[Paladin79]

Both, usually. The resistors help to load the ribbon for damping with the amplifier.

I am curious though if you must maintain a really low output impedance on the amp as you would with other headphones. 1/8th the headphone impedance I seem to recall.

 

[RickB]

Very true, especially if you bought them many years ago and are sitting back watching the prices go up and up lol.

I guess tubes never go bad from old age?

 

[Paladin79]

I guess tubes never go bad from old age?

I am using some from the 30's and 40's but that is after they have been tested and confirmed as working. I would think that some eventually have issues like the pins oxidizing, leakage around seals and such. I have come across some of those. I believe the Western Electric 300B first came about in the 30's and were used in amps in movie theaters. They have a very long active life in use but like anything, you have to be careful what you buy and from whom.

Some of the Russian tubes that are 60-70 years old seem to have issues with the solder used in the pins. I remove and replace that on some brands.

 

[RickB]

I am using some from the 30's and 40's but that is after they have been tested and confirmed as working. I would think that some eventually have issues like the pins oxidizing, leakage around seals and such. I have come across some of those. I believe the Western Electric 300B first came about in the 30's and were used in amps in movie theaters. They have a very long active life in use but like anything, you have to be careful what you buy and from whom.

Some of the Russian tubes that are 60-70 years old seem to have issues with the solder used in the pins. I remove and replace that on some brands.

I wonder if these tubes had been made today if they would have the same long lifespan.

 

[Paladin79]

I wonder if these tubes had been made today if they would have the same long lifespan.

Doubtful since many are Russian and Chinese made. There used to be companies that made some wonderful vacuum tubes, but much of that knowledge no longer exists. I have new Russian reissue Tung Sols and I guarantee you they do not sound like some of the originals. One I especially like will be in the tubes I send Jason for the September listening.

I have been told that a company has tried to reproduce the Western Electric 300B's but they are similar in name only, @bcowen would know more about this than me.

That being said, years ago I was told something along the lines of galvanized pipe might last 25 years, copper pipe 50 years, plastic pipe...they don't know yet. It is difficult to judge the lifespan of something while it is still usable. (I might have the number of years wrong on each type of pipe and maybe by now they know about pvc.)

 

[jimmers]

Sometime ago Stereophile did an article on 300B tubes with comparative reviews of several types
https://www.stereophile.com/features/229/index.html

 

[45longcolt]

Were I a 27-year-old billionaire, I'd happily dive down the vintage tube rabbit hole. Just can't shake this vision of waking from a long fever dream to find myself in a house full of small glass bottles, flat broke and with the tragic certainty that there is something still more sublime out there, perhaps made in a small factory in East Germany in 1953 and thus never to be seen (or heard) by mere mortals...

 

[RickB]

Were I a 27-year-old billionaire, I'd happily dive down the vintage tube rabbit hole. Just can't shake this vision of waking from a long fever dream to find myself in a house full of small glass bottles, flat broke and with the tragic certainty that there is something still more sublime out there, perhaps made in a small factory in East Germany in 1953 and thus never to be seen (or heard) by mere mortals...

Yeah, I can't picture Mark Zuckerbot actually liking music.

 

[Paladin79]

Were I a 27-year-old billionaire, I'd happily dive down the vintage tube rabbit hole. Just can't shake this vision of waking from a long fever dream to find myself in a house full of small glass bottles, flat broke and with the tragic certainty that there is something still more sublime out there, perhaps made in a small factory in East Germany in 1953 and thus never to be seen (or heard) by mere mortals...

I buy a few here and there and one think I believe the tubes I am sending to Schiit will show is that there are some amazing $20 tubes out there if you take the time to hunt them down. You do have to take the time to learn what to look for but that is just part of the process. I do have some tubes in the $100-$200 range and some of those are included as well. If nothing else this blind test is a good indicator of whether or not it is worth it to you to spend the money. If all tubes sound alike, why bother? Different tubes do have different characteristics but not everyone can pick up on that. To me those differences are a lot bigger than what you might get from headphone cables and there are folks that spend hundreds of dollars on very little improvement, if any.

