When I was a kid in the '50s I saw the tv repairman more than my dad. I was fascinated by his fold out tool box chock full of tubes, mostly in red boxes the way I remember. Damn televisions back then, I still remember laying in front of the thing listening to The Roy Rogers Show because there wasn't any picture, lol.
In the mid seventies I was doing electronics engineering. The guy who lectured us on electrical science announced that tubes were going to be binned and all lectures were to be about solid state devices. Many years later I was asked to have a look at an old 50s PYE radiogram.. I loved the challenge but I was handicapped by my total lack of knowledge of tubes. I love old restoration but struggle with the the electronics . Delighted that I found your channel and thanks for the info.
Today is 2-21-2023. Western Electric makes 1 model tube (300b) in the USA. Internationally, Reflektor/New Sensor in Russia makes all the EH brands. JJ In the Slovak Republic makes their brand. Shuguang plant in China closed, but Psvane is producing tubes in China. If Russia would stop fighting, hopefully the EH brands of tubes will become more affordable again.
I remember back in the 1970's my dad would have the technician come out and either replace tubes or re bias them and what ever else he would have to to do to get the t.v. to work properly. I use to watch the guy work on the old sets. my dad would complain about how expensive the tubes were back then . he was glad when the t.v.'s didn't use them any longer. lol. the technicians case use to have the two top panels open and fold out with all types of tubes, and tools.
At one time I was servicing home electronics in 60s. and 70s. and carried two large tube caddies carrying over 350 vacuum tubes (valves in the UK); some TV models carried odd named tubes which we has to special-order; these sets were sold by big department stores.
@@bobboscarato1313 funny enough I am fron the states/colonies & I call them Valves as well. Sometimes tubes. I feel tubes aren't a good way of describing them.
A terrific overview of what Amplified Parts does for the consumer that buys tubes for all types of applications. Especially for all the people that always ask the question, 'who makes tubes' these days? Definitely puts AP at the top of my list of 'go to' credible suppliers of guitar amp tubes. Great video.
It amazes me how many nos tubes still exist . Don't know why they made so many back then seeing that they last so long . I restore radios from the 30s and 40s quite often they still contain the original tubes and they test strong and work perfectly . I think back in the day they often got replaced unnecessarily just to boost profits of repairers .
Back in the day, a visiting TV technician would replace some tubes just to be able to charge some money for his visit. This, by the way, leads to LOTS of tubes "in original boxes" being used but sold as new, NOS. *Guess where the tech would put the old tube he yanked out?* Yes, it is pretty amazing how many NOS tubes still exist and likewise fairly amazing that many, many old tubes from the 30's and 40's still work. For one thing, once you have the factory to manufacture the tubes and are making them, it costs almost nothing to make hundreds if not thousands more. So you are making (then) a few bucks out of 2 cents in mat'ls, a great profit. I visited the RCA tube factory in Harrison, NJ on a high school field trip. This was maybe 1970. Quite fascinating. As for older tubes still working, most old radios and amps, etc; have a+/-20% tolerance on voltages, R & C values. *SOME* parts can be incredibly out of what you'd think was acceptable tolerance and the thing will still work. And then, suppose a part is going bad on an AA5 radio you listen to every day. Well, for 60-90+ days, every day the thing works a teeny bit worse, then worse, then worse, until it no longer works. But you don't notice it working slightly worse on Tuesday than it did on Monday. I also believe that nobody expected tubes to last as long as most of them do, plus, how easy is it to yank an old tube and throw a new on in? So they made zillions of them. And how hard is it to throw them out? They're these delicate things, in pretty boxes, they cost $6 or $10 or $12 30 years ago, how can they be worthless now? (Talking about odd tubes, like series filament TV types)
Don't forget Glasslinger here on TubeYou. He hand makes tubes that crossed the Rubicon over a century ago, but mainly for himself and friends. Fascinating skills.
Yeah I watched an old 1950's Mullard valve factory video last night, and there were a couple of parts that they ran electricity through whilst under vacuum to burn out the last traces of gasses before sealing the valves/tubes.
I think you forgot the KR tube factory in Czech Republic. They make a lot of tubes that are oddball large glass tubes like the KR845 and 300b, but they do exist and are not in Russia or China.
I bought five 4 pin valves at a radio rally a few years ago to make a one valve radio and the most interesting one is marked D.E.R. with the B.B.C. logo, it has a pip on top where it was sealed. The logo dates it between 1924 and 1927. It has a tungsten filament and lights up like a light bulb and it amazingly still works.
you can't beat a tt filament for reliability they just don't like cold starts or vibration. Anyone using a tt tube without a remote power supply shouldn't be using them.hifi guy you know who you are. And don't be buying and hoarding them. one pair of ten y has lasted me for 15 years 18 hours a day and still nos test. remote power choke input soft start supplies starving them.Yes better to starve a little.
