[yuinlover]

dear friend, I can't see any image either

 

[Cowboy Pinkhat]

indeed, no images

but for the rest: excellent write-up, many thanks

 

[Kouzelna]

Signing in myself, great thread! Thank you!

 

[Mescalamba]

Great FAQ..

..just curiosity, how long can tubes "survive" in average tube amp? I guess that it depends on way used/how often/amp/tube type.. but is there some way to know "how much aprox"?

I know that solid-state are like "forever" (probably only advantage, but kinda important if you are crazy person as me (I like my 8 hours of music per day).

 

[DrDustCell]

I think this thread really, reall deserves a bump up.

 

[cocolinho]

indeed

 

[ToddRaymond]

Thanks for this, adhoc!

 

[tomb]

Fantastic thread, but it needs updating badly.  After selling thousands of tubes over the years, I also want to note my objection to the following statement:

having military or original boxes - these vastly increase value. If you are taking a box from another source and packing your tube in it, it is unethical to not mention so.

The brand box is perhaps important from the collectability feature it has on its own.  However, the branding on the box is even less important than the branding on the tube, which itself is not very important.  Tubes were often sub-contracted and mixed among mfrs on a regular basis.  The box that a tube comes in is in no way an authoritative indication of the tube's manufacturer.  If a tube dealer is really lucky, he is able to acquire tubes in their original "egg crates" as they came from the factory - 100 tubes in a single box, separated by cardboard liners.  In such a case, the individual box one of those tubes is placed in is simply to contain the tube, nothing more.
 
There are definitive ways to recognize a tube's mfr - the etched dot pattern used by GE and the elongated octagon symbol with tube type printed inside for RCA tubes.  For instance, you will find many tubes that come in RCA boxes, painted "RCA" on the tubes, but have the GE etched dots underneath or vice-versa.  Similarly, you may have DuMont tubes that have RCA octagon designations.
 
There were also entire firms who did nothing but buy, rebrand, and stuff tubes in their own boxes - ICC, International, National Electronics, Richardson, etc.  There is nothing wrong with these tubes and most are completely original tubes from GE, RCA, Tung Sol, Sylvania, etc.
 
Beyond that, you have to almost depend on the tube seller and his knowledge to know the true manufacturer of a tube.  The box means almost nothing.

 

[tejanolibre]

Howdy ,
 
Fabulous Review / post very educational and professional.
 
Can someone please help me Identify a set of 5998s that I just bought for my WA22?
 
United National ? Never heard of them. Nothing.
 
Flying saucers !
 
Made in England ? BS! Closer to Moscow probably.
 
But absolutely new .
 

 
 
Thank you kindly,
 
RG

 

[tejanolibre]

Howdy Fellow Headphone Lovers,

Are these following tubes anything Special to drive my WA22 ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXTREMELY-RARE-NOS-TUNGSOL-BLACK-ROUND-PLATE-38768F-PAIR-TUBES-6F8G-VT-231-6SN7/272654139100?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2750.l2649

Pricey and I love my RCA VT-231 matched , smoked NOS pair as a Starter set.

Very Much Obliged for your expert opinions . I'm sincerely grateful.

PS. - which tubes make the most significant difference? Power,Drivers or Rectifiers ?

Happy Rolling and Listening,

TL

http://www.ebay.com/itm/500-000-THO...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649


Check This Out ! It was My idea to the seller. I was the 1st. in E-Bay History to auction a 1.3 Million unit LOTE of Garbage Rap from an auction. E-Bay honchos called me on a conference call to ask how I thought about doing a massive item auction. Never been done before. ( 2001 ? ) $10k invested and $275k Cleared. The guy that sold me the CDs said that he would have paid me $10k to remove them ! I said Watch this. Just put a little Lipstick on the Pig ! Hitting the reset button the last 5 minutes of the auction was better than drugs and sex !

 

[tejanolibre]

 

[tejanolibre]

Howdy Fellow Headphone Lovers,

Are these following tubes anything Special to drive my WA22 ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXTREMELY-RARE-NOS-TUNGSOL-BLACK-ROUND-PLATE-38768F-PAIR-TUBES-6F8G-VT-231-6SN7/272654139100?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2750.l2649

Pricey and I love my RCA VT-231 matched , smoked NOS pair as a Starter set.

Very Much Obliged for your expert opinions . I'm sincerely grateful.

PS. - which tubes make the most significant difference? Power,Drivers or Rectifiers ?

Happy Rolling and Listening,

TL

http://www.ebay.com/itm/500-000-THO...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649


Check This Out ! It was My idea to the seller. I was the 1st. in E-Bay History to auction a 1.3 Million unit LOTE of Garbage Rap from an auction. E-Bay honchos called me on a conference call to ask how I thought about doing a massive item auction. Never been done before. ( 2001 ? ) $10k invested and $275k Cleared. The guy that sold me the CDs said that he would have paid me $10k to remove them ! I said Watch this. Just put a little Lipstick on the Pig ! Hitting the reset button the last 5 minutes of the auction was better than drugs and sex !

 

[danielwz]

i will mark this for now. Great introduction but no images.

 

[tejanolibre]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272654139100?rmvSB=true#viTabs_0

 

[tejanolibre]

i will mark this for now. Great introduction but no images.

Why NO pictures ?

And replies get Blocked by the site !

Thank You Kindly,

Ramiro