Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply

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rlmacklin

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 :)
Friday or Saturday I called Andy Bowman at Vintage Tube Services again about the Mullard 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier tubes.  He said he should have them in next Monday (not today).

TONEPUB

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #1 on: 14 May 2007, 03:40 pm »
did he say how much?

HPower

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #2 on: 14 May 2007, 04:11 pm »
Yes rlmacklin, give us the details.

Price, vintage, branding, ect.

How many will Andy have up for grabs?

As a side note, the JJ GZ34 that I picked up to get me up and going ended up being a little taller than the
stock Sovtek tube and would not allow the cover to go back on my SWL.
I wonder if these Mullards will fit under the cover?

Does Andy have any good NOS 5687s?


rlmacklin

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #3 on: 15 May 2007, 01:58 pm »
Have been calling Andy about the Mullard 5AR4s every couple weeks or more often for a couple months it feels like - this last call he mentioned I was at top of his list for 1 or 2 when the 5AR4s came in, and he may have mentioned some prices covering range of a typical used Mullard-made up to 50's-60s NOS, but I didn't write down any figures, so I suggest you call him if interested.
I just asked that he follow his normal careful testing of the tubes and call me back when he knows which ones are the best sounding, best value of the ones he got in so I can select from those...

I have asked if he had any Bendix 6900s on several of my calls but he does not.
I did not inquire re regular 5687s.  Sorry..

mtodde

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #4 on: 16 May 2007, 02:41 am »
The Mullard Blackburn 5AR4 fits in my external power supply.  If you can find a fat base (black or brown) they are wonderful.  I got my NOS black fat base from Tube World for $95 a few months back and it really made a difference.  The metal based Phillips is supposed to be the king of 5AR4s but they go for quite a bit more money.  I also got some NOS Raytheon branded Tungsol 5687s from Tube World and have been liking them quite a lot too. 

HPower

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #5 on: 22 May 2007, 11:46 am »
Hey rlmacklin,

Did you get a chance to follow up with Andy on his new batch of 5AR4s yesterday?


rlmacklin

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #6 on: 22 May 2007, 01:16 pm »
No, not yesterday. 
I will try to call Andy today.

rlmacklin

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #7 on: 22 May 2007, 10:50 pm »
I reached Andy about 4:50 PM EDT.
Andy at Vintage Tube Services said he had not gotten any 5AR4s yesterday,
but received one in today among a batch of tubes he purhcased at Dayton Ham Fest.

 :drool:
He described it as a beautiful Amperex Holland 5AR4
with a "tan" base and date code 61-44. 
He had not tested it yet but said when they looked like this one,
he had no doubt it would be a "gem."
He priced it at $142 and I purchased it - subject to it testing new/strong on all the tests
and sounding great.
I think Andy is a man of his word who would not send out a tube he knows would come right back.

HPower

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #8 on: 23 May 2007, 12:04 pm »
rlmacklin,

Very good, let us know your impressions after you do some listening with the new tube.
I will maybe give Andy a call later today and see what else he will be having available.

mtodde,

How was Tube World to deal with?
I emailed Brendan at Tube World to see what he might recommend.
Judging from their web site, Brendan has a very good selection of tubes.

mtodde

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #9 on: 24 May 2007, 03:31 am »
mtodde,

How was Tube World to deal with?
I emailed Brendan at Tube World to see what he might recommend.
Judging from their web site, Brendan has a very good selection of tubes.


They have a great selection and the 3 orders I have placed have been good experiences - quick shipping & good communication.  He has some nice 5687s in addition to the 5AR4s.

rlmacklin

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #10 on: 26 May 2007, 07:40 pm »
During the time when Andy at Vintage Tube Services had no 5AR4s,
I also talked with Brendan Blever at Tube World.
I told him I was running Bendix 6900s in my Modwright linestage
and had recently gotten the tube-rectified power supply upgrade
which came with a stock Sovtek 5AR4.
I had seen that Brendan had run Bendix 6900s (in place of 5687s)
in his Emotive Audio Sira preamp and he had thought they upped
the perfomance substantially.
We discussed all his 5AR4 offerings and then I asked him what 5AR4
would best complement the resolution and dimensionality of the Bendix 6900s.
He recommended the Philips Miniwatt metal base GZ34 NOS 1957.
I went for the cryoed version and received it maybe 10 days ago
and it has replaced the Sovtek in my Modwright ever since.
The Philips metal base GZ34 is a beautiful tube.
 :drool:
It brings more clean, taut bass content,
some midrange bloom but not bloat,
and adds a touch of sweetness and relaxation
to the high frequency energy of the 6900s.
What it brings to the music in terms of resolution
and smoothness goes way beyond the Sovtek to my ears.

I guess really this part should go in a new thread...

***********************************************

The Amperex Holland GZ34 from Andy at Vintage Tube services arrived today.
It was extremely well-packed, with foam peanuts in each end
of the green and yellow tube box, which was in layers of bubble wrap
nestled in the center of a one foot cube-shaped box filled with more foam peanuts.

This is another beautiful, even "gorgeous" tube!
All the writing looks pristine and there is a graphic
of a personified tube blowing a bugle
(hence nickname of "Bugle Boy," I guess)
 :thumb:
Andy's invoice says:
"Perfect New, Old-Style box.  MINT!
Only one I have seen like this in 10+ years!"