Very instructive! NOS preamp tubes are the best you can find nowadays. I use Tesla's, Brimar's and Mullard's. Unfortunately, I've never tested NOS power tubes because they cost an arm and a leg!
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, used to run on tubes. I remember talking to an old timer about elevators..they even had elevators that literally ran off 6L6's. To add to the getter flash bit..there are top getters, side getters, I've even seen bottom-ish getters. So long as it is shiny and silver, it's good. If it looks white and chalky, that's the immediate tell tale sign of a failing vacuum and the tube is bad.
NOS JAN12AX7WA Sylvania (deep bass, smooth highs) and GE (brilliant without being harsh). Wonderful tubes and wicked rugged. JAN12AT7WC Philips for your phase inverter. Super.
What a lot of people do not realize is that almost every home in America has vacuum tubes that are used every day. Some people say that tubes are useless and outdated, and yet, they still use their microwave ovens to cook their food. LOL.
I’ve taken apart several microwaves when I was on one and I didn’t see any vacuum tubes. The only vacuum tube I saw was the vacuum hose I used to clean up the mess of broken plastic, beryllium dust, broken glass…. You’re not talking about the display are you? I believe that is a glass chamber filled with gas…. Like a Nixie tube, but a 6 sided box and a glass nipple that is closed off..(that part is always black and carbonized from the heat when they seal it up)… I have my eye on this JVC RX 6008V AV receiver… but there is a classic Ford Mustang dashboard-style record player ontop with a bunch of garbage ontop of that. I think there might be come vacuum tubes in that. Edit: I just learned from this video that the carbon or heat damaged area on the glass is “getter flash”… 😎
@@MrRusty-fm4gb woooosh.... up there! its an aeroplane! overhead! the main part of the microwave. the magnetron. a filament, a vacuum, a magnetic field, and a few thousand volts at a kw or two... you wouldnt have seen any berylium on anything other than military spec equipment...
My Pappy used to repair old tv's and radios and we had literally thousands of tubes that 4 of us spent nearly a month sorting out to their individual numbers back in the late '70's. By about 1988 there just wasn't any call for tubes anymore and hadn't been in several years, not locally anyhow and with no such thing as internet back then there simply wasn't a market for them and we hauled them all off to a landfill. Had I known that late in life I'd develop an interest in old radios you bet I would have saved them and nowadays everytime I think about dumping all those I could just kick myself.
Please don't forget KR (Kron Audio)! I know that your approach is coming from the guitar amplifier side. But KR is still handcrafting the best tubes available in Prag, Czech Republic.
I purchased a "matched" quad set of Russian Mullard EL34's The transconductance specification for the EL34 is 6000 micromhos (or microSiemens). This set measured, on my calibrated Hickok 6000A tester, from 5200 to 5400. I purchased subsequently a matched quad of JJ (Tesla) EL34's that measured 6000 on one pair and 6020 on the other pair. The "Mullards" measure about what all my used EL34's measure.
When the empire fell they took with them all the proprietary design elements, including the rare earth information. That's why these new Russian tubes are not quite what they were. The same applies to Svetlana tubes.
I had a customer come in with JJ power tubes that were branded Telefunken . I don't deal in TAD tubes but people who have brought them in for me to install and bias have had high failure rates.
Shuguang had a fire in in their factory (neighbors factory) that damaged about 75% of the manufacturing area. This closed their plant with a long & slow rebuild ahead PS Vane was starting production about same time. They hired many Shuguang workers and managers. I have 12) Siemens copy EL-34's labeled TAD and use them in my PrimaLuna Dialog Premium HP amp. It uses 8. Another pair of monoblocs is Atma-Sphere M60's. They use 8) 6AS7G tubes / chassis in OTL design.
Tubes what we on the other side of the pond call valves, just to move things on Transistors and other early semiconductors especially Germanium NOS versions are now commanding big money. I do hope you are moving in that direction.
Hi jas20per, we are definitely working on building up stock of some good NOS germanium (and a few silicon) transistors. We have some NPN Philips OC141 in stock right now, but we are going to see what we can do about tracking down some of the really in-demand types.
I still use tubes in some of my vintage ham radio equipment. Whenever I can I try and get New Old Stock tubes, particularly when it comes to tubes for a transmitters final amplifier. I have had better luck with old US made tubes in that particular application in particular old new military spec. tubes.
The decoration on the Arcturus tubes had some very interesting designs on the boxes, but there were so many made in the United States with decorative designs on the boxes.
I really love the American made tube electronics, Hallicrafters philco's, ECT, I have restored several and still learning. I hope that there will be a tube manufacturer some where to help keep these alive. thank you for this info.
