Tube question

First, NOS tubes can produce more of an audible effect as the quality and tweaking of your system improves. Same as a car...you can feel the difference that a few pounds of tire pressure produces in say a Ferrari. A Neon or Focus, and you couldn't tell if the tires were only inflated to half pressure!

Second, the purity of chemical compounds used on the cathodes is much better than on modern tubes. The vacuum isn't as hard on modern tubes. The tolerances [especially on the grid wires and their windings] are nowhere near NOS tubes. I think it was RCA that determined that the location and bend angle of the grid wire terminations could effect the performance. When their manufacturing plant closed, file cabinets full of decades worth of irreplaceable engineering data were just left in the abandoned buildings...generations of knowledge lost forever. Also, I believe that EVERY NOS tube was burned in for 100 hours at racks in the plant.

That being said, NOS tubes were not made with the audiophile [came later on] in mind. It is important to have someone test [and match, if necessary] the NOS tubes, as some can be quite noisy, especially if used in a MC phono preamp. Andy Bowman at Vintage Tube Services is the best, period! Chinese tubes seem to be VERY quiet, but they will not last all that long, compared with an NOS. But at the cheap prices for Chines tubes, does it really matter?!

Actually, the only demand for tubes is from audiophiles [not really a market, in the big scheme of electronics], R.F. applications, and guitar amps, most of which use a 6L6, so these 6L6's will be produced forever!

This is all my own personal opinion...

In the vast majority of cases, I find the Russian tubes to be more than disappointing. The Sovteks tend to be grainy, harsh, and bright, while not offering good detail or frequency extension. The EH, which some claim to sound identical to Sovteks, are nothing of the sort to my ear. Instead, they're quite dark and slow sounding, much like the way Chinese tubes have historically sounded. I think a lot of people confuse this as being "warm" or "analog" sounding. The real Svetlana tubes can be OK.

Tubes made in the former Yugoslavia can be decent, depending on the model.

The JJ/Tesla/Teslovak tubes are often excellent. In fact, their E34L, KT77, and KT88 tubes compete well with the NOS standards.

Historically, the Chinese tubes were not at all good. Again, I have listened to the latest Triple Mica Shuguang 12AX7, and while they do not eclipse my reference (so they don't live in my amp), they have beaten some of the most highly regarded 12AX7 in audio history - including my former reference. As shocking as it is, I have to admit it. Which is a GREAT thing for us buying tubes. If anyone told me this, I'd say they were flat out crazy. The Penta/Shuguang KT88 has also impressed many.

Which brings me to my real point - no one, I don't care if it's me, a reviewer, a trusted tube seller, can replace the experience of you listening to a tube, and forming your own conclusions. Just like everything else in life...

Andy says that German, Holland, England: The three tube champs, each have their own sound. Very interesting, and it's still his opinion that they are not made as good as yester year. That being: Trela, may I ask you what tubes the Mica Shuguang Eclipsed including you old reference? And what is your reference 12ax7s, now? Just bought NOS 12AX7s from Andy and I'm wondering what your experiences have been? warren :)

I also am extremely fond of the tubes from Germany, Holland, and England. A lot of my reference tubes (6922 and 12AU7) are these varieties. That being said, don't discount the American tubes, which more than a few people seem to do.

The Shuguang Triple Mica 12AX7 beat my 1960s Mullard Blackburn 12AX7. And, though it wasn't night and day, it was decisive.

My favorite of these tubes, however, is the Sylvania Triple Mica 5751. The Grey and Black Plates definitely exhibit different flavors - what works for you only you can decide. The Greys are a bit more smooth and lush, while the Blacks are more incisive and detailed. In my system, for my taste, nothing has yet beaten the Black Plates.

My feelings agree a lot with what is put forth at Joe's Tube Lore.

The Triple Mica of the new Shuguangs make me think they've targeted the famous American 5751s of the 1950s. Haven't really seen another 12AX7 with 3 micas.

In a 12AX7 tube shootout at my home - with too many audiophiles to really be able to say things with 100% certainty, the Shuguangs placed in the top three, along with the Telefunken Ribbed Plate 12AX7 and the Sylvania Triple Mica Black Plate 5751. Most agreed with me regarding the Sylvanias - they came in as the winner. The other two kind of had the camp split.

There were some good tubes included that didn't earn top honors - the Telefunken Smooth Plate 12AX7, Mullard Blackburn 12AX7, JJ 12AX7, and Ei 12AX7. Would have been nice to also include the Sylvania Greys, GE 5 Star 5751, Raytheon 5751, as well as some others, but the list of tubes was growing too large already.

Well, the tubes I ordred from Andy are not in that lot, but Andy loves them, and Joe of Joe's Tube Lore does as well: The Amperex Bugle Boys, early 60s Should have them Saturday. He also recommended that the 6DJ8s by Amperex of about the same time, were fabulous. I'm going with them, as well. At least I'll have a quality referent. I'll see where, if any, I may roll. Recommendation for break in? 8 hours continuous enough? Thanks again. warren :)