tubes to avoid?

[Girl Toes]

I've been tracking down NOS tubes for a bunch of my equipment. I've heard people speak highly of RCA, Telefunken, Mullard, etc.. Are there any old brands I should avoid??? Which, IYHO, are the worst ones?

[joel hamilton]

I have always just found that a certain type or brand will be happy in SOMETHING, so I havent had an experiance where one particular brand sucks or anything...

[Girl Toes]

I have always just found that a certain type or brand will be happy in SOMETHING, so I havent had an experiance where one particular brand sucks or anything...

Hey Joel

Ok, how about one particular brand that have SOMEThing that kind of sucks? And what is it?

[Dan Yack]

This depends on what KIND of tubes you are referring to, like 12AX7, KT88, etc.

There really are no good name-brands, only good models made now. However, any older Mullard power tubes generally kick-ass in guitar amps.

Check out tubeworld.com

[Girl Toes]

There really are no good name-brands, only good models made now. However, any older Mullard power tubes generally kick-ass in guitar amps.

I know that, that's why I'm asking the opposite.

I'm looking now for a bunch of EF86's and 7027A's in particular. But also 12AY7s, 12DWs, 12AX7s and 12AT7s.

There's a lot more old brands I hadn't heard of, like Heinz & Kaufman, Osram, GEC, etc....

Thanks for the link.

[luckybastard]

in my experience you can't go wrong with telefunken tubes in any position, particular el84 power tubes and various preamp tubes if you are looking for sparkle and sheen. they are pretty damn transparent and last a long time. mullards are great in the preamp section for that midrange crunch and the power section of marshall flavored amps(el34) for that classic sound. also amperex's are good. american tubes are good in certain applications. the pnillips el84 is great. rca and ge preamp tubes have always done me right.

the only tubes i tend to stay away from are the generic sovtek stuff... and ruby tubes...

[Girl Toes]

the only tubes i tend to stay away from are the generic sovtek stuff... and ruby tubes...

I've never heard of Ruby tubes. Please elaborate.

[Milkmansound]

tubes that suck? Sovtek, Ruby, Electro-Harmonix, Groove Tubes... most everything made in china or russia or US.

people will disagree with me on those - but once you have had an experience with the really good ones, you will know whats shit and what transforms audio into aural
truffle oil.

The old americal tubes are not bad - they work, and they are still cheap since people lust over the old german tubes. They win out over the newer tubes in my opinion.

In general though, I am not completely sold on the tube craze - I still think well engineered transistor gain stages with transformers on the inputs and outputs kick some ass. Plus they are cheaper and safer to build which is all I can really afford to do.

[Girl Toes]

Good answer.

[soundguy]

the tubes you should avoid are shitty sounding ones.

you can easily log onto ebay and urchase a $150 telefunken tube that will be microphonic and be basically unusable in anything you plug it into. There is no guarantee that paying high dollars for a mullard or bugle boy or telefunken will land you a good tube. You've gotta find a dealer or private seller that can test tubes and offer you some kind of guarantee that if the tube is fucked up they'll exchange it for you. Dealrs will charge you more, but it is ttotally worth paying more money to buy from someone with a rep that tests tubes and listens to them before selling them. Buying a tube off ebay unless its cheap is ultra gambling IMO. You can positively spend crazy money on a telefunken tube that will wind up being as usable as a $3 chinese tube, for real.

As for working tubes that arent fucked up, what flavor ice cream do you like? All tubes kinda sound different. It also depends intensely upon what application you are using them for. If I know the primary purpose of a tube is operating in saturation, Im gonna pick one kind that I like for that which I wouldnt normally put in a microphone circuit where the tube doesnt get totally overdriven. Listen to as many different tube types as you can, you'll find some stuf that you like better here or there, its really application specific.

dave

[heylow]

I tend to stay away from the green ones that smell like ToFurky. Just one man's aversion. Most everything else, I find, is subjective.

Why NOS specificly? I mean, that's cool but there are some great makes out there these days, though if you are onto NOS, then I suppose you know that and have your own very good reasons.

In that case, refer to my first sentence. Thanks....goodnight.


heylow

[Coco]

I tend to stay away from anything that is new production, but if I have to then SED are pretty good. NOS sound better, last longer but you have to make sure they are bought from someone who tests them prior to sale. Like mentioned above, some ebay tubes are scetchy and microphonic ect. so be careful.

[Girl Toes]

Can we mention, or PM me, some decent dealer names and contacts??? It'd be really appreciated.

Tube World seems a good start. Still....

[joel hamilton]

Right down the street from my studio:

http://www.leedselect.com/

Leeds electronics.

[mjau]

tubes that suck? Sovtek, Ruby, Electro-Harmonix, Groove Tubes... most everything made in china or russia or US.

people will disagree with me on those - but once you have had an experience with the really good ones, you will know whats shit and what transforms audio into aural
truffle oil.

Ok, I agree on Sovtek and Ruby sucking, while GT's are generally lifeless, but I actually like the EH 12ax7's I've used, FWIW. JJ Tesla's are my stand-by, though.