I wish a company would start re-making things like 6U5 magic eye tubes. A lot of us in the antique radio community would probably buy those as a NOS one the last time I checked was upwards of about $75.00 . I have a friend that restores and even scratch builds tube amplifiers along with restoring old radios and communications receivers (Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, National, etc.) that I'll have to share this video with :) He has a yt channel as well called Ron's Vintage Electronics. I'm pretty sure the only amplifier tubes I've bought were 6v6 but I don't even remember for which radio. Oddly enough most old radios the tubes are perfectly fine. It's everything else that degrades like caps, resistors, wiring, etc.
Rossville works in Rossville Georgia has retooled the factory from Kansas to reproduce the origional Western Electric 300b class A tube. Dont know if this qualifies as a US factory but theyre very coveted by audiophiles. I believe theyre 1500 US $ a pair and well worth it if you have a amplifier that can benefit . I have a Cary cad 300 sei its a single ended integrated and a Lampizator tube dac that utilises the 300b , 101d, 2a3 and 45 pure class A amplifier tubes in a dht set dsd dac. The worlds only SET dac from Poland
For my taste Sylvania tubes, the old black plate 12ax7 or the 5751 3 micas, and the Raytheon 5751 windmill getter are the best tubes ever made for guitar and hi-fi preamps!! Nothing can beat these gems, hopefully I've got enough stock for 3 or 4 lifes...
Awesome video! Tubes & tester reminded me of my days in the metrology lab. Got a few tubes iin a ham set here at home, but will have to look for NOS I (might) have hanging around. Great stuff guys - glad I found you!
You should clean the pins..that will not hurt, that will only help. And the flashing was not part of the vacuum process, it is part of the air purification process inside. The vacuum already was turned on, but then the flashing gets the impurities and floating items and puts them on the side of the glass instead of floating out inside the tube. It is the same process as making a mirror. There is a good video on tube manufacturing from the TV show "How It's Made".
I just looked it up, I can't believe it, the famed 300B is back in production in the US. $700 for one and $1500 for a matched pair. the website says it's being produced in Georgia .
There is an old surplus place not too far from me that is loaded with tubes just like your warehouse. Most are pulls but they test them before you buy them. Great place.
I wonder if all these old NOS tubes are still properly filled with vacuum. Thanks for explaining the short JAM - I never knew, and I'm 72 now, however non native English speaker.
Vacuum tubes were used in all sorts of antique electronic devices. Everything from televisions and radios to x-ray machines and calculators. These days, they are pretty much only used in guitar and hi-fi amplifiers. We buy tubes from the public, so if you wish to discuss selling your tubes, you can always shoot us an email! info@amplifiedparts.com
Justin. I have 5 Westinghouse 7951A tubes that look great and appear to be NOS. I don't have a tube tester so I don't know for sure. Inside the boxes (not the tubes) there is a fine white powder. I've read some comments saying this means the tubes have lost vacuum but also seen other comments saying this is not the case. How can I get in touch to see if you want to buy the tubes? I have some others as well.
Jeff Horn -Hi my name is Ramiro from San Antonio TX.I have 4 old things that use vacuum tubes.I was like u.I had no tubes tester.and the old TV repair shop will tell me that they don't have one no more..will it took me 3 years to find one for sale in a flea-market 4 $35.00 dollars.. u can find one too..they are out there..
I'd love to see a more technical breakdown on NOS vs new tubes, let's stay someone cracks the glass on 2 worn out power tubes, a current production Shuguang vs a GE from the 40's and look at the materials used, the bonding etc.
I have all the NOS american tubes. They are much better but the issue is my old amplifers from USA was make to spec.110-115 VOLTS AC. Today most home line current AC is about 120 to 130 the older tubes can be very good but the new tubes from the Current factories do red plate easily so if you have to bias the tubes its ok. Tubes that are self biasing are doing ok and good. I don't see much difference but; I like the Tungsols. They are made to special specifications.
Some octal tubes put the getter down in the base, where it's almost invisible. I've also seen tubes painted on the inside like an oscilloscope CRT. They have the getter in the base, too. But why the _paint?_
JSC is in fact! still producing tubes. {As well as a factory in Japan and Korea too!} Maybe not the tubes you need or might expect, but they are in fact still producing tubes! (Rectifier and receiver tubes ((80's 5Y4, 5U3 77, 87, 26, 24)), but they are still producing tubes much to your dissatisfaction? Again, they may not be the tubes you are looking for, but old time radio folks are loving the reproduction tubes being manufactures, (it doesn't matter where or why, but they are still usable and 100% new tubes). You can poo-poo this information all you like, but the fact remains these tubes are available to us who use and need them. The Getter compound flashing is for tube purity and keeping/collecting the carbon contaminates out of the tube atmosphere.... Once the Getter flash goes brown, that tube is contaminated and most likely had contaminate seepage into the tube atmosphere, but yeah you have a good collection of tubage. NOS Means New Old Stock is correct. But it does not mean what you think. There are tubes that people have kept in their stock for years and it was not known ntil that person passed away what they had in stock. (As in my grandfather had 20-25 tubes of old brand new tubes never used! Still in old packaging he never used or never sold, yet they were still never installed in a unit, yet now I have them 48 years after he passed away, THAT! is NOS too) They may give you a "little money"for them.. Pennies compared to what they are worth. .40 for a $45 tube.. Yeah... no thanks!
