My Tube Collection, Welcome to share yours

[oldvinyl]

Here's more 12AX7/ECC83 from Brimar and Mazda (CV4004), shiny plate Mazda, miscellaneous Tele & Mullard.

 

[oldvinyl]

Here's more 12AX7/ECC83 from Miniwatt and Mullard (CV4004).

 

[Mendel]

Seems to me that us old guys have most of the best (N)OS tubes locked up in our ‘collections “ (tube stashes). Are we really gonna use them all up before we go to the great gig in the sky? What’s gonna happen to them all? Will our wives/families put them up in “estate sales” or worse just toss them?
Maybe now is the time to pass some of them along to others by selling some or even giving some away? I have begun by giving some away over the last few years and am seriously considering selling some at relatively low prices to other tube equipment lovers. I think it will make me feel good, I have way more 12ax7s/5751s/6992s/6SN7s and even Mullard EL34s and GE and RCA6L6GCs than I will ever be able to use.
But not my GEC KT66! Any of those that are left are going in the coffin with me!

 

[oldvinyl]

The madness continues .... My phono stage needs 24 12AX7s to retube. So, figuring 5000 hours for a set of tubes and X hours use per year .. I bought some sets of tubes. And then, what do you know? I found sets of other tubes I wanted to try.

Mullards anyone? All thoroughly screened and tested at Upscale Audio. Wrapped in cardboard tube and paper, some with pin protectors.

 

[oldvinyl]

But wait .... there's more ...

Tungsram .... some are Westinghouse branded, others are original. All test really well. Most were graded and selected.

 

[Kingrex]

I wrap my tubes in matched pairs and put a sticky note on them wit the value to see them at. I am thinking of letting some of Tele E88CC to. I don't use them anymore. Oddly a $40 tube that came with my preamp is the best I have.

 

[oldvinyl]

Let's enlist! Join the Air Force! These babies are 1961. Testing very well.

 

[oldvinyl]

I wrap my tubes in matched pairs and put a sticky note on them wit the value to see them at. I am thinking of letting some of Tele E88CC to. I don't use them anymore. Oddly a $40 tube that came with my preamp is the best I have.

NOS Tele E88CC now sell for $400 each.

I had mine grouped with rubber bands. Found out that rubber bands deteriorate after a decade or two or three.

 

[Mendel]

24 12ax7s in your phono stage? Holy cow! Even the Io doesn’t have that many tubes in it. Maybe you need your stash!
My Coincident only uses 4 thankfully.

 

[oldvinyl]

24 12ax7s in your phono stage? Holy cow! Even the Io doesn’t have that many tubes in it. Maybe you need your stash!
My Coincident only uses 4 thankfully.

It is an Io, with dual power supplies. 6 12AX7 in each power supply, 6 12AX7 in each channel of the phono stage. That’s 24. It also uses 2 6922, 2 6SN7, and 4 EL34 (KT-66 in my case).

So, yes. 24 12AX7s to completely retube the Io.

But the tubes lasted much longer than I expected, and I had many years of extensive travel - little use of the stereo.

 

[Mendel]

It is an Io, with dual power supplies. 6 12AX7 in each power supply, 6 12AX7 in each channel of the phono stage. That’s 24. It also uses 2 6922, 2 6SN7, and 4 EL34 (KT-66 in my case).

So, yes. 24 12AX7s to completely retube the Io.

But the tubes lasted much longer than I expected, and I had many years of extensive travel - little use of the stereo.

Wow! The Io has always been my dream phono stage, but 6 12ax7s in each power supply? Even my supply couldn’t keep that monster fed!
You aren’t hoarding, you need all those tubes. Enjoy!

 

[adrian cheng]

But wait .... there's more ...

Tungsram .... some are Westinghouse branded, others are original. All test really well. Most were graded and selected.
View attachment 153723
View attachment 153724
View attachment 153725

Thank you for sharing your collection

 

[adrian cheng]

24 12ax7s in your phono stage? Holy cow! Even the Io doesn’t have that many tubes in it. Maybe you need your stash!
My Coincident only uses 4 thankfully.

Seems to me that us old guys have most of the best (N)OS tubes locked up in our ‘collections “ (tube stashes). Are we really gonna use them all up before we go to the great gig in the sky? What’s gonna happen to them all? Will our wives/families put them up in “estate sales” or worse just toss them?
Maybe now is the time to pass some of them along to others by selling some or even giving some away? I have begun by giving some away over the last few years and am seriously considering selling some at relatively low prices to other tube equipment lovers. I think it will make me feel good, I have way more 12ax7s/5751s/6992s/6SN7s and even Mullard EL34s and GE and RCA6L6GCs than I will ever be able to use.
But not my GEC KT66! Any of those that are left are going in the coffin with me!

 

[jadedavid]

Seems to me that us old guys have most of the best (N)OS tubes locked up in our ‘collections “ (tube stashes). Are we really gonna use them all up before we go to the great gig in the sky? What’s gonna happen to them all? Will our wives/families put them up in “estate sales” or worse just toss them?
Maybe now is the time to pass some of them along to others by selling some or even giving some away? I have begun by giving some away over the last few years and am seriously considering selling some at relatively low prices to other tube equipment lovers. I think it will make me feel good, I have way more 12ax7s/5751s/6992s/6SN7s and even Mullard EL34s and GE and RCA6L6GCs than I will ever be able to use.
But not my GEC KT66! Any of those that are left are going in the coffin with me!

Looking for a Mullard EL37.
Anyone?

 

[oldvinyl]

Wow! The Io has always been my dream phono stage, but 6 12ax7s in each power supply? Even my supply couldn’t keep that monster fed!
You aren’t hoarding, you need all those tubes. Enjoy!

The Io can also be used with one power supply. That’s reduces it to a mere 18 12AX7s.

 

[oldvinyl]

Thank you for sharing your collection

Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[Dr Morbius]

Here’s my stash for my Vali 3 head amp - with my acquisition of a pair of 1978 Klipschorns recently these V3 tubes of 5670 and variants it could last me 970 years!

 

[Dr Morbius]

And here’s my collection of tubes for my different HH Scott amps.

 

[adrian cheng]

And here’s my collection of tubes for my different HH Scott amps.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Dr Morbius]

Thanks for sharing

No problem, although it barely scratches the surface with some of you guys collections!