[bcowen]

Lots of money being spent on tubes for a Vali2. Try a couple cheap tubes like the GE 5670W with an adapter for $10-15 and call it a day. It's a fantastic amp and I love mine but don't go overboard. That tube has great mids and decent airy treble, much better than the stock tube and quite affordable.

Of *any* tube I'd recommend for the Vali 2 a GE 5670 would NOT be it. Sorry. Beyond the fact it was one of the few tubes that was actually made by GE, it's one of the worst sounding 2C51 / 5670 / 396A variants around. Try a Sylvania, WE, Tung-Sol, Tesla...any of them make the GE 5670W sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

 

[Paladin79]

Of *any* tube I'd recommend for the Vali 2 a GE 5670 would NOT be it. Sorry. Beyond the fact it was one of the few tubes that was actually made by GE, it's one of the worst sounding 2C51 / 5670 / 396A variants around. Try a Sylvania, WE, Tung-Sol, Tesla...any of them make the GE 5670W sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I wish you would not beat around the bush and say what you really think about GE tubes Bill.

 

[Ripper2860]

@bcowen -- I was wondering how long before you stumbled upon that post.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Of *any* tube I'd recommend for the Vali 2 a GE 5670 would NOT be it. Sorry. Beyond the fact it was one of the few tubes that was actually made by GE, it's one of the worst sounding 2C51 / 5670 / 396A variants around. Try a Sylvania, WE, Tung-Sol, Tesla...any of them make the GE 5670W sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I have several 5670 tubes and indeed GE 5670W is blandest among them, WE396A sounds the best to me in Vali 2 on both K702 and HE400i.

 

[Paladin79]

I have several 5670 tubes and indeed GE 5670W is blandest among them, WE396A sounds the best to me in Vali 2 on both K702 and HE400i.

Except for some 6080 power tubes I have not used a lot of GE tubes. I would have to check my bulk tubes to see if I even own any 5670's.

 

[bcowen]

I wish you would not beat around the bush and say what you really think about GE tubes Bill.

Well I tried, but my post ended up looking like this after the forum software got done with it:

" **** **** **** **** **** **** **** "
I knew what it meant, but figured it would be hard for most everyone else to decipher.

 

[bcowen]

Except for some 6080 power tubes I have not used a lot of GE tubes. I would have to check my bulk tubes to see if I even own any 5670's.

I will admit there is one GE tube I actually liked: a big 'ol monster 211 power tube. I never did any research on it though, so it's possible it was made by RCA (who was the main player with that tube type back in their day) and just branded for GE.

 

[Robert Padgett]

Of *any* tube I'd recommend for the Vali 2 a GE 5670 would NOT be it. Sorry. Beyond the fact it was one of the few tubes that was actually made by GE, it's one of the worst sounding 2C51 / 5670 / 396A variants around. Try a Sylvania, WE, Tung-Sol, Tesla...any of them make the GE 5670W sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Bill, I am curious--if GE Tubes are so bad, why is it that I have not already bought a whole bucket of them. I typically invest heavily in tubes which I later find out are not the ones I should have bought. The folks at Vivatubes.com must agree with your assessment (And what almost hooked me several times) they seem to sell for a fraction of the rest--even the NOS NIB one is cheaper.

 

[bcowen]

Bill, I am curious--if GE Tubes are so bad, why is it that I have not already bought a whole bucket of them. I typically invest heavily in tubes which I later find out are not the ones I should have bought. The folks at Vivatubes.com must agree with your assessment (And what almost hooked me several times) they seem to sell for a fraction of the rest--even the NOS NIB one is cheaper.

Robert, I'm very sorry but I cannot come up with a reasonable retort to your question. Perhaps you're not dredging far enough down to the very bottom of the bucket?

I think (and this is just my opinion), but the reason most GE tubes are so cheap is because everyone knows they suck and nobody wants them. LOL!

 

[Paladin79]

I will admit there is one GE tube I actually liked: a big 'ol monster 211 power tube. I never did any research on it though, so it's possible it was made by RCA (who was the main player with that tube type back in their day) and just branded for GE.

You will come around, maybe one GE tube at a time. I used a bunch in headphone stands without testing them first but they were tubes I would never use for other purposes anyway.

 

[Paladin79]

Well I tried, but my post ended up looking like this after the forum software got done with it:

" **** **** **** **** **** **** **** "
I knew what it meant, but figured it would be hard for most everyone else to decipher.

You may well have a total lack of social graces but at least you are consistent @bcowen, I will give you that.

 

[Ripper2860]

You will come around, maybe one GE tube at a time. I used a bunch in headphone stands without testing them first but they were tubes I would never use for other purposes anyway.

I think Bill is a wood-pile descendant of the Tesla family and we all know they've had an ax to grind with Thomas Edison since the whole AC vs DC thing.

 

[bcowen]

You may well have a total lack of social graces but at least you are consistent @bcowen, I will give you that.

Huh? I was voted "Most Likely To Repulse Friends and Negatively Influence People" in my high school yearbook. Of course that was 75 years ago, so perhaps I've changed since then. Or not.

 

[bcowen]

I think Bill is a wood-pile descendant of the Tesla family and we all know they've had an ax to grind with Thomas Edison since the whole AC vs DC thing.

I love AC/DC. Second, of course, to Marilyn Manson.

 

[bcowen]

You will come around, maybe one GE tube at a time. I used a bunch in headphone stands without testing them first but they were tubes I would never use for other purposes anyway.

I think headphone stands are the best use ever created for GE tubes.