[g0ldl10n]

Does anybody know which brand this 6080WB tube? Thanks

Side getter, thats interesting, i dont think ive seen one of these types of graphite 6080s with a side getter before.

 

[therremans]

Side getter, thats interesting, i dont think ive seen one of these types of graphite 6080s with a side getter before.

Same here, very cool. I’ve never seen these 6080s without a top getter/flashing.

 

[mordy]

Same here, very cool. I’ve never seen these 6080s without a top getter/flashing.

Looked again on the pictures. The glass on top says USA 3 which means that it was made by Tung Sol in Newark, N.J.

 

[maxpudding]

I thought the tube has ran out of its life because of the clear top, then I saw the side getter. Very cool indeed, never seen this one before.

 

[proid]

Hi,
I can get this Chatham 6080 for about 40$, is that good? Thanks!

 

[Dogmatrix]

Hi,
I can get this Chatham 6080 for about 40$, is that good? Thanks!

Not bad
One of the better 6080
I would

 

[mordy]

Hi,
I can get this Chatham 6080 for about 40$, is that good? Thanks!

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Chatham+6080&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1
Look at this page of Chatham 6080 that sold in the last two months on eBay. The price is in the ballpark, but if you are patient you can do better.

 

[Jimmy24]

Hi guys. Do you know if the WE 421a bottom double halo getter sounds the same as the bottom double d getter?

 

[JTbbb]

Hi guys. Do you know if the WE 421a bottom double halo getter sounds the same as the bottom double d getter?

I’ve had both and would say they sound the same.

Edit: Have both.

 

[InsanelyConfused]

Hey people, just wondering what tubes I have here and how to interpret the date and manufacturing codes.. I kinda don't understand them. Also, the tube on the left seems to be different from the rest. It's more round up top and has a diagonal number.. also, what does EAP, EDT or AAE even mean?
I tried finding tube manufacturing datasheets for all the codes but I haven't been able to find an answer when these were made and if they differ from each other.

I provided all the data that is visible in this image, there aren't any logos or other markings aside from stuff like "6080" or "USA" on the back.

(I would also like to know if I could draw a conclusion which one would potentially be the "best" one by interpreting the manufacturing date and location)

Thanks for any help!

 

[mordy]

Hey people, just wondering what tubes I have here and how to interpret the date and manufacturing codes.. I kinda don't understand them. Also, the tube on the left seems to be different from the rest. It's more round up top and has a diagonal number.. also, what does EAP, EDT or AAE even mean?
I tried finding tube manufacturing datasheets for all the codes but I haven't been able to find an answer when these were made and if they differ from each other.

I provided all the data that is visible in this image, there aren't any logos or other markings aside from stuff like "6080" or "USA" on the back.

(I would also like to know if I could draw a conclusion which one would potentially be the "best" one by interpreting the manufacturing date and location)

Thanks for any help!

These are all Sylvania late production 6080WC tubes (WC being the last revision after 6080, 6080WA and 6080WB). Starting from the right and going left the first two are a pair from the 26th week (June) 1981. The third tube looks identical but from the 13th week (March) 1981. The left tube is an earlier production run from week 13 1972. It looks a little different without the bottom fabric, and it has copper rods. In all likelihood they all sound the same. As a rule, earlier manufacturing dates are usually considered better, but not always.
I don't know what the 82219 and 34167 numbers mean. The three letter codes are also a mystery (EAP, AAE etc) and probably was some kind of internal code, but I have never seen any post that explains them.
All in all, personally, I think that this Sylvania tube is a very good sounding tube and very underrated. It has been more appreciated when it appeared as a Mullard rebranded tube with the concomitant high price!

 

[InsanelyConfused]

These are all Sylvania late production 6080WC tubes (WC being the last revision after 6080, 6080WA and 6080WB). Starting from the right and going left the first two are a pair from the 26th week (June) 1981. The third tube looks identical but from the 13th week (March) 1981. The left tube is an earlier production run from week 13 1972. It looks a little different without the bottom fabric, and it has copper rods. In all likelihood they all sound the same. As a rule, earlier manufacturing dates are usually considered better, but not always.
I don't know what the 82219 and 34167 numbers mean. The three letter codes are also a mystery (EAP, AAE etc) and probably was some kind of internal code, but I have never seen any post that explains them.
All in all, personally, I think that this Sylvania tube is a very good sounding tube and very underrated. It has been more appreciated when it appeared as a Mullard rebranded tube with the concomitant high price!

Thanks a lot for the reply! They are indeed all very nice.. I kinda feel like the 1981 ones sound more open, but testing tubes is very difficult so I can't really say if that isn't some sort of a placebo affect.

 

[gibosi]

Hey people, just wondering what tubes I have here and how to interpret the date and manufacturing codes.. I kinda don't understand them. Also, the tube on the left seems to be different from the rest. It's more round up top and has a diagonal number.. also, what does EAP, EDT or AAE even mean?
I tried finding tube manufacturing datasheets for all the codes but I haven't been able to find an answer when these were made and if they differ from each other.

I provided all the data that is visible in this image, there aren't any logos or other markings aside from stuff like "6080" or "USA" on the back.

(I would also like to know if I could draw a conclusion which one would potentially be the "best" one by interpreting the manufacturing date and location)

Thanks for any help!

As Mordy notes, the one on the left is about 10 years older. That is, 1972, week 13. The others were made in 1981.

Late Sylvania codes are difficult to decipher. After WWII, until vacuum tube production ceased in 1988, ownership of Sylvania changed hands twice, and unfortunately, it appears that no internal records pertaining to production codes survived.

Regarding the 3-digit codes, the first digit appears to indicate the factory. "A" = Altoona, Pennsylvania and "E" = Emporium, Pennsylvania. The two remaining digits appear to be a batch code of some kind. But again, I do not know how to decipher this code.

 

[mordy]

As Mordy notes, the one on the left is about 10 years older. That is, 1972, week 13. The others were made in 1981.

Late Sylvania codes are difficult to decipher. After WWII, until vacuum tube production ceased in 1988, ownership of Sylvania changed hands twice, and unfortunately, it appears that no internal records pertaining to production codes survived.

Regarding the 3-digit codes, the first digit appears to indicate the factory. "A" = Altoona, Pennsylvania and "E" = Emporium, Pennsylvania. The two remaining digits appear to be a batch code of some kind. But again, I do not know how to decipher this code.

Somehow I think that these three letter codes became a factory joke at the end of the tube era because I have a Sylvania tube with the code XYZ!

 

[mordy]

Thanks a lot for the reply! They are indeed all very nice.. I kinda feel like the 1981 ones sound more open, but testing tubes is very difficult so I can't really say if that isn't some sort of a placebo affect.

You don't have to worry! There is only one rule: Trust your ears! A lot of people would like you to think that the more expensive the tube, the better it sounds. I mean, how is it possible that a $5 tube should sound better than a $500 tube!!!????
I am not making this up: A renowned amp designer was very happy that he had all British (expensive) tubes in his amp and it sounded great (GEC L63 and Mullard 6080) until it was pointed out that the power tubes were not Mullard but rebranded Sylvania 6080 tubes. (Kind of hard to hide the gray color of the tube socket).