So, no company currently making tubes for Millett?

[wnmnkh]

Outside of the house now.....

I will go for either SOHA or Millett right after finishing my second beta22 (which will be a crazy super version.)

I noticed that the tubes Millett uses 12AE6, 12FM6, 12FK6 and some others. None of them is currently in production unlike 12AU7 used in SOHA (a bunch of companies like JJ are making them.) It seems only sources are NOS and OS tubes, which will run out someday.

This matters for me. I do not intended to make amps only for building. I will use the amps/other equipments for a long time unless I made them for just prototyping. So the possible future lackage of tubes worries me.

I want to ask questions to you guys:

1) Is there any company currently making tubes used by Millett?
2) If not, is there any chance of those tube companies begin the production of tubes used by Millett?

Thank you for reading this.

 

[Postal_Blue]

Maybe I am being Naive, But If I were concerned I would buy several sets now and that should pretty well cover you until you move on to something else.

 

[wnmnkh]

Not sure, but how long tubes normally last? Not so long IRCC even if I turn on the amp 24/7 (tubes wear and die easily when on/off.)

 

[tomb]

Quote:

1) Is there any company currently making tubes used by Millett? 2) If not, is there any chance of those tube companies begin the production of tubes used by Millett?

No and no.

Does that mean we will run out? No. There are literally thousands (if not more) of the 12AE6 and 12FK6 still existing. I have several hundred in stock myself.

The FM6 is scarce, that's true - but it was from the beginning.

I can't pretend that they are as easy to get (or as expensive) as the ubiquitous 12AU7 and its variants. Even so, one might say that a Millett tube is easier to obtain than some of the JFETs used in many SS DIY amps.

 

[wnmnkh]

But the difference is that most transistors can last very long enough that my grandchild may use my beta22 in future (maybe at that time caps would be needed to be replaced.)

Tubes, well, will last like some years if cared carefully? The thing is I have to replace tubes in some time while I never worry about transistors unless something has gone short.

Edit : well, I just can buy a dozen of tubes and forget about this fact....

 

[pabbi1]

Yes, I run balanced (4 tubes), so I have a 'collection' of about 30... and still happily on my first set, going on a year old. Oh, and buying a new quad at $30-40 is something I still do on occasion, especially when I see the Tung Sol...

Yes, Pete designed this amp after checking with major tube houses, where they had pallets of these tubes, with no real demand otherwise, except for the rare antique car requirements.

 

[wnmnkh]

Yes, the ones used by Millett are the ones had used in car audio. Well, then it seems only people who buy these tubes are the people who are building this amp.

30 tubes.... That sounds costy.

 

[pabbi1]

All my Millett tubes combined cost less than the cheapest quad for the Blue Hawaii - and some quads for it (4 or 5 currently) cost more than the Millett build and the tubes combined... Mullard xf2 el34 tubes are expensive. This is, and will probably stay, the cheapest tube hobby for quite a long time. In fact, you can buy a pair of 12fk6 for $13 shipped right now off ebay from a guy who probably does have a pallett of them, and happy to sell them at $4 each, and $5 in shipping.

The only thing almost as cheap are the Russian Bijou tubes... unfortunately not so the rectifier tubes...

Tubes are a sickness unto themselves. I just thank Pete and Alex Cavalli for givig us entries where we can enjoy the designs without the endless search for the exact right tubes... and not having to worry a whoile lot that said tubes might scortch the circuit - as a bad tube did in my Blue Hawaii. Expensive tubes are one thing, but when one goes bad and blows out components? Priceless.