[Sathimas]

The question is where the difference between the normal and the 5 Star Series is?

I mean, are the 5stars better in any case?

 

[headphonejunkie]

I like the 5star better than my RCA 5963. I don't have any GE 5963's though to compare it to.

 

[tomb]

The RCA 5963 is fairly non-descript. The GE 5963 is singularly better than other 5963's (in the SOHA).

The GE "Five Star" or "Command" series were specially ruggedized versions of the 5814A, intended for military rigors, etc. Many of the premium tubes - GE Five Star, Raytheon CK, Sylvania Gold Standard - were built with triple mica spacers, and/or double posts on the getter, or as in the case of the Raytheon CK5814, an entirely different type of "plate" getter.

Like almost every GE tube, the Five Star 5814A's have great power and dynamics, but in my experience (I have two), the highs are missing. Considering that it is accepted as an upgrade type tube in every way, that's a disappointing result.

There are others on Audio Asylum who've rejected them, too.

Sathimas, James Cross at VacuumTubesInc.com sells the GE 5963 for $4 ea.

 

[headphonejunkie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb /img/forum/go_quote.gif The RCA 5963 is fairly non-descript. The GE 5963 is singularly better than other 5963's (in the SOHA). The GE "Five Star" or "Command" series were specially ruggedized versions of the 5814A, intended for military rigors, etc. Many of the premium tubes - GE Five Star, Raytheon CK, Sylvania Gold Standard - were built with triple mica spacers, and/or double posts on the getter, or as in the case of the Raytheon CK5814, an entirely different type of "plate" getter. Like almost every GE tube, the Five Star 5814A's have great power and dynamics, but in my experience (I have two), the highs are missing. Considering that it is accepted as an upgrade type tube in every way, that's a disappointing result. There are others on Audio Asylum who've rejected them, too. Sathimas, James Cross at VacuumTubesInc.com sells the GE 5963 for $4 ea.

That is probably why it sounds good with my grados. Not too harsh with the highs.

 

[Sathimas]

I already read several times that vacuum tubes inc. sells the 5963 at 4$,
but I can not find the tubes in the shop - nor the 5963 neither the 6680, which I'd like to try also.

Am I blind? Or something worse

[EDIT]
I downloaded the cataloque and now I found both tubes.
I'll send them an email, hope they've got GE6680s too.

 

[tomb]

I think the confusion comes in because some tube vendors treat the "59" in "5963" as coming before 6D's and 6J's, but then others list "5963" as if the "59" comes way after a "12" as in 12AU7 - if that makes sense.

If you guys are interested, there are two vendors that have really good writeups on the 12AU7 and all its variants. Some of the stuff is obviously their own opinion and what sounds good at standard bias (100V) may not sound as good in the SOHA (40V), so be skeptical. Nevertheless, it's kind of a fun read in both places:

http://www.vacuumtubes.com/12au7.html
http://www.audiotubes.com/12au7.htm

 

[Sathimas]

Hi again,

vacuumtubes inc. is out of stock for GE 5963, the only have RAC5963 now, $7,95 each.
The do not have 6680s either.

I just bought a GE 6680, a 5Star GE 5963 and a used GE 5963 on eBay.
Hope they'll arrive very soon, it's a long way over the big ocean

 

[tomb]

Holy cow! He had a hundred of 'em when I bought mine.

 

[Sathimas]

Maybe it's because you are telling everybody how great the are

I paid 49$ now including the shipping, not too much looking at the dollor/euro course.
I had a look on some German shops, the good (or said to be good) german/russian tubes are still more expansive.

Last but not least, I know two guys who built a SOHA too and might
be interested in the tubes I won't use.

 

[headphonejunkie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sathimas /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi again, vacuumtubes inc. is out of stock for GE 5963, the only have RAC5963 now, $7,95 each. The do not have 6680s either. I just bought a GE 6680, a 5Star GE 5963 and a used GE 5963 on eBay. Hope they'll arrive very soon, it's a long way over the big ocean

Ebay works too.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by headphonejunkie /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ebay works too.

True, but they don't often have the best price.

