[angpsi]

Apologies for this if needed, but am I being thick, or is my natural caution justified?. came across these RFT EL11 on ebay, the price seems too good to be true,so am I missing something, or are they a good buy?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-EL11-RFT-VEB-telefunken-Pentode-Tube-Test/253243475823?_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20160727114228&meid=626814e0f47845bf8611af0b09b4e974&pid=100290&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=140643905482&_trksid=p2060778.c100290.m3507

Back from the day when I was looking for EL tubes, I remember that RFT were always on the cheap side—the Telefunkens being the most sought after and therefore expensive. If you can spare €20, perhaps it's a good bargain. Furthermore, you may still be eligible for a return through eBay buyer's protection if you measure the tubes and find them not "NOS" as promised.

That being said, my general experience has been that you seldom get 'too good to be true' bottom prices without some hidden caveat. Plus, if you buy from a reputable seller for regular prices instead, you usually get the benefit of being able to return the tubes. Same applies if the seller provides measurements, so you can substantiate a claim if the tube is not as promised when it arrives.

My 2 cents.

EDIT: Oh, wait! That's the price per tube, not for all three of them. So I think it's not a "too good to be true" price, just a nice regular one. See for comparison this selection here: http://stores.ebay.com/Technik-Antik-Harz/_i.html?_nkw=el11&submit=Search&_sid=97636402

 

[canthearyou]

I swear I have the worst luck with this amp! It's been 11 days since its last update on shipping.

Total days since I sent my amp out for repair: 110

 

[Scutey]

Back from the day when I was looking for EL tubes, I remember that RFT were always on the cheap side—the Telefunkens being the most sought after and therefore expensive. If you can spare €20, perhaps it's a good bargain. Furthermore, you may still be eligible for a return through eBay buyer's protection if you measure the tubes and find them not "NOS" as promised.

That being said, my general experience has been that you seldom get 'too good to be true' bottom prices without some hidden caveat. Plus, if you buy from a reputable seller for regular prices instead, you usually get the benefit of being able to return the tubes. Same applies if the seller provides measurements, so you can substantiate a claim if the tube is not as promised when it arrives.

My 2 cents.

EDIT: Oh, wait! That's the price per tube, not for all three of them. So I think it's not a "too good to be true" price, just a nice regular one. See for comparison this selection here: http://stores.ebay.com/Technik-Antik-Harz/_i.html?_nkw=el11&submit=Search&_sid=97636402

angpsi, thanks for your 2 cents!. You've said pretty much what I was thinking, just thought I would put it out there as I have nearly been caught out a couple times, sometimes you can't always see what's obvious to someone else!, as usual my natural caution kicked in, will give them some thought as they seem to look pukka, just not for too long as someone else will jump in!, maybe another Head-fi'er!.

 

[mordy]

angpsi, thanks for your 2 cents!. You've said pretty much what I was thinking, just thought I would put it out there as I have nearly been caught out a couple times, sometimes you can't always see what's obvious to someone else!, as usual my natural caution kicked in, will give them some thought as they seem to look pukka, just not for too long as someone else will jump in!, maybe another Head-fi'er!.

Hi Scutey,

All things being equal, I would wait for Telefunken tubes since those are considered the best EL11 tubes. I was able to buy two pairs of WW2 EL11 TFK tubes at good prices, but they were most likely used. Anyhow, they work well. These tubes should last at least 10,000 hours, so I am not worried about buying used if they measure at least 75%.
The least expensive place is usually German eBay, but it seems to me that there is a different eBay culture in Germany. Based on my personal experiences some sellers will not send tubes to other countries, some don't accept PayPal (only bank transfers), and at times the packaging of the shipment is poor. A picture may show a tube with the original box, but the box is missing when it arrives; imperfections such as a loose base may not be mentioned in the description.
And if something goes wrong, at times the seller will try to give you less than a full refund....
On the plus side Deutche Post has some of the cheapest international shipping rates compared to other European countries, but the sellers don't always know about that, and you have to ask. There is a myth out there , verbalized by several sellers, that sending with the German post office (and not DHL etc at twice the price) will result in damage to the shipment, which is not true.
I always use Google translate if I have any questions.
Ich verwende Google translate immer, wenn ich Fragen habe.
The above are just my personal experiences buying some 25 tubes from Germany and may not reflect other people's experiences.
Caveat Emptor!

 

[Scutey]

Hi Scutey,

All things being equal, I would wait for Telefunken tubes since those are considered the best EL11 tubes. I was able to buy two pairs of WW2 EL11 TFK tubes at good prices, but they were most likely used. Anyhow, they work well. These tubes should last at least 10,000 hours, so I am not worried about buying used if they measure at least 75%.
The least expensive place is usually German eBay, but it seems to me that there is a different eBay culture in Germany. Based on my personal experiences some sellers will not send tubes to other countries, some don't accept PayPal (only bank transfers), and at times the packaging of the shipment is poor. A picture may show a tube with the original box, but the box is missing when it arrives; imperfections such as a loose base may not be mentioned in the description.
And if something goes wrong, at times the seller will try to give you less than a full refund....
On the plus side Deutche Post has some of the cheapest international shipping rates compared to other European countries, but the sellers don't always know about that, and you have to ask. There is a myth out there , verbalized by several sellers, that sending with the German post office (and not DHL etc at twice the price) will result in damage to the shipment, which is not true.
I always use Google translate if I have any questions.
Ich verwende Google translate immer, wenn ich Fragen habe.
The above are just my personal experiences buying some 25 tubes from Germany and may not reflect other people's experiences.
Caveat Emptor!

