Will they ever make tubes/valves as good as they used to?

[boola]

I think most people agree that Mullard/Bimar/Telefunken/RCA preamp tubes sound SO much better than todays valves.

What really get's me though is that the old Mullard poweramp tubes, EL34s, KT66 etc last sooo much longer AND sound better than todays tubes. I hate having to buy new poweramp tubes every 6months/year.

Why can't they make them as good nowadays? Surely it must be possible? PLEASE someone with a physics or electrical engineering degree sort this out and make yourself a fortune!

 

[carlsoti]

the thing is, tubes used to be made in HUGE quantities. All the best engineers were working to try to get all they could out of them. You have to also consider all the BAD tubes that were made. More of those have been forgotten than all of the "magic" NOS names around. All of the best engineers are now pushing the limits of silicon technology. I really wish I was able to capitalize on this, as I've thought the same thing, for quite some time. Unfortunately, I think most of the "magic" that when into engineering and manufacturing these has been lost in time.

 

[nathan28]

well it is illegal to make tubes in the usa. so the answer is no.

 

[camsna]

It IS?! Really?!

Oh well. You could just make your own...

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/01/make_your_own_vaccum_tube.html

 

[Timbre Wolf]

Why can't they make them as good nowadays? Surely it must be possible?

Yes, it is possible. But it is not economically feasible, and the current market does not support anyone re-examining the old materials and engineering magic from the vacuum tube heyday. So, to answer your original question - "no."

well it is illegal to make tubes in the usa. so the answer is no.

This is untrue. There is no industrial process, nor hazardous chemical use involved in vacuum tube production that is prohibited by Federal law. Engineering controls can limit exposure to and release of hazardous materials. But proper (i.e. lawful) management of the process does cost money, which factors into the economical strikes against a relatively small industry.

That said, there's no reason one can't become motivated enough to research new, less expensive technologies, and possibly create vacuum tubes that perform better than NOS. Carbon nanotube plate coatings, anyone?

- T

 

[Rocky]

well it is illegal to make tubes in the usa. so the answer is no.

You are incorrect.

 

[stokes]

A big reason the tubes of the "Golden Era" are so much better has to do with demand.In the old days the biggest consumer of tubes was the military,not just the USA but worldwide.They bought up most of the supply.And in order to get a military contract you had to make them good.Today the market is so small,they have to make them with a built in obsolecence in order to sell enough tubes to turn a profit,if they dont wear out fast enough,it wont pay to produce them.

 

[trem]

Back then tubes have to be good because lives were depending on them.

 

[nathan28]

my bad, i thought they were illegal to make. There must not be money to be made with tubes, or its one of those things that:

1. pay an american 10 dollars an hour for quality. Charge 20 bucks a tube and make 5 buck off of it.

2. pay an oversees person 2 dollars an hour for any type of quality. Charge 15 bucks a tube and make 10 bucks off of it.

One of these days im going to do a study how much the gibson factory in nashivlle pays its luthiers and then find out how much korea and japan pay theirs.

 

[stadidas]

A big reason the tubes of the "Golden Era" are so much better has to do with demand.In the old days the biggest consumer of tubes was the military,not just the USA but worldwide.They bought up most of the supply.And in order to get a military contract you had to make them good.Today the market is so small,they have to make them with a built in obsolecence in order to sell enough tubes to turn a profit,if they dont wear out fast enough,it wont pay to produce them.

This is absolutely spot on. We won't see valves being made as well as they used to be for exactly the reasons listed above.