[JKDJedi]

Would you guys agree with this list? I found it interesting. He reviewed a dozen tubes and listed them from The BEst down to 16th ALL TIME GREATS.

I.a) GEC Curved Brown Base 6AS7G A1834 CV2523
I.b) Western Electric 421A
I.c) GEC Straight Brown Base 6AS7G A1834 CV2523

II.a.i) Tung Sol 5998
II.a.ii) Tung Sol 421A
II.a.iii) Cetron/Tung Sol 7236
II.b.i) Bendix 6080WB with slotted graphite cross columns
II.b.ii) Bendix 6080WB with solid graphite cross columns
II.b.iii) Bendix 6080WB with solid graphite columns
II.c) Bendix 6080WB
II.d) Mullard (Telefunken/Valvo/GEC) 6080WA CV2984
II.e) Sylvania 7236

III.a) Sylvania Gold Brand 6080
III.b) Tung Sol Chatham 6AS7G
III.c) RCA 6AS7G
III.d) Tung Sol 6080 or 6080WA

Tubes not included in this review:
6H13/ECC230 (Various labels: Philips/Amperex/Svetlana/Winged-C)
5998A
6AS7GA
Sylvania 6AS7G
Any other 6080WA/WB/WC variant not listed

http://the-key.enix.org/~krystal/review-tube-bottlehead.html

 

[gibosi]

I.a) GEC Curved Brown Base 6AS7G A1834 CV2523
I.b) Western Electric 421A
I.c) GEC Straight Brown Base 6AS7G A1834 CV2523

The shape of the base, straight or curved, has absolutely no affect on the sound of the tube.

II.d) Mullard (Telefunken/Valvo/GEC) 6080WA CV2984

Telefunken, Mullard and GEC all made this tube. They are not the same and should not be ranked the same. However, it is true that Valvo never manufactured this tube and it is common to see Mullard-made 6080 with the Valvo brand.

And finally, it is best to take rankings with a big grain of salt. There are simply too many variables and almost any tube can sound great in the right system.

 

[JKDJedi]

The shape of the base, straight or curved, has absolutely no affect on the sound of the tube.



Telefunken, Mullard and GEC all made this tube. They are not the same and should not be ranked the same. However, it is true that Valvo never manufactured this tube and it is common to see Mullard-made 6080 with the Valvo brand.

And finally, it is best to take rankings with a big grain of salt. There are simply too many variables and almost any tube can sound great in the right system.

Curved base does have that it factor going for it... And yes, take into account the system this list was made off of. I have a Philips 6080 that's Mullard made, heard of those?

 

[gibosi]

> Curved base does have that it factor going for it...

I don't understand this? Again, the shape of the base is meaningless. Typically bases were installed just prior to packing and shipping to suit the customer.

Both Mullard and Valvo were wholly owned Philips subsidiaries and so you will see the Mullard 6080 with Valvo and Philips branding.

 

[JKDJedi]

> Curved base does have that it factor going for it...

I don't understand this? Again, the shape of the base is meaningless. Typically bases were installed just prior to packing and shipping to suit the customer.

Both Mullard and Valvo were wholly owned Philips subsidiaries and so you will see the Mullard 6080 with Valvo and Philips branding.

Sexy!

> Curved base does have that it factor going for it...

I don't understand this? Again, the shape of the base is meaningless. Typically bases were installed just prior to packing and shipping to suit the customer.

Both Mullard and Valvo were wholly owned Philips subsidiaries and so you will see the Mullard 6080 with Valvo and Philips branding.

Interesting! Philips owned Mullard!? I meant the curved base adds to the sex appeal of that perticular tube. And good to know straight or curved... still the same tube. Thanks

 

[gibosi]

Interesting! Philips owned Mullard!? I meant the curved base adds to the sex appeal of that perticular tube. And good to know straight or curved... still the same tube. Thanks

Oh yes, many consider the curved base more "sexy" and the prices reflect this. But again, it is of no sonic significance.

At its peak, Philips was a large conglomerate based in Holland, with wholly owned subsidiaries all over Europe, and elsewhere. Collectively, it was the largest manufacturer of vacuum tubes in Europe with the most advanced research facilities. Its subsidiaries and brands included Mullard, Valvo, La Radiotechnique, Dario, Amperex, Pope, M.B.L.E. (Bruxelles - Mazda), WIRAG, Loewe Opta and a number of others.

 

[JKDJedi]

Oh yes, many consider the curved base more "sexy" and the prices reflect this. But again, it is of no sonic significance.

At its peak, Philips was a large conglomerate based in Holland, with wholly owned subsidiaries all over Europe, and elsewhere. Collectively, it was the largest manufacturer of vacuum tubes in Europe with the most advanced research facilities. Its subsidiaries and brands included Mullard, Valvo, La Radiotechnique, Dario, Amperex, Pope, M.B.L.E. (Bruxelles - Mazda), WIRAG, Loewe Opta and a number of others.

Thanks for the info, I was thinking the Philips I had was not a true example or representative of the Mullard 6080 sound..and now with this news...and I almost sold that tube! Glad I held on to it. I have to let you guys know I copy and paste all this info you guys generously share with us to my personal library.

 

[gibosi]

Well in the 1970's Philips got out of the vacuum tube manufacturing business and purchased Sylvania. So the newer Philips 6080 are actually Sylvania.

 

[cddc]

> Curved base does have that it factor going for it...

I don't understand this? Again, the shape of the base is meaningless. Typically bases were installed just prior to packing and shipping to suit the customer.

Both Mullard and Valvo were wholly owned Philips subsidiaries and so you will see the Mullard 6080 with Valvo and Philips branding.

Hi Ken, just curious to know how tube bases are installed?

My guess is that the glass bottle of tube comes with leads, and the base comes with hollow pins, so they stick leads into hollow pins and filled the gap with solder to connect leads and pins, at the same time they apply some glue between glass bottle and base to make sure they're bonded together, is that correct?

 

[gibosi]

Hi Ken, just curious to know how tube bases are installed?

My guess is that the glass bottle of tube comes with leads, and the base comes with hollow pins, so they stick leads into hollow pins and filled the gap with solder to connect leads and pins, at the same time they apply some glue between glass bottle and base to make sure they're bonded together, is that correct?

You got it!

 

[JKDJedi]

Well in the 1970's Philips got out of the vacuum tube manufacturing business and purchased Sylvania. So the newer Philips 6080 are actually Sylvania.

I have one of them too...lol, the prior has the Mullard markings purchased imported from Europe. I'll try to find pics of it ...

Made in Mullard Mitcham tube plant, and codes are clearly visible on 2nd photo A1J R1G.

 

[cddc]

You got it!

Thank you very much Sir for the confirmation!

Then it poses a problem for people who want to replace the base...you gotta have 8 soldering ions to heat up the 8 pins of 6080 simultaneously if you want to take the base off...

 

[JKDJedi]

Thank you very much Sir for the confirmation!

Then it poses a problem for people who want to replace the base...you gotta have 8 soldering ions to heat up the 8 pins of 6080 simultaneously if you want to take the base off...

Your a riot CDDC

 

[cddc]

Your a riot CDDC

...BTW, your Phillip looks like a Sylvania 6080

 

[gibosi]

Thank you very much Sir for the confirmation!

Then it poses a problem for people who want to replace the base...you gotta have 8 soldering ions to heat up the 8 pins of 6080 simultaneously if you want to take the base off...

Or just use a hack saw to cut the base into sections and then you can unsolder the pins one by one.

But putting on a new base might require 8 soldering irons. lol