Genalex worth double $ ??

[Spiritbass]

One of the Electro Harmonix KT88's in my Reeves went wonky which lead to me cruise Tube Depot. I noticed the Genalex brand which claims to be made to "exacting standards" in Russia. My question to anyone with Genalex experience - do you think that twice the price doubles your chance of getting reliable tubes from this supplier? Thanks. 

[Highlander]

Same factory, different seller, maybe... both in Russia...

Nothing is as good as it was, probably...

I've spotted Genalex KT88's for less than double - $32 plays $42, and I'm the other side of the Pond...

If it's akin to my DR103 then you should get the matched-pair, instead of just a single...?

[Spiritbass]

I'm waiting to see what Reeves is going to do to remedy the situation. This one's only five months old. I'm waiting for a reply from them to see how they want to handle it, so I don't know if I'm in the tube market just yet - simply curious about this Genalex line. 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

New Sensor, the parent company for Sovtek, EH, Mullard, Genalex, and Tungsol, makes all of its tubes in the Reflektor factory, juts to different specs and sometimes, just to different labels. Don't sweat the name on the tube. I have "cheap junk" Sovtek KT88's that outperform NOS JAN GE6550A's.

[Highlander]

I'm waiting to see what Reeves is going to do to remedy the situation...

Warranty...? Does that mean an RTB for testing, I wonder...? If it's a suspect/failed valve, they should replace the pair...

There is a tiny glimmer in the back of my mind about Dave Reeve's wiring architecture, that you could remove a pair of these valves (in my case EL34's) and the beast would still operate, just halving the output... I know mine has that capability via a direct-switching option... might be worth investigation for future reference and for testing the systems...? PBG and/or Mark Huss would be able to answer that...? This may not apply to the equivalent Hiwatt model or Reeves variant...

[Spiritbass]

Warranty...? Does that mean an RTB for testing, I wonder...? If it's a suspect/failed valve, they should replace the pair...

There is a tiny glimmer in the back of my mind about Dave Reeve's wiring architecture, that you could remove a pair of these valves (in my case EL34's) and the beast would still operate, just halving the output... I know mine has that capability via a direct-switching option... might be worth investigation for future reference and for testing the systems...? PBG and/or Mark Huss would be able to answer that...? This may not apply to the equivalent Hiwatt model or Reeves variant...

Thanks, I didn't want to ping you, but I was hoping that you would chime in from the experts corner. I always enjoyed the smell of hot solder and getting under the hood of amps, but I've literally been out of that loop for a couple of decades.

Warranty...? Does that mean an RTB for testing, I wonder...? If it's a suspect/failed valve, they should replace the pair...

There is a tiny glimmer in the back of my mind about Dave Reeve's wiring architecture, that you could remove a pair of these valves (in my case EL34's) and the beast would still operate, just halving the output... I know mine has that capability via a direct-switching option... might be worth investigation for future reference and for testing the systems...? PBG and/or Mark Huss would be able to answer that...? This may not apply to the equivalent Hiwatt model or Reeves variant...

I've never had the need or desire to try it, but many tube output sections will safely function at half-power with half of their compliment of output tubes.

Salient fact: Reeves only guarantees their tubes for ninety days. I read and re-read their warranty and somehow missed this.    Anyway, I just got off the phone with my buddy that's still in the biz. He's going to snag a matched quad of Sovteks for me through his Fender connection.

Thanks for the input, gents. 

[Highlander]

90 days... ridiculous...

My present (there is something faulty in there but) set date back to the 70's and I've bought no new ones since then... just not had the time or inclination to resolve the issue with mine as I'm not playing at present and won't be trying to again until relocation... I'd hate to find something worthwhile to then have to quit...!

[dadagoboi]

90 days... ridiculous...

My present (there is something faulty in there but) set date back to the 70's and I've bought no new ones since then... just not had the time or inclination to resolve the issue with mine as I'm not playing at present and won't be trying to again until relocation... I'd hate to find something worthwhile to then have to quit...!

Relocation?  They sending you to a camp?

[Dave W]

Relocation?  They sending you to a camp?

The weather in England is too cheery for him so he's moving north of the border.

[Spiritbass]

90 days... ridiculous...

My present (there is something faulty in there but) set date back to the 70's and I've bought no new ones since then... just not had the time or inclination to resolve the issue with mine as I'm not playing at present and won't be trying to again until relocation... I'd hate to find something worthwhile to then have to quit...!

I agree that a 90 day guarantee is completely ridiculous. Hopefully the matched quad of Sovteks I have on order will last a decade or two.

[Highlander]

The weather in England is too cheery for him so he's moving north of the border.

Bah...! Humbug...!

Do we have a Tartan emoticon...?

[amptech]

I agree that a 90 day guarantee is completely ridiculous.

90 days is pretty standard tube warranty, nothing ridiculous about that.

I buy tubes direct from scandinavian importers, it´s all 90 days - usually with the exception of heaters.
One can agree or disagree if it´s a good or bad warranty, but from a manufacturers point of view, most
tubes that have manufacturing problems will blow up long before 90 days. On the other hand, most serious
tube suppliers or amp manufacturers will probably want to know about tube problems, I´ve sent back tubes long after
warranty expiration with accurate descriptions of why they did not satisfy me, usually they are happy to
get feedback and they send new tubes. This might not always be the case though, If you are not able to test the
tube in known good cct´s / tube testers or cannot describe it correctly.

My main tube supplier gives 90 days on all tubes except JJ tubes.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Tube warranties are mostly sales gimmicks meant to reassure consumers conditioned to believe that tubes are much shorter-lived than they are. I don't know of a single transistor manufacturer that warrants anything beyond function at purchase. Like amptech said, a badly made tube is going to die almost instantly. Tubes with bad support structure can be shorted by rough handling, hot or cold, but again, those are tubes made badly to start with. I had a brand new set of Mesa-branded Chinese 6550's short dead out of the box. Either the "test data" on the box and tubes was a lie (which doesn't really make sense) or they took a shipping shock which moved their internals into contact, probably the latter, but with well-made tubes, there would have been no issue. 

[rahock]

Many years ago I had the best tech I've ever known tell me that tube defects from the factory are extremely rare. Shipping issues provide the majority of defects. Of course this was long ago when tubes were made in the USA.
Rick

[Spiritbass]

According to my friend, one of the problems with tube reliability is that the production rooms where the vacuum is created in the envelope are not kept as stringently clean as they used to be. The Russians are making more reliable tubes than the Chinese, no doubt about it.

After I placed my tube order, an SVT came through my buddy's shop that had two of its six output tubes accidentally shot by trying to drive a cabinet with a dead short in it. I ended up with four nicely matched Sovteks (the bias didn't even need adjustment) for the price of a handshake. Feeling blessed to have a generous friend.