Great pictures. Where do you source the adapter or keyword to search for?

thinking i have enought hrs on my ufo2 to start rolling...

yes please tell more about this adapter.

I finally received one of the adapters from China. My globe 80 is still burning in. I am liking what I am hearing so far. There seems to be more openness and air compared to the Valve Art 274B that shipped with the amp.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have been using one in our demo SE84UFO2 and they do sound quite wonderful.

Steve

Bummer

Can these be used in "Any" Decware amp that uses a 5U4G rectifier?

cool, i got my adapters yesterday... ordered some 80's today.  can't wait to try them out!

btw what technically are we doing by putting in a type 80 (i.e. what are the spec differences between 5U4G vs 80)?  like to understand this.

see all kinds of charts but none comparing these...

thks for input RR!  makes sense.

think my 80's will be here today.  i have csp3, zp3, ufo2 i can try them in...

Two pins of the four pins are slightly larger in diameter.

ive been running an 80 in both systems this week (csp3/cary and ufo2).
yeah it's a nice rectifier.  i didn't notice too much of a difference in the ufo2 vs. stock tube.

but in my csp3 (replacing my mullard metal base 5ar4) it was noticeable.  very smooth and relaxed compared to the 5ar4.  i am going to continue to listen and get some hours on this 80 and see where it goes.

"Now I wonder, does this make me the ultimate idiot???"

I think I might already have that trophy...  :)

Tried the type 80 Globe.  This is my initial impression.  Agree with all of the posted comments.

The RCA is a little warmer than the Majestic and both are different from the Mundorf GZ32.  I wouldn’t say better just different.

The Mundorf GZ32 is more detailed and extended with greater depth and the sound comes from a blacker background making the result more “real”.  It gives more of a feel for the venue, more 3D.

The Type 80 has less depth and less top end extension in comparison giving the “warmer” feel.  More forgiving.

I’ve tried a lot of rectifiers and depending on the tube combo the Mundorf GZ32/CV593 is still my favorite for the SE84UFO2 with the type 80 Globe a close second.  That’s pretty high praise from me.  The other rectifier that I have in the CSP3 is the AWV Radiotron 5AS4.

All three are keepers.

I’m going to try the type 80 Globe in the CSP3 and see what happens.

Ive tried the following type 80 tubes:

Cunningham UX380
RCA UX280
Majestic 80
National Union type 80 ST bottle

Long story short... it’s between the Cunningham and National Union.  However the Mullard GZ32/CV593 still remains my favourite with my tube complement and system.  It has more extension top to bottom, especially in the bass and more depth.   With the added bass the Mullard provides more foundation to the music.

Not to take anything away from the type 80 though, nice tube.  You will pay dearly for any Mullard, double to triple the price.  (I have noticed that the type 80’s are starting to edge up in price slightly).   So with some work on the accompanying signal tube and power tubes the type 80 could close the gap somewhat.  

If you’re checking out the NU Type 80 ST bottle take a note of the construction.  They are not all the same.  I came across a couple that had horizontal and vertical mica spacers on the top and ribbed plates - really well made.

This is as far as I will go with the type 80 tubes.  I’ve rolled more than enough and my tube inventory needs thinning out.  In time I may try the Sophia Electric Aqua 274B, talk about a pricy tube though.  This will probably have to wait until after I get my Z-Rock which I will be ordering shortly.

Interesting. . . I too have different systems with tube-rolling and settings (my PS Audio P10 for example had two different "modes" and also "Sine" or adjustable "Multi-wave" settings that alter the sound distinctly, and my amp sound different with either the 4 or 8 ohm speaker switch positions or the high and normal bias positions).

Rectifiers and regulation tubes and power tubes work in tandem in interesting ways. I have several different "signatures" I can evoke in this way, though there's one that I prefer for day to day listening.