Depends on how much you want to spend on them. Most notably would be Telefunken, Mullard, Genelex, RCA, Sylvania, and some of the GE tubes. I have a VTL preamp that has NOS Telefunken 12AX7s in it. Super expensive, but nothing else can come close to sounding so fantastic, especially with moving coil cartridges. Good luck.
![Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1F3OGIFnW1k/mqdefault.jpg)
Mullard sound good when that over drive in Marshall amps. 🤠
great mid tones.
the world needs new tubes.
When I was a kid in the '50s I saw the tv repairman more than my dad. I was fascinated by his fold out tool box chock full of tubes, mostly in red boxes the way I remember. Damn televisions back then, I still remember laying in front of the thing listening to The Roy Rogers Show because there wasn't any picture, lol.
In the mid seventies I was doing electronics engineering. The guy who lectured us on electrical science announced that tubes were going to be binned and all lectures were to be about solid state devices. Many years later I was asked to have a look at an old 50s PYE radiogram.. I loved the challenge but I was handicapped by my total lack of knowledge of tubes. I love old restoration but struggle with the the electronics . Delighted that I found your channel and thanks for the info.
I just randomly found your guys channel after learning about your company yesterday and placing a order. Good to know a fun local business.
Today is 2-21-2023. Western Electric makes 1 model tube (300b) in the USA. Internationally, Reflektor/New Sensor in Russia makes all the EH brands. JJ In the Slovak Republic makes their brand. Shuguang plant in China closed, but Psvane is producing tubes in China.
If Russia would stop fighting, hopefully the EH brands of tubes will become more affordable again.
I would like to spend time looking at all tubes.
You can see our inventory of tubes here: www.amplifiedparts.com/products/vacuum_tubes
I've spent at least a hundred hours doing just that. They will never cease to amaze me.
Richardson electronics in Illinois still makes vacuum tubes. Hope this helps. Great video.
Yes for radio station transmitters
I remember back in the 1970's my dad would have the technician come out and either replace tubes or re bias them and what ever else he would have to to do to get the t.v. to work properly. I use to watch the guy work on the old sets. my dad would complain about how expensive the tubes were back then . he was glad when the t.v.'s didn't use them any longer. lol. the technicians case use to have the two top panels open and fold out with all types of tubes, and tools.
Nice memories! We still see some of those old tube caddies every once in awhile when dealing with NOS tubes. They're very cool!
My dad would slap the side of the TV!!
At one time I was servicing home electronics in 60s. and 70s. and carried two large tube caddies carrying over 350 vacuum tubes (valves in the UK); some TV models carried odd named tubes which we has to special-order; these sets were sold by big department stores.
@@bobboscarato1313 funny enough I am fron the states/colonies & I call them Valves as well. Sometimes tubes. I feel tubes aren't a good way of describing them.
@@MarcCarriage121 Valves is a good term as they control flow of electrons!
A terrific overview of what Amplified Parts does for the consumer that buys tubes for all types of applications. Especially for all the people that always ask the question, 'who makes tubes' these days? Definitely puts AP at the top of my list of 'go to' credible suppliers of guitar amp tubes. Great video.
Thanks for the kind words Spyder! We're glad to be here for you. Feel free to reach out anytime!
It amazes me how many nos tubes still exist . Don't know why they made so many back then seeing that they last so long . I restore radios from the 30s and 40s quite often they still contain the original tubes and they test strong and work perfectly . I think back in the day they often got replaced unnecessarily just to boost profits of repairers .
