Chinese Tubes are they good for amps?

[Red Ranger]

I hear users at QRZ gripe about the Chinese tubes and how they are inferior to tubes made elsewhere.

Will Chinese tubes work good in a old tube amplifier for CB?

 

[kswitchdr]

I have used sets of these in 2 differebt amps. No problems at all and they both have been used for around 3 years each. Hope this helps,Mike.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I hope they are good. That's about the only place that makes them any more,at the Shuguang plant in China. The Russians make a few tubes but even some of them are questionable such as the Svetlana 572B type.They tend to not work in some equipment very well without modding the bias circuit.As for griping about Chinese tubes, people may as well suck it up and deal with it because there really is not much of an alternative. RF Parts seems to have a decent record with their Chinese tubes that they sell.I started using National brand tubes made in China for commercial broadcasting when Amperex became first priced beyond reason and then when they became unobtanium.I used mostely 807's and 833's but never had a problem hammering them in continuous commercial broadcast service.The only thing I noticed was when they started to die they died fast as opposed to a longer slower death.

 

[Mr Clean]

I have had good luck with the 572Bs. Have not dropped off in power in the year they have been in my heathkit.

 

[W5LZ]

That's sort of a 'loaded' question, there are just a lot of 'variables' with it. In a very rough, general sort of way, an electronic device (radio/amplifier/whatever) is designed around the tube or transistor it uses. If the manufacturer of that tube/transistor keep things the same (sort of), then exchanging that tube/transistor isn't that big a deal, some, but not really huge. No two manufacturers do things exactly alike, so there are 'differences' in their products. This one may not 'fit' as well as that one. It's the 'little' things. For instance, a particular brand of tube works fine if it's laying on it's side in a particular amplifier. Another brand 'dies' almost immediately, even though it's the same type of tube. The reason being that the tube's structure inside that glass is turned 90 degrees. When those elements in there get hot and 'sag', they short out. Either can be -made- to work, but it takes some effort to make the changes.
When the Chinese tubes first started showing up they had 'problems', they just weren't as 'close-enough' to the older tubes in general use. Naturally, they got a 'bad-rep' and it's taken a long time for that to sort of 'wash off', come up to what's considered as 'standard'. Same for the Russian tubes. It just takes a while for everyone to get on the same 'page', sort of.
So the Chinese and Russian tubes aren't all junk. You'd certainly better read the 'fine print' though!
- 'Doc

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

the bad thing about chineese tubes is after you talk on them you want to talk again a hour later !

 

[scout943]

TUBES

Kens Electronics has a lot of tubes made in the USA !! OH MY I SAID MADE IN THE USA , PLEASE FORGIVE ME I AM SORRY!!!!!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Ken's electronics quotes American tube numbers but I see nothing about point of origin of the tubes he sells. The USA has not made any tubes in years and years.

 

[Justme]

Running the RF parts 3-500ZG in the Heathkit SB-1000 now for months after the Eimac went soft due to some good use in 23 years.

Looking fine, even a bit more gain, less drive needed as the old Eimac, and it delivers what it should do.
If that new tube lasts as long as the Eimac, it's a winner.

 

[scout943]

TUBES

I ordered a full set of tubes for a Messenger 223 from Kens and they were all old stock but Zenith , Sylvania and even an origonal Johnson. You can try Vacuumtube.Net also .