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[Hardrock69]

Environmental issues.

Manufacturing tubes is a dirty business, and in Russia and China, they do not care if they pollute the environment and sicken the local population.

The governments of those 2 countries view their population as expendable, and do not give a fuck about what happens to them.

So to manufacture tubes in the US these days is cost-prohibitive, and there is too much regulation and red-tape involved.

Hope that answers your question.

[Nitro Express]

Originally posted by Hardrock69
Environmental issues.

Manufacturing tubes is a dirty business, and in Russia and China, they do not care if they pollute the environment and sicken the local population.

The governments of those 2 countries view their population as expendable, and do not give a fuck about what happens to them.

So to manufacture tubes in the US these days is cost-prohibitive, and there is too much regulation and red-tape involved.

Hope that answers your question.

I've watched video footage of them making tubes at Svetlana in St. Petersburg, Russia. The plant is just this old looking brick building and the equipment looks like it came out of Dr. Frankenstien's lab. All the plates and grids are assembled by hand and then encased in a glass tube with the air sucked out by a vaccume.

What's hazzardouse? I would think valve tubes would be no worse than an incondesant light bulb. We manufacture flouresant lights hin the US and those contain mercury.

[Nitro Express]

Originally posted by Panamark
Heya Nitro !

After obtaining an ADA MP1 recently, I bought probably 6 or 7
different pairs of 12AX7's to try in this great little pre-amp..
All russian and chinese....
How can the biggest economy in the world not manufacture
tubes anymore..?? I thought the electro-harmonix were meant
to be US, but they sounded the worst out the bunch..
Are the JJ's US made, or just "rebadged" I wonder ?

Best sounding 12AX7's were the Beijing ones...
I can describe the plates and mica's if you are
after this particular valve..

But yeah, seems we are screwed if the Ruskis and
Chinese dont want to sell us tubes !!

Tone chasers are like old fart audiophiles now, we
have to seek out that perfect "Stylus" to play our
old LP's.. (Except its our Amps and tubes/valves)

Im betting theres dudes here that agonize over styluses
and Tubes !! LOL....

Another reason we got away from tubes is we had superior transistor and integrated circuit technology than the Communists. They stuck with tube technology longer out of necessity and when the iron curtain opened up, they were desperate for money and one consumer item they could manufacuture and sell was vaccume tubes.

Russia and China opening up started the return of affordable tubes and tube amps. Now we can buy pretty good tube amps for under $500. That was unheard of in 1987!

[BrownSound1]

Actually there are a few companies that still manufacture vacuum tubes in the US. The majority are for military and super high power applications, but Western Electric has a plant here in Huntsville that makes tubes for the audiophile market. They are SUPER expensive, but still US made. They are also going to make available a Genelex Gold Lion KT88 that is currently being made in the UK. A quad of those will run you $1700 US!!! I'll never buy 'em.

http://www.westernelectric.com/index.html

[Nitro Express]

Originally posted by BrownSound1
Actually there are a few companies that still manufacture vacuum tubes in the US. The majority are for military and super high power applications, but Western Electric has a plant here in Huntsville that makes tubes for the audiophile market. They are SUPER expensive, but still US made. They are also going to make available a Genelex Gold Lion KT88 that is currently being made in the UK. A quad of those will run you $1700 US!!! I'll never buy 'em.

http://www.westernelectric.com/index.html

Audiophiles are the wierdest people. The most anal people you will ever meet. My uncle is one and he's also a concert pianist and a retired physisist. The dude bought a handmade amp from some Japanese guy and the transformers were handwound with special Italian silver wire. It's probably got some high end blessed with the pussy dew of a magical virgin tubes in it.

He sits in a chair in the middle of the room with the lights out and listens to special classical music pressings.

They guy is a tottal accademic snob and an asshole. When we called to tell him that my brother died he acted like we ruined his day. He hasn't come to a family function for years. He has no friends but other accademic snobs.

Audiophiles. Ha!

[Eddie's Booze]

Originally posted by Panamark
Why isnt Marshall doing this ?????

I know they recently released some hand wired 50 watt heads that
were closer to a Plexi, but still not exact.

Who the fuck is in charge there ?? They are missing out on a
goldmine. SecondHand Plexis now command top dollar.. Surely
they realize this ??

Panamark,
Over here in the UK you can buy a vintage Plexi or early Jmp 1,2,3 50 watt for alot less than what Marshall are charging for those Handbuilt Marshalls.

Hiwatt are even now making point to point highend Amps for ALOT less what those Handwired Marshalls are and the are alot better sounding and are much higher quality construction wise as well.

[Eddie's Booze]

Originally posted by Panamark
Heya Nitro !

After obtaining an ADA MP1 recently, I bought probably 6 or 7
different pairs of 12AX7's to try in this great little pre-amp..
All russian and chinese....
How can the biggest economy in the world not manufacture
tubes anymore..?? I thought the electro-harmonix were meant
to be US, but they sounded the worst out the bunch..
Are the JJ's US made, or just "rebadged" I wonder ?

Best sounding 12AX7's were the Beijing ones...
I can describe the plates and mica's if you are
after this particular valve..

But yeah, seems we are screwed if the Ruskis and
Chinese dont want to sell us tubes !!

Tone chasers are like old fart audiophiles now, we
have to seek out that perfect "Stylus" to play our
old LP's.. (Except its our Amps and tubes/valves)

Im betting theres dudes here that agonize over styluses
and Tubes !! LOL....

I have the same set of Sovtek Tubes that came in my soldano when I bought in 2000, that amp was built in 1996, how's that for reliable?????

The Amp sounds exactly the same as the day I bought it as well.

:D

[Nitro Express]

Originally posted by Eddie's Booze
Panamark,
Over here in the UK you can buy a vintage Plexi or early Jmp 1,2,3 50 watt for alot less than what Marshall are charging for those Handbuilt Marshalls.

Hiwatt are even now making point to point highend Amps for ALOT less what those Handwired Marshalls are and the are alot better sounding and are much higher quality construction wise as well.

Jim Marshall has turned the opperation over to his son and daughter who both seem to know the legacy they have inherited and both are obviousely educated in the international marketplace of today. What I left the Marshall factory feeling is they are indeed proud of the legacy but they want to go forward using new manufacturing processes to mesh the old with the new and make it reasonably priced. I don't think they are interested in really being a botique handwired amp producer but they don't want to slam the door on that either.

By the way, every girl handwiring the amps was very fuckable. I was expecting ugly fat old ladies or nerdy, ugly men. Nope, very fuckable British beauties. I would pay the price for a handwired amp if the girl who made it came with it! LOL!