Back in the day, a visiting TV technician would replace some tubes just to be able to charge some money for his visit. This, by the way, leads to LOTS of tubes "in original boxes" being used but sold as new, NOS. *Guess where the tech would put the old tube he yanked out?*
Yes, it is pretty amazing how many NOS tubes still exist and likewise fairly amazing that many, many old tubes from the 30's and 40's still work. For one thing, once you have the factory to manufacture the tubes and are making them, it costs almost nothing to make hundreds if not thousands more. So you are making (then) a few bucks out of 2 cents in mat'ls, a great profit. I visited the RCA tube factory in Harrison, NJ on a high school field trip. This was maybe 1970. Quite fascinating. As for older tubes still working, most old radios and amps, etc; have a+/-20% tolerance on voltages, R & C values. *SOME* parts can be incredibly out of what you'd think was acceptable tolerance and the thing will still work. And then, suppose a part is going bad on an AA5 radio you listen to every day. Well, for 60-90+ days, every day the thing works a teeny bit worse, then worse, then worse, until it no longer works. But you don't notice it working slightly worse on Tuesday than it did on Monday. I also believe that nobody expected tubes to last as long as most of them do, plus, how easy is it to yank an old tube and throw a new on in? So they made zillions of them. And how hard is it to throw them out? They're these delicate things, in pretty boxes, they cost $6 or $10 or $12 30 years ago, how can they be worthless now? (Talking about odd tubes, like series filament TV types)
Don't forget Glasslinger here on TubeYou. He hand makes tubes that crossed the Rubicon over a century ago, but mainly for himself and friends. Fascinating skills.
Yeah I watched an old 1950's Mullard valve factory video last night, and there were a couple of parts that they ran electricity through whilst under vacuum to burn out the last traces of gasses before sealing the valves/tubes.
Good video.
I think you forgot the KR tube factory in Czech Republic. They make a lot of tubes that are oddball large glass tubes like the KR845 and 300b, but they do exist and are not in Russia or China.
I think he means for audio amplification purposes. For guitar amps and such.
@@ryanacree so am I, JJ is Czech based as well. KR makes audio tubes 845 and 300b are used in high end audio amps.
I bought five 4 pin valves at a radio rally a few years ago to make a one valve radio and the most interesting one is marked D.E.R. with the B.B.C. logo, it has a pip on top where it was sealed. The logo dates it between 1924 and 1927. It has a tungsten filament and lights up like a light bulb and it amazingly still works.
you can't beat a tt filament for reliability they just don't like cold starts or vibration. Anyone using a tt tube without a remote power supply shouldn't be using them.hifi guy you know who you are. And don't be buying and hoarding them. one pair of ten y has lasted me for 15 years 18 hours a day and still nos test. remote power choke input soft start supplies starving them.Yes better to starve a little.
I have a 4 valve set I'm trying to restore. Uses 3 x DE6 and 1 x DER valve. Not easy finding information on stuff that's almost 100 years old!
@@9ernie9 Great stuff. I use The Valve Museum and the German Radiomuseum online. I also have the Babani Valve Books.
Very instructive! NOS preamp tubes are the best you can find nowadays. I use Tesla's, Brimar's and Mullard's. Unfortunately, I've never tested NOS power tubes because they cost an arm and a leg!
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, used to run on tubes. I remember talking to an old timer about elevators..they even had elevators that literally ran off 6L6's.
To add to the getter flash bit..there are top getters, side getters, I've even seen bottom-ish getters. So long as it is shiny and silver, it's good. If it looks white and chalky, that's the immediate tell tale sign of a failing vacuum and the tube is bad.
NOS JAN12AX7WA Sylvania (deep bass, smooth highs) and GE (brilliant without being harsh). Wonderful tubes and wicked rugged. JAN12AT7WC Philips for your phase inverter. Super.
tubes are a wonderfull thing to behold
What a lot of people do not realize is that almost every home in America has vacuum tubes that are used every day. Some people say that tubes are useless and outdated, and yet, they still use their microwave ovens to cook their food. LOL.
Yup, that's probably the last place a vacuum tube will forever hold court. All rise for the august magnetron!
I’ve taken apart several microwaves when I was on one and I didn’t see any vacuum tubes. The only vacuum tube I saw was the vacuum hose I used to clean up the mess of broken plastic, beryllium dust, broken glass…. You’re not talking about the display are you? I believe that is a glass chamber filled with gas…. Like a Nixie tube, but a 6 sided box and a glass nipple that is closed off..(that part is always black and carbonized from the heat when they seal it up)… I have my eye on this JVC RX 6008V AV receiver… but there is a classic Ford Mustang dashboard-style record player ontop with a bunch of garbage ontop of that. I think there might be come vacuum tubes in that.
Edit: I just learned from this video that the carbon or heat damaged area on the glass is “getter flash”… 😎
@@MrRusty-fm4gb woooosh.... up there! its an aeroplane! overhead!
the main part of the microwave. the magnetron. a filament, a vacuum, a magnetic field, and a few thousand volts at a kw or two...
you wouldnt have seen any berylium on anything other than military spec equipment...
A-yup, those are the three tube factories... except for Emission Labs, KR, Euro Audio Team, Takatsuki and now Elrog.
