[AUDFILE74]

 i was wondering if new sensor is  legitimate place to purchase tubes from. i used to read the magazines alot and they always talked about . then i recently (this year) started researching tubes to understand them better. i noticed that new sensor's site , listed svetlana, sovtek, electro-harmonix and other brands all under one roof. i've heard that in the last few years the tube manufacturer landscape has dramaticall changed and i vaguely remember ew sensor being a factor. could someone tell me what is the deal?

here's their site, http://newsensor.com/
 just need to understand what i'll have to do to get the tubes i'll need

[cryoparts]

i was wondering if new sensor is  legitimate place to purchase tubes from. i used to read the magazines alot and they always talked about . then i recently (this year) started researching tubes to understand them better. i noticed that new sensor's site , listed svetlana, sovtek, electro-harmonix and other brands all under one roof. i've heard that in the last few years the tube manufacturer landscape has dramaticall changed and i vaguely remember ew sensor being a factor. could someone tell me what is the deal?

here's their site, http://newsensor.com/
 just need to understand what i'll have to do to get the tubes i'll need

Yes, they are good.  I use them all the time.

Lee

[Starchild]

A word of caution.  The Svetlana tubes sold by New Sensor are not the made by the original manufacturer.  New Sensor managed to get rights to the name Svetlana in the USA and consequently the original firm has to use the name SED (Svetlana Electronic Devices) in the USA.  The SED tube can be recognized by a "winged C" on the bottle.  Before I understood this, I purchased an octet of Svetlana kt88 tubes and found them to be unsatisfactory.  Further research led me to the realization I had not bought the tube I was looking for.  I sold the Svetlana octet and replaced them SED kt88 and have not looked back.  New Sensor has also has obtained the rights to use the Mullard and Tungsol brand names. 

[anthony a.]

how are the new sensor "mullard" el34 tubes?  i would like to try them in my mono's as well as the sed winged c.  are the mullard re-issues like the svetlanas?

[Les Lammers]

New Sensor is one of the main players in getting 'new' tubes produced. You need to research the tube you are interested B4 you buy. The 'new' Gold Lion N709 EL84 is a great tube.

[Les Lammers]

how are the new sensor "mullard" el34 tubes?  i would like to try them in my mono's as well as the sed winged c.  are the mullard re-issues like the svetlanas?

Anthony,

You may want to search here http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/bbs.html for the el34's. The Winged C's are well regarded but what you will like best is up to your ears.

[AUDFILE74]

their sovtek line had a lot of the tubes i am going to need for my project. but the recommended some of their EH stuff instead. who else has had experience with them?

[Tyson]

Every "Gold Lion" KT reissue tube I've heard has been very good to excellent - the KT66, KT77, and KT88.  The Winged =C= tubes are also very good, but I just like the GL tubes a slight bit better.

[anthony a.]

Anthony,

You may want to search here http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/bbs.html for the el34's. The Winged C's are well regarded but what you will like best is up to your ears.

thanks les, yeah i've read up on both the mullards and winged c el34's.  there are valid points for both tubes and most regard them as equally fine sounding so i guess i will have to try them both out and see which one suits my preferences better.

[anthony a.]

Every "Gold Lion" KT reissue tube I've heard has been very good to excellent - the KT66, KT77, and KT88.  The Winged =C= tubes are also very good, but I just like the GL tubes a slight bit better.

can you describe in what ways the gold lions exceed the winged c's and if possible, how your general take on the gold lions sonics are?  thanks.

[Tyson]

Both have a very nice tonal balance, and generally sound similar (the GL's and the Winged C's), but the GL's sound more vivid and bigger, particularly the KT66 and KT88.  The KT77's sound thinner, but are very detailed.

[anthony a.]

hmmm, im tempted to now add these to my list.  i always heard of people saying the gold lions are hyper-detailed or for "detail freaks" but as it stands now, my system is perfectly balanced tonally.  i wouldn't want it to highlight the details more, although the bigger and livelier soundstage is appealing to me.  i know the mullard re-issues are said to be much warmer and mellower than than sed's so i may try the sed's first and see if how i like them.  if then i crave more details and soundstage, i will try out the gl's.

[rajacat]

I just finished burning in (~100 hours) a quad of  Genalex GOLD LION KT66s for my Heatkit W5m. Previously I had the Valve Art Shuguang KT66s but they certainly didn't match the tonal balance, focus and dimensionality the GOLD LIONS. I'm really happy with the GLs and I hope they will last longer then the Valve Arts. They seem very detailed but they still have a nice organic sound and aren't thin at all. My rig is very detailed to begin with and I don't find that the GLs exasperate that characteristic but they just have more of everything good, more close to live music. aa 

-Roy

[richidoo]

New Sensor is an American company owned by an old rock and roll guitarist, they make tubes in Russia. They made news when they were hassled by the Russian mob about 2 years ago but they survived. They have many trademarks but they are all made in the same factory to different standards of quality, ranging from Sovtek at the bottom to Gold Lion at the top.  Product seems to be consistent over time so many high end manufacturers specify Sovtek for low price and consistency. But for sound quality you can usually do much better by swapping them out and keeping for spares. They are good for a new project in case you blow it up you aren't out much. After you get your amp or project up and running stable, try some vintage tubes, Gold Lion, or Chinese Shuguang brand. SED 6550s are used in VTL and Audio Reserach some of the best amps in the world. But they are very carefully screened and matched, something that's hard to do on your own so you need a good seller whom you can trust and ask questions.

Get some good advice from Jim McShane on what's a good value for your needs.
http://pages.prodigy.net/jimmcshane/

[Dan_ed]

Hi anthony,

If you are looking at el34's you may want to consider the new production ElectroHarmonics 6ca7's. Matched quads can be had for around $80. This is a very nice sounding tube in my amp. Clear, detailed, don't block harmonics, and don't roll off.