[Hallicrafters] re: 6V6's - NOS or newly manufactured??

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

The risk with a NOS, (new old stock) tube, is that it is old, even if it is in
the factory box and never so much as touched from the date of manufacture. The
seal around the tube pins can develop a tiny leak over time and the tube will
lose a portion of the vacuum and become gassy.	
	
I am a long time audio buff. It is more the design of the amplifier, or audio
circuit in a RX, that yields the warmth associated with a vacuum tube amp than
who made the tube in question. As far as longevity goes, the manufacturer is a
factor.	
	
Because I am totally blind and used to listening, 92% of what a sighted person
learns is through visual channels and audio is greatly ignored, I can tell you
truthfully that most of the high end tube amplifiers being sold today sound no
different than ones made forty years ago. In fact, many not as good! There is a
difference in audio between solid state and vacuum tubes, true enough. However,
only the purist or audio devotee, such as I am, are going to know the
difference. The rest, well, imagination is a wonderful part of the human mind. 	
	
Duane W8DBF 	


----------
From: Andy Bullington <abullington at comcast.net>
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Hallicrafters] re: 6V6's - NOS or newly manufactured??
Date: Monday, January 26, 2004 11:34 AM

Depends on the brand etc. I have had the new ones fail after a comparitively
short time. (6 months) I've never seen this happen with NOS 6V6s.  The
general thinking in the audio community is that the newer 6V6s don't stand
up quite as well and don't sound quite as good. and its a fact that some
will not handle the same voltages as a good NOS tube. I doubt serioulsly if
you will notice a difference in the sound of, say, a new Electro Harmonix
(Russian) 6V6 and an NOS RCA , Brimar or Phillips...
but a Brimar will last a very long time.
 But in a receiver I doubt you will be testing those voltage limits. If you
are running a pair be sure and get a matched pair...whether NOS or new.
The prices of quality NOS 6V6s is considerably higher than Eastern European
or Chinese tubes.
                 Andy W1AWB


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