Got notice the other day that Russian made tubes are on the export ban list

There has already been a purchasing frenzy, Vivatubes has restricted ordering, Sweetwater has put all out of stock, Upscale Audio has removed them from the website

Prices have already risen

I have backup sets of Gold Lions and Mullards for my preamp so I’m good

https://www.gearnews.com/mike-...acuum-tubes-in-2022/

Luckily I have a couple spare sets for my guitar amp. Hopefully the factories are running and building up a stockpile to be released when the sanctions get lifted.

Could also be an opportunity to start production here in the US again.

Necessity being the mother of invention …

Lmao!

This topic on every forum I read ffs. Git yore toobz!

This happened in the 1980s too.

The ones in my PRRI are new, so I doubt I will wear them out for quite a while. How long do they last at reasonable playing levels anyhow? Pretty sure most of them are Chinese anyhow.

OMG, you guys are not kidding....

Last time I priced the 572's they were about a third the price. wow!!!!!

$200 for a single tube. unreal. Of course this example is from the manufacture long considered the best, but still....

https://www.rfparts.com/tubes/...72b-svet-select.html

Looked up tube sets for a Marshall JCM800 amp I have.

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
Luckily I have a couple spare sets for my guitar amp. Hopefully the factories are running and building up a stockpile to be released when the sanctions get lifted.

There were only three tube factories left when the one in China burnt down and, AFAIK, has not been rebuilt. So that leaves Russia and Slovakia. Russian tubes are out now, so only the JJs in Slovakia will still make it to the US and they'll be crushed with orders and prices will spike. I just called Antique Electronics minute ago to check on a backordered tube order from a few weeks ago. No end in sight and not a single matched quad of EL34s or 6CA7s in stock. I'm well stocked, but would like some more.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
The ones in my PRRI are new, so I doubt I will wear them out for quite a while. How long do they last at reasonable playing levels anyhow? Pretty sure most of them are Chinese anyhow.

You can always get unlucky and have a tube blow up tomorrow, but most people who play as a hobby get years and years out of a set of tubes.

My small stash of RCA and Mazda 6V6s and NOS American and European 12AX7s is worth quite a lot these days. But I have them to use, not to sell, and I bought them years ago when they weren't priced like they were even 60 days ago.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jhe888,

It will be fine. New Sensor already has a work around. They'll be back in stock in April.

Sonically they don't come close to my NOS 1950s Mullards, Telefunkens, Brimars, Tung Sols etc, but they are "fine" for most applications.

https://shop.ehx.com/russian-tubes/

Great, first 911 aircooled parts, then ammo and now tubes for hi-fi. Can't catch a break!

Sounds like an agreement may have been made. 30-60 days before export starts again with a 30-35% tariff attached so prices will be increasing. Details still emerging

quote:

Originally posted by snwghst:
Sounds like an agreement may have been made. 30-60 days before export starts again with a 30-35% tariff attached so prices will be increasing. Details still emerging

Correct. As I posted above.

I'll venture that much of the buyout of inventory is by speculators who will flip these on ebay for double the price.

Western Electric is assessing expansion. It would be nice to have a viable domestic manufacturer

I’m sure they would be spendy if the price of their 300B is an indicator

https://www.westernelectric.co...wV6iYiOliMQ61FfE9dUQ

Lots of nasty chemicals and heavy metals involved in making vacuum tubes. And labor. Domestic production is unlikely due to environmental laws and cost of labor.

But setting up shop in Mexico or the Philippines would be a decent option, instead of relying on old factories in former Communist countries.

Funny how tubes were dying out in the west in the 80's and the race was on to build solid state amps that sounded like tube amps. Then the Soviet union fell and there were all kinds of tubes available because they were so far behind in EMP-hardened integrated circuits they still needed tubes for the military.