Tube myths Joint Army Navy vs Non Joint Army Navy


Joint Army Navy tubes, commonly referred to as JAN tubes, were tubes produced for the military. Tubes meant for the military, had to meet certain specs, as outlined, in the contracts, each manufacturer, had with the military. Though some contracts, called for a specially produced tube(RCA 5692, for instance), the vast majority of them, called for the same specs, as the industries, who tubes were mainly produced for, had. Consumer use, of tubes for audio, was small in comparison. The reason most think JAN tubes, are "better" tubes, is based on the myth, that they are different tubes. If the specs on a tube, say 6922 for example, were the same, for the Navy, as they were for , say, Hewlett Packard, then both tubes, were ran off the same lines(at different times, as orders dictated), with the same tooling, and same personnel. They are essentially, the same tubes. Most factories, ran a certain number of tubes, and then labelled them, as the orders, dictated. So a tube labelled H/P, was the same as a tube labelled Beckman. So you tell me, "which tube is better?"
fletchj

Showing 2 responses by sugarbrie

I'll ask my mom and try to post later. She was a utility operator in a Sylvania tube plant in Pennsylvania from 1943 to 1957. As a utility operator she could do all the production jobs along the various assembly lines; and was responsible for training new people.

I can remember her saying they use to throw away perfectly good tubes because of cosmetic defects. No factory outlet stores in those days, Ha! A shame, there would be bigger supply today if they did not toss those tubes.
I honestly have never thought that certain tubes sounded better than others, solely because they were the military versions. There are just some types of tubes where the military versions just happen to sound the better. Others do not.

I was never aware of there even being a myth that the military tubes were automatically better. Makes me feel like some folks went for a sales pitch from someone selling those tubes.

I've always know those Amperex tubes were one of the best of those types. I never thought to considered whether they were military or not. It really did/does not matter to me.

The military tubes are just more durable. This is true of all things, even the military vs consumer model of the Hummer vehicle.