We rarely get bored with our systems as a result. . . but it can also lead us to always experiment and seek improvements. I'm at the point now where my clearest path to improvement is to try a ZMA. . . which is not a good thing. . .I can't afford one really and I want to be just happy and content with what I have. . . but. . . this drive to experiment and the interesting results endangers that. . . .

Lon,
I think it’s an addiction and short of seeking professional help I don’t think we’ll find a cure, not that I want to .

Like you I’ve been on a path too long, won’t stop, so I have to put some “discipline” in the path I’m on now.  So what I’ve decided to do is work with the system I have until I wring out the very last option.  I’m afraid that I’ve become a low power snob.  I’m not blind to the limitations but as I work with the limitations I’m finding that I keep “pushing the envelope” and achieving results that are often beyond what I expect.

However, this can’t be a matter of achieving the “ultimate” sound.  As Alper noted in his post that after all his life’s experience (he certainly has had experience that I have not) he still doesn’t know what the best sound is!  Food for thought upon which to establish some guidelines in our never ending quest. (is that too dramatic?)

Cheers!

Yes, ultimate sound. . . too shallow for a goal. Best sound for all that I listen to, or the most natural and real sound for all that I listen to, that's what I think I aspire to.

And I can understand the "low power" snobbery. My problem is that I fell in love with the RL-2 and then the HR-1 and ERR and these I can't get to be their best with the low power. I try. It was the Toriis that made them sing and the second Torii Mk III that I bought that was the ultimate with its two tone controls.

I think I've found the plateau I can with the equipment I have. And I'm reveling in it. The only next step for me is the ZMA, that may bring me to a new plateau. But like you I should put limitations in place, and those may mean I don't go to that next plateau. I'm blessed with the air and view I have now and that's no crime!

We may both end up with professional help though. . . can see that happening!

I actually want to assign the biggest blame to my Dad as he helped me to love music, and as he was the one with the Dynaco system when I was growing up that introduced me to tubes and that kept me wanting to experience them afterwards when I went through a few solid state systems.

But Steve is an accomplice, indeed. He can escape jail, but he has a long probation period ahead of him in his R&D lab.

Believe me, I've thought about it. It would be an expensive divorce though. . .

You are all a bad influence! I had to try the 80 types based on comments here. Just received the adapter base to go with a
Cunningham and NU (both bottle shaped). Will use them in my Superzen-CKC. Listened to the NU last night playing CD's and I was very, very happy with the sound. I felt there was a bit more kick drum & bass in the mix in a good way. But this may be hiding some of the details normally heard...too soon to tell. But, so far I am very impressed. Will try the Cunningham after a few days with the NU. Then back to the Philips 5R4GYS and the Matsushita GZ34/5AR4 for comparison.

In the previous post I was trying to see if I could attach a picture of some of the rectifiers that I have collected and... surprise... it worked!  A couple need some work on the pins but all are in very good shape.

The NU Type 80 ST  has vertical ribs on the plates which peaked my curiosity.  Ace I have have a similar take on the NU but it is a very interesting rectifier and so I’m going to work with it a bit more.  The others are Majestic Globe, Cunningham Globe and I just had to try a Ken Rad 5U4G.

I’ve got NOS in original box AWG Type 80 ST bottle on the way and a Sophia Aqua 274B.  Once they’re all here I’m going to have some fun! - not about a shoot out for me just some fun.

I rationalize this - ailment- by saying that it’s a lot cheaper than trading out components.  To a degree it helps with the Wife Acceptance Factor, to a degree.

Not trying to be a bad influence, really?

The previous post shows you what I had been waiting for to add to the Type 80 experiment.

I forgot about the Ken-Rad 5V4G that I came across and ordered to compare to a TungSol 5V4G that I had obtained quite some time ago... I guess I have to face the fact that I have become a tubeaholic!

Moving right along... Of course I had to try these right away... I’m not going to get into any detailed synopsis but,  the Sophie Aqua appears to live up to the hype and could be the first real challenge to my Mullard GZ32/CV593 albeit with a different “perspective”.  Initial comments; very refined, surprising low end.

