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

Guys used to buy obsolete Tektronix oscilloscopes, in order to harvest from them the Telefunken 6922s, for use in their audio systems. I suppose they are all gone by now. In my one piece of gear that uses 6922s, I have been very happy with Siemens CCa types.

NOS Telefunken 12AX7s are available at more reasonable prices from Victor Kung at  vkung821@gmail.com.  He imports the EleKit amps and more. Tell him Boomer Bill sent you. They work amazingly well for me.

Music is very important to me, not stereo equipment; however, the importance of stereo equipment changed after I wandered into a high end emporium in 1990. Before that time, I had absolutely no idea how good music could sound when played on "High end equipment". That was also when I discovered tubes.

The thought never occurred to that I had been listening to tubes from the time I was born, and that transistors were what was new. Somehow "they" made me believe transistors were the thing, but after "re-discovering" tubes.....you know the rest.

It's nice to be communicating with people who know just how far a good pair of tubes can elevate a phono or preamp, and I am learning a lot. I have a question for you, with NOS tubes, it's difficult to ascertain how much of the price is due to scarcity, and how much is due to the outstanding ability of the product to deliver the goods. Do you have any comment on that?

@orpheus10

mostly scarcity

there are old stock tubes that deliver all or most of the magic of some of the ’famous’ ones - for say half the money or less, all about supply and demand

witness 12ax7 vs 12au7, or german telefunkens vs hungarian tungsrams

Thank you JJ. I know for certain that RCA NOS 12AU7 deliver good value.

You've confirmed my opinion of very high priced tubes before I purchased any.