Which tubes are still being made?

[TheVictim]

Audiophiles and guitar players like the 12AX7 and 12AUX7's, and I know that 4146's still see some action as RF final amps for amatuer radio, but what other tubes are still being made and who is selling them?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I don't think there are any decent quality ones being made these days, decades back when the UK stopped making valves the equipment was sold to Russia, who used it to make lower quality valves. I think it's probably now been sold on to China?, who make even lower quality ones!. It's got to the stage now that the Russian ones are highly sort after!.

 

[TheVictim]

I know that tubes are coming back in some ridiculously high end Japanese audio equipment, you can bet any tubes they make are NOT going to suck, but would cost a fortune.

 

[TheVictim]

I found this place where you can not only buy vacuum tubes, but they list which ones are still available and who makes them. You're right, mostly Russian and Chinese crap.

https://www.vacuumtube.com/FAQ.htm

 

[audioguru]

The Russian and Chinese tubes are from their airplanes that have crashed, aren't they??

 

[Speakerguy]

Some at least are "New Old Stock", ie been on the shelf in the original packaging for years.

 

[TheVictim]

I remember back in the day when there were Russian knockoffs of the Apple ][ around Europe, the power supplies had vacuum tube diodes.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I remember back in the day when there were Russian knockoffs of the Apple ][ around Europe, the power supplies had vacuum tube diodes.

Sorry, but I don't believe you! - why on earth would anyone use valve rectifiers in a computer?.

 

[TheVictim]

Yeah, I couldn't believe it either.

 

[TheVictim]

I found something even HARDER to believe.

IC's with vacuum tube elements INSIDE them.

Check out the wikipedia article near the end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_tube

 

[Shax]

I don't think there are any decent quality ones being made these days, decades back when the UK stopped making valves the equipment was sold to Russia, who used it to make lower quality valves. I think it's probably now been sold on to China?, who make even lower quality ones!. It's got to the stage now that the Russian ones are highly sort after!.

Svetlana are manufacturing a wide range of vac tubes in Russia. Still widely used in RF broadcast amplifiers.. Kinda hard to get mosfets to run at half a megawatt!

www.svetlana-tubes.com

I've used them for a PA final tube for my amateur radio linear..

 

[TheVictim]

What's nice about the huge broadcast tubes is they can be opened up and repaired. You can't "repair" a transistor...

 

[ericgibbs]

hi,
Rapid Electronics UK, where stocking valves about 2 years ago.
ECC81/82/83 and a few power valves.

 

[Hero999]

Maplin used to sell valves too but they still sell valve amplifier transformers which is pretty pointless.
**broken link removed**

 

[j.p.bill]

If your heart function is ok, check Richardson Electronics. They carry all kinds of tubes, but the prices are enormous.

 

[CheapSlider]

Langrex Supplies carry stocks of valves and some obsolete type semiconductors.