Now the real shocker... the AWV Radiotron Type 80.  Paid $64.00 for three, NOS, with box, “cigar” wrapper c/w printed tube data.  Still needs to burn in but, out of the box the most balanced tube I have come across period. No way this tube should be this good!

The Sophie and the Mullard are “better” in certain aspects no doubt.  But this AWV Type 80 sits right in their face and says “you’re trying to hard, move over and I’ll show you how it’s done!”   At one point it just about brought tears to my eyes (“just about” because real men do not cry!  If we do we do not admit it! We might cuss but we do not cry! Right?)

So, the details will come much later, right now I’m having way to much fun.

Thanks for this heads-up on these interesting tubes folks. Right now I am enjoying a Philco Globe in my CSP3, but ran Cunningham x380 globes for several weeks in the Torii, as well as some Westinghouse labeled ST shaped 80s. I have also played with a Cunningham in the CSP3 quite a bit.

I agree with Joman's comment "The Cunninghams are warmer, more euphonic with good detail and extension." In comparison to the Westinghouse ST shaped 80s, with ribbed black plates and hanging filaments, and a Philco globe, the Cunninghams I got were warmer and fuller, but also extended, fast, spacious, exceptional micro detail, but yes, darkish and "euphonic." I would say both globe types are "bigger," these STs probably a bit more neutral and "normal." The spacial and tonal complexity is there with the STs, sounding pretty rich and atmospheric, but like from a smaller room. Not better or worse depending on system needs, but different.

Though all three share variations on a similar sound, the Cunningham globes especially caused me to look more carefully at what I think "euphonic" is.

As I listened more analytically to them in the Torii, what appeared like a "syrupy" quality I usually associate with euphonic, was not really syrup at all. Here, these tubes were fast and dynamic, not slow or thick. They were also excellent for micro detail, including loads of atmospheric/spacial information. So really, I guess the sense of euphonic (with these tubes anyway) may be a combination of the ethereal feeling from rich and complex space, and detail that is well integrated with what was initially pretty notably dark, but not veiled sound.

Tending to dark without veils, along with good space and detail, is normally what I think of as "warmth." But these tubes fill these descriptors more completely than I am used to...they were more "trippy," the richer and more complex atmospheric feel contributing to what I heard as "euphonic." Though I usually do not prefer "euphonic," with these tubes I was enjoying it, though I did need to compensate for the pretty deeply "warm" aspect with an open/clear RCA 5R4GY in the CSP3, and some quite transparent Phillips ECC189s as inputs in the MkIV. After that, I enjoyed these great looking and richly complex tubes.

Interestingly, with more time the Cunninghams lost enough of their unusually open darkness that now I would more call them warm and atmospheric, not quite so euphonic. They opened up enough that the very clear RCA 5R4GYs in the CSP became too clear on a lot of brighter music, though the globes remained warm, enough so that the Phillips ECC189 stayed. I think the exceptionally euphonic feel may have been from the tubes being true NOS, perhaps contributed to a little by the adapters needing burnin.

Which reminds me. Those of you who know my posts know I don't tend to recommend things, more describing what I hear since the characteristics of something may be not so good for one system, and great for another. But especially when adding layers of stuff for the signal to pass through, like adapters, madscientist graphene contact enhancer is really beautiful. If you clean up the tube pins with fine steel wool or a cleaner/contact enhancer (Cardas is good), that helps for sure, but this graphene enhancer is the best I have tried. I have used it on all sorts of connections, internal and external, cables, tube pins, everywhere, and it just sounds better to me, doing everything that is already there with smooth clarity and without coloring. And needing just a little, the small bottle will do lots of contacts, so not a big risk to try. Using it on the type 80 adapters and cleaned tube pins makes the tubes notably better here!

