Where do we buy tubes now?

[Reeltarded]

Prices on even undependable trash has gone sky freaking high.

Where to buy current production (hopefully EH) for a fair price?

[MakerDP]

I buy from AES (tubesandmore.com) or thetubestore.com

Great luck with both. AES often runs 11% off everything sales, sometimes sales for matched-sets of power tubes, and they always discount full sets of tubes a little bit. It's always worth it to find a set for a specific amp that matches the set of your needs to save a little bit of money.

[martin manning]

Antique Electronics is the most reliable and best for customer service. IMO, of course ;^)

[pompeiisneaks]

Yeah and if you've got a business license you can buy from their wholesale side ce distribution cedist.com once you get an account. Even cheaper for all parts than aes.

~Phil

[xtian]

+1 AES/CEDIST

[joeboo88]

I used to use Antique Electronics exclusively, but discovered Tube Depot and find most of the common tubes to be cheaper by a bit - like EH and JJ tubes .
Tube Depot is usually cheaper. they also seem to have more of the not so common tubes... Never had a problem with them.
I find Antique Electronics to have more all around stuff, though. both are good
Joe

[xtian]

I had a quick peek at Tube Depot--don't they offer matched pairs/quads?

[TUBEDUDE]

SND vacuum tubes, Kropotkin Classic Amplification, MDB Ventures, Upscale Audio.

[didit]

This is part-time fun for me so turnover is slight. But usually go to TheTubeStore.com, already mentioned. The store is conveniently nearly local, down in Hamilton, ON, region. Had decent recent luck/success sampling some of their house-branded "preferred series". They claim to test and screen. Certainly the 12AX7s & 7198s I have purchased in the past few years have been clean and solid.

Best .. Ian

[joeboo88]

Aaron: i think when you put 2 or 4 in your cart you get the option to match and other options as well like 24 hour burn in, or higain - for a pre amp tube etc...

[Phil_S]

When I'm not being naughty and buying on eBay, I like this guy:
http://www.mcshanedesign.net/tubes.htm
One person shop, old school, reliable.

[martin manning]

I used to use Antique Electronics exclusively, but discovered Tube Depot and find most of the common tubes to be cheaper by a bit - like EH and JJ tubes .
Tube Depot is usually cheaper. they also seem to have more of the not so common tubes... Never had a problem with them.

I’m not a fan. I’ve seen supposedly matched tubes and tubes with matched triodes that are poorly matched, and shipping errors. I avoid them now.

[joeboo88]

Sorry to hear that Martin. I bought matched el84s in the past and some 5881’s from them, and they seemed closely matched
By the plate voltage, maybe I’ve been lucky. Food for thought.
I haven’t ordered tubes in a while because my dollar is only worth 75 cents...
But I will need/want 2 kt66’s for a Rockster reverb I want to build

Ian, I didn’t think there was any tube stores up here in Canada. Thanks for that!

[pompeiisneaks]

I used to use Antique Electronics exclusively, but discovered Tube Depot and find most of the common tubes to be cheaper by a bit - like EH and JJ tubes .
Tube Depot is usually cheaper. they also seem to have more of the not so common tubes... Never had a problem with them.
I find Antique Electronics to have more all around stuff, though. both are good
Joe

I had one of the worst customer service experiences I've ever had at Tube Depot, I'll never shop there again.

~Phil

[joeboo88]

Wow you guys are really beating me up.

I’ll never shop here again.......LOL