|
Post by iggs on Oct 11, 2006 10:13:48 GMT -7
From what I know yes ... contact Mike at KCA NOS: www.kcanostubes.com for more info and great selection of NOS EF86, they may seem pricy at first but it's a great investment and they do last a while. Just got 2 Dario Miniwatts for my Route66.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Oct 11, 2006 17:50:49 GMT -7
I'll second the KCANOS recommendation. I picked up a couple of real Mullard EF-86's from Mike and they sound great. They were not as cheap as 12AX7's however...
|
|
|
Post by hdahs143 on Oct 11, 2006 19:14:58 GMT -7
I'll second the KCANOS recommendation. I picked up a couple of real Mullard EF-86's from Mike and they sound great. They were not as cheap as 12AX7's however... Mike is great to deal with! Hey Steve, did your Mullards come with mesh plates? One of the other guys got a Mullard EF86 from Mike a few months back, but it didn't have the mesh plates like the picture on the website. I just stuck with the Dario Miniwatt. It sounds great and is dead quiet. Just Curious ! Harold
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Oct 11, 2006 19:37:51 GMT -7
I'll second the KCANOS recommendation. I picked up a couple of real Mullard EF-86's from Mike and they sound great. They were not as cheap as 12AX7's however... Mike is great to deal with! Hey Steve, did your Mullards come with mesh plates? One of the other guys got a Mullard EF86 from Mike a few months back, but it didn't have the mesh plates like the picture on the website. I just stuck with the Dario Miniwatt. It sounds great and is dead quiet. Just Curious ! Harold Actually, I don't recall.. have to look I suppose!
|
|
|
Post by mudskipper on Oct 12, 2006 15:49:29 GMT -7
i just got a Mullard EF86 in the mail and it has the mesh plate a well. from what i can dig up, those made by RTF int he late 60's are pretty good with microphonic and such. they are also rebranded as Tungsram. these guys, www.zeitmann-tubes.com/ , have them. i've gotten some EL84 quad sets from them in the past and found them to be reliable. i've got a few more leads on various EF86s, so i'll report as i get them. in the meantime are there any current production EF86s that you guys have found to be good sounding?
|
|
|
Post by myles on Oct 12, 2006 16:28:45 GMT -7
The shield (mesh) vs solid has nothing to do with things. This is just a shield.
The current EF86's still do not compare to the NOS versions in tone and especially in reliability.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Oct 12, 2006 16:51:31 GMT -7
Just got a Mullard and a GEC EF86 from KCA today. Both are very nice with the Mullard being brighter than the Dario and the GEC. The GEC is the total package though, it's got it all. Very nice, fat low end and nice high end detail. The Mullard has a tighter low end and more high's/presence. They are both great tubes. Jason
|
|
|
Post by bluzsteel on Oct 13, 2006 5:05:41 GMT -7
I got some new prodution EH EF86's from Dougs and they seem to being doing great, cant say I hear the differance from my Dario's
|
|
|
Post by dock66 on Oct 13, 2006 6:49:05 GMT -7
I've gotten a couple NOS Mullard EF86s from Mike for back up a few months ago based on Myles's recommendations. I've been told that they are considered to be a bargain @ $60 a peice. dock66
|
|
|
Post by guitarstan on Oct 13, 2006 10:21:06 GMT -7
I've gotten a couple NOS Mullard EF86s from Mike for back up a few months ago based on Myles's recommendations. I've been told that they are considered to be a bargain @ $60 a peice. dock66 Ouch , $60 for one little bitty preamp tube , ugh! I'm just gonna have to practice harder so that I'm so good it doesn't matter what I'm playing thru ;D, yea right .
|
|
|
Post by mudskipper on Oct 13, 2006 11:13:05 GMT -7
Ouch , $60 for one little bitty preamp tube , ugh! well, it could be worse.... like Tele 12AX7s. that's what i keeptelling myself, too..... ;D
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Oct 13, 2006 12:09:54 GMT -7
EF86's and 12AX7's are apples and oranges. You can't compare the prices cause the life expectancy of a good EF86 is so much longer than a 12AX7. The Mullard's are a steal for $60 if they last 10 times longer than a typical 12AX7.