Not having liked the dynamic "flattening" from some earlier RCA 5Y3GTs, and some Bendix 5Y3GT equivalents in comparison to 5U4, 5R4, GZ32 and GZ34 and equivalents, I was pleasantly surprised how these 5Y3-like tubes act quite differently...more sense of power, body and dynamics. I hear slightly reduced dynamics compared to more punchy Phillips GZ32, but just listening without comparison, it would not occur to me that these particular "5Y3" tubes seemed lacking in dynamics. Micro dynamics actually seem pretty exceptional in my current setup, and macro dynamics quite nice.

Liking these tubes either in the CSP3, or in the Torii this is the first time anything has displaced Mazda or Phillips, or Mullard GZ32s for any length of time in my amps in a number of years. In both the CSP3 and Torii, GZ32s just stayed in for the most part. I ordered some more adapters, and won't know until I try, so don't know if using these 80s in both amps will suit me or not. Especially with compensation with open/spacious inputs they might though.

To me, these 80s are revealing, fast, warm, with excellent complex space and micro detail. I would have described Phillips made G32s similarly. But so far, I find the bigness of tone, and how space and micro detail is revealed quite good with these....good in similar, but different and compelling ways. So far, I really like them.

Hey Will!
I’ve looked into the Type 80’s history which makes me no expert but here’s my understanding...  RCA made a deal with Cunningham to private label their early Type 80’ Globes.  So you would think that they would sound exactly the same.

I was intrigued by the initial posts of the Type 80 Globes and I came across an auction for four, 1 Cunningham, 2 RCA and 1 Majestic.  I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, so I thought why not even if they simply test good.  I was impressed with my initial experience with these.  I did notice a difference between the RCA and the Cunningham which one would think should not exist.  Similar sonic signature but the RCA’s sounded “warmer” emphasizing the mids more so than the Cunningham’s to a degree that was not to my liking.

The construction of the two appeared to be identical so this did not make sense.  To check this out I hunted down an RCA UX280 and a Cunningham CX380 in better condition.  Same story!  I could understand the Majestic sounding different because the plate dimensions are obviously different - longer and much wider.  I sold the initial 4 and the RCA UX280 but kept the Cunningham CX380 and the Majestic.

I also wanted to get a handle on the later ST bottle TYPE 80’s.  Came across the NU and then the AWV Radiotron Type 80.  I also came across the post for the Sophia Aqua 274B and of course it’s easy to guess the rest.

I came across a Ken-Rad 5U4G in the process so I thought why not re open the can of worms.  Then I came across a post for the 5Z3’s and I started to look into the history a little more.

Turns out it all started with the Type 80 Globes progressed to the Type 80 ST, then the 5Z3 on to the 5AS4 and finally the 5U4G - as I understand it.  No I’m not going to get a 5Z3.  So there should be a similarity in the end result between all of these with some differences.

That brings me to the AWV Radiotron as I bought four of these (spares) after trying one AWV 5AS4 GT.  I had read user reviews of the AWV 5AS4 GT that claimed they were better than the RCA 5U4G ST.  I cannot say whether they are or not as I have not made a direct comparison but I am still running a AWV Radiotron 5AS4 in my CSP3!  They really worked well with my HD800’s and I preferred them to my Mullard GZ32 in my CSP3 with headphones or speakers!!

Turns out that the AWV Radiotron was an Australian Tube producer that made their tubes on imported Mullard equipment or so the story goes.  Because the 5AS4 is a 5U4G variant it should have similarities but not because its a re-branded RCA.  

My choice of rectifier in the SE84UFO2 is the GZ32/CV593 hands down - for now.  The new Sophia may change that may not, we’ll see.

Anyway as I was hunting down Type 80’s I came across the AWV Radiotron Type 80’s and after my experience with the AWV 5AS4’s I had to try especially at the price.  My initial experience was a surprise as I stated earlier.  It’s appears to be a very forgiving tube with just enough of everything to make it just right.  Being a detail junkie I’ll probably end up with either the Mullard GZ32, Sophia Aqua 274B but that AWV Type 80 seems to be so easy to listen to.  Probably end up with all three, and bonus - I have three of the AWV Type 80’s.

