Western Electric plans to expand tube range

[mac72]

It seems like Western Electric could start manufacturing another type of tubes asking on their website about potential interest . It won't be very quick but with russian (not using capital letter for purpose intended) tubes no more for some time might help with the "shortage".
Have your say and answer the questionnaire:
https://www.westernelectric.com/expand

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Good luck to them, I hope they do well.

 

[mac72]

Good luck to them, I hope they do well.

Definitely there would be quite big demand for KT88 for example as there isn't many alternatives to Chinese and JJ tubes , russian tubes certainly would find their way through China but at higher cost and many would not use them as a principle , definitely US and European based companies would stop fitting them in sold equipment

 

[Psilonaught]

I won't be buying anything from them if their prices are like their 300b tubes.

Nothing whatsoever wrong with premium Chinese tubes.

 

[mac72]

I won't be buying anything from them if their prices are like their 300b tubes.

Nothing whatsoever wrong with premium Chinese tubes.

Problem with Chinese tubes is sourcing them from reliable source as QC is quite poor and I've used them quite a lot in the past ,
WE to be competitive and cover the cost of tooling would need to price them to sell in big quantities

 

[John (big)]

Problem with Chinese tubes is sourcing them from reliable source as QC is quite poor and I've used them quite a lot in the past ,
WE to be competitive and cover the cost of tooling would need to price them to sell in big quantities

My Rogue Titan Atlas uses 4 x KT 120 power tubes, now Tungsol KT120's are not physically or ethically an option & the Shuguang factory has burnt down, buying the Shuguang Treasure KT120's described by many including the Stereo Times as the best available, bought from an unknown source even NOS could be subject to being seconds or to poor QC. I don't know whether the Psvane KT120's are still available, I have been lead to believe they were made by Shuguang I contacted Mark O'brien at Rogue Audio KT150's and by extension KT170's are not an option either I have no wish to melt a transformer.

My tubes are several years old biased at 40Ma that's 35Ma on the gauge + 5Ma due to a resistor? even biased at such a low figure they won't last forever. Lets hope the Chinese Government builds a new Shuguang factory & starts production off KT120's.

 

[mac72]

My Rogue Titan Atlas uses 4 x KT 120 power tubes, now Tungsol KT120's are not physically or ethically an option & the Shuguang factory has burnt down, buying the Shuguang Treasure KT120's described by many including the Stereo Times as the best available, bought from an unknown source even NOS could be subject to being seconds or to poor QC. I don't know whether the Psvane KT120's are still available, I have been lead to believe they were made by Shuguang I contacted Mark O'brien at Rogue Audio KT150's and by extension KT170's are not an option either I have no wish to melt a transformer.

My tubes are several years old biased at 40Ma that's 35Ma on the gauge + 5Ma due to a resistor? even biased at such a low figure they won't last forever. Lets hope the Chinese Government builds a new Shuguang factory & starts production off KT120's.

KT88 might be an option but you need to check with Rogue Audio of course

 

[John (big)]

KT88 might be an option but you need to check with Rogue Audio of course

KT88'S were original fitment, I have used KT88's they sounded anaemic in comparison to the KT120's I have thought about them may be a poor if only option to my ears in my system.