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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> State of the audio tube market, industry?
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Message started by canonken on 01/16/21 at 18:35:38

Title: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by canonken on 01/16/21 at 18:35:38

Two questions topics I have been thinking about:

1.) What is old is new again, my perception is 'audiophile' tube gear is more popular than its been for many decades (basically since SS took over). I note audiophile to mean discretionary products vs. people buying cheap tubes to keep old gear going because it was cheaper than replacing. Is there any concrete or antidotal evidence of how the overall audio tube market is? Especially with the resurgence of vinyl, retro stuff, COVID lockdowns even the past year might have been huge.

2.) Are better new-production tubes inevitable? Partly based on the above (if true, and I think it is), partly based on the fact NOS tube supply dries up (because they are not making any more, ha!), partly based on the ability to sell new tubes at a higher price due to the large market, dwindling NOS supply, new gear companies want a supply of new, quality, reliable tubes, etc. I am new to tubes, so no idea what the current state is today vs. even 5 years ago.

Just curious on your general thoughts of there the industry is today, and where you expect it to go.

Title: Re: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by piezoman on 01/16/21 at 19:00:10

whatever you do, for the love of god, stay away from any and all chinese CCP junk.

we should be doing only a minimal amount of business with them in the first place; they are far worse than an adversary.

Title: Re: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by canonken on 01/16/21 at 19:07:40

Well I am half Russian so I feel better about buying new production Russian tubes! ;D

Title: Re: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by piezoman on 01/16/21 at 19:15:42

oh yeah, the Russkie tubes are much better than evil CCP failures....save for rectifiers.

Title: Re: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by will on 01/16/21 at 19:46:09

For a number of years I was using mainly North American NOS 807 power tubes. Most tubes I regularly use, other than new power tubes at times, are NOS. Now I am using some new Chinese made power tubes, thetubestore preferred 6L6GC. Before them I was using new Tungsol 7027As. I liked the 7027As, but like all tungsol power tubes I have used, though they seem nicely made, I am guessing their more solid/heavy construction contributes to their more solid, and to me, harder and more rigid sound. Not speaking of hard like hard sounding mids, or hard detail that can make you want to run for it, but harder in terms of being denser, less complex, more concentrated and bold. These Chinese made 6L6GCs are more natural sounding to me, with more fine detail and spacial complexity....they "disappear" into the music more to me.

In my KT66/KT77 phase, I ended up moving on from Gold Lion KT66s (and a couple Tungsols) for similar concentrated sound quality issues I ended up having with them. As with Tungsols, the Gold Lions are heavily built, appearing to be "better" construction, but I have had Tungsols and Gold Lions prematurely fail.

Years ago when I was exploring EL34s, one of my favorites at the time was a Chinese fat bottle EL34 I can't recall the name of...may have just been EL34B?...I think Shuguang made them. As best as I can recall, they were open and complex/spacious also, and I much preferred them personally to Tungsol EL34....and they held up.

Not saying all tubes from China are good....but there are apparently those that are! And there are those from Russia that aren't too. Of the Chinese made tubes I have used, I don't think I have had any more failures than with Russian...probably less. That said, of new tubes, I have mainly used power tubes from both Russia and China, and some new Chinese made rectifiers. I like the Sophia Aqua 274B at times, but overall prefer a number of NOS rectifiers. Other than the Sophias, I have not explored the many boutique tubes coming from China except Psvane 5881s, which have held up well.

Title: Re: State of the audio tube market, industry?
Post by CAJames on 01/17/21 at 02:32:10

My name is James and I only buy New Old Stock tubes. Pass the candle.