Hi mordy,

Thanks for your input. I have never had a experience with buying from German eBay, forewarned is forearmed!, reading most of the Head-Fi posts/reviews seem to be mostly of the Telefunken EL11 tubes so I think i'll hang fire for a bit and just keep on looking, if i'm patient and keep looking regularly something will come up. In the meantime I've gone with a recommendation from hypnos and ordered a pair of NOS EL3N from Acoustic Dimension, they should keep me occupied while i'm searching for EL11's!.

 

[mordy]

Hi mordy,

Thanks for your input. I have never had a experience with buying from German eBay, forewarned is forearmed!, reading most of the Head-Fi posts/reviews seem to be mostly of the Telefunken EL11 tubes so I think i'll hang fire for a bit and just keep on looking, if i'm patient and keep looking regularly something will come up. In the meantime I've gone with a recommendation from hypnos and ordered a pair of NOS EL3N from Acoustic Dimension, they should keep me occupied while i'm searching for EL11's!.

Hi Scutey,

It is definitively true that if you are patient and check often you will find what you want at the right price. Re the EL3N I ordered a number of those tubes from Acoustic Dimension - a very reputable and honest business. Just remember that the EL3N requires a very long time to burn in - a couple hundred hours, even though it sounds good after a short while, but it keeps improving.

 

[Scutey]

Hi mordy,

I think, as a general rule, patience brings it's own rewards, so I will be patient and look often!. As for the EL3N's thanks for letting me know, again I'll be patient!, I will probably leave them to an initial burn for 3-4 hours and the rest just listening, and enjoying the burn in journey, something I've always enjoyed as part of this hobby.

 

[angpsi]

Guys, may I introduce @firegon, who's now officially the new owner of my Elise! As for myself, I'll keep lurking around; you're a wonderful bunch and I'd miss your company!

Oh, btw, anyone in need of Ms Xuling's EL11/12 or EL12spez to 6sn7 adapters please let me know, I have a bunch of them and I'm based in the EU.

 

[Scutey]

Guys, may I introduce @firegon, who's now officially the new owner of my Elise! As for myself, I'll keep lurking around; you're a wonderful bunch and I'd miss your company!
Congrats on selling your Elise and welcome to @Firefox from me
Oh, btw, anyone in need of Ms Xuling's EL11/12 or EL12spez to 6sn7 adapters please let me know, I have a bunch of them and I'm based in the EU.

 

[Scutey]

These arrived today from Acoustic Dimension, Just 3 1/2 days from The Netherlands to SW England, arrived in pristine unused condition, these guys are excellent. Just the adapters to arrive and then audio nirvana will (hopefully) ensue!.

 

[Oskari]

Always pretty with the red skirt!

 

[UntilThen]

Guys, may I introduce @firegon, who's now officially the new owner of my Elise! As for myself, I'll keep lurking around; you're a wonderful bunch and I'd miss your company!

Oh, btw, anyone in need of Ms Xuling's EL11/12 or EL12spez to 6sn7 adapters please let me know, I have a bunch of them and I'm based in the EU.

Angelo what are you upgrading to?

 

[Scutey]

Always pretty with the red skirt!

Lol yes!, they're a snappy dresser!

 

[angpsi]

Angelo what are you upgrading to?

ATM happily pending in limbo with my new Mojo. Got me a Curious usb link too, this thing is phenomenal right out of the box. The combo can be pretty remarkable with my HD650, but it is especially great with my Etys - which I’m actually kind of rediscovering since, as it seems, I didn’t really know how good they can be! That being said, I still have the taste of my old Benchmark DAC1 on the Elise, it truly was a remarkable combination...

There are some things I need to to take care of before I spend money on a new amp; e.g. first I got to restore my HD600, that turned out to have a dent on one of the drivers. After this, I might be looking for a DAC for my stereo system. Lately these are usually coming with very good hp amp stages, so there might be an upgrade path for me in there. Finally, I might end up looking for a better pair of headphones, second hand prices on former flagships (e.g. the HD800) are dropping by the day).

And of course, I need to find a way to finance all that spending!

 

[UntilThen]

ATM happily pending in limbo with my new Mojo. Got me a Curious usb link too, this thing is phenomenal right out of the box. The combo can be pretty remarkable with my HD650, but it is especially great with my Etys - which I’m actually kind of rediscovering since, as it seems, I didn’t really know how good they can be! That being said, I still have the taste of my old Benchmark DAC1 on the Elise, it truly was a remarkable combination...

There are some things I need to to take care of before I spend money on a new amp; e.g. first I got to restore my HD600, that turned out to have a dent on one of the drivers. After this, I might be looking for a DAC for my stereo system. Lately these are usually coming with very good hp amp stages, so there might be an upgrade path for me in there. Finally, I might end up looking for a better pair of headphones, second hand prices on former flagships (e.g. the HD800) are dropping by the day).

And of course, I need to find a way to finance all that spending!

Mojo's pretty good as an amp/dac. It drove my LCD-2f sufficiently to enjoy it. However in the company of Yggdrasil and Ragnarok, it's just not getting use much. So I sold it after only 2 months.

Having a recess is good. There's no rush. Elise is good but the world's just waiting to be discovered. Wait till you hear a Woo Audio Wa5 or a WA33. It defines what high end means. My Glenn OTL should be ready soon. I'll be doing a review after I have sufficient time with it.

Good luck to your audio journey.