Good 5AR4 and 6BM8 tubes?

mcgarick

Super Member
Hi
Anyone recommend a good 5AR4 and a 6BM8 tube that wont break the bank?
New or NOS
Thanks in advance.
 
The 6F3P is the russian equivalent of the 6bm8. The version made by SED/ Winged C is a very good quality, low priced NOS tube. They are readily available on ebay. As for 5ar4's, I've had no problem with the chinese made version from the SINO factory.
 
Many 5AR4 lovers swear by the Mullards make at the UK Blackburn factory with manufactuing codes f31 or f32. Just look at the prices these things are selling for by the tube sellers.

The fat, brown metal base 5AR4 tube cost as much as a nice quad of premium vintage tubes.

Carl
 
Jim McShane says the current Chinese 5AR4s are OK (despite older reports to the contrary)... I'll find out; I bought one from him (also a JJ 5AR4) for a new-to-me Scott 222C that I'll rehab... someday.

The old European GZ34 is probably the best way to go, but they're stupid expensive and not terribly easy to find, either.
 
The 6BM8 was (and still is) a popular tube in Japan. I've found the Japanese made versions to be quite good and very affordable. Awai is a brand that comes to mind.
 
You can buy a Mullard GZ34 labeled for Sylvania, RCA or some other company for about $40. To me, when compared to ALL contenders, it makes more sense to buy a tube that will outlast, outperform and certainly be much safer in your equipment. I like Matsu's too, but I have seen 2 of them short out in my days. Chinese??? I still wouldn't take my chances, though that stuff IS getter better every year. G.E. 5AR4's are great too, but will cost you about as much as a re-branded Mullard, and won't last as long. But they are certainly worth considering.
 
You can buy a Mullard GZ34 labeled for Sylvania, RCA or some other company for about $40. To me, when compared to ALL contenders, it makes more sense to buy a tube that will outlast, outperform and certainly be much safer in your equipment.

Amen!

Based on my experience, I'd rather spend more $$$ on a 45 to 50 year old Mullard than any newly produced GZ34/5AR4.

Additional downstream issues stemming from faulty GZ34's can get expensive to repair, including vintage sets of drivers/speakers.

YMMV.

. . Falcon
 
try to look for DUMONT GZ34.:thmbsp: before i use Sovtec 5AR4, it serve the purpose. but DUMONT is much better.:D
 
I love the slow warmup of a GB amperex GZ34....I found one NOS in an estate sale basement, that was a nice surprise.
 
You can buy a Mullard GZ34 labeled for Sylvania, RCA or some other company for about $40. To me, when compared to ALL contenders, it makes more sense to buy a tube that will outlast, outperform and certainly be much safer in your equipment. I like Matsu's too, but I have seen 2 of them short out in my days. Chinese??? I still wouldn't take my chances, though that stuff IS getter better every year. G.E. 5AR4's are great too, but will cost you about as much as a re-branded Mullard, and won't last as long. But they are certainly worth considering.


You are absolutely right. The Mullard/Amperex/GE is worth the cost over the long term. These tubes are supposed to last a very long time. I say consider this useful life and make the proper investment.
 
That's a decent price. If you don't care about labels, look on the 'Bay and buy one with no label from a reputable seller. These tend to go for less than ones with a nice pretty label...of course it may not sound as good as one with a perfect label... :)
 
Is $70 plus shipping for a Mullard fat base f31B8 code too much? :scratch2:

That price is fairly good.

If you have some time to shop the 'baY' for them (it may take 6 to 8 weeks, or longer), you'll occassionally come up with one of those at a real bargain (bidding) price.

The last one I bought had a horrendous photo that was out of focus, and they couldn't find any codes on it, other than a very faint 'GZ34'. Plus, they had no way to test it.

I could tell that it was definitely a Mullard fat-base which meant 1958 - 1961, so I took a chance and placed a bid in the last 12 seconds.

It tested out matched at 108% of the 'new tube' spec, and I only paid $33 for it. (I.E. VERY LUCKY!)

I waited for about 3 - 4 months before I came across this one.

. . Falcon
 
falconeddy, most of these Mullards and Amperex I come across test at or around 100%. even the ones that look beat! when I got my first amp that used 5AR4s, I considered the really low cost alternatives but ended up buying Mullards and Amperex's for what I perceived as minimized risk and better ROI.
 
Having recently bought some of the NOS Mullards for too much money I have not had the greatest luck with them. One I bought was DOA and caused my amp to blow a fuse. Took me a month and a half to get my money back. About a month and a half ago I bought a replacement, a Valvo that was made at Blackburn. It worked for around three weeks and then it blew taking out my fuse again. I am now using the cheap chinese one that originally came with my amp and I cannot really tell any difference. I still have two more Mullards but I will just save them and use the cheap Chinese tubes from here on out. I can tell clear differences with signal and output tubes but I have been unable to hear any difference with the Mullard rectifiers.
 
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