Great video! The factory information was great. I grew up in a tube world. Ty
My Pappy used to repair old tv's and radios and we had literally thousands of tubes that 4 of us spent nearly a month sorting out to their individual numbers back in the late '70's. By about 1988 there just wasn't any call for tubes anymore and hadn't been in several years, not locally anyhow and with no such thing as internet back then there simply wasn't a market for them and we hauled them all off to a landfill. Had I known that late in life I'd develop an interest in old radios you bet I would have saved them and nowadays everytime I think about dumping all those I could just kick myself.
Brimar are making a comeback. The people doing it are getting the equipment and getting it working again. See, The Great British Valve Project.
Should be good. I had some 6BR7 audio pentodes that were beautiful -- rugged, quiet, excellent.
Please don't forget KR (Kron Audio)! I know that your approach is coming from the guitar amplifier side. But KR is still handcrafting the best tubes available in Prag, Czech Republic.
Eimac still makes a lot of commercial tubes in the USA. But nothing for HiFi amps
I wish I had this clean of a job.
I purchased a "matched" quad set of Russian Mullard EL34's The transconductance specification for the EL34 is 6000 micromhos (or microSiemens). This set measured, on my calibrated Hickok 6000A tester, from 5200 to 5400. I purchased subsequently a matched quad of JJ (Tesla) EL34's that measured 6000 on one pair and 6020 on the other pair.
The "Mullards" measure about what all my used EL34's measure.
When the empire fell they took with them all the proprietary design elements, including the rare earth information. That's why these new Russian tubes are not quite what they were. The same applies to Svetlana tubes.
I had a customer come in with JJ power tubes that were branded Telefunken . I don't deal in TAD tubes but people who have brought them in for me to install and bias have had high failure rates.
Very interesting and informative - plus fun to watch!
Shuguang had a fire in in their factory (neighbors factory) that damaged about 75% of the manufacturing area. This closed their plant with a long & slow rebuild ahead PS Vane was starting production about same time. They hired many Shuguang workers and managers. I have 12) Siemens copy EL-34's labeled TAD and use them in my PrimaLuna Dialog Premium HP amp. It uses 8. Another pair of monoblocs is Atma-Sphere M60's. They use 8) 6AS7G tubes / chassis in OTL design.
This is bay far the best video I have watched on tubes, thanks for the info, great video.
I need a bid list guys. Great video. Glad to see these getting life.
send an email to sales@amplifiedparts.com and we will get one over to you!
Tubes what we on the other side of the pond call valves, just to move things on Transistors and other early semiconductors especially Germanium NOS versions are now commanding big money. I do hope you are moving in that direction.
Hi jas20per, we are definitely working on building up stock of some good NOS germanium (and a few silicon) transistors. We have some NPN Philips OC141 in stock right now, but we are going to see what we can do about tracking down some of the really in-demand types.
I still use tubes in some of my vintage ham radio equipment. Whenever I can I try and get New Old Stock tubes, particularly when it comes to tubes for a transmitters final amplifier. I have had better luck with old US made tubes in that particular application in particular old new military spec. tubes.
Great Tee Shirt!!!!!!
Gotta' get a couple of those. Thanks for a great video!!!
Hey thanks! Here is the link for the shirt! www.amplifiedparts.com/products/t-shirt-black-12ax7-tube-diagram
The decoration on the Arcturus tubes had some very interesting designs on the boxes, but there were so many made in the United States with decorative designs on the boxes.
Great video and well explained ! Digging the box art as well.. thanks !
Very educational video, thank you.
I really love the American made tube electronics, Hallicrafters philco's, ECT, I have restored several and still learning. I hope that there will be a tube manufacturer some where to help keep these alive. thank you for this info.
Really, the only ones being made are mostly audio tubes, for guitar and high fidelity amplifiers.
I wish a company would start re-making things like 6U5 magic eye tubes. A lot of us in the antique radio community would probably buy those as a NOS one the last time I checked was upwards of about $75.00 . I have a friend that restores and even scratch builds tube amplifiers along with restoring old radios and communications receivers (Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, National, etc.) that I'll have to share this video with :) He has a yt channel as well called Ron's Vintage Electronics. I'm pretty sure the only amplifier tubes I've bought were 6v6 but I don't even remember for which radio. Oddly enough most old radios the tubes are perfectly fine. It's everything else that degrades like caps, resistors, wiring, etc.
If you have 12.6 volts available you can sub a 1629 tube. They're cheaper.
Rossville works in Rossville Georgia has retooled the factory from Kansas to reproduce the origional Western Electric 300b class A tube.
Dont know if this qualifies as a US factory but theyre very coveted by audiophiles.
I believe theyre 1500 US $ a pair and well worth it if you have a amplifier that can benefit .
