[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4WVRKkmww[/media]
-The packaging and branding is totally audiophile but the manual process itself has not changed in over 100 years.
-The "top secret black coating" is aluminum oxide, or a similar material. Again, totally common to use in tubes.
-I have never seen tubes that fucking massive that were for basic amplification.
They are like works of art on many levels.
I still don't entirely know how they work. I mean the concept of the amplification.
Why is it I constantly find myself watching "How x is made" shows early in the morning, bored out my head?
[QUOTE=Morbo!!!;43893367]Why is it I constantly find myself watching "How x is made" shows early in the morning, bored out my head?[/QUOTE]
They're addicting
don't understand how this couldn't be automated with modern technology, if hasn't been done yet.
[QUOTE=Ithon;43893437]don't understand how this couldn't be automated with modern technology, if hasn't been done yet.[/QUOTE]
glasswork is difficult to automate, it's cheaper to use human power
[QUOTE=Ithon;43893437]don't understand how this couldn't be automated with modern technology, if hasn't been done yet.[/QUOTE]
Because machines don't have the ability to detect the imperfections that you see them filter out a few times in the video (like when he uses the hand torch when they were shaping the end terminal thingy.)
why glass
[editline]13th February 2014[/editline]
i should first ask what exactly this tool does
is it directly involved in letting the sound out, or as seems more likely, just an electrical part that needs a vacuum?
given the latter, i don't see why plastic wouldn't work
[QUOTE=bitches;43893526]why glass
[editline]13th February 2014[/editline]
i should first ask what exactly this tool does
is it directly involved in letting the sound out, or as seems more likely, just an electrical part that needs a vacuum?
given the latter, i don't see why plastic wouldn't work[/QUOTE]
Probably just superstitious audiophiles believing it will sound like shit if its not made out of glass,
The process was semi-automated eventually. Feed a machine the heater/anode/grid/cathode assembly and stock glass tube and it spits out a tube for testing in about a minute.
[img]http://antiqueradios.com/features/graphics/vacuum1.jpeg[/img]
[img]http://www.roger-russell.com/sonopg/sotubeprod.jpg[/img]
Millions of tubes were manufactured in the 50's and 60's. There's absolutely no way they were all made by hand. They just don't run large production lines anymore so buying brand new tubes these days is very expensive because they are almost all hand made and as you saw there's a lot of manual glasswork.
Also, tubes need to be made from a material like glass because the heaters normally run the tubes hotter than plastic could handle. Either it would implode or you lose the vacuum and ruin the tube.
still needed a human hand to guide it though
[QUOTE=bitches;43893526]why glass
[editline]13th February 2014[/editline]
i should first ask what exactly this tool does
is it directly involved in letting the sound out, or as seems more likely, just an electrical part that needs a vacuum?
given the latter, i don't see why plastic wouldn't work[/QUOTE]
plastic deforms under long term exposure to negative or positive pressure.
[editline]13th February 2014[/editline]
they could use inert gas to make a plastic one but a lot are marked up so high anyway that they could be made of diamond and still make a profit
I've tested tubes and they give a rich, clean, simple and wonderful sound. Nothing beats them.
If you don't believe it, try it. Get an old radio, get the parts, make it work. There's something satisfying about hearing it.
[QUOTE=Polonium9;43893785]I've tested tubes and they give a rich, clean, simple and wonderful sound. Nothing beats them.
If you don't believe it, try it. Get an old radio, get the parts, make it work. There's something satisfying about hearing it.[/QUOTE]
A transistor beats them, vaccuum tubes cause auditorial distortions when used for sound, transistors are more exact.
Those distortions can be a good thing, they sound better to some people.
I prefer a transparent amp(transistors).
I don't think you'll end up hearing much of a difference between one using vacuum tubes and one using transistors, really. I'd imagine you would be able to measure some technical differences in frequency response or whatever, but that would be something only few - if anyone - would be able to legitimately discern.
Become an audiophile, your ears start noticing the subtle differences when you use high quality audio gear.
I've started using earbuds so everything sounds the same to me now. It's not worth the money.
Glasswork is so awesome
[QUOTE=reevezy67;43894163]Become an audiophile, your ears start noticing the subtle differences when you use high quality audio gear.
I've started using earbuds so everything sounds the same to me now. It's not worth the money.[/QUOTE]
Would they be able to notice them in an ABX test? I don't really hold "audiophiles" in high regard. I mean, I can definitely appreciate a good pair of speakers or headphones (I use a pair of DT770 Pros right now and they're at least in the "pretty decent" category), but everything that has something to do with the AMP side of stuff should be held under a certain amount of scrutiny.
[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;43894250]Would they be able to notice them in an ABX test? I don't really hold "audiophiles" in high regard. I mean, I can definitely appreciate a good pair of speakers or headphones (I use a pair of DT770 Pros right now and they're at least in the "pretty decent" category), but everything that has something to do with the AMP side of stuff should be held under a certain amount of scrutiny.[/QUOTE]
I think so, the differences are definitely noticeable depending on the amp of course.
Some you may not be able to distinguish from each other.
Sounds like sound to me. You're making yourself look like those psychopath keyboard fans who carry their keyboard around to avoid using other brands.
I really admire glass work. I don't know what it is.
[QUOTE=Ithon;43893437]don't understand how this couldn't be automated with modern technology, if hasn't been done yet.[/QUOTE]
If it wasn't made with human hands the sound wouldn't be warm.
I looked around and found a 60's authentic How it's Made for mass produced tubes. It's half an hour long but it tells you EVERYTHING about how the tube works and how each component is manufactured.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDvF89Bh27Y[/media]
Edited: The cunts disabled embedding. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDvF89Bh27Y]Here, have a direct link.[/url]
10 minutes later I'm watching turbocharged vibrators.
How much do the pair of tubes at the end of the video cost?
KR Audio model 845 tube: [url=https://tubedepot.com/products/kr-audio-845]pair of two for $1395[/url].
This is why I recommend people buy NOS or used tubes. Aside from the cost these new ones are NOT standard to any of the older and more common models used in the early 20th century. You will also have trouble using them in most tube checkers unless you have the pinouts to fudge the settings.
Crazy enough, my dad just bought a Samsung audio dock with vacuum tubes.
[thumb]http://techhive.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DA-E751_L45.jpg[/thumb]
It sounds really good and the tubes look pretty cool.
[QUOTE=reevezy67;43894035]Those distortions can be a good thing, they sound better to some people.
I prefer a transparent amp(transistors).[/QUOTE]
That's why Tube amps for guitars are so popular, the way they distort sounds great. Digital guitar distortion can sound good, but nothing can beat a tube. Digital is just too harsh most of the time.
Dimebag Darrell used solid-state (transistor) amps though
I don't get the funny ratings on tube likers :v:
Is it really that big of an audiophile stereotype to like tubes?
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