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Author Topic: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?  (Read 5097 times)

Meriphew

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Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« on: August 12, 2007, 03:16:53 PM »

Would it be worthwhile (or even possible) for a company like Groove Tubes to manufacture the VF14 tube? I'm curious as to why none of the current tube manufacturers haven't done this. Perhaps just not enough demand for it.

Kel

Barry Hufker

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2007, 03:46:29 PM »

Kel,

You'll find several threads in this forum and probably elsewhere discussing all the ramifications of manufacturing the VF14 -- or actually any other -- tube.

In brief, it's not financially viable.  Slightly longer, there are at least two companies who say they have a substitute that sounds just like it:

http://www.telefunkenusa.com/literature/press/#vf14k

 http://www.saturn-sound.com/products/replacement%20valve.htm

Barry
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ratite

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2007, 01:14:37 AM »

How many U47's were made?
Knowing this will give you some idea of the economics. It's definitely going to be less profitable than remaking a Mullard 12AX7, but they are not as expensive either.

Considering the reservations expressed in previous valve threads, has anyone here had experience of the Saturn Sound VF14 substitute?
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Richard Horner
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Oliver Archut

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2007, 02:02:59 AM »

Hello Richard,

As of today nobody has made real remakes of any classic tubes- no Mullard (Philips), no Telefunken, as well as no RCA, GE, Sylvania, etc, etc.

There is not even a usable 12AX7 by any current manufacturer out there for studio electronics........

Best regards,
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Oliver Archut
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Tim Campbell

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2007, 02:35:36 AM »

Oliver,
Does that mean that you don't consider Groove Tubes 12AX7M (Mullard) or 6L6GE (GE) to be faithful enough recreations?
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Campbell Transmitter
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Oliver Archut

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2007, 05:18:31 AM »

Hello Tim,

if you have any of the 5 different Mullard 12AX7 revisions, please inspect them visually compared to the so called "new version" and you will find that there is not even a remote similarity.
If you take the tube apart and check the components not visible from the outside, there are even more discrepancies.

All constructional issues that makes a Mullard tube special or better, like the "Philips Blackburn" construction are missing and in the end these copies are still nothing other than a tube "Made In China".

Even if you disregard constructional features, and just compare the electrical specs, you still wind up with a run-of-the-mill Chinese tube. Noise, sound and most of all lifetime are pretty much off.

For Groove Tube's 6L6 version I can add that at least the plate material is NOS stock- GT got it from Charles Whitener, the guy behind Westrex, but there is much more to a real GE tube than the plate material...

Best regards,


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Oliver Archut
www.tab-funkenwerk.com

We are so advanced, that we can develop technology that can determine how much damage the earth has taken from the development of that technology.

Meriphew

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2007, 06:22:36 PM »

I understand that there's not a lot of mics left that use a VF14, but if it were to be put back into production (and retailed for an amount where the manufacturer could make a pretty penny, but still come in way under the $1k mark), perhaps current mic manufacturers would again build mics with this tube. Just a thought.

Kel

Barry Hufker

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2007, 07:58:39 PM »

Hunt down the thread where this was discussed before.  You'll find it interesting and disappointing!

Barry
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Meriphew

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2007, 06:25:17 PM »

Thx.

Kel

Dave Snyder

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2007, 10:13:18 PM »

http://www.musicvalve.com/neumann.html


Music Valve Electronics has a replacement tube for the VF14.  Anybody else used theirs?  

Regards,

Dave Snyder

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Barry Hufker

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #10 on: August 23, 2007, 10:18:03 PM »

As I read it, Music Valve is just offering again the original nuvistor modification for those with dead VF14s.  Not the same sound, generally not desirable.

Barry
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Dave Snyder

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Re: Anyone manufacturing VF14's?
« Reply #11 on: August 23, 2007, 10:21:39 PM »

I just realized that after posting.  Sorry!  It's got the 13CW4 in it.

Dave Snyder
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