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How come that NOS is better them NS new stock ?

There is a lot "tube equipment" threads on this forum. After hearing some good tube amps, Lamm, Hovland, BAT, Cary I could understand why people are buying and making so much fuss about it. I with every passing months closer to invest some money in "obsolete" technology :)
They really sound better then their modern SS counterparts. But I do not understand why people at any price are trying to replace their NS (new stock) tubes for NOS tubes. Do not we have progress in electronic industry? I believe that nobody is using anymore black and white TV, old picture tube should be better then new ones, is it not? But people seems to buy instead, new ones...
So how come, old tubes seems to be better for everybody here? How|Why they sound better?
Maybe SS on old germane transistors form 50's would be better too?
Maybe old resistors would be better too? It does not make any sens to me.
sorlowski

Showing 1 response by elevick

elevick
2,638 posts
 
I think that NOS tubes are better for several reasons:
1-many more tubes were used 50 years ago than today. This meant that economies of scale came into effect-it was cheaper to use good components if you were going to sell more.
2-Since tubes used to be the only option, everyone concentrated on just one thing, tubes. Many of the good NOS tubes were actually made for the military who had very tight standards for tube performances.

Also, from my experiences, many new tubes can sound quite good. Some are even copied designs from vintage tubes. Everyone seems to be trying to copy old Mullard EL34's. However, nobody seems to be able to copy the life span of these. Mullard and Telefunken tubes seem to outlast everyone's efforts-they must be built better.
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