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Tubes for Cary V12 amps.

I have a few Cary V12 amps. When I bought them they came from the factory with Ruby EL 34's.  I have tried Winged C's, Electro Harmonix and JJ EL-34's and I have lot liked them as much as the Ruby's. I did ask Cary about the Ruby tubes. They said they designed the amp using those tubes and that is probably why the amp sounded best with those tubes.  So I have stuck with the Ruby's since (Ruby EL-34 BHT). But when I went to reorder the 36 tubes I need for the three amps I was told that the factory that produces the Ruby tubes in China had a fire and isn't currently making tubes and there are very few out there to be found. Also no word on when production will resume.

Anyone out there have any luck with tubes other than those I mentioned (Winged C's, Electro Harmonix and JJ) ?
whataboutbob1
decooney
1,908 posts
 
"Sometimes you get what you pay for and personally I avoid power amps with lots of output tubes for just that reason. Also why I got away from 300B amps the retubing costs."


@jond while I sometimes miss and look back to my former amps, your note is a good reminder to myself for similar reasons. I moved from large stereo amps to smaller individual mono amps with larger transformers, larger-fewer output tubes. Tradeoffs come with it too.  
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
I'll tell you a little trick too. Bias with a scope and you will really be surprised at the difference in what that unit should really be biased at. Mine did perfect at 160 and that is actually high to stop crosstalk in EL34s. The higher I went the worse it got.. I also gained over 10 watts per rail when put under an 8ohm load over 110 per rail in UL, from 98 watts per rail.. That alone DOUBLED valve life, before going under water (microphonic).

The 6922 position is REAL important too. It has to be balanced CLOSE or you will have a LOT of distortion.. I lose the holographic imaging when I don't pay attention to that valve. SixPac are the same way.. I use a very special 12AX7.. Volvo, Mazda or Tellies.. RCAs are to rare anymore.

Regards
jond's avatar
jond
5,699 posts
 
@decooney I hear you I decided to enter the world of EL34 tubes when I had a Western Electric 300B flame out on me. I vowed to never have that type of audio pain again. ;)
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johnss
566 posts
 
@whataboutbob1, I have a pair of the V-12s among other amps. Shuguang tube factory had a fire in the building next door to them, not their factory. For some reason the local govt would not let them re-open, so they decided to move the factory to a larger location. No real date I have heard on when Shuguang will start producing valves again. 

Would suggest you try the PSVANE UK grade of EL34s. Very musical tube. if you find any Shuguang tubes on ebay or on the net, they are over two years old, so likely old inventory, or 2nds  that some re-seller picked up. 
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