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AUDIO FORUMS >> Replacement Tubes >> Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
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Message started by Jon on 01/21/11 at 16:10:24

Title: Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
Post by Jon on 01/21/11 at 16:10:24

I'm wanting to start some tube rolling with my SE84ZS and was wondering where your favorite places are to get NOS tubes? I'm looking for places that you have found that offer great customer service and do not have obscene prices. I'm planning on keeping the SV83 tubes in and rolling different rectifiers and signal tubes. I also have a Zbox that I would like to do some tube rolling on as well.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
Post by Lon on 01/21/11 at 16:47:43

Hi Jon,

I've had very good luck with www.tubeman.com wherein there are reasonably priced tubes that are always as described, and excellent and speedy service by the owner.

Although I confess that I my most recent tube-rolling was from a grab bag of 12AU7s that I bought from ebay. There were about ten tubes of varying brands for twenty dollars, and there were two GEs that work wonderfully in my ZBOX and in my ZCD when I was using it. An RCA was in there that is pretty darned good as well. I find that different tubes act differently in different units, and it doesn't have to be the Telefunkens and Mullards that rock the component.

Title: Re: Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
Post by Jon on 01/21/11 at 20:39:33

Thanks for the information Lon! Now I have another question. How can I find out what tube types are interchangeable with specific names?

Example:

Can I use a 5U4GB or a 5AR4/GZ34 or a 5R4GB to replace a 5U4G or do I have to stick with the 5U4G?

With all of the different tube types I don't want to use something that will hurt the amp or zbox in any way. Is there a website that lists all compatable types with each other? Thanks!
Jon

Title: Re: Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
Post by Lon on 01/22/11 at 04:54:21

I don't know of a fantastic website for tubes. I do know that you can find out the real skinny on rectifier tubes used in Decware amplifiers etc. by reading the details pages and owner's manuals of the different models. I've rarely varied from what Steve specifically mentions as types, and I've found his descriptions of the nature of the sound to be accurate to my experience when I can match them. Between that and threads in this forum, you should have about all you would need to know about the tube types used in Decware components.

Title: Re: Where do you get your NOS tubes from?
Post by Jon on 01/23/11 at 00:07:41

Thanks for the info Lon. I will search around the forum more to see what tubes people are using with good results.

Jon