I have a Cary cad 300 sei its a single ended integrated and a Lampizator tube dac that utilises the 300b , 101d, 2a3 and 45 pure class A amplifier tubes in a dht set dsd dac.
The worlds only SET dac from Poland
I wish we could make them here again. Especially EL34s, 6L6s and 12AX7s.
They still make those.
I gave up on using EL34s years ago. They are Dodo bird eggs now.
Western Electric in Rossville, Georgia is producing vacuum tubes.
TheMightyB58 only one tube though, the 300b and they cost a few limbs and a testicle
For my taste Sylvania tubes, the old black plate 12ax7 or the 5751 3 micas, and the Raytheon 5751 windmill getter are the best tubes ever made for guitar and hi-fi preamps!! Nothing can beat these gems, hopefully I've got enough stock for 3 or 4 lifes...
Or savings for old age, when they go WAY up in value...?
I love tubes
Awesome video! Tubes & tester reminded me of my days in the metrology lab. Got a few tubes iin a ham set here at home, but will have to look for NOS I (might) have hanging around. Great stuff guys - glad I found you!
Thanks!
Interesting video. Thanks, man.
Thank you awesome video. My name is Haytham I'm from Lebanon my work is electronic maintenance especially old equipments
Very informative, thanks.
You should clean the pins..that will not hurt, that will only help. And the flashing was not part of the vacuum process, it is part of the air purification process inside. The vacuum already was turned on, but then the flashing gets the impurities and floating items and puts them on the side of the glass instead of floating out inside the tube. It is the same process as making a mirror. There is a good video on tube manufacturing from the TV show "How It's Made".
I use D5.
Western Electric in Kansas City is still making vacuum tubes.
I just looked it up, I can't believe it, the famed 300B is back in production in the US. $700 for one and $1500 for a matched pair. the website says it's being produced in Georgia .
This is a great video, learned a lot
Tungsol WAS an American maker of bulbs and tubes.
This was cool! Thanks
Hell, the f-4 phantom my dad flew had tube equipment in it... but the tubes were hardened for aviation.
I heard Russian use tubes too since tubes are much less susceptible to EMI.
Those would have been JAN (Joint Army Navy) tubes. The holy grail of tubes are those used for medical devices. Super long life, super rugged.
@@MuscleDad420 hmm. I have a pair of JAN Phillips ECG 6922s, do you think the ECG stands for Electrocardiogram?
@@DucNguyen-pl8zg All tubes are impervious to EMF. That's why the Russian military used them well into the 80s.
Great video.
Thanks
Boxes last 100 years...and the NOS tubes longer...just treat them like they aren't cheap anymore
Great information
🤝🤲
Awesome video, thanks!
"Send them our way, we may give you a little money for them?"
🤣
There is an old surplus place not too far from me that is loaded with tubes just like your warehouse. Most are pulls but they test them before you buy them. Great place.
Where is it located?
@@Dave_____ Ohio
@@bertroost1675 Thanks. Name of the place, if you do not mind sharing?
@@Dave_____ Are you a dealer or just a guy that wants to buy tubes for yourself?
@@bertroost1675 Definitely not a dealer. Looking for a source of tubes other than the "normal" retailers.
Gotta buy some for my TV:3
Nothing like tube audio.
I wonder if all these old NOS tubes are still properly filled with vacuum.
Thanks for explaining the short JAM - I never knew, and I'm 72 now, however non native English speaker.
Getter turns white when vacuum is totally lost.
You forgot KR in the Czech republic, very high-end, super expensive, limited range, but they do a fantastic 300B and KT88
I'll take that NOS RCA 845!
I would take RCA black plate 6L6GC tubes over those any day.
Great informative video! Amplified Parts rules!!
Great job, thanx
I like this video a lot!
GREAT Video! ...
I have NOS / Completely sealed set of Genalex KT77 still in their original boxes ...any idea what are they worth today?
A -LOT... Just look on E bay.
That tube is very rare, similar to a 7581A, GE's answer, except as with all Euro power tubes, can handle high screen voltages.
Hi I have a bag of old tubes not sure what they are for ! I found them in our loft when we moved in 20yrs ago
Vacuum tubes were used in all sorts of antique electronic devices. Everything from televisions and radios to x-ray machines and calculators. These days, they are pretty much only used in guitar and hi-fi amplifiers. We buy tubes from the public, so if you wish to discuss selling your tubes, you can always shoot us an email! info@amplifiedparts.com
Very cool.
Justin. I have 5 Westinghouse 7951A tubes that look great and appear to be NOS. I don't have a tube tester so I don't know for sure. Inside the boxes (not the tubes) there is a fine white powder. I've read some comments saying this means the tubes have lost vacuum but also seen other comments saying this is not the case. How can I get in touch to see if you want to buy the tubes? I have some others as well.
