Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[godofwealth]

OK, folks, I need to tap into your collective wisdom. I just received a quartet of gorgeous looking NOS Western Electric 101D tubes for my Pacific. But, their pin out is not the usual one of two small and two larger pins. Do I need a converter to use them on my Pacific?

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Catalogs/Suppliers/VWXYZ/Western-Electric-Vacuum-Tube-Data-101D-to-300B-1941-212-pages.pdf

 

[Blake]

Edited: I am not familiar with that particular WE 101D. Just find out what pinout it has for the base pins. For example, let's just assume your 101D has a B4 pinout- I have no idea if it is, and from your pics, it seems your pins are different than B4..... you just buy a B4 to UX4 pin adapter. It is UX4 into the chassis for your Pacific.

I had to use this adapter with my NOS 1940's Telefunken RS242, and Visseaux TMBF1 power tubes in my Lampi GG and Pac.

 

[DasguteOhr]

Yes definitive like this her

1PC Convert Tube Socket WE101D TO 101D Vacuum Tube Amplifier Adapter Socket DIY | eBay

WE101D TO 101D Vacuum Tube Socket Adapter. After plugging in the adapter, you can use WE101D vacuum tube(Western Electric. 101D vacuum tube were originally used on the machine(2 thick feet, 2 thin feet). ).

www.ebay.com

pin assignment is this: if you don't see a nose on the base of the tube between anode and filament then the only thing that helps is measuring the two connections that show low resistance this are filament. This ones must placed to thicker pins in the adapter

 

[godofwealth]

Thanks, I ordered the adaptors you referred to. I have a call to my Amplitrex designer, will see what he says as well....

 

[highstream]

Anyone know of somewhere in the States where I could get a Valvo G2504 tested? I've contacted three places: Western Glow, Band-Width Audio and tubeterra. The first doesn't have a tester that can take a 2504 -- it's a European tube -- while the other two haven't responded yet. I'm in Montana, but there's nobody hereabouts that deals with tube gear.

 

[bridock]

Anyone know of somewhere in the States where I could get a Valvo G2504 tested? I've contacted three places: Western Glow, Band-Width Audio and tubeterra. The first doesn't have a tester that can take a 2504 -- it's a European tube -- while the other two haven't responded yet. I'm in Montana, but there's nobody hereabouts that deals with tube gear.

Hey man, try TC Tubes
Cheers

 

[highstream]

Hey man, try TC Tubes
Cheers

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jbrrp1]

Hey man, try TC Tubes
Cheers

+1 Tyler is great.

 

[Zero000]

I ordered some Western Electric VT-25 ceramic base efforts.

These should be the bright glowing thoriated version. Maybe.

Impressions to follow...

 

[godofwealth]

Just installed a quartet of NOS Western Electric 101Ds in my Pacific. Had to wait for a few weeks to get the right adapters. The tubes are cooking now in my Pacific and sounding nice. More to come once I break them in.

 

[godofwealth]

Early impressions but move over, KR RK 242. A new king has arrived. The sound after a couple of hours of warming up is drop-dead gorgeous with a sweetness that’s missing from the 242s.

 

[godofwealth]

This is what they look like. Be careful the pin out is different from the 300B pin out. All pins are the same size. I got a set of adapters from China. They work perfectly. You need to be careful to make sure the pins are inserted properly as the tube pins are completely symmetric. The pin on the side of the tube indicates polarity.

 

[cpcat]

That’s how the pins are on my WE101fs too.
I assume you are using the WE101d on 101 setting? Seems obvious I guess
LF told me to use 45 setting for the WE101f - but different tube obviously.

Going a little RK right now- RK PX25s

 

[Geerock]

That’s how the pins are on my WE101fs too.
I assume you are using the WE101d on 101 setting? Seems obvious I guess
LF told me to use 45 setting for the WE101f - but different tube obviously.

Going a little RK right now- RK PX25s

I've settled on the RK px 25's with a Tungsram pv4200 Barium rectifier in my Golden Gate. I've tried plenty of combos but this one seems to cover all bases.

 

[cpcat]

I've settled on the RK px 25's with a Tungsram pv4200 Barium rectifier in my Golden Gate. I've tried plenty of combos but this one seems to cover all bases.

They are a nice blend of 242 dynamics with some 300b mid-range thrown in and with the best bass slam of the group IMO. They run hot - but that’s why we give them lots of room to breathe

 

[godofwealth]

The filament voltages for the WE 101d and the 45 tubes are very different.

https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/084/1/101D.pdf

https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/021/4/45.pdf

I would never run my WE 101d on the filament voltage for a 45. WE tubes are the Stradivarius of tube audio. They are simply beyond anything anyone can design these days. Which modern tube company can make a tube that lasts 40,000 hours? Even the modern 300B reissues pale in comparison to the original WE 300Bs.

The last Stradivarius that just came on auction -- called the Joachim, because it was once owned by the famous violinist Joachim who was a close friend of Johannes Brahms and pioneered his famous violin concerto on that Stradivarius -- sold for over $10 million! These violins are priceless. All of modern science and technology is unable to make a violin that sounds as good as the centuries old Stradivarius.

WE tubes, fortunately, don't cost millions of dollars! But they are equally rare and deserve to be treated with care. You can't go on Amazon and buy NOS WE tubes!

 

[cpcat]

Thanks! I’m sure these are great tubes (your WE 101d)
I have WE101f


Like I said - different tubes and these run on the 45 setting. They are just ok in my system.

I would love to have a set of the original WE 101d tennis balls
But the coke bottle shape likely results in less microphonics

 

[cpcat]

At least that’s what LF told me to do- it seems like looking at the .5 amp/ 4.15 volt spec on the 101f I should use the 101 setting- but now I’m afraid to try it. Can’t argue with the designer

 

[godofwealth]

Note that my WE 101D’s are the later version. They’re not the tennis ball version. See attached pic.

 

[godofwealth]

Two days of listening and I’m going to propose WE 101d’s as the king of DHT’s for compatible non-pentode Lampi DACs. It’s hugely better than the KR 242’s, although it’s lower gain. That’s probably a good thing for most folks whose preamps were overloaded by KR 242’s. Sadly, they’re rarer than hen’s teeth. But you just have to find a quartet. They’ll outlive you. But they’re very hard to find NOS. They cost me less than my 242’s. I won’t sell them at 10x the price I paid for them. Mine came from Italy. Here’s the guy I bought from. You can ping him directly if he has or can find more. He doesn’t list any more.

RARI TUBI TWO -CW101D WESTERN ELECTRIC -BALANCE-PAIR-NOS-NIB (300B-2A3-AD1-45) | eBay

GUARDATE LE ALTRE MIE ASTE. CONTATTATEMI X ALTRE FOTO.

www.ebay.com