 12AU7 Vintage New Old Stock Platinum Grade Cryogenically Treated (U.K. original version)[/size]
[size=12.222222328186035px]Radiotechnique 12AU7 [/size][size=12.222222328186035px] Platinum Grade Cryogenically Treated [/size][size=12.222222328186035px](1956 original)[/size]
 
Sep 23, 2012 at 5:09 PM Post #17 of 21
Enjoy. Should be interesting to compare the tubes. I don't know what is going on at Hifiman though. You would think that they should have tested your amp before it left the factory...
 
 
Sep 23, 2012 at 10:04 PM Post #18 of 21
Quote:
Enjoy. Should be interesting to compare the tubes. I don't know what is going on at Hifiman though. You would think that they should have tested your amp before it left the factory...
 

 
Chances are, seeing how the OP bought it from Amazon, someone tampered with the EF5? Hifiman wouldn't make the mistake of sending their products with broken tubes... Besides, the tubes come separately from the entire unit. I too have the newer EF5 and it doesn't have the gain switch located in the old location as with the older EF5 and mine never came with a manual as well.
 
Sep 24, 2012 at 2:44 AM Post #19 of 21
Quote:
 
Chances are, seeing how the OP bought it from Amazon, someone tampered with the EF5? Hifiman wouldn't make the mistake of sending their products with broken tubes... Besides, the tubes come separately from the entire unit. I too have the newer EF5 and it doesn't have the gain switch located in the old location as with the older EF5 and mine never came with a manual as well.

I don't understand how it could happen either quite frankly. The tube was indeed packed in a separate foam compartment though, I installed it myself without noticing the missing pin. At first I feared it had broken off inside the amp, but I was extremely careful both placing it in and taking it out, and there is nothing left in there - I looked thoroughly. 
 
Sep 24, 2012 at 2:38 PM Post #20 of 21
Quote:
I don't understand how it could happen either quite frankly. The tube was indeed packed in a separate foam compartment though, I installed it myself without noticing the missing pin. At first I feared it had broken off inside the amp, but I was extremely careful both placing it in and taking it out, and there is nothing left in there - I looked thoroughly. 

 
Then maybe it was just a tube with a weak pin and once you placed the tube in the amp, it broke there? Either way, as long as the unit still functions, all you need are some new tubes. I never tube rolled with my EF5 because I think the stock tubes are good enough.
 
Dec 2, 2012 at 3:59 PM Post #21 of 21
What you have there OP is the older version of the EF5, Head Direct has released a New Version that comes with a Full Music Tube and a New Volume Control which is the High and Low gain switch you speak off.
 

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