It's really hard to beat Head-Fi's own Sticky list of tube dealers in Head-Fi's Amp section:

[size=xx-small]http://www.audioelectronicsupply.co...ubes/tubes.html
http://www.alltronics.com/tubes3.htm
http://www.amps-n-bits.com/itempagevt0000.htm
http://home.att.net/~esrc/esrcs4.html
http://www.audiotubes.com/bjtubes.htm#main%20list
http://www.bel-tubes.co.uk/
http://www.bottlehead.com/et/parts/parts.htm
http://www.burdaleclose.freeserve.co.uk/new_page_17.htm
http://www.caryaudio.com/
http://home.att.net/~chimeraone/vintageaudiotubes.html
http://www.dc-daylight.ltd.uk/Valve...s-for-sale.html
http://www.dbtubes.com/
http://www.crowthornetubes.com
http://earlywireless.com/valves_for_sale.htm
http://www.electronluv.com/
http://www.electron-tubes.com/
http://www.ee.ualberta.ca/~schmaus/elect/tdex.html
http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/index.html
http://www.exoticaudio.org/
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/1359/ (Aussie)
http://geocities.com/nikolic_lj_dra...ectronTubes.htm
http://www.groovetubes.com/dealers_us.cfm
http://www.house-of-tubes.com/home/hot_home.asp
http://www.jolida.com/
http://www.kenselectronics.com/lists/tubes.htm
http://members.aol.com/etetubes/
http://www.metcoelectronics.com/tubes.htm
http://www.machmat.com/sales/
http://www.macnet.or.jp/pa/upi-k/2A3.html
http://www.manleylabs.com/
http://www.mothaudio.com/
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/otcr.htm
http://www.ohare-inc.com/tube1.htm
http://www.prosound.co.nz/index.htm?...htm~TitleFrame (sovtek)
http://www.radiodaze.com/tubes-07.htm
http://www.r-vac.com/tubes.htm
http://www.satcure-focus.com/audio/page3.htm
http://soundstage.com/tubeor/tube.htm (NOS)
http://www.sovtek.com/
http://www.starkelectronic.com/tubes.htm
http://www.surplussales.com/Tubes-S...cTubeIndex.html
http://www.svetlana.com/docs/tubeworks.html
http://store.yahoo.com/triodeel/tubes.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/v.soundworks/
http://www.tubecollector.org/index.shtml
http://www.thetubestore.com/nos-12fm6.html
http://www.thetubecenter.com/tubelist9.html
http://www.torontosurplus.com/redir...ames_middle.htm (Canada)
http://tubesontheweb.com/TU07.HTM
http://www.tube-shop.com/
http://www.tubesandmore.com/
http://www.tubeworld.com/
http://www.tubeworld.com/cryovalve.html
http://www.tubetronic.com/
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/
http://www.vacuumtube.com/
http://www.vacuumtubes.com/price7.html
http://www.vacuumtubesinc.com/
http://www.vacuumtube.com/
http://www.valves.uk.com/
http://www.valve.demon.co.uk/valves.htm
http://www.valves1.freeserve.co.uk/tubes.htm
http://www.watfordvalves.com/mainindex.htm
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/
http://www.valves1.freeserve.co.uk/...c/esrcmain.html[/size]

There are more where that came from ...

 

[Sathimas]

Well tomb, your list comes a little late

But thank you anyway, I'll keep in in my bookmarks.

Who knows ... maybe the tuberolling virus infects me

 

[headphonejunkie]

TOMB that is a big list. I may have to use it too. Thanks for the info.Only problem with tube rolling is once you find the tube you like the others just sit around. Although, I am sure different headphones sound good with different tubes too.

 

[tomb]

That stuff has been right here on Head-Fi - in the "Headphone Amps" forum section - for years:

TUBES SITES faq - add your fav's here

Like I said in the earlier post, it's a sticky at the top of that forum section. I thought I'd post some of it here, though. I guess there are others who didn't realize it was available, either.

 

[M_Bipartitus]

I have ~3 GE 5963 5 stars that are ok. I prefer the RCA cleartop 12AU7A (NOS '64). Now that the amp has gone a week with no problems (and the gf is out of town) I'll be testing the NOS Amprex Buggle Boys, CBS, and Telefunkens at home. Also I've found the noise floor on my computer is a bit high for careful testing, so time to wire up the DVD-A player.