Production to restart at old Mullard plant.

[MILLO]

NOT FOR PRODUCTION OF MULLARDS but for new designs. See for yourselves: http://www.techtubevalves.com/index.php

 

Got this from a thread at the Gear Page Forum:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=438130

[Caevan O'Shite]

(Psssst- Hey, Millo- post a link to this on Myles' thread and ask him what he knows or makes of this, wouldja?)

 

Very cool! I look forward to trying some of those down the road!

 

Fifty years ago, my Mom worked in tube-production for Westinghouse, near here in the US. Fifty years ago... that's a half-century!

 

Anyways; this is all quite promising-

 

In September 2008 Blackburn Microtech Solutions launches the TechTube brand of valves.

 

Made on the original Mullard Radio Valve Company site in Blackburn, UK...

 

The E813CC has the same performance as the world renowned ECC83. Unlike the ECC83 however the variability in performance between two valves is reduced from an industry standard ±20% down to ±10%. Obvious benefits in application set-up are obtained by this new performance.

 

* 10 year life

* Planar valve design

* CRT cathode proven technology

* Supersedes ECC83

* 6.3V driving voltage

* B9A pin base ("plug and play replacement for the ECC83")

 

 

So, as I understand, this new E813CC is supposed to be a replacement/equivalent for the ECC83/7025/gainier 12AX7's,

 

the E812CC for the ECC82/12AU7,

 

and the E11CC for the ECC81/12AT7...

 

(I don't remember all of the more-or-less equivalent industrial/miltary designations for these last two off the top of my head)...

 

Interesting points raised on that Gear Page thread on this, as well!

[miroslav]

It's a shame they sold off the "Mullard" name to the Soviets....

 

 

[MILLO]

Isn't New Sensor the owner of the Mullard name? I mean, New Sensor is a US company w/ production in Russia. Isn't it owned by the founder of Electro-Harmonix? You know, they make tubes to sell under different names like EH, Mullard, Sovtek, etc... that' hat I remember but I might be totally off-track. Anyway the design is DIFFERENT from Mullards.

[miroslav]

What I meant was...since they are now going to be making tubes in the old Mullard/Blackburn plant...using that same vintage equipment...they could have had real Mullard tubes again...which would have been ...

...and not these wannabe-Mullards that are made in Russia and that have NOTHING in common with real Mullard tubes.

[Caevan O'Shite]

(Psssst- Hey, Millo- post a link to this on Myles' thread and ask him what he knows or makes of this, wouldja? If you'd rather, I will.)

 

Really, though, miro', particularly concerning internal components- what's in a name? If the tube is good, what's it matter what's printed on its bottle?

 

http://www.techtubevalves.com/valves/valves_header.jpg

 

Certainly has a unique look, compared to what we're used to seeing:

 

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/Structo/E813CCECC83equivalent.jpg

[BadLife]

Well I want some. Wonder when they will be available ?

[miroslav]

 

Really, though, miro', particularly concerning internal components- what's in a name? If the tube is good, what's it matter what's printed on its bottle?

 

But see...that's kinda making my point.

 

The plant in Russia is selling tubes under false pretenses, as real Mullard tubes have a VERY high approval rating across the board and the NOS Mullards still fetch the highest prices among NOS tubes.

 

I'm NOT saying the new Tech Tube tubes don't interest me as much 'cuz they don't have the Mullard name. They can call them anything they like! :grin:

I just find it ironic that the original Mullard/Blackburn plant is back in operation...but they can't use the Mullard name.

 

I do hope that Tech Tube does some of the other tube types...especially the GZ34/5AR rectifiers and the KT66 power tubes, as those are in great demand and yet with limited availability.

Many of the reissues are not that great and the NOS are CRAZY priced!

 

[Caevan O'Shite]

Well I want some. Wonder when they will be available ?

 

"In September 2008 Blackburn Microtech Solutions launches the TechTube brand of valves."

