Its always a difficult to try and compare tubes of even a single variety e.g. 5751s which I have been collecting for only a year or so. I have 3 different Raytheon types alone, FWIW I also seem to prefer the double mica Raytheon although they are reportedly not as good as the triple mica which I own a few pairs.
The primary target of most collectors these days in 5751s is just finding good clean NOS 1950s early 60s triple mica blackplates. Not to long ago thre was an AA thread that declared the NOS supply completely depleted. Although you constantly hear that they are not a great sub for a 12AX7 in truth and that Joe's tube lore on AA is balogna, people squirelled them away anyway.
As prices climbed in the stratosphere (I saw pairs of well lettered clean Sylvania TMBPs go for $400 and $500 a pair). they started to come out of the woodwork as things like this tend to force the demand got high and a supply appeared, things aren't at a crescendo anymore but people still pay enough they are far from cheap unless they are garbage, plentyof that or abundant and newer.
I assume you were talking about the newer Sylvania/Jan (circa 1970-1980s). The main brands amongst the TMBPs from the golden era were Sylvania the most sought after still, the grey plates aren't far behind in terms of what they cost and commercial Gold brands had Grey plates in many instances. I noted that you do not draw much distinction between the black and greys which is interesting, because they do sound very different as entire categories. The big 3 Sylvania, GE, and RCA all had military contracts, denoted as JHS JG and JRC in that order but weren't different than the commercial versions except some of the Gold Brand Sylvanias in 2 micas. The other big players were RCA almost always blackplate in 3 mica, white label and the RCA "Command" a high demand double mica. GE seems to have made the most and had the 5 star brand they are the easiest to find and perhaps have the most thunderous bass, not the best necessarily, but the most, especially if you are talking about the grey plates.
Only a few obscure ones float around of which the CBS is considered unusual but not extremely rare the Tung Sols are available as recent production double micas.
I thought I knew most of them, but you got me with the Acturus never seen one available.
Even though they are a quintessentially American tube, there were even European ones made. Siemans made triple Micas in the 60s which have a collectors interest.
Curiously you did hit a tubeophiles delight in the Raytheon.
I don't have the desire to comment on your findings mainly because I am not entirely sure of the tubes you are describing but they appear to be the more recent production ones. It would be a tedious process.
I would highly recommend that you get some TMBP late 50s Sylvanias, they won our local audio area group's shootout. While you're at it get the others the RCA I like them they are taught and well controlled. The GE for dimensionality etc. These are for the older tubes only.
Please do tell tell me where I can find the Arcturus- Thanks- Steve
The primary target of most collectors these days in 5751s is just finding good clean NOS 1950s early 60s triple mica blackplates. Not to long ago thre was an AA thread that declared the NOS supply completely depleted. Although you constantly hear that they are not a great sub for a 12AX7 in truth and that Joe's tube lore on AA is balogna, people squirelled them away anyway.
As prices climbed in the stratosphere (I saw pairs of well lettered clean Sylvania TMBPs go for $400 and $500 a pair). they started to come out of the woodwork as things like this tend to force the demand got high and a supply appeared, things aren't at a crescendo anymore but people still pay enough they are far from cheap unless they are garbage, plentyof that or abundant and newer.
I assume you were talking about the newer Sylvania/Jan (circa 1970-1980s). The main brands amongst the TMBPs from the golden era were Sylvania the most sought after still, the grey plates aren't far behind in terms of what they cost and commercial Gold brands had Grey plates in many instances. I noted that you do not draw much distinction between the black and greys which is interesting, because they do sound very different as entire categories. The big 3 Sylvania, GE, and RCA all had military contracts, denoted as JHS JG and JRC in that order but weren't different than the commercial versions except some of the Gold Brand Sylvanias in 2 micas. The other big players were RCA almost always blackplate in 3 mica, white label and the RCA "Command" a high demand double mica. GE seems to have made the most and had the 5 star brand they are the easiest to find and perhaps have the most thunderous bass, not the best necessarily, but the most, especially if you are talking about the grey plates.
Only a few obscure ones float around of which the CBS is considered unusual but not extremely rare the Tung Sols are available as recent production double micas.
I thought I knew most of them, but you got me with the Acturus never seen one available.
Even though they are a quintessentially American tube, there were even European ones made. Siemans made triple Micas in the 60s which have a collectors interest.
Curiously you did hit a tubeophiles delight in the Raytheon.
I don't have the desire to comment on your findings mainly because I am not entirely sure of the tubes you are describing but they appear to be the more recent production ones. It would be a tedious process.
I would highly recommend that you get some TMBP late 50s Sylvanias, they won our local audio area group's shootout. While you're at it get the others the RCA I like them they are taught and well controlled. The GE for dimensionality etc. These are for the older tubes only.
Please do tell tell me where I can find the Arcturus- Thanks- Steve