[Balthazar B]

Scroll up.

I did. The scroll isn't the only thing that went up.

 

[lemp]

Dear TubeHeads,
Please help a tube newbie. I'm contemplating getting a Western Electric 396A NOS from 1985 with a rating of 7.5/8.4ma. I know what NOS is. What are the rating numbers rating? (yes, it's milliamps, but of what?) How do you tell a good rating from a bad one? How important is the year if it's NOS?

 

[Ripper2860]

Since I didn't post a Jazz Recommendation last night, I'll post a 2nd to close it out.

Best heard in a darkened room with your favorite beverage. And on Schiity gear, of course.

 

[highgrovemanor]

Maybe it's just because I'm old...

Nice!

And now a shift to what the heck was the car industry thinking?

Why the HECK are most of the EV manufacters self-identifying their EVs as such by making them butt-ugly angular and straight lines?

Not that I am in the EV market, so talking strictly about all the non Tesla's I see on the road. So very IMO.

More conservative has higher probability of not falling out of style. Classic lines of a 911 vs an obnoxious eclipse or testa rossa cheese grater. Sign me up for a swoopy 308 (magnum pi) or 360.

Or getting back to a schiit like made in USA: Shelby Cobra, even a kit car will always look good IMO.

 

[Ripper2860]

Dear TubeHeads,
Please help a tube newbie. I'm contemplating getting a Western Electric 396A NOS from 1985 with a rating of 7.5/8.4ma. I know what NOS is. What are the rating numbers rating? (yes, it's milliamps, but of what?) How do you tell a good rating from a bad one? How important is the year if it's NOS?

The measurements are the left and right triodes. This determines left and right channel output. A well balanced tube is 10% or less difference between triodes

I would strongly recommend 50s and 60s era. Tubes are like wine - there are good years, great years, and bad years. I've never heard anyone singing the praises of an 80s WE396A. It may be a great tube, but 50s and 60s were the hey-day.

 

[NoBodyNoWhere]

Speaking of Jazz, I’m currently listening to “The Complete 3 Blind Mice” by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. I’ve listened to the title track several times, but I’d forgotten how good the whole album is.

 

[Ripper2860]

Excellent choice! Love Art Blakey.

 

[NoBodyNoWhere]

The measurements are the left and right triodes. This determines left and right channel output. A well balanced tube is 10% or less difference between triodes

I would strongly recommend 50s and 60s era. Tubes are like wine - there are good years, great years, and bad years. I've never heard anyone singing the praises of an 80s WE396A. It may be a great tube, but 50s and 60s were the hey-day.

I’m a newbie when it comes to tubes as well so this kind of information is really helpful. And now I’m starting to eye the “last call” Valhallas on Schiit’s site.

 

[LobalWarming]

Dear TubeHeads,
Please help a tube newbie. I'm contemplating getting a Western Electric 396A NOS from 1985 with a rating of 7.5/8.4ma. I know what NOS is. What are the rating numbers rating? (yes, it's milliamps, but of what?)

Milliamps of current. But without knowing which tester it is and how recently calibrated, those values are mainly for infotainment. Even still the sections are not well-balanced for NOS, but likely not audible. What's the asking price for the '85?

How do you tell a good rating from a bad one?

Short answer: you don't. Long answer, it depends on the tester, its condition and calibration. Ask @bcowen to test it for you. If it's really good, he might let you visit it on weekends. That's why it's not a bad thing to purchase from a seller with a good rep and return policy. And never send your tubes to @bcowen for testing.

How important is the year if it's NOS?

Oh boy... generally, earlier is better with most tubes. Early production was Q/A'd more stringently by the engineers, later production runs were generally more stringently monitored by the cost accountants.

In the WE 396A my preference is production from the 50s and 60s. Getting NOS of that vintage is rare and worse... pricey. However, a good used tube of that era can be both a good deal and offer hundreds, even thousands of hours of enjoyment in the Vali.

Tube life becomes less of a concern once one hoards collects and rolls many tubes. 396A is a great tube, but so is the RCA Command 5670, TS 2C51, 6CC42, GE 5-Star 5670, Bendix 6385 and 50s-60s 6N3P. To name just a few.

 

[jonathan c]

Could be. However at present, the transfer function from eBay seller to my amp is extremely non-linear.

... but the transfer function from --> Ebay seller = a linear 186,000 mi /sec ...

 

[PBraith]

With so many folks posting their eclipse pictures, I didn't want to be left out, so I'm posting mine right now.

The pic's of the eclipse displayed on this forum have been fantastic.
Umm... I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but if this last pic is for real, then I fear the end must be near.

 

[jonathan c]

I would strongly recommend 50s and 60s era .... there are good years, great years, and bad years.

Which one are you? (slam dunk from ladder)

 

[Ripper2860]

Modesty prevents me from saying.

 

[jonathan c]

• Consider me astonished!

• While I prefer ZMF Atrium (300 ohms) sonics when driven by a higher output impedance tube h/p/a (OTC or OTL), Vali 3 - at high gain setting - is handling Atrium with stunning aplomb! The sound misses that "nth" degree of expansiveness and release -- the rest is there. Such emotional immersion!
• There is, for me anyway, real devilish glee in getting this caliber of sound from gear this small and this inexpensive. Sonically, the "95%" before me is too enjoyable to worry about the "5%" that I might be missing ...

 

[jonathan c]

Modesty prevents me from saying.

BS .... no chance in that one with a 'Ripper' nom de plume is modest .