Jeff Horn -Hi my name is Ramiro from San Antonio TX.I have 4 old things that use vacuum tubes.I was like u.I had no tubes tester.and the old TV repair shop will tell me that they don't have one no more..will it took me 3 years to find one for sale in a flea-market 4 $35.00 dollars.. u can find one too..they are out there..
Interesting thanks.
I believe most NOS valves still check out fine, but to support this resuscitated market I prefer to buy newly manifactured valves.
I liked the Cetron box in 9:38, I wonder if its a 572b.
love your tee shirt
Yeah I'd like to have that shirt
@@ronalddaub5049
Thats what i've told myself too !
Awww I love your t-shirt but the $21 shipping to the UK is too much 😟
pure gold
I'd love to see a more technical breakdown on NOS vs new tubes, let's stay someone cracks the glass on 2 worn out power tubes, a current production Shuguang vs a GE from the 40's and look at the materials used, the bonding etc.
I have all the NOS american tubes. They are much better but the issue is my old amplifers from USA was make to spec.110-115 VOLTS AC. Today most home line current AC is about 120 to 130 the older tubes can be very good but the new tubes from the Current factories do red plate easily so if you have to bias the tubes its ok. Tubes that are self biasing are doing ok and good. I don't see much difference but; I like the Tungsols. They are made to special specifications.
Jj are decent valves. I understand brymar are making valves again here in the uk.
Some octal tubes put the getter down in the base, where it's almost invisible. I've also seen tubes painted on the inside like an oscilloscope CRT. They have the getter in the base, too. But why the _paint?_
Great video.
You sir just gave me a idea for my next project. Just for shits and giggles. Back engineer a modern tv and make it run on tubes. 👍
I have some miniature hearing aid tubes by zenith
Make American Tubes Great Again! MATGA
Any new tubes brands or manufacturers worth mentioning in 2019?
In the hifi sector.. Nope.. They all suck compared to a cheap ass Philips NOS
JinKwok brymar in the uk worth keeping an eye on
Can you suggest a good data base for my large collection. Better a premade list included? Thanks for your time!
awesomeness!!!
Thanks, Todd!
I want that shirt!
You can get it here!
www.amplifiedparts.com/products/shirt-black-12ax7-diagram
naie and cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool video.....thankx 4r posting......Love 4rm Pakistan
Western Electric made in USA. emission labs are making tubes also
JSC is in fact! still producing tubes. {As well as a factory in Japan and Korea too!} Maybe not the tubes you need or might expect, but they are in fact still producing tubes! (Rectifier and receiver tubes ((80's 5Y4, 5U3 77, 87, 26, 24)), but they are still producing tubes much to your dissatisfaction? Again, they may not be the tubes you are looking for, but old time radio folks are loving the reproduction tubes being manufactures, (it doesn't matter where or why, but they are still usable and 100% new tubes). You can poo-poo this information all you like, but the fact remains these tubes are available to us who use and need them. The Getter compound flashing is for tube purity and keeping/collecting the carbon contaminates out of the tube atmosphere.... Once the Getter flash goes brown, that tube is contaminated and most likely had contaminate seepage into the tube atmosphere, but yeah you have a good collection of tubage. NOS Means New Old Stock is correct. But it does not mean what you think. There are tubes that people have kept in their stock for years and it was not known ntil that person passed away what they had in stock. (As in my grandfather had 20-25 tubes of old brand new tubes never used! Still in old packaging he never used or never sold, yet they were still never installed in a unit, yet now I have them 48 years after he passed away, THAT! is NOS too) They may give you a "little money"for them.. Pennies compared to what they are worth. .40 for a $45 tube.. Yeah... no thanks!
BTW Japan also has 6E5, 6U5, and a rare 6G5 tube. (these are the green eye tubes for visual tuning).
There is a small startup in Ukraine I believe that is making Nixie tubes. There’s a video here on RUclips of them making them.
I heard about those guys.
So what's YOUR honest opinion of Shuguang quality?
The Valve Art screened tubes and the TAD tubes from that factory are excellent.
Do you use dielectric grease on any tube connections?
Is the Mullard reissue as good as the vintage ones?
No.The older ones are much better.Can only talk about small signal tubes,12ax7 etc.Mullard m8137 is one mighty fine tube.
What are the best quality brands of NOS valves ? I restart old valves appliances, i want to have the best inside them !
Depends on how much you want to spend on them. Most notably would be Telefunken, Mullard, Genelex, RCA, Sylvania, and some of the GE tubes. I have a VTL preamp that has NOS Telefunken 12AX7s in it. Super expensive, but nothing else can come close to sounding so fantastic, especially with moving coil cartridges. Good luck.