 

[TylersEclectic]

I buy a few here and there and one think I believe the tubes I am sending to Schiit will show is that there are some amazing $20 tubes out there if you take the time to hunt them down. You do have to take the time to learn what to look for but that is just part of the process. I do have some tubes in the $100-$200 range and some of those are included as well. If nothing else this blind test is a good indicator of whether or not it is worth it to you to spend the money. If all tubes sound alike, why bother? Different tubes do have different characteristics but not everyone can pick up on that. To me those differences are a lot bigger than what you might get from headphone cables and there are folks that spend hundreds of dollars on very little improvement, if any.

This! I buy headphone cables because neck candy lol...but even then I refuse to spend an exorbitant amount of cash on them. I am still working out the best way to make my own =)

 

[Paladin79]

This! I buy headphone cables because neck candy lol...but even then I refuse to spend an exorbitant amount of cash on them. I am still working out the best way to make my own =)

LOL there is an excellent DIY cable thread on here. I have a great deal of experience with them including some blind testing I did at home. I just try to put my downstairs back together before my wife gets back into town and it works out pretty well.

If you do get into braiding your own cables and need some quality wire, pm me and I will make every effort to gift you some, I get samples all the time.

 

[tafens]

Doubtful since many are Russian and Chinese made. There used to be companies that made some wonderful vacuum tubes, but much of that knowledge no longer exists. I have new Russian reissue Tung Sols and I guarantee you they do not sound like some of the originals.

I quite enjoy the reissue Russian Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB in my Lyr3. I haven’t tried any of the more expensive NOS tubes yet, but to me it is the best sounding tube of a few sub $50 tubes I’ve tried (both new and NOS). The original Tung-Sol I have comes in a real close second having a little more clarity but sacrificing some euphony and musicality in the process.

Schiit made a very good choice on that one, as it can be selected as stock tube when ordering

The reissue is about $30 a pop, too, which is a lot better for my wallet than the rare NOS stuff

 

[Paladin79]

I quite enjoy the reissue Russian Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB in my Lyr3. I haven’t tried any of the more expensive NOS tubes yet, but to me it is the best sounding tube of a few sub $50 tubes I’ve tried (both new and NOS). The original Tung-Sol I have comes in a real close second having a little more clarity but sacrificing some euphony and musicality in the process.

Schiit made a very good choice on that one, as it can be selected as stock tube when ordering

The reissue is about $30 a pop, too, which is a lot better for my wallet than the rare NOS stuff

I use them on occasion in a Freya plus and in Schiit's case, they have to find current tubes they can find in abundance and that is the 6sn7 tube I generally order with their product. Tubes are like anything else in audio, each individual has their own likes and dislikes and specific amounts of money they might want to throw at a hobby. There are some wonderful older tubes in that same price range $20-$30 each. Some are costly because of their rarity or they are NOS even when being 70 years old. I have a hard time using a tube in a Vali 2 that costs more than the amp lol. There are also some sellers out there who say a tube tests "good" when it is nowhere near the condition I would want to purchase.

There is more difference to be heard in upgrading an amp or headphones. Personally I have tailored some amps and pre-amps to specific sounds I like and tubes allow me a variable that I do not have with solid state equipment unless I void the warranty.

Oh and the mouse ear Tung Sol cost me right at $30 and to my ear, I liked it better than some more expensive tubes.

 

[Ableza]

It's interesting how some tube amps respond well to changing tubes and some do not, and others like my Shindo and my Audio Valve warn against "tube rolling," the Audio Valve going so far as to state that t will void the warranty.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

If you do get into braiding your own cables and need some quality wire, pm me and I will make every effort to gift you some, I get samples all the time.

About that...
Is there some idea behind the how and why of cable braiding?
If so, please tell us.