Revolutionary or just another try?

[Le Basseur]

http://www.techtubevalves.com/index.php
Oppinions?

[Diablo]

I don't know anything about the quality of their new valve technology, but I really enjoyed the long film on their site which covers the manufacturing of Mullard valves produced about 50+ years ago.

[Tom Phillips]

The internal structure of their tubes is completely new rather than a copy of the traditional structure.
Heater current is lower, max plate dissipation is a little lower than a vintage 12AX7 and interelectrode capacitance is much reduced.
The warning about hot swapping could be a red flag.

This is going to be interesting when they become commercially available and people start reporting on the sound performance. My guess is that the sound is sure to be different than NOS tubes. The only real lineage to Mullard is the geographic location of the factory.

Fun fun fun,
Tom

[Steve Conner]

Their "new planar valve technology" looks like a CRT electron gun with a little plate dangled in front of the hole where the electrons shoot out.

If I didn't know better (and I don't) I'd guess the Blackburn plant was converted to make CRTs, and these new tubes are being made on the CRT production line out of picture tube parts. Nobody wants to buy CRTs any more, so maybe Philips wanted rid of the plant, and they decided to buy it out and do this. I expect the original Mullard ECC8x tooling got melted down for scrap sometime in the late 70s.

They might not sound quite like vintage Mullard ECC8x (the lower capacitance will make them brighter, for a start) but I bet they'll work well and sound good. I want some

[Robert M. Martinelli]

Very interesting!

I' m especially attracted by the lower inter-electrodes capacitance, as Steve says, they' ll sound brighter than a "normal" ECC83.

As to the lower heater's current demand, it could also imply these valves will have less hum and noise, but, looking at their datasheet, I couldn't find anything about their performance noise-wise....

Anyway, I think lowering the inter-electrodes capacitance is good, because one thing is to start "crippled already" by a higher inter-electrode capacitance you can't eliminate, one completely different thing is to start with a lower one ( better high end ) and thus be able to "tailor" the frequency response to suit our needs. If I find I don't like too much high end, I can always decide to add an external cap, ( but it' s ME deciding, neither the tube manufacturer, nor the "old" tube's physical limits ) so.... I still don' t know how they' ll sound like, but IMHO at least they' ll widen our "freedom of design". I want to try one too, so I' ll ask Santa Claus

Bob

[tubeswell]

Well I sent them an email and since I want to support modern tube manufacturers, this is what they said

"Thanks for your interest in the TechTube valve.

We are starting with the E813CC, E812CC & E811CC valves this year and then looking to the following: EL34, EL84, KT88, KT99. Which one to start with is still under discussion but we expect to launch in the early part of 2009.

Samples will be available for purchase when we launch the sales part of the web site. Our expected sales launch will be October. Pricing, ordering, shipping and other such things will be on the WEB site as we are not going through dealers or distribution in the initial start up phase. Pricing will be in the region of £20 - £30 plus shipping.

For further information, the WEB site will have a news section and a forum (covering technical, commercial, and logistics) starting soon so please keep an eye on things and give us your feed back.

With kind regards,

See our technologies at: www.blackburnmicrotech.com
www.techtubevalves.com
www.lpdlabservices.co.uk

Blackburn MicroTech Solutions Ltd., Philips Road, Blackburn, Lancashire,
England. BB1 5RZ +44 1254 507400"

[Tom Phillips]

...Re: Pricing will be in the region of £20 - £30 plus shipping.

OK so that's in the $37 to $56 range US.
I wonder what a KT-88 will cost.
Sounds like this is directed to the audiophile market.
Still interesting and exciting that someone is expanding tube technology.
Tom

[Robert M. Martinelli]

Yeah, such a pity prices are so outrageously high.....
If I was to re-tube my Vox UL4120 ( 4xKT88, 1xEL84, 1xECL86 ) I would probably have to sell my home....and outrun my wife!
I can understand they have probably spent time and money in the development stage, but prices like this will keep them away from the guitar/bass amp market; I' m not ( neither I would like to be ) a marketing expert, but they' re probably making a huge mistake....30 UK Pounds plus shipping for an ECC81/82/83 replacement means prices are four times the cost of a "standard" tube, and, as Tom noted, this means only some audiophile ( with VERY deep pockets ) can afford to buy those tubes. I wanted to try at least one, but it makes no sense if I can't afford to buy complete sets to re-tube my amps. I guess they have just lost the chance to enter the tube amp market big-time.