 

"Their first public showing will be at the London Sound and Vision Show 19th 21st September (2008), Park Inn Hotel, Heathrow."

[BadLife]

Soon then I hope. I could use a few dozen right now if they are anything like the old Mullard tubes.

[BadLife]

Not sure this is relevant but American made tubes ?

 

http://www.tubedepot.com/we-300b.html

 

Not sure what in the world they would be used for though?

[MILLO]

Not sure this is relevant but American made tubes ?

 

http://www.tubedepot.com/we-300b.html

 

Not sure what in the world they would be used for though?

I'm not sure but did you see those prices? Maybe a boutique hi-fi thing?

[MILLO]

These new TubeTech thingies seem to be a new design, hopefully they spec great. I plan to try them once they've been in the market for a few months. I usually buy my tubes from www.DougsTubes.com ...wonder if they'll carry them.

[Caevan O'Shite]

Soon then I hope. I could use a few dozen right now if they are anything like the old Mullard tubes.

 

Well, they're probably nothing like the old Mullards, but then again I haven't bothered to compare their respective specs. They might even be better, though that's largely a subjective matter to be judged with a given amp, guitar, etc. and the given player's hands and ears and tastes...

 

Not sure this is relevant but American made tubes ?

 

http://www.tubedepot.com/we-300b.html

 

Not sure what in the world they would be used for though?

I'm not sure but did you see those prices? Maybe a boutique hi-fi thing?

 

Yeah, those 300B's are for extreme high-end highfalutin audiophile dual-monoblock power-amps for reeeeeeeeeeeaally pricey custom installation stereo systems; maybe ten years ago or so, one such (then new) mono tube power-amp that I read a review on had a MSRP of around $80,000.00 (Yes, I typed $80,000.00, though it might've been more like $89,000.99, I'm not quite sure). I imagine there are a few of our fellow forummites that own 'em, right?

 

And that was for one, you'd need two for stereo, and a pair of special horns for speakers... and, of course, your choice of either Monster Cables or coat-hanger wire for hookin' 'em up...

[Sauce]

(Psssst- Hey, Millo- post a link to this on Myles' thread and ask him what he knows or makes of this, wouldja? If you'd rather, I will.)

 

Hmm interesting stuff guys, lots of information here. I just put a few questions about all this up in Myles' thread this morning so if anyone's interested, tune in up there and see what he has to say.

[MILLO]

I actually did NOT--Caev your idea was great I just forgot. I'll check that thread now. Thanks!

[Caevan O'Shite]

By the way, Millo- what is that in your avatar-image there? It looks kinda cool inna artsy-fartsy kinda way, but I can't seem to make out what it is to save my life... ??

[miroslav]

These new TubeTech thingies seem to be a new design, hopefully they spec great.

 

I doubt they can be a new design...if they are making specifc, existing tube types.

But maybe they are using better components or a new/refined manufacturing process...?

But in the end, if they make a 12AX7 it still has to meet the specs of the 12AX7 design...without deviation...though yeah, I've seen many 12AX7 tubes (and others) that look different...but are in reality the same tube type.

 

I would just love to see them raise the bar on new tube manufacturing! There's a lot of half-a$$ed workmanship coming out of some current tube plants.

[MILLO]

By the way, Millo- what is that in your avatar-image there? It looks kinda cool inna artsy-fartsy kinda way, but I can't seem to make out what it is to save my life... ??

Whatever you want it to be. I look to joke around and say it's me, naked.

 

It IS an abstract thingamajiggy by Lee Bontecou http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Bontecou

 

Wiki says: "After decades of obscurity, she was brought back to public attention by a 2003 retrospective coorganized by the UCLA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, that traveled to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 2004." I lived in Chicago from Aug 03-Aug 04... I went to that exposition, that's where I saw this thing, loved it.

[MILLO]

From those series there are all these sea-life-like forms, etc... I think I'm drawn to those, being an islander.

