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Telefunken vacuum tube E88CC-TK; NOS versus brand new.


Telefunken vacuum tube E88CC-TK; I just purchased a pair of these and they are fantastic; they raised my phono to a new level.


Now here's the question, I paid $60 apiece for a pair of these brand new. "Uncle Kevin" at Upscale Audio, sells these for $349. apiece. His are NOS, they should cost more, they also probably last longer, but do they sound better? That is the question. It is not in my budget to pay $700. to find out. Do you have any comments on this?
orpheus10
rodman99999
6,171 posts
 
Only similarity is the name, which was purchased.     Whether you’d appreciate the differences, between what you own and NOS 6DJ8/E88CC iterations (there were many manufactured, over the years) by Tele; no one can possibly say, but you/your tastes.        Telefunken has always been acknowledged as one of history’s preeminent tube manufacturers.      It’s no surprise; some find it profitable, to purchase names like Genelex/Gold Lion, Mullard, Telefunken, etc and ride along on their reputations of excellence.
tablejockey
3,945 posts
 
As long as it has your ears attention, it doesn't matter.

New Tele's are only a name. Like so many popular brands from the past, it's just a licensed name. Probably from the same  Russian factory many other tubes are made.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

I’ve used 6922 tubes for many years, and these are the best I’ve ever purchased. In regard to NOS being much more expensive; I’m not going there because I still believe NOS are better if they are genuine because of production and material available. While that would make them last longer, they may not be audibly better than a new tube coming from the same factory.

As I look at it, I can buy 5.8 tubes for the price of one NOS; I don’t think I’ll even bother to find out if they last longer, because I have doubts about them sounding better than these.


Thanks for your comments.
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