Is this correct?

[Ripper]

I was needing a new 12AX7 tube, and looking at a few places online I noticed that some tubes cost over $500! For ONE tube?? Can there be that much difference in a $15 tube and a $500 one? Ill bet the sound is like butter. hehe

[UnklMickey]

deepblue said:

I was needing a new 12AX7 tube, and looking at a few places online I noticed that some tubes cost over $500! For ONE tube?? Can there be that much difference in a $15 tube and a $500 one? Ill bet the sound is like butter. hehe

butter? anyone who paid $500 for one, will need some.

to spend the bucks for a mullard nos tube for a guitar amp is completely over the top.

the quality of the tesla and svetlana (winged c) tubes has improved markedly over the past few years.

while i wouldn't bother with the chinese stuff, i think spending more than $25 on a preamp tube is just not necessary. you're past the point of diminishing returns. but there IS a market. some folks will pay whatever it takes to get what they want. and then convince themselves how much better this ridiculously priced gem sounds. P.T.Barnum was right...



unk

[pollyshero]

I highly doubt the human ear could detect the difference in quality.

Spend $15

[night0wl]

The 12ax7's in the Moody amp I asked about in another thread are Mullard nos tubes (2 of them) but would they still work after being in an amp and sitting in the weather for 6 years? The amp was still working b4 it became one of my dad's additions to his back yard. The tubes look to be ok but I guess the look has nothing to do with it?

Shane

[UnklMickey]

night0wl said:

The 12ax7's in the Moody amp I asked about in another thread are Mullard nos tubes (2 of them) but would they still work after being in an amp and sitting in the weather for 6 years? The amp was still working b4 it became one of my dad's additions to his back yard. The tubes look to be ok but I guess the look has nothing to do with it?

Shane

well technically they're no longer "New, Old-Stock" tubes anymore since they've seen duty.

weather won't hurt the innards a bit. over time, if the glass was defective and didn't seal well at the pins, they might become "gassy". but that would be rare. i would never contaminate a tube socket by plugging in an old weathered tube.

first, wash the glass of the tube and pins (windex works well) then clean the surface of the pins with some metal polish. then remove the polish residue (windex works well for this too) rinse the windex off with water. if you want to go the extra mile, rinse again with rubbing alcohol. you might even apply some contact cleaner / preservative at this point, but that's probably over-kill.

even as used tubes, unless they are defective, those mullards will have at least as much value as a new russian or slovak tubes. if they've seen tons of hours of use, maybe still better than chinese tubes.

[sumgai]

deepblue,

butter? anyone who paid $500 for one, will need some.

I highly doubt the human ear could detect the difference in quality.

I've got the perfect answer for those 'special' people who can tell you the composition of the metal used in a pin that was dropped 25 yards away... in grass.... during a rainstorm..... while sitting in an outhouse. I just invite them over for a little 'friendly' double-blind test. If they accept, I gently make them open their eyes, and they thank me for not making a monkey of them in public. If they refuse, then I hold no further truck with them. Life is too short to straighten out every golden-eared idiot that has more money than brains.


sumgai

[billydiego]

[shadow=red,left,300][/shadow] That was probably something like a Mullard vintage tube. The $5.00 one was most likely of Chinese manufacture. The serious Tone freaks really dig on those old tubes. I'd have to get a new set of ears to justify that kind've scratch....If you're looking for tubes I found a really good shop on the web.
latr.