Future of Tubes is TODAY

[Old Tele man]

Re-inventing the VACCUM TUBE by simply re-packaging it in an overgrown DIP configuration (under Patent protection) = $$$,$$$,$$$,$$$,$$$.¢¢

Hence, for users to actually *use* it, they'll have to buy NEW equipment & gear = MORE $$$,$$$,$$$,$$$,$$$.¢¢

[Silvertone Jockey]

I retracted my Korg statement here http://music-electronics-forum.com/t38747/ with foot in mouth no less

I stand by my original statement until the Korg related event in the link changed my mind a couple days ago

[Chuck H]

I retracted my Korg statement here http://music-electronics-forum.com/t38747/ with foot in mouth no less

I stand by my original statement until the Korg related event in the link changed my mind a couple days ago

Well who wouldn't like to have a reissue AC30 loaded with Bulldogs?!? Or an affordable uber gain metal monster good for a hundred watts of dread? Korg makes both and a lot of players from two different ends of the genre spectrum are sure happy for it. Lets just hope anyone taking advantage of their fine offerings never needs to call them for service

[km6xz]

It do not see this as anything less than a novelty item since manufacturers will not design in a part as an essential element to the product that is single sourced. They can't reliably warranty them the product that has no user serviceable parts. Now, with socked tubes they can limit their liability to 30-90 days but with soldered in, parts, they have to warranty the unit as a whole. With a single source for a critical part, they could really lose money refunding purchase prices if the needed part is not available.
IBM displayed multielement tiny tubes in the late 50s as a high speed switch, much faster logic than transistors at the time. They were were demo'd but I doubt they went into products.
They might be used by stompbox makers, particularly small boutique builders. If they are not adopted by a large buyer or two, they will not continue making them no matter how cool some say they are. They might find the patent is hard to be awarded in US or EU where there were many patents on miniaturize tubes in the 40s and 50s but they might have a patent on simply the use in audio applications, not for the concept.
According to the radio experiment with VFD is was working in enhancement mode, interesting.

[Chuck H]

It's simple Stan. Anyone requesting warranty service just goes onto a "Do not return call" list. I don't expect they would get many messages anyhow since most players and techs become impatient after thirty minutes negotiating phone prompts and sitting on hold! Problem solved... No one with a claim.

[km6xz]

But many states and the EU have consumer protection regulations that do not care about calling. They regulate the company's legal right to exist or sell within their jurisdiction.

[Chuck H]

And Korg plays the line like the enormous cootie they are. Making any possibility of an actual claim border on "more trouble than it's worth" I think they took lessons from AT&T

[nickb]

I see VOX demoed an amp using Nutubes at NAMM 2016. Wha'd'ya think?

[mhuss]

Sounded decent (as best as I could tell from the vid). 150 watts in that chassis - likely not a tube power amp.
When's it coming out? Real Soon Now.

[nickb]

Sounded decent (as best as I could tell from the vid). 150 watts in that chassis - likely not a tube power amp.
When's it coming out? Real Soon Now.

I expect it's an evolution of the Valvetronix concept where they have a low power push-pull (12AX7) amp feeding a SS transimpedance amp ( to mimic a speaker load) and provide the power. So the low power amp is now even lower, just a few mW. Still, gotta hand it to them for innovation. You get real tubeiness with SS reliability, power and weight advantages. I'll bet it's a huge winner.

[J M Fahey]

That guitar player is an excellent demo'er, in 30 seconds and without any fuss at all can show the full spectrum.
Very Pro.

I would hire him to demo *my* amps, no kidding.

[Richard]

Yeah, nice to hear a guy who plays some chords instead of just single note stuff. Way too many demo videos don't really show much of the range.

[Justin Thomas]

He deserves a better amp... Maybe a Fahey?

Maybe it's just me, but I miss the days of each piece sounding unlike another... I guess there's something romantic in the Chase, instead of having all the instant gratification of everything we want immediately on hand... in that video, the player stood out to me better than the amp did. I feel like the player was squelched by the gear. I'm more inclined to buy the guy's album than the gear he uses-! The amp sounded like everything else out there, because in the hands of a great player, even a mediocre amp will sound at the very least, good. And, I can separate a mediocre player from a great amp and still evaluate the amp... it's not a judgement against the player, because I'm not so special myself chops-wise, but I try to play the greatest amps I can get my hands on, and people usually notice the great sound.

So, more mediocre players demoing great amps! Otherwise, I don't know if it's the amp or the player...

Justin

[Chuck H]

I thought it was pretty good. It actually had a little of the chaos I thought would be missing. But the EQ was a bit dark to really show off any top end mojo for the rock tones. For that particular demo the best I can commit to is "almost". And that's not bad. There are plenty of "tube" amps that don't sound as good.

[lowell]

Seems cool...but proprietary. Also, could kinda care less about a triode...more interesting, to me, would be a pentode version. Nonethesless cheers to the designer if it really sounds authentic. Interesting.