[Golden_Era]

Anyone have experience with these? I'm very new to the tube game and saw a vintage GE rectifier on ebay. Going in a tube preamp. Thanks for any help.

[FullRangeMan]

Usually this brand was behind RCA in SQ, but made the best 211 imo.
Its 5 stars tubes are great, very reliable:
GE-1973 five stars special quality tubes for critical applications.
Low Current Rectifiers: 5726, 6919.
Full Wave Power Rectifiers: 6202, 6203, 6087.

[cheech]

I have GE 6L6GCs in my Line Magnetic 518 IA, and 12AX7s in my Finale Audio 7189 (ll) integrated amps; also have a 5AR4 rectifier, though haven't used it yet. They have been very reliable, noise free, and sound good. Recommend!

[Tyson]

Agree, GE generally is a very good sounding tube, but not quite as good as RCA or Sylvania.  Although for a rectifier you're looking more for reliability than anything else, so GE should be more than fine for your needs.

[Tom Bombadil]

It is difficult to say because tube companies bought tubes from each other and labeled them as their own.   Depends upon which tube you are asking about.  There are some GE-labeled tubes which are really Sylvania, and vice versa.  I've had some very good GE tubes, like 6L6GC, 6BQ5, 5751.   There are some GE-labeled 5AR4 rectifiers which were really made by Mullard. 

What type of rectifier do you have?

[geowak]

I have had some GE NOS tubes that were very good. 12AXWA ,12AX7A, 12AU7A and 12BH7A. I have found these tubes to sound better than the more recent counterparts built in Russia and China. The USA built some great tubes in that older golden audio era, as I have some NOS RCA and Sylvania tubes that also are built great and sound fantastic. Using them in a Line Magnetic Audio 216 integrated amp.
BTW LM Audio builds many of their amps and speakers based upon the old Western Electric designs, again an indication of how good these older American companies audio equipment really was.

[Golden_Era]

Thanks for replies. It's 5AR4. I actually ended up ordering a new Genalex Gold Lion 5AR4 rectifier along with a pair of matching Gold Lion 12AX7s. However I'm in to the vintage factor and just experimenting for the fun of it. GE sounds reliable.

[Les Lammers]

Thanks for replies. It's 5AR4. I actually ended up ordering a new Genalex Gold Lion 5AR4 rectifier along with a pair of matching Gold Lion 12AX7s. However I'm in to the vintage factor and just experimenting for the fun of it. GE sounds reliable.

For a great old production 5AR4 look for a black base double D getter Mullard or Bugle Boy. Same tube as the metal base and a lot less $$.

[daveyf]

I have had great results with a couple of different GE tubes, all now quite hard to source, unfortunately. The best 6550’s I have heard are the GE 6550A’s. Superb tube and easily on a par with any KT88 from the same time frame. Then my favorite 12ax7, the GE NOS long plate 1963 12AX7...an amazing tube that will bring new highs to the party.