[Terrell]

I look to joke around and say it's me, naked.

 

MILLO- You may want to get that growth on your a$$ lanced...

[MILLO]

Terrell: why? it helps me keep balance when I'm climbing and walking on fences

[Caevan O'Shite]

These new TubeTech thingies seem to be a new design, hopefully they spec great.

 

I doubt they can be a new design...if they are making specifc, existing tube types.

 

Well, it IS unquestionably a new design, merely looking in the bottle shows that. They aren't making existing, specific tube types, they're making THIS one (well, these three), it just meets enough criteria to be a plug-in replacement for some existing, specific tube types.

 

You might find an analog in tires- you could fit an old vintage car with new, cutting-edge tires; both the old ones and the new ones are round, have a hole in the middle for the rim/wheel, contain pressurized air, support the vehicle and will function adequately under driving conditions. The new ones will fit the old wheels. But there'll be a big difference between their designs and materials, the new ones will likely far outlast the old ones (even if N.O.S.), and the their performance will differ noticeably.

 

No question of whether or not it's a new design- the question is, new in what ways, and what will be different in how they perform in different settings?

 

Hell, all of the various tube brands and variations that we already have to choose from are ALL different designs from one another, that's why they often sound different.

[miroslav]

OK...you are seeing it as a new design by how it looks...and yes, it looks different.

But I'm saying that if it's a 12AX7 (or whatever), then looks are irrelevant, as it is STILL a 12AX7...and that's not really a new tube design, rather just a different take on an existing tube design.

 

But I guess you can split that hair in both directions... :grin:

 

As an example:

 

These are the specs of a 12AX7...

 

http://www.nj7p.org/Tube4.php?tube=12AX7

 

No matter what components are inside or how they look...these design specs would need to be met for it to be a 12AX7.

 

[MILLO]

...yeah I forgot to reply to that. I'm not an engineer but I think it's safe to say from what I've talked to tube vendors (honest ones that are not always wanting to push for the expensive bottles, etc, but trying to get you the sound you're looking for) that looks are not irrelevant, I don't think. Design has an effect on the spec sheet and on the sound. Yeah it MEETS the criteria for ECC83 tubes, but it is not exactly one as far as I understand. Hopefully this means better performance and hopefully better performance means better sound, but in terms of sound "better" is subjective, obviously. Only time will tell if this thing keeps up w/ the marketing hype.

[miroslav]

I didn't say that looks were irrelevant to the sound/performance (as obviously different components laid out differently will effect those things...

...what I said was that I felt looks are irrelevant to it being a "new design"...as I view new design to mean almost a new tube type.

 

Looking at the Tech Tube website commentswhat they seem to doing is mainly reducing the +/- performance variability from the wider industry standard of +/- 20 down to +/- 10.

 

The E813CC has the same performance as the world renowned ECC83. Unlike the ECC83 however the variability in performance between two valves is reduced from an industry standard ±20% down to ±10%. Obvious benefits in application set-up are obtained by this new performance.

 

So it looks like they are mainly fine-tuning the existing ECC83 design (and others) to create a tube with higher quality and tighter toleranceswhich will be nice, as some current production tubes can really swing in performance from tube to tube.

 

[Caevan O'Shite]

Guess we were at apples-&-oranges, if ya know what I mean...

 

I'd say it's a new design for getting to a similar, more or less the same, place, so's to speak...

 

It's worth noting that while many tubes of recent manufacture will plug in and work in the applications we have for 'em, most actually fall far short of original spec. Hopefully this is not the case here!

[Caevan O'Shite]

Guess we were at apples-&-oranges, if ya know what I mean...

 

I'd say it's a new design for getting to a similar, more or less the same, place, so's to speak...

 

It's worth noting that while many tubes of recent manufacture will plug in and work in the applications we have for 'em, most actually fall far short of original spec. Hopefully this is not the case here!