Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

[Koreth]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Yes you can - just not in the United States or any other country with a highly-regulated manufacturing industry.

That's why they make them in Russia and China.

Actually, yes you can. There are still tubes being manufctured here in the US today. While it is mostly microwave and other RF stuff, there are a still a few audio tubes being built. Western Electric here in the US makes a 300B and a KT88.

I suspect the greater reason for a lack of tube manufacture in the US is not some evil enviromental regulation, but more the fact that vacuum tubes for audio are such a tiny market that few US manufacturers, big or small, have been willing eat the costs of setting up the tooling and doing the R&D needed to start turning out audio tubes when they don't see it likely that they'd be able to recover those costs through enough sales.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

There's a domestically-produced KT88 ??

Has anyone used these in their guitar amp?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

i have some small bottle 6l6 tads and i think they sound great. i havent had any issues with them that i can recall.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

i have some small bottle 6l6 tads and i think they sound great. i havent had any issues with them that i can recall.

Do yourself a favour and compare them to a set of RFT valves. I think that you will see things differently after that.

 

[Tom Huff]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

I replaced all 12 6L6 power tubes in my 400+ with TAD. It is fine and still kicks butt. I've had no problems with them whatsoever.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

You won't have any more trouble with TAD than you would with Ruby or Mesa (6L6GC), they're the same tube, same factory, TAD has a slightly different construction with the black plates and dual getters, but other than that it's the same tube.

Same with the GT 6L6GE and the TAD 6L6WGC.

...and the GT 12AX7-M and the TAD 7025-S.

They are really good sounding tubes with the same reliability issues that plague all new tubes if you don't bias them right or abuse them. If you want the most reliable tubes that will put up with abuse get some Sovtek 5881 and 12AX7WA and sound like sh!t... or go NOS. There's nothing wrong with the TADs.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Do yourself a favour and compare them to a set of RFT valves. I think that you will see things differently after that.

lawls since when is that a fair comparison? RFT is teh uBeR pWnz0rs over MOST tubes

 

[J Moose]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Do yourself a favour and compare them to a set of RFT valves. I think that you will see things differently after that.

Whats really funny is that Telefunken/RFT never actually made anything themselves... it was all rebranded!!! Everything from tube mics to toaster ovens and televisions.

Interesting to see that TAD is basically the same sources as GT & Ruby...

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Wait wait wait so what's wrong with JJ's? I've had/witnessed zero problems with pretty much every tube they make...

 

[some_dude]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Wait wait wait so what's wrong with JJ's? I've had/witnessed zero problems with pretty much every tube they make...

Only JJ I've had problems with is the ECC83S. Apparently they're built way under spec, so they can't survive being used in a cathode follower type preamp.

The rest I've had zero problems with.... although I do find their regular ECC83 really lacks in the gain department.

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

I've got nothing but love for TAD's 6L6GC STR tubes. Back when i had my 1x12 combo those things added so much BALLS it was ridiculous. When i eventually popped in some different tubes i was shocked at how much headroom and volume i lost.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Uh, Teles and RFT were not relabeled anything. Sometimes RFT were labeled as Siemens, and oddly, Telefunken. Sometimes Teles were labeled with various US names, but they were not made by other companies.

Nothing wrong with JJ except the ECC83 tubes are a little dark, but that works just fine in some amps.

TAD relabels JJ, SED, EH, & Tungsols too, they apparently test them better than GT and they don't try to keep it a secret where they come from, unlike GT used to do. I think it's cool that they are actually trying to make really good sounding tubes available for reasonable prices, even if they are making them in a factory in China.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Do yourself a favour and compare them to a set of RFT valves. I think that you will see things differently after that.

it cost me less than $50 for a pair of the tads. i couldnt even find rft 6l6 tubes for sale online in a quick look.

dont get me wrong, im not saying they are the end all be all 6l6 at all. the rca blackplate, ge greyplate, and gec kt66 i have are way better tubes but they cost a hell of a lot more than $50 a matched pair.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

it cost me less than $50 for a pair of the tads. i couldnt even find rft 6l6 tubes for sale online in a quick look.

dont get me wrong, im not saying they are the end all be all 6l6 at all. the rca blackplate, ge greyplate, and gec kt66 i have are way better tubes but they cost a hell of a lot more than $50 a matched pair.

Word. I don't think RFT made 6L6 though, I think they were limited to preamp tubes and EL84, same as Tungsram. I have a set of Sylvania STR387 that I'm saving and using the TADs instead, and really the sound difference doesn't equal the price difference. The TADs are good sounding tubes.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Wait wait wait so what's wrong with JJ's? I've had/witnessed zero problems with pretty much every tube they make...

In my experience, JJs are a well made tube with good durability and long life that effectively neuter any amp they are put into. Then I get to live with garbage tone for a really long time, because they just won't die...

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

It's all about the tube vendor you buy from. Just about every new production tube is manufactured in the same Russian or Chinese hellhole plants. Many tubes are STR. (special tube request) This means the tube company (Brand) has given the manufacturer it's own specs. The only thing that stands before you & getting a turd in a box, Is the guy you buy your tubes from. I got a pair of TAD 6L6 short bottles from Doug's tubes about 2 years ago. Still up & running in my HRD. I got some Tung-sol's from tube depot , One dead out of the box. It's replacement died within a week ! The one's I got from Doug... Still going strong.:cool2: T.A.D. or (Tube Amp Doctor) is a German based company that has STR tubes made for them in China. T.A.D. has a general reputation for good sounding Tubes , But with a HIGH ! Failure rate !! This is why it is imperative to buy them from a vendor who tests them & weeds out the turds. TAD probably only tests a few tubes from each batch B4 they ship.:naughty:

 

[PVFan]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

It's all about the tube vendor you buy from. Just about every new production tube is manufactured in the same Russian or Chinese hellhole plants. Many tubes are STR. (special tube request) This means the tube company (Brand) has given the manufacturer it's own specs. The only thing that stands before you & getting a turd in a box, Is the guy you buy your tubes from. I got a pair of TAD 6L6 short bottles from Doug's tubes about 2 years ago. Still up & running in my HRD. I got some Tung-sol's from tube depot , One dead out of the box. It's replacement died within a week ! The one's I got from Doug... Still going strong.:cool2: T.A.D. or (Tube Amp Doctor) is a German based company that has STR tubes made for them in China. T.A.D. has a general reputation for good sounding Tubes , But with a HIGH ! Failure rate !! This is why it is imperative to buy them from a vendor who tests them & weeds out the turds. TAD probably only tests a few tubes from each batch B4 they ship.:naughty:

I agree with the filtering being a key to avoid insanity, +1.


There are 4 plants. One in China, one in Czechoskjhuuvjnjkhia, and two in Russia.

Two of them get filtered, rebranded, etc.

Two of them don't.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

JJ & SED both get rebranded by GT, Mesa, TAD, Ruby and Harma too, so they all get rebranded in a way.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

JJ & SED both get rebranded by GT, Mesa, TAD, Ruby and Harma too, so they all get rebranded in a way.

Everything is a rebrand of everthing else ... gives me a headache! :friday:

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Can someone explain this whole TAD tube thing?

Yeah, but they used to do it in the old days too. It helps to educate yourself on what different tubes look like internally if you're really looking for them. Sovteks, SED and JJ are all pretty easily identified if you know what they look like. And nothing looks like an RFT or a chinese preamp tube.