c'mon really? a hundred and fifty bucks?

[motor_city_tele]

just got my e-mail from tubedepot and see that the price has been reduced to 150 for the mullard 12ax7 military spec tube.

Am I missing something here? Is there any noticeable difference between my 3 dollar russian military spec NOS 6n2p and one of these 150 dollar NOS mullards?

Are they really 50 times better - or even better at all - or maybe even not as good?

I need to find an apples to apples sound comparison to ease my curiosity.

oh well, I guess I'm just cheap.

tootles - jb

[kleuck]

NOS Mullards or TFK are WAY better than any modern tube in a vintage amp, that's a fact.
Are they worth these prices is another story.

[motor_city_tele]

Next someone will be telling me that a Pro V1 golf ball is worth 5.00.

[Mr Ridesglide]

Originally Posted by motor_city_tele

Next someone will be telling me that a Pro V1 golf ball is worth 5.00.

they sell alotta them......and they do spin...well okay..that's alot of money too!

[fakuverymuch]

No kidding, for the cost of two, one could build an amp head.
I think NOS stands for Narly Optimal Screwover.

[20721]

Better? Probably (tubes vary and some of those NOS tubes don't sound too good) but 50 times better? Nope, no way not possible.

[BigDaddyLH]

Is it 50 times louder?

[keithb7]

At $150. Nope. I can't pull the pin. It's the old supply and demand thing. Rare + wanted = bi $$$. There are those out there who buy them, so the price is where the market will bear I suppose.

[Brd400]

I know I was looking at that email also. the price kinda blew my mind too. do I want some new in nOS tubes. sure.... will I be buying them anytime soon at that price. not today.....

[furtherpale]

Originally Posted by fakuverymuch

No kidding, for the cost of two, one could build an amp head.
I think NOS stands for Narly Optimal Screwover.

placebo effect... i told my band mates i put mullard nos in my amp... they all said it sounded A LOT better.... hadn't done anything

[blues dues]

They are demonstrably better, if its worth it is a personal decision. I guess a lot of players might not think so but then again a lot of players are notoriously cheap

[telex76]

They are quite abit better, but I won't spend that kind of money.
I buy mostly used old stock tubes that test as new or very strong.

New production tubes have gotten too good to spend outrageous sums for NOS, unless money is just no object.
I bid on tubes on e-bay almost every day, but I only win 1 or 2 auctions a month. I'm very patient finding tubes and won't buy unless it's a lucky find.

[brookdalebill]

I have never minded paying "good money" for good stuff.
On a unrelated matter, friends complain about high ticket
prices to see established artists, a la James Taylor, C,S,N, and or Y,
the Stones, etc.
I say it's worth it.
End o' rant.

[clayfeat]

Originally Posted by motor_city_tele

Are they really 50 times better - or even better at all - or maybe even not as good?

No, but probably a lot more than 50 times more scarce.

[rokdog49]

I'd be happy to spend that on new tubes if it made me sound like David Gilmour.

[BobbyZ]

Reminds me of my buddy pouring Mcnaughtons into Crown Royal bottles when we were in a dry camp on the Alskan tundra. Everybody thought he was such a great guy handing out shots from a 40 dollor bottle. The Mcnaughtons cost 12 bucks from our suppler.
I'd say something about Mcnaughtons and get the "I wouldn't touch that cheap crap" while they were drinking it.

In other words in a blind test there ain't to many who could tell a Mullard 12ax7 from a MIC 12ax7.

(ok feel free to tell me I'm Nimrod)

[fakuverymuch]

Originally Posted by BobbyZ

Reminds me of my buddy pouring Mcnaughtons into Crown Royal bottles when we were in a dry camp on the Alskan tundra. Everybody thought he was such a great guy handing out shots from a 40 dollor bottle. The Mcnaughtons cost 12 bucks from our suppler.
I'd say something about Mcnaughtons and get the "I wouldn't touch that cheap crap" while they were drinking it.

In other words in a blind test there ain't to many who could tell a Mullard 12ax7 from a MIC 12ax7.

(ok feel free to tell me I'm Nimrod)

Reminds me of when I used to put cheap Mexican black tar heroin in the syringe when we where all getting high. I would tell them it was the best Afghan white, and no one new the difference. Of course they where all so high, that black and white was just a concept.

[Commodore 64]

Some people make a good argument that the Phase Inverter is more important than the Power Tubes for tone. I find it very convenient to believe this, since it allows me to spend 10-20$ for new production EL84, 6V6 and 6L6 tubes for my amp projects.

[kleuck]

Originally Posted by BobbyZ

In other words in a blind test there ain't to many who could tell a Mullard 12ax7 from a MIC 12ax7.

Are you kiddin' ?
To begin with, i killed only this year something like 10 MIC tubes, all brand new, after only a few hours (sometimes, minutes), i've got yet to kill a TFK, and they are all 50 years old...

[BobbyZ]

Hey I ain't saying the old tubes don't last longer or are better tubes.
Just saying most guys can't tell a new tube from a NOS tube by the sound of it.

And hell yes I'd love to run nothing but NOS tubes but last time I checked they ain't making anymore and guys are wasting them in crappy amps.