Tung Sol

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Baggy Trousers
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#1 Tung Sol

Post by Baggy Trousers »

A long time ago, Tung Sol was a well-respected American manufacturer of toobs. More recently, production has been by a Russian company who have provided a good quality product. A few years ago, there was talk of valve manufacture being restarted in The States, so that Tung Sol would again be an indigenous enterprise. Does anyone know if anything has come of this?

I ask because the Tung Sol 6550s at the back end of my amp are in excess of 15 years old and have done thousands of hours - the other valves are approaching 20 - and I'm experiencing some distortion. I have yet to trace the source of this but it is probable after this time that some valve replacement may be necessary. I should like to use Tung Sol again as I like them and have no experience of Chinese kinkless triodes and other oriental mysteries.

Any suggestions, please?
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Cressy Snr
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#2 Re: Tung Sol

Post by Cressy Snr »

I’ve never used the Russian Tung Sol 6550, but I do have experience of their KT120 and EL34B and have nothing but praise for them. They sound great are stable and hold their bias. They are built like tanks.
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pre65
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#3 Re: Tung Sol

Post by pre65 »

It seems Tung Sol is a trading name in the Electro-Harmonics group. As far as I can see their valves are made in Europe.

On the Hot-Rox UK web site the Tung Sol and Electro-Harmonics 6550 are the same price.

Hot-Rox UK is a good supplier.

https://www.hotroxuk.com/matched-valves ... 688-0.html
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Paul Barker
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#4 Re: Tung Sol

Post by Paul Barker »

I lost the will to carry on trying to navigate that site on an iphone
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Ali Tait
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#5 Re: Tung Sol

Post by Ali Tait »

Paul, click on the aA top left and request the desktop website.
Baggy Trousers
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#6 Re: Tung Sol

Post by Baggy Trousers »

pre65 wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 10:47 am It seems Tung Sol is a trading name in the Electro-Harmonics group. As far as I can see their valves are made in Europe.

On the Hot-Rox UK web site the Tung Sol and Electro-Harmonics 6550 are the same price.

Hot-Rox UK is a good supplier.

https://www.hotroxuk.com/matched-valves ... 688-0.html
Thanks Phil.

I had no difficulty with the Hot-Box site but I most certainly have a problem with prices! I used to get this stuff from a fellow called Levy in Miami and the last quartet I had from him were, from slightly hazy memory, less than $100 at a time when there were nearly two bucks to the pound. Fings ain't wot they used to be. There was a brief moment of excitement as I found "FREE POSTAGE", but hope was extinguished when I discovered that this applied only to the KT88 at £195 . . . . .
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Paul Barker
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#7 Re: Tung Sol

Post by Paul Barker »

I have a pair of original tapered st Tungsol 6550. When I did a personal tube roll of triode connected 6550`s they were head and shoulders best.
"Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not yet completely sure about the universe." – Albert Einstein
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