[Bonesy Jonesy]

  Well, I think I've found my tube dealer. Made the brutal drive to Madison, Wisconsin through the tail-end of the giant storm hitting the US - 5 hours of snow and freezing rain. I literally saw 4 accidents along the way. I am a slave to my hobby 

 
I went down to meet with owner of a boutique audio shop and to pick up a set of Western Electric 421a, which he had ready to go when I arrived. He gave me a tour of the place.
 
Wow... it would not be a stretch to say he had more than 50,000 tubes in storage. Reasonably organized (I mean, as much as anyone would that had been collecting tubes for 50 years) on shelves and in drawers.
 
He had a *case* of WE 421a tubes ... like, a dozen of them in one box that he acquired in an estate sale. He had an original DeForest Audion in its cardboard box on display. He had a crazy collection of super-sized tubes that, in his words, are worthless but fun to look at (see photo). Tons of pre-war and WWII radio gear. His workbench had a McIntosh amp that he was restoring for someone that was originally designed for amplifying church bells (I had no idea that McIntosh made amps for that purpose).
 
I didn't even have time to look at his huge collection of reel-to-reel decks, vintage turntables and amps...
 
Pretty neat afternoon... Honestly, this guy's huge backroom was an electronics museum.
 
I think the coolest part, however, was learning how to use his Hickok Tube Tester. He asked me what else I could use, and without really thinking, I asked if he had any Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 tubes... he had a drawer full of them. I picked out a few, we hit the tester and I found a pair that maxed out the readings. Jesus...
 
Anyway, he wanted to keep going, but I was just overwhelmed after a couple of hours (and I was meeting a friend for dinner).
Can't wait to hear the new WE 421a... I have enough tubes now, that I should start saving for a WA2 

 
 

Awesome A+  Thank you Krutsch.  

 

[longbowbbs]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Well, I think I've found my tube dealer. Made the brutal drive to Madison, Wisconsin through the tail-end of the giant storm hitting the US - 5 hours of snow and freezing rain. I literally saw 4 accidents along the way. I am a slave to my hobby 

 
I went down to meet with owner of a boutique audio shop and to pick up a set of Western Electric 421a, which he had ready to go when I arrived. He gave me a tour of the place.
 
Wow... it would not be a stretch to say he had more than 50,000 tubes in storage. Reasonably organized (I mean, as much as anyone would that had been collecting tubes for 50 years) on shelves and in drawers.
 
He had a *case* of WE 421a tubes ... like, a dozen of them in one box that he acquired in an estate sale. He had an original DeForest Audion in its cardboard box on display. He had a crazy collection of super-sized tubes that, in his words, are worthless but fun to look at (see photo). Tons of pre-war and WWII radio gear. His workbench had a McIntosh amp that he was restoring for someone that was originally designed for amplifying church bells (I had no idea that McIntosh made amps for that purpose).
 
I didn't even have time to look at his huge collection of reel-to-reel decks, vintage turntables and amps...
 
Pretty neat afternoon... Honestly, this guy's huge backroom was an electronics museum.
 
I think the coolest part, however, was learning how to use his Hickok Tube Tester. He asked me what else I could use, and without really thinking, I asked if he had any Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 tubes... he had a drawer full of them. I picked out a few, we hit the tester and I found a pair that maxed out the readings. Jesus...
 
Anyway, he wanted to keep going, but I was just overwhelmed after a couple of hours (and I was meeting a friend for dinner).
Can't wait to hear the new WE 421a... I have enough tubes now, that I should start saving for a WA2 

 
 

 

Where in Madison is this place? What is the name of his shop?
 

 

[joseph69]

   
Yeah, always been curious about the RS1s.

For me the RS1i/PS1K are  my favorite HP's…and I like them both equally because for me they give 2 different types of listening and I enjoy what each has to give.

 

[Khragon]

Well, to say I'm amazed is an understatement! Been listening to the newly arrived Elrog 300b's in the Woo WA5...with just 3 hours on them, the clarity, the lack of any harshness, the bass, the depth of the soundstage, is remarkable. To hear all these attributes through my AKG K1000, is literally astounding! I had to turn the Woo off...could not stop listening!! If they sounded like this after only 3 hours, can't imagine after 100+ hours. No wonder there is a run on this tube? Btw, Trueaudiophile.com where I purchased them, were great to deal with.

So they're shipping the Elrog 300b already? haven't receive any email saying that from Trueaudiophile.com.  Looking forward to get mine.

 

[Krutsch]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

Where in Madison is this place? What is the name of his shop?
 

Paragon on Monroe St. in Madison. I think he's been there since '85?

 

[longbowbbs]

 

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

Where in Madison is this place? What is the name of his shop?
 

Paragon on Monroe St. in Madison. I think he's been there since '85?

Thanks!

 

[Stax-i-nox]

My Elrog's were from the previous shipment...I was away on business and just got home.........I am just simply amazed at what I am hearing...detail detail detail, bass (the K1000's are not known for their bass....the Elrog has def changed that!)  The depth and width of the soundstage......really something. Will look forward even more to their further break-in!  

 

[Justin_Time]

  My Elrog's were from the previous shipment...I was away on business and just got home.........I am just simply amazed at what I am hearing...detail detail detail, bass (the K1000's are not known for their bass....the Elrog has def changed that!)  The depth and width of the soundstage......really something. Will look forward even more to their further break-in!  

What is a good place to order from?  THANKS!

 

[Stax-i-nox]

Def Justin.....very knowledgeable....and they know high-end!

 

[Krutsch]

Tube rolling day!
 
Starting a new job pretty soon, and then all of this fun comes to an end... but, for now, my newest acquisitions: Western Electric 421a and Philips Heerlen "SQ" E288CC.
 

 

[TonyNewman]

  Tube rolling day!
 
Starting a new job pretty soon, and then all of this fun comes to an end... but, for now, my newest acquisitions: Western Electric 421a and Philips Heerlen "SQ" E288CC.
 
 

 
Dumb question - is the WE421A pretty much the same thing as a WE422A rectifier? They look very similar.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

   
Dumb question - is the WE421A pretty much the same thing as a WE422A rectifier? They look very similar.

 actually they are very similar but please don't let people take that the wrong way as these cannot be swapped. The WE422A rectifier was made by modifying the WE421A triode internally and removing the grids.

 

[Badas]

^
 
Am I getting my wires crossed? (actually tubes crossed). I thought the WE 421A was the king of the power tubes for 6080 circuits. Slightly better than the Tung-Sol 5998 (which I really want). Have I got that wrong???

 

[Krutsch]

  ^
 
Am I getting my wires crossed? (actually tubes crossed). I thought the WE 421A was the king of the power tubes for 6080 circuits. Slightly better than the Tung-Sol 5998 (which I really want). Have I got that wrong???

it is (i.e. the 421a); I am listening to mine now, in the 6080 circuit. The 422a is a rectifier, which removes the control grid, as described above.
 
BTW:
 

 Slightly better than the Tung-Sol 5998 (which I really want).

 
... I am still burning in the 421a, but it really is an interesting tube. Paired with the Philips Heerlen E288CC, this combo is super quiet and clean (no noise, no hum, no ringing).
 
As I keep listening, the bass is moving towards what I heard in the 5998, but without the tubey bloom to it (I actually preferred the bass with the TS 6520), and the clarity is insane. This is most solid state I've heard this amp sound, but very musical. More observations to follow as things burn-in.

 

[kokushu]

So for the woo audio 5 is it we 421a or 422a that we could use?