[tubeswell]

I guess it depends on how good they sound and how long they last. I intend to try some when they come out so i can find out for myself

[Enzo]

In the high end audio world bragging rights and showing off are crucial. If you make a terriffic better than anything tube and sell it for $8 they won't buy it. REmember in audiophile land people sell IEC power cords for $250, and PEOPLE BUY THEM!!! Sell your 12AX7 for $50 and it "must be good." I wouldn't spend a lot of time rationalizing how they came up with the price.

I don't think they are interested in hitting the market with a large volume of sales at relatively low prices, I think they want the upscale market. Ferrari sells expensive cars, would he really make more money if he started competing with Volkswagen?

[Old Tele man]

...sounds like they're taking the same approach that the 'new' Western-Electric Co. is with their tubes, LOW-quantities at very-HIGH prices.

...but, the fact that they're using a 'new' design approach DOES sound interesting; however, (at those prices) I doubt that I'll be buying any of their products soon.

[Robert M. Martinelli]

I don't think they are interested in hitting the market with a large volume of sales at relatively low prices, I think they want the upscale market. Ferrari sells expensive cars, would he really make more money if he started competing with Volkswagen?

Yeah, but Ferrari has PROVED to be top class since their beginnings right after WWII, and stayed at the top in his own right for some 60 years, if I buy a Ferrari I know what I'm buying, so I' d rather like them to prove their stuff is first class beforehand instead of publishing some possibly over-confident blurb....OTH I understand the rationale behind their move, as a lot of audiophiles will buy those tubes just because of the price tag they bring.
( Don' t want to start an argument, but as a matter of fact some audiophiles spend incredible amounts of money, often uselessly ).

As I said, I think this new technology ( or, more properly, the use of an old technology in this new application field ) to be interesting, but it will take a lot more than a high price tag to show what they' re really worth. Time will tell.

[tubeswell]

Update

FWIW I got this just now from TechTube

"May I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for your interest in our new TechTubeTM valve technology. As you may have read on the web site we launched the TechTubeTM brand back in September 2008 with a view to launching web sales of the product in October. Following very detailed, open and honest feedback from discerning end users at the launch the start of sales was postponed to allow our engineers time to rectify the few technical issues raised, namely valve to valve and within valve consistency, and microphony.
This rectification is taking longer than anticipated. As a consequence it is with regret that I have to inform you of the delay to the launch of the sales web site. The difficult decision has been taken to delay the opening of sales until the beginning of April 2009.
It should be remembered that our goal is to be selling a product that is better than the current manufactured product. Blackburn MicroTech Solutions, the Company behind the TechTubeTM brand, is what remains of the former Mullard Radio Valve works based in Blackburn so we have a strong heritage to uphold, so strong we named our first series after it!
We hope you understand our situation and ask for your patience.
With kind regards,
The TechTubeTM team.
PS> Below are some notes that I would like to reiterate:
The valve will cost £26.09 + VAT @ 15% + shipping if EU based
The valve will cost £26.09 + Duty + shipping if non-EU based
Shipping and Customs clearance will be via UPS courier
Ordering is by credit card off the web site
Larger volume requirements should be directed to andy.blades@blackburnmicrotech.com not ordered via the web site.
If anything is unclear please direct your questions to info@blackburnmicrotech.com"

[tubeswell]

