[HariBhushan]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Western-Electric-274B-3-pieces-NOS-rectifier-tubes-/250658319718?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3a5c666d66
 
3 pieces of Western Electric 274B selling in e-bay and the current bid is $2,111.00
 
 
has anyone heard about them? and what kind of amp would these run in?

 

[Zink]

$2K and the reserve price is not met. I guess they shoot magic music into your transducers. I bought $3 tubes for my starving student .

 

[wadec22]

the day i buy something like this i'm going to do some seriously crazy crap and put a sign on my shirt saying, "head-fi made me do it"

 

[sillysally]

 
Quote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Western-Electric-274B-3-pieces-NOS-rectifier-tubes-/250658319718?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3a5c666d66
 
3 pieces of Western Electric 274B selling in e-bay and the current bid is $2,111.00
 
 
has anyone heard about them? and what kind of amp would these run in?

Yes they are very highly thought of at least the brand for NOS, and do sell for a lot of $$$$. 
There was a pair of 300B's from the late 30's that went for $7500 just about a week ago.
 
If I where to get something like those tube's and pay over $2500 I would want a matched date code from mid 60's or older and better testing scores. It would seem to me that two of the tubes are the newer reissued WE's from the year 2000 and newer. The one is from the 70's.
WE amps and others.
 

 

[Skylab]

The 274B is a rectifier tube that works in quite a few headphone amps, including the WooAudio WA5 and WA6, and the Decware CSP-2 and Mini-Torri, among other amps.
 
The WE 274B is considered the holy grail of NOS 274B's.  I wouldn't pay that much money for ANY tube, myself - but some people have it to burn, and swear that it's worth it.  Who am I to say that for them it isn't.

 

[sillysally]

 
Quote:

The 274B is a rectifier tube that works in quite a few headphone amps, including the WooAudio WA5 and WA6, and the Decware CSP-2 and Mini-Torri, among other amps.
 
The WE 274B is considered the holy grail of NOS 274B's.  I wouldn't pay that much money for ANY tube, myself - but some people have it to burn, and swear that it's worth it.  Who am I to say that for them it isn't.

Well that is interesting, the part about the WA5LE and the WE274B rectifier. I have not compared the specs of the WE274B but for sure it's not a drop-in replacement if used in a Woo WA5LE.
 
Could you clarify what would be needed to use the WE 274B in a Woo, thanks.

 

[Skylab]

Woo audio sells the Sophia 274 B for use in the WA5 and WA6 - all versions. So if it works, why wouldn't the WE 274B?

 

[sillysally]

Quote:

Woo audio sells the Sophia 274 B for use in the WA5 and WA6 - all versions. So if it works, why wouldn't the WE 274B?

Pin configuration, compare the WE to the Sophia.

 

[Skylab]

Well, I can't find the Sophia pin configuration online, but the CSP-2 owner's manual specifically lists the 274B as being directly compatible (it uses the 5U4G normally); and the datasheets I could find on the "original" 274B all say they are compatible with the 5R4GY, which is itself compatible with the 5U4G (not exactly identical, but close enough to be used as a drop-in substitute in many circuits).  My "Tube Substitution Handbook (Smith and Buchanan, Revised Edition), lists the 274B as a sub for the 5R4GY as well (and it also lists the 5U4G as a sub for the 5R4)..
 
So are you saying the WE274B has a different pin-out than, say, a Sylvania 274B?  I would find that very surprising. Again, I don't own a WA5LE, but I don't understand the issue.  But I perhaps I am missing something. 

 

[sillysally]

 
This is the pin config on a WE 274B "Base Medium 5-pin, octal"
http://www.westernelectric.com/products/274b.html
 
This is the Pin config of a EML 274B see picture (same as a Princess).
http://www.emissionlabs.com/datasheets/EML5U4G.htm
I have the Princess 274B mesh plate, EML 274B solid plate and the EML 5U4G mesh plate, all these rectifier's are 4pin plus center guild post  and match the pin + guild post rectifier socket with guild post in both of my WA6SE and WA5LE. The WE274B uses a 5 pin config  Like I said I never compared the spects of the WE274B to the Princess 274B or the EML 274B/5U4G's. So its for that reason why I was asking you if the 5 pin config would match with the 4 pin config in the Woo's
 
EDIT; Top picture is a WE 274B, Bottom picture is a EML 5U4G diagram of the pin layout.
From what I can tell pin 1 in the WE 274B has no connection the rest of the pins (2,4,6,8) and the guild post seem to match up with the EML 5U4G diagram so imo as long as there is no lead on the socket for pin 1 in the Woo there should be NP as far pin config, I also check the spects for the WE274B and they seem to be close to the spects on the EML 5U4G. imo they should work as you said now that I understand what the pin config is for the WE274B. Skylab would you agree with what I am saying?

 

[Skylab]

OK, yes, I do see what you are saying, and I agree, as far as I can tell they should be fine, since, as you pointed out, pin 1 actually has no connection.  This would explain what the difference is that you were concerned about, but would also explain why they still seem to be compatible.  Thank you for taking the time to post that - it's good information for me.
 
All of that said, I'm still not willing to shell out several thousand dollars on a WE274B

 

[sillysally]

 
Quote:

OK, yes, I do see what you are saying, and I agree, as far as I can tell they should be fine, since, as you pointed out, pin 1 actually has no connection.  This would explain what the difference is that you were concerned about, but would also explain why they still seem to be compatible.  Thank you for taking the time to post that - it's good information for me.
 
All of that said, I'm still not willing to shell out several thousand dollars on a WE274B

I can't say as I would blame you wanting to shell out that much money, but for some reason some folk's are willing to pay up for the WE's. The question is what extra do the WE274B bring to the table?
I understand what the mid 60"s and older WE300B's bring to the table, and it's for this reason why I am taking a closer look at the WE274B's. Nothing that I have read so far about the WE274B makes me want them.
 

 

[Skylab]

I have trouble believing that one can get THAT much benefit from a rectifier tube.  I certainly do think rectifier tubes have an impact in the sound, but not to the same extent as driver or output tubes.  So it does make it hard to justify, for me.