Are tubes like drugs ?

Speaker Fan

Speaker Fan

proud owner of Altec 19's
Today I went to a store that sells used but very good condition vintage audio epuipment. I was pleased to see that a business of this type existed and I inquired an some older Marantz receiver and some Goodman speakers.

Then I asked about TUBE equipment...

The guy told me "tube equipment is like drugs, once you have it you start spending all of your time looking for tubes and other tube equipment". :yikes:

Needless to say I was shocked but took his business card and told him I may call later about a few Marantz items that he will be getting in shortly.

Then it hit me, he may be right... yes, he may indeed know something about this hobby that I had not yet thought of. :scratch2:

It has been less than 2 months since I purchased my Altec 19's and just a few weeks since I found a Viking console (made in Canada sold by Eaton Co.) with a GREAT sounding 6BQ5 tube stereo amplifier in it. Since then I have:

- rescued an old Blaupunkt shortwave console
- spent hours on the web looking for tube amps
- "rolled in" to the Viking a set of vintage GE EL84 tubes (from the Blaupunkt)
- noticed the GE tubes sound better than the Brimar's that were in the Viking
- moved the 19's and Viking up to spare room for dedicated listening leaving ALL of my solid state stuff downstairs with the home theatre equipment
- tried to complete my Capitol Records Ultra-Lounge remastered CD collection

Was he right ???

What do others here think, are tubes like drugs? :dunno:
 
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This illustrates the way I feel about guitar...:smoke:

Good music and sound are addictive.
 

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Yep, He is a wise soul.

Listen or forever be damnd for the insatiable desire to roll one or two:smoke: tubes, pentodes, triodes, try different brands of equipment, and after all of that, repeat! Buy new speakers..................

Barry
 
Is the hobby addictive and obsessive? Yes.

Can you snort tubes? No.
Can you inject tubes? No.
Can you put tubes in a bong and smoke them? No.
Can you put tubes on your tongue and get a LSD-like reaction? No.
Can you Hotknife tubes? No.
Can you crackpipe tubes? No.

So.....no. :D
 
Uh-huh. One Boatanchor leads to another, since you DON'T want the 1st one to get Lonely, then a 3rd one would be nice, too, but they're outta balance so's a 4th one is in order, it was too small so I gotta get #5...1st thing you know, you've devoted a ROOM in yr house to th' damthings... And of course, if you have Tooob stuff, you gotta get a Stash of Tooobs, then a Tooob tester, a Vacuum Tube Voltmeter, more Stash, a "Good" Tooob tester, 'cause you read yr 1st one wasn't any good, & some fool says TV-2s are the Bee's Knees...a Rack to store & catalog yr Stash in,.... No, no way, Tooob stuff ain't in any way like an addiction or obsession.. Addictions 'n' obsessions are MILD by comparison...
 
forgot to mention one more point

Elfasto said:
Is the hobby addictive and obsessive? Yes.

OK, well I forgot one more small issue...

This week I went back to the place where I got the console (yes like an addict looking for another fix and no I am not making this up) and saw a great Hammond S6 organ for $60 and was thinking "wonder what tubes are in there?".

I would not have even though about organs except many good old tube amps for sale online seem to have come from them.

WOW, now this is irony... as I type and listen to the Viking the song on right now is Steve Lawrence - Night and Day... in case you don't know the lyrics they go something like this "I think about you, night and day, day and night..."

Should I be worried now ???
Click to expand...
 
oh yeah . . ..

At this point in my audio life, I can SMELL a piece of tube equipment from 10 feet . . . I can spot a tube console from 20 yards . . . and YES . . I CRAVE MOOOOOOOOORE ! ! !

and yes, you can roll tubes, so it IS like drugs :smoke:

I compare it to baseball cards or comics . . you start collecting, and pretty soon, you gotta fill the holes in your collection. I'm well on my way to having at least one example of all Magnavox Amps from the 40's through the 60's if thats any indication . . .
 
markus said:
At this point in my audio life, I can SMELL a piece of tube equipment from 10 feet . . . I can spot a tube console from 20 yards . . . and YES . . I CRAVE MOOOOOOOOORE ! ! !

I compare it to baseball cards or comics . . you start collecting, and pretty soon, you gotta fill the holes in your collection.
Click to expand...

Well, I am hoping it takes up less space than my current collectible hobby... can anyone guess what that is? :scratch2:

My wife is great and puts up with lots until the day I brought the 19's home without warning... it was lets just say almost scary.

The tube hobby can go on the workbench but where do you put a dozen pair (many large) vintage speakers ?

Bring on the 6BQ5's, can't believe the power and clarity from just ONE of these per channel, almost makes me want to sell my Adcom GFA-555 and Aragon 2004... but I can always keep them and use for non-critical home theatre with my Rotel processor. :thmbsp:
 
yup... more addictive than meth, crack or pot
You hear how addicts will do or say anything in order to "score"?

Well I cant believe the stuff that's come out of my mouth while negotiating a price for some nice old console at a yard or garage sale just to pilage it in search of my favorite "hit" of beam tetrode, directly heated triode or ultra-linear iron. Yea, that's it baby... sweet iron.

Minutes after calling something a "beautiful piece of furniture" or discussing the "nice walnut finish" I've got my 28V battery operated Milwauke Sawzall performing the disection- often before I've even left the parking lot! The remains end up in a dumpster, like trout entrails.

How many more 50 year old Hammond organs must die by the gnashing teeth of my reciprocating saw???

With addiction comes a load of guilt!
WopOnTour
 
WopOnTour said:
Minutes after calling something a "beautiful piece of furniture" or discussing the "nice walnut finish" I've got my 28V battery operated Milwauke Sawzall performing the disection- often before I've even left the parking lot!

How many more 50 year old Hammond organs must die by the gnashing teeth of my reciprocating saw???

With addiction comes a load of guilt!
WopOnTour
Click to expand...

It is likely that tomorrow yet one more Hammond may bite the dust... unless a console jumps in the way to sacrifice itself :pity:

Way too funny, or sick, not sure which... even changed my photo to a tube :thmbsp:
 
i work in downtown area of the city and see addicts on the street all the time.....sometimes see them going through a pile of dump. i've never used drugs in my life, but i think i've gone through a pile of **** for tubes....a few times, and i wasn't embarrassed for some reason.:scratch2:
 
Sandy G said:
Uh-huh. One Boatanchor leads to another, since you DON'T want the 1st one to get Lonely, then a 3rd one would be nice, too, but they're outta balance so's a 4th one is in order, it was too small so I gotta get #5...1st thing you know, you've devoted a ROOM in yr house to th' damthings... And of course, if you have Tooob stuff, you gotta get a Stash of Tooobs, then a Tooob tester, a Vacuum Tube Voltmeter, more Stash, a "Good" Tooob tester, 'cause you read yr 1st one wasn't any good, & some fool says TV-2s are the Bee's Knees...a Rack to store & catalog yr Stash in,.... No, no way, Tooob stuff ain't in any way like an addiction or obsession.. Addictions 'n' obsessions are MILD by comparison...
Click to expand...


:scratch2: you're not related to me are you?:D
 
Tubes as drugs?

Maybe, but I'm not addicted. I can quit anytime!

I just got to get this little Shell tube amp fixed (bad word), I just need one (just one) more visit at this guy out west who has about 30.000 NOS tubes, I just got to get the second little el84 Braun tube amp going, my Dyna FM Tuner just need to be aligned ...

I can quit anytime. If I want to!

Peter Q.
 
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