Finally, Tubes made in the USA again?

Mary · « **on:** 29 Mar 2023, 02:47 pm »

Audio by Van Alstine always searches for, and uses American made parts when it is feasible. We will be keeping an eye on this and are excited to try an American made tube!

https://www.wired.com/story/one-mans-quest-to-revive-the-great-american-vacuum-tube/?fbclid=IwAR2B4FUjG7uge_J4h36Nty--mlXx23aFyiBg1g9nxgbAnU_Nr93KHf_rwAs

Dieterle Tool · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Mar 2023, 03:04 pm »

This is great news!

rollo · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Mar 2023, 04:29 pm »

Good to know thanks. I cannot purchase Chinese or Russian anything these days.

charles

ArthurDent · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Mar 2023, 08:25 pm »

Something to look forward to, Thanks for the heads up Mary.

jjss49 · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Mar 2023, 08:57 pm »

this has been 'in the works' for some 20 years, at least

maybe this operation will become a legit volume supplier of the popular types of vacuum tubes for the hifi enthusiast but frankly, except for a few types, i remain skeptical...

decal · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 03:59 am »

I'm thinking prices are probably gonna be thru the roof.

firedog · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 07:53 am »

Yeah, I'm betting prices of $100 or more per tube. The advantage of the 12AX7 is that the market is very big, so maybe he can go for volume and keep the price reasonable.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 02:48 pm »

Quote from: decal on 30 Mar 2023, 03:59 am

I'm thinking prices are probably gonna be thru the roof.

They already are expensive right now, but the audiophools feels they are cheap because are made in usa. LOL

An unpleasant detail of these tubes widely celebrated by US media is that the warranty of 5000 hours or 5 years on these valves starts count on the day of manufacture in this so rumored factory in GA, not in the day of purchase by the customer.
WARRANTY
Electron tubes carry a Limited Warranty of ninety (90) days to the end user. The Limited Warranty period may be extended to five (5) years upon return of warranty card included with your electron tube purchase.

Is there a warranty included with the 300B?
Yes. End Users receive a standard ninety (90) day warranty with each tube. If the included warranty card is filled and returned to us by post within ten (10) days of purchase, the warranty is extended to five (5) years.

Well, do you see any possibility that residents in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, EU or South America will be able to get the mail to deliver this warranty card in a timely before 10 days? Lets be realistic, of course all these custumers will have only the 90 days standard warranty.

There is much worse things I will refrain to mention to not enrage the patriots.

jjss49 · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 04:21 pm »

Quote from: decal on 30 Mar 2023, 03:59 am

I'm thinking prices are probably gonna be thru the roof.

i think this is a given pretty much

Stercom · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 05:13 pm »

The author cited an EE who did a null test and declared that tubes of the same type all sound the same. All he uncovered was “a little clicking sound—they were otherwise identical" WTF?

Tell that to the thousands of musicians and audiophiles who actually use them for music. Guitarists are some of the biggest tube enthusiasts out there (also capacitors, drivers, type of cabinet, etc)

nlitworld · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Mar 2023, 05:33 pm »

Quote from: Stercom on 30 Mar 2023, 05:13 pm

The author cited an EE who did a null test and declared that tubes of the same type all sound the same. All he uncovered was “a little clicking sound—they were otherwise identical" WTF? Tell that to the thousands of musicians and audiophiles who actually use them for music. Guitarists are some of the biggest tube enthusiasts out there (also capacitors, drivers, type of cabinet, etc)

If you watch Formula 1 at all, it'd be like saying all F1 engines are the same because they are all 1.6L V6 engines... as a Red Bull continues to lap another car.

It would be nice to see another player in the tube market. Hopefully something that can compete (or be better) sound quality wise while having a good reliable stream of product available.

G E · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Apr 2023, 10:39 pm »

Quote from: Stercom on 30 Mar 2023, 05:13 pm

The author cited an EE who did a null test and declared that tubes of the same type all sound the same. All he uncovered was “a little clicking sound—they were otherwise identical" WTF? Tell that to the thousands of musicians and audiophiles who actually use them for music. Guitarists are some of the biggest tube enthusiasts out there (also capacitors, drivers, type of cabinet, etc)

Some folks can’t get past measurements.

Can tonality be measured? Can aural pleasure be measured ?

Just listen.

gene9p · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Apr 2023, 01:32 pm »

I don't even want to think about all the tubes we trashed and threw out along with all that great copper wiring in the 70's when renovating the Central Offices in New York from NY Telco and AT&T. Boxes of tubes all over the place...

They were worthless and in so much abundance back then. ..not the copper though..if you got caught taking the copper to the local junkyards you were fired...There are still some old phone systems sitting in the basements of office buildings, schools, etc ..that were disconnected but never removed that probably hold a fortune in parts, just collecting dust.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Apr 2023, 03:46 pm »

Let me depressing you more, TubeDepot was selling a vintage 300B pair by only $19,995usd and it gone, now they have the same or a new páir by only $9,995.
https://www.tubedepot.com/products/nos-western-electric-300b-black-plate-1961-matched-pair

ceylon · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Apr 2023, 01:21 am »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 8 Apr 2023, 03:46 pm

Let me depressing you more, TubeDepot was selling a vintage 300B pair by only $19,995usd and it gone, now they have the same or a new páir by only $9,995.
https://www.tubedepot.com/products/nos-western-electric-300b-black-plate-1961-matched-pair

tubedepot price gouging is obscene--they often sells NOS for 2x and 4x legit retail.

rcag_ils · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 May 2023, 01:44 pm »

There's no such thing as "price gouging", it's supply and demand, the beauty of capitalism.

ceylon · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 May 2023, 03:08 pm »

Quote from: rcag_ils on 28 May 2023, 01:44 pm

There's no such thing as "price gouging", it's supply and demand, the beauty of capitalism.

thats a myth to be outgrown, like easter bunny or santa clause. theres also price-fixing.

supply and demand sometimes play into pricing. price gouging and price fixing are all ordinary, everyday realities of capitalism. in fact, they and activities adjacent to such can be subject to proscution and all sorts of legal and civil actions.

rollo · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 May 2023, 03:34 pm »

Quote from: ceylon on 28 Apr 2023, 01:21 am

tubedepot price gouging is obscene--they often sells NOS for 2x and 4x legit retail.

No one forcing anyone to buy them. Cannot afford them, move on. Those tubes are extremely rare. The Holy Grail Someone bought them. So there is a market for those prices. Main reason I went from a 32 tube AR amp to SS. No regrets.

charles

Photon46 · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 May 2023, 04:04 pm »

Not intending to inflame emotions here but the term "price gouging" for luxury non essential items like NOS tubes seems a stretch to me. A realistic case for price gouging happens when there's collusion between all sellers in a given marketplace for essential needs of life and capitalism no longer functions competitively. 70's OPEC oil cartel formation and the 2015 United Potato Growers of America price fixing anti-trust settlement come to mind as real examples of gouging.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 May 2023, 04:42 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 28 May 2023, 03:34 pm

No one forcing anyone to buy them. Cannot afford them, move on. Those tubes are extremely rare. The Holy Grail Someone bought them. So there is a market for those prices. Main reason I went from a 32 tube AR amp to SS. No regrets.

charles

32 tubes?!? Was it OTL? Bet you didn't need to use your fireplace much.