'Nother update

Hi there,
It’s now been three months since our last notice and activity has been frantic and very productive but as yet the elusive solution is not quite ready for public unveiling. Despite the economic downturn our drive to launch the new TechTube™ valve technology is not diminished. We still have full management backing and are getting closer to the specification we have set ourselves.
Our target for the E813CC valve is to have every triode and consequently every valve with an Ip current within a band from 0.8mA to 1.2mA. We targeted this band after benchmarking several competitor valves. The benchmark analysis showed that current valve production has Ip ranging between 0.7mA and 1.6mA, even though the data sheet specification is 1mA! Within a valve, the triode to triode variation ranges from nothing (both triodes having the same output) to 0.5mA difference between triodes.
NOS valves perform better having Ip varying between 0.7mA and 1.3mA. Mullard NOS (Blackburn production) have excellent within valve (triode to triode) variations of less than 0.1mA against a norm of 0.25mA. Sovtek have a slightly wider triode to triode variation of 0.25mA but valve to valve they are very consistent with all the valves we tested falling between 0.95mA and 1.4mA.
Currently, our Ip ranges from 0.75mA to 1.5mA, too much variation considering our claim that we are benchmarked against the Blackburn Mullard valve. We continue to work on the factors that give this variation and are near to a resolution.
The other characteristic that we needed to improve upon according to feedback from the September show is microphony. Again we benchmarked several valves already in the field, both current production and NOS. Once again the variation seen was incredible. It’s no wonder end users complain about inconsistent performance!! Over the months the team has been working on this problem, we have come to know how valves shake, rattle and role in intimate detail. Our use of high speed cameras, differing construction techniques and numerous mechanical designs has led us in several directions. Unfortunately even though most were successful in removing microphony they created problems with other characteristics of the valve and consequently they have been scrapped. The down side of this process is that time moves on. Our knowledge base is rapidly increasing but that elusive solution that can be industrialised and automated is still to be found. We continue with numerous parallel paths and the team continues to work hard.
As a result of these factors we will not be in a position to launch the web sales to our plan of April this year. The team continues to work hard on the problems and we will keep you informed as we move through April and probably May.

From all in the TechTube™ team @ Blackburn
*******************************************************

[Sweetfinger]

Here's the newest update on these:

"Hi there…

In our last note we concentrated on the anode current aspect of the valve. In this note we would like to review another important aspect of the valve, microphony.

During our brand launch at the Sound and Vision show last September the importance of microphony was expressed again and again. It is a characteristic that we have always paid attention to in the new design of the TechTube™ valve. Indeed, the design of today has changed from that original product as we have addressed this important characteristic.

The design of our planar valve with its low capacitance and minimal structural restraint results in a valve that has the “creamy, warm, smoooooooth” sound associated with the best valves of years gone by.

In keeping with our UK and Blackburn heritage for the guitar world it was always a desire to produce a valve that replicated the traditional “British sound” associated with the style of Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend and of course Jimi Hendrix. We think we have achieved that…

During testing and evaluation that we have undertaken with guitar amplifier manufacturers such as MAT amps and noted guitar players such as Adrian Ingram and “Slim” from The Hamsters, it is clear that the TechTube™ valve has its own unique characteristics. “The TechTube™ valve performance sings”, “it’s so musical it adds to the performance of the instrument”, “chord separation is very clear”, “its sound is warm and creamy smooth”, “very reminiscent of the Eric Clapton sound” are among the comments made during testing.

But even more, in audio applications the TechTube™ valves perform with great “speed”; “quick responses” and “warmth” according to Geoff Kremer from Proteus Audio Developments, makers of the Diamond Amplifier series.

All these characteristics are of course a result of the design but there is something else too in our opinion. If the traditional valve construction is flicked with a finger, a so called “good” valve sounds dull and lifeless. Most times this characteristic is passed into the “soul” of the valve and its performance can be dull, with weak responses in some tonal regions. In an attempt to minimise microphony the life and soul has been restrained out of the valve.

With the TechTube™ valve the minimal structural restraint design allows tiny amounts of movement in the various components which at times allows a small amount of microphony when driven hard at high frequencies. This, in our opinion, is required to give the TechTube™ valve its fantastic performance in both guitar and HiFi applications, its “life and vitality”, its “fantastic speed”, its “clean chord separation”, its “warmth and smoothness”...

From all in the TechTube™ team @ Blackburn"

So... they're GOING for a tube that is microphonic. I am skeptical, and ad copy like the above does nothing to reassure me.