THE WATERCOOLER HEADPHONE EDITION – Headphones, Amps, DACs, and desktop/home audio related – a freewheeling discussion of gear, impressions, music, and musings.

[bigbeans]

Right x 2!

keep it coming guys if anyone finds any other ommission or knows more.. let's see if anything else pops up.. perhaps we'll end up with a semi-conclusive of modern brands and factories currently manufacturing tubes..

Don’t forget about Dre

 

[goldwerger]

Don’t forget about Dre

 

[Frankie D]

The Solitaire P has been growing on me as of late connected to my MK-465. One funny thing I have found is that they sound very good with vocals as background music when I place them on their stands but still connected. I have been doing this a bit while reading or doing research.

 

[cwoo]

The Solitaire P has been growing on me as of late connected to my MK-465. One funny thing I have found is that they sound very good with vocals as background music when I place them on their stands but still connected. I have been doing this a bit while reading or doing research.

Lol, just like the manufacture intended them to be heard!

 

[jonathan c]

The Solitaire P has been growing on me as of late connected to my MK-465. One funny thing I have found is that they sound very good with vocals as background music when I place them on their stands but still connected. I have been doing this a bit while reading or doing research.

.... do you fine tune by 'rolling' stands?

 

[ThanatosVI]

yes, in Tienjin China by TJ Full Music, subject to Sophia's specs/QA (http://www.tube-fullmusic.com/products/en-product.htm)

---

This made me think it would fun to compile a definitive list of all currently manufactured tubes and location of factories. Here is what I know. What does everyone knows that may be missing in the list below?

As far as modern tube goes, here is what I'm aware of:

• China - Psvane, Linlai, Hengyang Electron Tube Factory (Shuguang, Jajning), TJ Full Musice (Full Music, Sophia Electric)
• Russia - Eletro-Harmonix (Electro-Harmonix, Sovtek, Reflektor, Tung-Sol, Mullard, Genalex Gold Lion.. not to be confused with the original brands' tubes)
• Slovakia - JJ Electronics
• Korea - Stradi
• US - Western Electric
• Germany - Elrog
• Japan - Takatsuki

* both the New Sensor factory in Russia owned by Electro-Harmonix and the JJ factory in Slovania also manufacture reissue tubes for Telefunken Elektroakustik

Afaik Fullmusic is no more. The founder died in recent years and the gear was aquired in parts by Linlai and PS Vane.

For czech manufacturers you missed EML (Emmision Labs) and KR Audio as original producers and E.A.T which are OEM of KR

 

[goldwerger]

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks, corrections, and additions. Here is an updated list of all tubes currently manufactured. This is neither an exhaustive nor fully detailed, just intendedd for quick and easy reference for anyone interested to know which tubes brands are currently being manufactured and their provenance. I'll update this post in the future with any new info or edits from the community.

Tubes brands in current production:

• China -- Psvane (Psvane, Audio Note), Linlai, Shuguang, TJ Full music (Full music, Sophia Electric, Northern Electric)
• Russia -- New Sensor Corporation / Electro-Harmonix (New Sensor, Electro-Harmonix, EH Gold, Svetlana, Sovtek, Reflektor, Tung-Sol, Mullard, Genalex Gold Lion / not to be confused with the original brand names, which were different tubes companies, countries, and/or factories)
• Slovakia -- JJ Electronics (JJ Electronics, Telefunken Elektroakustik), European Audio Team
• Czech Republic - KR Audio, Emission Labs
• Korea -- Stradi
• US -- Western Electric
• Germany -- Elrog
• Japan -- Takatsuki

Footnotes:

• Audio Note is headquartered in the UK and sources its tubes from Psnave
• Sophia Electric is headquartered in the US and sources its tubes from TJ Full music
• Norther Electric tubes are made for TheTubeStore in Canada and made by TJ Full music
• Telefunken Elektroakustik is headquartered in Germany and sources is tubes from JJ Electronics

* Updated as of this post latest edit date.

 

[Leonarfd]

The Lavricables Grand Master V2 8 wire arrived, decided to get the more warm grey version instead of the transparent PVC sleeve. Look beutiful and sounds awesome, need some more testing to gather my thoughts. Also need to see how it behave versus my litz type 6 copper or stock cables from ZMF. For now I can say I love this one, the Lavricables IEM cables are a faovorite of mine also.
I got it in 4.4mm to be able to use it with a portable amp for my R8 II DAP, this amp been delayed as I used up my current audio budget on a new flagship IEM. So for now the Denafrips and Topping combo have to do, the Ares 12th-1 R2R together with A90 Discrete sounds good. But I lack that extra soul I had with my previous cheap Beyerdynamic A20, had a certain synergy with high impedance headphones.

Open for suggestions, is there any good amps that sound slightly analoge and warm? Preferably not to expensive

 

[fidgeraldo]

Open for suggestions, is there any good amps that sound slightly analoge and warm?

SPL Phonitor XE is neutral/slightly warm. Violetric is warmer...

Cheers!

 

[Leonarfd]

SPL Phonitor XE is neutral/slightly warm. Violetric is warmer...

Cheers!

Its someone who sell a almost new V222 in my country, very tempting.

 

[bunnygal23]

SPL Phonitor XE is neutral/slightly warm. Violetric is warmer...

Cheers!

+1 for violectric, it's the closest I've heard to a tube sound in SS, paired wonderfully with my ZMF Atrium and Atticus when I had them, the V222 is not too crazy esp if you can get it used.

 

[fidgeraldo]

Its someone who sell a almost new V222 in my country, very tempting.

That's my plan for the future...

 

[Whazzzup]

Until the woo won me over i was warming to nimbus 5 lake people/vioelectric

 

[Frankie D]

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks, corrections, and additions. Here is an updated list of all tubes currently manufactured. This is neither an exhaustive nor fully detailed, just intendedd for quick and easy reference for anyone interested to know which tubes brands are currently being manufactured and their provenance. I'll update this post in the future with any new info or edits from the community.

Tubes brands in current production:

• China -- Psvane (Psvane, Audio Note), Linlai, Shuguang, TJ Full musice (Full music, Sophia Electric, Northern Electric)
• Russia -- Eletro-Harmonix (Electro-Harmonix, EH Gold, Svetlana, Sovtek, Reflektor, Tung-Sol, Mullard, Genalex Gold Lion / not to be confused with the original brand names, which were different tubes companies, countries, and/or factories)
• Slovakia -- JJ Electronics (JJ Electronics, Telefunken Elektroakustik), European Audio Team
• Czech Republic - KR Audio, Emission Labs
• Korea -- Stradi
• US -- Western Electric
• Germany -- Elrog
• Japan -- Takatsuki

Footnotes:

• Audio Note is headquartered in the UK and sources its tubes from Psnave
• Sophia Electric is headquartered in the US and sources its tubes from TJ Full music
• Norther Electric tubes are made for TheTubeStore in Canada and made by TJ Full music
• Telefunken Elektroakustik is headquartered in Germany and sources is tubes from JJ Electronics

* Updated as of this post latest edit date.

Eyal, it might be a good idea if you had a link to this in the first page like you did for the survey. This could be valuable info for someone.

 

[goldwerger]

Eyal, it might be a good idea if you had a link to this in the first page like you did for the survey. This could be valuable info for someone.

good idea.. done