I will install this one in the Modwright for break-in
and will compare sonics to the Philips metal base.
This one may end up as backup tube for the Philips metal base.
At least I will have an alternative to the Sovtek in hand...
I agree with whoever said the Sovtek was quiet and seemed "balanced,"
but I cannot go back to the Sovtek after hearing what
the cryoed Philips metal base brings to the music
(just as I cannot go back to any 5687s after hearing what the 6900s bring to the music)

rlmacklin

Ken D

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #11 on: 2 Sep 2007, 03:44 pm »
rlmacklin

What did you find in comparing the Mullard to the Phillips ?

thanks

Ken

larbo53

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #12 on: 2 Sep 2007, 05:32 pm »
OK guys great reading.  I am a NOVICE when it comes to this tube rolling stuff.   :scratch:  I have the ModWright SWLP 9.0 SE preamp with the tube rectified power supply and the ModWright Sony 9100 Signature Platinum Truth CD player.  Any recommendations/tube suppliers you can give me?

Much appreciated.   :wave:

larbo53

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #13 on: 12 Nov 2007, 02:12 am »
Bump   :roll:

lonewolfny42

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #14 on: 12 Nov 2007, 03:52 am »
For tube vendors, take a look here..... :thumb:

larbo53

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #15 on: 30 Dec 2007, 05:19 pm »
WOW!  All I can say is what an amazing upgrade.  At the recommendation of this thread I purchased two Mullard 5AR4 Blackburn tubes, one each for the power supply of my ModWright SWLP 9.0SE preamp and Sony 9100ES with Platinum Signature Truth mods.  I purchased one tube from Jim McShane and one from fellow AC member tvad4.  The change was immediate and dramatic.  No straining to tell the difference as with speaker cables and interconnects.  No lengthy burn-in time.  The sound changes are accurately described by rlmacklin.  My son asked what I did to the bass.  The music has weight and feeling. 

Dan, I'm curious how this set-up compares to the LS-36.5?  Anyway, until I can afford one, this is a marvelous compromise.

A big thumbs up!   :thumb:

Thanks guys.

modwright

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #16 on: 30 Dec 2007, 07:03 pm »
The 36.5 is yet another significant setp up, and the LS 36.5 w/PS 36.5 is our absoulute Reference offering for now.

The LS 36.5 simply offers more body, a bigger soundstage and a much larger and more accurate representation of the music.  It simply offers an entirely elevated level of absolute performance.

I am very pleased that you are enjoying the 9.0SE and player with top grade Mullard rectifiers.  I agree that the Mullards are a significant upgrade.

We have since started shipping all stock gear with Sino or Valve Art Chinese tubes.  The sovtek tubes simply proved unreliable.  It is not feasible for us to ship our stock units with the Mullards, due to cost and availability, but the Sovtek 5AR4's simply proved to have an unacceptably high failure rate.  The chines tubes have proven to be very reliable.  In the same breath, the Sovtek 6H30's, 6C45's and 6N1P's have proven to be excellent tubes in both our phono stage design and LS 36.5.  I don't know why, but their 5AR4's are simply not good and NOT reliable.  I don't have experience with Sovteks other tubes.

Take care and enjoy!

Dan

Bill Baker

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Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #17 on: 30 Dec 2007, 07:15 pm »
 HI Dan and other ModWright product owners.
 I feel it was a good choice going with the Chinese rectifiers. I found that the Chinese (Ruby Tubes) 5AR4 was not only a more reliable tube but also provided a bit more body in the presentation in my SWLP 9.0.

 For those not wanting to spend alot and looking for a good, reliable rectifier, I don't think the Valvle Art / Sino tubes can be beat.

Quote
I don't have experience with Sovteks other tubes.

 Other than the 5AR4 rectifier, I have found some Sovtek tubes to be among the most reliable tubes I have used over the years. I have not used them all but have gone through cases of the 6550WE and 12AX7WA. The 6550WE has been the most reliable 6550 tube I have encountered to date.

AB

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #18 on: 30 Dec 2007, 07:23 pm »
I tried the Mullard 5AR4 in my SWLP and it was good but I liked the Sovtek better. Weird, huh.?
I then put the Mullard in my 9100es and it was much better in that PSU when combined with the SWLP with the Sovtek. Mullards in both made for a very black background but there was some loss of upper end "air" and resolution. I didn't like that.

But then I got the LS36.5.

With the 36.5 the Mullard in the Sony's PSU was good but it was bested by a Tung Sol 5U4GB. I also tried an RCA 5U4G which was a little too thin in the bass for me but still pretty good.

It's all about synergy, I guess.

As for comparing the SWLP and the 36.5? I have the 36.5 with the outboard PS36.5 so it's not a fair comparison to the standard 36.5 (by how much is it not fair? I haven't done a head to head comparison so I hesitate to say.) but between the SWLP and my 36.5 they are not even close. The SWLP is great  - sweet but with super resolution and a tight grip on the lower end. SS is deep and wall to wall. Right?

But the 36.5 has more resolution, has a tighter grip on the low end and its SS is forking ginourmous - deeeep and wiiiide and taaaalll and with really spectacular imaging. Dynamics and dynamic range are much greater than the SWLP. It does the job of communicating the emotion of a vocal perfectly. So much so that it has made myself - on many occasions - and a few visitors visibly uncomfortable when listening to some particular female vocals.  :thumb: It's the real deal.
« Last Edit: 30 Dec 2007, 07:45 pm by AB »

AB

Re: Mullard 5AR4 for SWL 9.0 SE w/tube-rectified power supply
« Reply #19 on: 30 Dec 2007, 07:28 pm »
I don't know why, but their 5AR4's are simply not good and NOT reliable.  I don't have experience with Sovteks other tubes.

Take care and enjoy!

Dan

I was told by a friendly tube expert that the Sovtek 5AR4s have poor manufacturing tolerances and this was the reason for their failures. As they take the initial AC surge the internal bits flex and short and then that's your fuse doing its thing.