The end of tubes??? Thoughts?

[Analogeezer]

All of those are still niche products/movements.

And currently there are no cars with Wankel engines in production.

Actually rotaries are quite popular in drones and other applications that need high power in a compact package.

Tube amps are probably more nichey than vinyl records these days. Hell live bands in local bars are becoming niche.

Playing bass is definitely more niche than when I started out; used to be a kid on every other block with a bass and a small amp, not so much anymore.

I already cited analog open reel tape; hell I need to move my MS-16 as it is now worth about twice what I paid for it back in 2000 (used). But I plan on keeping my half track

Analogeezer

 

[JW56789]

Here's a tour of the WLW Radio transmission plant. WLW in the 30's was broadcasting at 500,000 watts, and the RCA built transmission system was tested to 800,000 watts broadcast. Clear Channel hell, this was Clear Planet.

Here's a tour, with lots of talk about how it was done, and lots of video of the various stages in the process. After musical or hi-fi amps, you recognize some of the pieces, but they're all Jurassic Park-sized ! The amount of current running through all this was stupendous, yet jacked up through massive tube stages and transformers to that boradcast output. Mind-bending.

 

[chadds]

Elon Musk has a ‘61 Jag. Do we have to ask why?

 

[mike buzzetti]

You'll have to pry my Tubes from my cold dead hands.

THIS LOL !!!!!

 

[mike buzzetti]

Actually rotaries are quite popular in drones and other applications that need high power in a compact package.

Tube amps are probably more nichey than vinyl records these days. Hell live bands in local bars are becoming niche.

Playing bass is definitely more niche than when I started out; used to be a kid on every other block with a bass and a small amp, not so much anymore.

I already cited analog open reel tape; hell I need to move my MS-16 as it is now worth about twice what I paid for it back in 2000 (used). But I plan on keeping my half track

Analogeezer

DONT sump that 1/2 track !!! mastering bliss

 

[DJ Bebop]

You'll have to pry my Tubes from my cold dead hands.

 

[denton57]

Surfing reverb for a sextet of 6550’s, and there was a seller with Groove Tubes 6550R matched sextet on sale for $100 off the $249 normal price - for $149. No idea if these tubes are any good but felt compelled to pull the trigger for a backup for my SVT. Apparently there’s 48 left in stock. Looks the same as other listings that are $329.

Anyone use them? This is the medium set, no idea if there’s a number system with them. I figure if I have a failure and need a sextet, it’s better to have some than none.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

That is some silly clickbait. Russian tubes aren't particularly good and are by no means the whole industry. I've got about 35 tube amps and have not used any Russian or Chinese tubes in over 20 years.

NOS tubes tend to last a crazy long time, making them a better deal than they appear, except for certain types where the prices are in the stratosphere. If NOS is not an option, JJ/Tesla almost certainly makes what you need.

In Russia

Well, Slovakia. But, they border Ukraine. And they will be devastated as well.

USSR

 

[obascin]

Definitely the end of tube amps for bass. Sell your Fender Superbassman before it's too late! I'm sure some idiot will buy it from you for a reasonable price. I mean, if you want to offload it I might know an interested buyer *cough cough*.

 

[sid sonic]

remember...junction material does not survive EMP...hollow state thermonic emission do...just sayin'...ss

 

[teleharmonium]

In Russia

welp, that would take another invasion, so... maybe ?

 

[teleharmonium]

(...) I have samples of new construction tubes from all 2 regions of manufacture with over 10k hours without any difficulty.

I could believe that if we are talking about preamp tubes

Then again, with the way Chinese 12AX7s sound, the Peavey effect applies, where durability becomes a vice

 

[beans-on-toast]

Don’t worry, this policy will end. The tube business is valuable and it will come back. It the restrictions continue, maybe they’ll ship them to China and they’ll be repackaged there. They’ll figure it out.

I remember in the 1980’s people said tubes would disappear. They didn’t.

 

[bobdabilder]

All your tubes are belong to us?

In Russia

 

[6-3-2]

Might be. They're really inefficient, really finicky to make, plagued by QC issues depending on batch, and not especially great for the environment.

Of course, the counterpoint is that there are a lot of Blues Lawyers out there with hungry Two Rock amps who'll be willing to throw down stupid amounts of money so that they can molest Sunshine of Your Love at the local Saturday afternoon jam, so who knows?

Are the Blues Lawyers the same dudes buying all those relic'd guitars?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

All your tubes are belong to us?

Ukraine: "Someone has set up us the bomb"

 

[higain617]

The tooling to build them in North America again is surely available. It's probably a matter of whether it becomes financially viable.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I remember in the 1980’s people said tubes would disappear. They didn’t.

 

[agedhorse]

The tooling to build them in North America again is surely available. It's probably a matter of whether it becomes financially viable.

Long gone. It could be developed, but the cost would be astronomical.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Long gone. It could be developed, but the cost would be astronomical.

How much do you need?