2. misc-audio
  3. 993709200

Buying tubes 2nd Hand

looking for others experience on buying tubes from private parties. Seems like there is a lot of room to fudge on the age of a tubes when buying "NOS" tubes. Dealers tend to be fairly trustworthy but they charge a serious premium. How have your experinces via A-Gon or Ebay?
128x128justlisten
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,564 posts
 
Justlisten: What are you using them in and do you use matched pairs/quads or singles?
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Very helpful information/advice, Dekay and Jctubes. Thanks for sharing. Another eBay seller I would recommend is Primotubes -- good quality, excellent packing, and responsive via e-mail. Can anyone recommend other specific sellers?
justlisten's avatar
justlisten OP
489 posts
 
Dekay,

I use 4 matched for a Counterpoint Sa9 phono pre, a matched pair for an Audiologic DAC, and 4 per SF Power 3 mono amp. I have some singles (6dj8 Telefunken, Amperex 7308, a British made 6dj8 SQ, and another unnamed British 6dj8) which I just popped in the phono stage and it sounds better than 4 mathched Philips JAN 6dj8's that were in there before.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,564 posts
 
Boy, that's a slew of 6922's. I just use one at a time for the input tube on my amp and one 5687 for the driver (the amp has a volume pot). Because of this I can buy singles and the only matched tubes that I have picked up in quantity are Amperex White label 7308's (for a rainy day and a pair of Audion mono blocks if I can ever get around to them).
More to discover