|
|
|
Post by myles on Oct 16, 2006 19:47:04 GMT -7
EF86's and 12AX7's are apples and oranges. You can't compare the prices cause the life expectancy of a good EF86 is so much longer than a 12AX7. The Mullard's are a steal for $60 if they last 10 times longer than a typical 12AX7. Actually .... NOS 12AX7s will have an even longer lifespan than an EF86 in most cases but I have seen original Mullard EF86's out of early sixties Vox amps that test better than new production EF86s.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Oct 18, 2006 7:55:26 GMT -7
Sorry, you had mentioned that before about the origional EF86's Myles and I made the mistake of thinking that they would last longer than a typical 12AX7. I apologize. I don't want to spread incorrect info, especially here. What's the typical life span of a NOS EF86, a new 12AX7, and a NOS 12AX7? Jason
|
|
|
Post by myles on Oct 18, 2006 10:05:22 GMT -7
Sorry, you had mentioned that before about the origional EF86's Myles and I made the mistake of thinking that they would last longer than a typical 12AX7. I apologize. I don't want to spread incorrect info, especially here. What's the typical life span of a NOS EF86, a new 12AX7, and a NOS 12AX7? Jason Life span is from days to decades. There are many factors. NOS lasts much longer as a general rule.
|
|
|
Post by DRZ on Oct 18, 2006 15:59:15 GMT -7
I got some new prodution EH EF86's from Dougs and they seem to being doing great, cant say I hear the differance from my Dario's Dave I have to agree with you. I sampled 5 new EH Ef-86's and i was quite happy, I sent out a StangRay today with one. Hey dave maybe I'll see you at the show Saterday, I'll be in town. DR.Z
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Oct 18, 2006 18:35:19 GMT -7
Thanks Myles.
|
|
|
Post by LeftyLang on Apr 6, 2007 13:55:56 GMT -7
I got some new prodution EH EF86's from Dougs and they seem to being doing great, cant say I hear the differance from my Dario's Dave I have to agree with you. I sampled 5 new EH Ef-86's and i was quite happy, I sent out a StangRay today with one. Hey dave maybe I'll see you at the show Saterday, I'll be in town. DR.Z Thanks Doc....that is great news!
|
|
|
Post by mikekca on Apr 24, 2007 4:53:01 GMT -7
Interesting comment above about the Mullard being brighter than the Dario. I've had the opposite feedback from several customers (I don't own an EF86 amp). I've learned not to make statements like this (after 15,000 orders) because it usually comes back to haunt me.
BTW, I've heard that the solid plate Mullards are more resistant to microphonics than the mesh plate tubes. Not sure if this is really true or just the luck of the draw. David Wilson from Tonequest has an upcoming article on the Matchless DC30, and he LOVED the solid plate version. Thought it was significantly better sounding than the mesh plate version.
YMMV.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Apr 24, 2007 8:02:35 GMT -7
In my Z-28 the Mullard just had a lot more detail than the Dario. Maybe it was the amp, but it had the same effect in my 65amps London too. One of my friends is a Broadway engineer with a pretty good set of ears and he said the same thing. Everybody's different though and we all hear things differently. I would think it would vary from amp to amp, so ya gotta take all this with a grain of salt. Lot's of variables from guitar rig to guitar rig as well. That's just how it worked in mine. YMMV
|
|
|
Post by myles on May 4, 2007 10:00:07 GMT -7
Interesting comment above about the Mullard being brighter than the Dario. I've had the opposite feedback from several customers (I don't own an EF86 amp). I've learned not to make statements like this (after 15,000 orders) because it usually comes back to haunt me. BTW, I've heard that the solid plate Mullards are more resistant to microphonics than the mesh plate tubes. Not sure if this is really true or just the luck of the draw. David Wilson from Tonequest has an upcoming article on the Matchless DC30, and he LOVED the solid plate version. Thought it was significantly better sounding than the mesh plate version. YMMV. I agree .... to me the Mullard is darker than the Dario. On solid vs mesh .... luck of the draw. In 50 tubes you will find a 25/25 split on this A good one is a good one and a bad one is a bad one.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on May 4, 2007 10:23:05 GMT -7
Maybe it's just me then. Gonna miss you in NY this weekend Myles!
|
|