Why Can't Modern Tube Manufacturers Make a Proper Tube?

Several here stated having true success with new production tubes, and compared to their vintage tubes. Inventory is starting to pick up again for the new big bottles.

It’s worth noting where Sophia Electric and some of these tubes are actually OEM manufactured and labeled. That info is usually found on other forums.

As long as there is some performance guarantee, and we deal with reputable tube resellers, it should keep tube amp fans going for a while longer. Happy Listening!

Tube Technology like all technology is a dog that had its day, but more importantly from the Hey Day the Tech' was all about the people involved in the production.

It is safe to say the Tube was replaced by the much less power hungry Transistor and the Transistor by its function is quite Tube like when used in a audio circuit, as in its earliest guise it is a not too complex simi conductor, it has limited functions to which it is dedicated.

The Transistor was already mainstream in the 1950's, so the idea of Valve Production Plant's trying to compete was most likely a commercial suicide, the writing was on the Wall.  n 

Where the real changes are most likely to have occurred, is a result of War in Mainland Europe the Factories that had brought on the skill sets to be creative and innovative were losing their employees at a fast rate to the War Effort and as a story of tragedy, not many were to return, and plenty that did return, may not have been able to fall into life as it was once known.

Factories were pretty much set back and as they were trying to get back to their pre-war status, the Transistor was fast coming through as the more attractive option.

The Wars of the Twentieth Century, in conjunction with the follow up Arms Races are most likely why there is such a history over the past 40 Years of NOS, as most Tubes are from a substantial intinary of a Military Surplus released into the mainstream.

It would have been wonderful to have been blessed with the all seeing eye and have bought a Batch of Mullard ECC32's in the 90's, when they were a few £'ss each. 

The 32's are quite cheap in comparison to some other Brands, that not too many years past were very cheap finds.     

@pindac

I must disagree that tubes have had their day in high end audio. Certainly from an overall perspective… consumer goods… etc. But in high end audio a number of companies attempted adoption and backed off because they could not reproduce with solid state designs the realism and musicality. Audio Research for instance, tried to us solid state and ultimately gave up. It is more like the advent of CDs and the renaissance of vinyl. I believe the vinyl renaissance is coming to an end, but not the tube.

At some point solid state will surpass tubes in the high end. But it is likely to be two or three decades away. I am living in the moment and want the best sound possible today… for me tubes provide that. It is also true for an awe full lot of folks with deep experience in high end audio.

Uh, they can and they do. I've had no issues with many KT150's I've bought for my ARC amps, same with Electroharmonix and others- in fact, I've had no issues with any tubes I've bought.

We all like tubes and they do a better job than solid state.

 does anyone here have an understanding of what atube does within in an amplifier? Why are so many used in the more powerful amplifiers.

So the current flows through A vacuum tube versus a solid state circuit. ok, that's good info. What is being achieved with all these tubes? Current flows in and causes a filament to glow and then current flows out. So what's being accomplished?