Anyway to early to say for sure.  I’ll probably end up keeping one of the Globes for a collection and selling off the NU, one of the Globes and the Ken-Rad 5V4G, not sure about the Ken-Rad 5U4G.

My system includes the Omega S3HOXRS.  The system is very, very fast so that differences in anything are readily appearent, possibly more so than with other systems.

Hope this helps, remember I’m no expert at this, just my opinion.

I had to add this... the story that never gets old...

Last week a couple of friends came over.  Not audiophiles but one was particularly intrigued especially with tubes?????

So, I asked if he would like to hear the system... usual stuff, jaw drops, has look of disbelief, never heard anything like this... blah blah blah.  This getting a little boring for me by now so I thought I’d push some buttons.

I showed him the Cunningham Type 80 Globe and asked if he would like to hear what 1928 technology sounds like?  Does not know what to think of this, obviously, but says... yes. I then added may not be quite as clear but you should find it interesting...

Rolled the tube and I think it was a little too much for him.  Realizing that he had been had he just gave me this “piercing” stare.  I think we are still friends.

Thanks Kevin for bringing up there interesting tubes.

The globes are so beautiful to look at, I am really glad they sound good too!

I got some more adapters so am trying type 80s in both the CSP3 and Torii. In the Torii, I first tried Westinghouse STs that look like just like the one Bustfree pictured, and they were good on really good recordings and not-so good when I put on Chet Baker's trumpet...too focussed. This was a little weird, as I had liked these tubes in the Torii with the old adapters and a GZ32 in the CSP3. So I decided to try the burned in adapters there. Much better, more complex, less focussed and hard.

I figured I need to burn the new adapters in anyway, so tried the bigger and warmer sounding Cunningmham globes. Not brilliant on everything, but quite good on most, good enough to see what burnin does. With a Philco globe in the CSP3 the sound is rich, warm, and atmospheric, now hearing it as a little slow with 3 globes and 3 new adapters. It will be intersting to see what time on the adaptors does.

Adjusting the gain relationships a little (sort of tuned-up Zbit, CSP3, Torii MKIV) it is sounding pretty nice on first impressions, but so far, I prefer the complexity of two different rectifier types in the different amps. Lately I have been running the 80s in one, and GZ32s in the other.



Joman, thanks for the update. I had an inkling of memory of AWV tubes, but couldn't remember! Now I am thinking I heard about the Australian tubes from you some time ago when you got some 5AS4's. Some years ago I explored 5U4GBs for a quite a while. Liking some from other companies, I did not like normal RCA 5U4GBs I tried, short or tall, but some RCAs that looked just like the AWV 5AS4s (except mine have D getters) I really liked, and used for quite a while. I think they are from the late 40's, a solid, open sounding tube.

Construction-wise, they look like RCA 5U4G-ST (same wire setup, plates, a glass blob and no bottom mica) except these were made in a tall GB bottle. I liked both RCA STs and this particular GB, not one better or worse, both really nice in their own variation on the sound. If memory serves, the GBs are more clearly open and solid feeling, and the ST variation I liked best, the least warm ones made with a little lighter weight plates and top getters, have a bit more complexity, more micro information, but it has been a long time. And of course, none of the RCA 5U4G-STs I have sound just alike either.

So from the look of the 5AS4s, the Radiotron name could show a relationship with RCA, that particular tube likely more RCA equipment and design than Mullard.

I agree. It really is intersting how the different companies spread around the world. Even using the same tech and machines, the tubes sound different. I have some Mullard machined ECC88s from South America, and some form India, and some from England...all good, all different. But then, different vintages from the same plant sound different too, even with quite similar construction. Easy to get seduced by tubes eh?!?!?!