5AR4 rectifier tube question
I am sort of shopping for one or more 5AR4s for a Cary SLP05 power supply because I’d like to have at least one spare and because I’d maybe like to roll two or three ad see if I can hear an improvement or vice versa. I make no claims of knowing much about the vacuum tube game; occasionally I get lucky & stumble on something that really works for me. As far as the 5AR4, I did a hit at Uncle Kevin’s site, and there were some that looked interesting (I am thinking of one in particular, it had a Japanese sounding name that started with a ’M’) but when I click on it, all I get is a picture of Uncle Kevin’s screaming face telling me "not to buy tubes" (later, when I finally took time to read, apparently his tube tester is down).
So I started doing hits on Ebay, and oh my gosh! I was inundated with choices and the variation in prices! Which do I stay away from and which should I be interested in? Would a 5AR4 from Bugera also be suitable for what I’d want to use it for? Could a rectifier tube provide a big sonic upgrade if I spent enough money on it? Can I make a sonic upgrade from what I believe (I haven’t opened up the power supply yet) is the stock EH 5AR4 without breaking the bank? I would be totally good with the $50.00 range and picking up 2 or 3 different ones to play with if those with experience thought I could improve the power supply in that range. If I had to I guess I could go more (the $100.00 range) but I probably wouldn’t be buying too many of them, and I was kind of HOPING not to go much over that.
Anyway, thanks in advance for the input; I always consider it part of my education.
@rodman99999 I may be beyond a therapist. But I have been outbid on one of the Mullards and so far I am restraining myself and not bidding any higher on it. @jpmanomet I just did go to Ness Tone Tube Sales, and right now, if I did my search correctly, all he has is two NOS Mullards @ $199 each.
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let’s not overthink this and get into trivia regarding these excellent old stock rectifiers metal base/fat bakelite base/narrow bakelite base 4 notch/7 notch/smooth plates dark/shiny flashing, seam top, square top if they are real deal uk, holland made ones from the 60’s-70’s-early '80's and then, japan made ones from early to mid 80’s they are excellent, reliable, will last a lifetime in hifi gear if the tube is properly and strongly functioning, with plenty of getter flash sonic differences among the generational variants are somewhere between non existent to truly minor, more having to do with specific tube to tube variation/use history than to the generation of production all, and i mean all, are superior to modern russian chinese or slovakian product |
