I think I remember reading that in another thread but found out for myself when I ordered one of each. Are the TADs worth the extra dough because they tout 'Premium Selected'? Is it marketing bullshit or are they really better? There are very minor differences internally between the two and I'm wondering if the TADs really are selected.
What do you guys think? Are they worth the extra scratch coming from any of your experiences?
DK
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I've used the triple mica TAD 12AX7s and do like how those sound. They advertise low noise and microphonics and that is true. I used two in a LP build for V1 and V3. Definitely lower noise than others I have around, including a few NOS examples I gave a go.
Okay, for the record, there are no pins missing on that tube. The printing on the glass is simply at different angles and therefore gives the illusion of missing pins.
I wouldn't be surprised if your Ruby is exactly the same as the Electron Tube above, simply rebranded. I doubt that Ruby has any kind of 'Premium Selection' and am still dubious as to whether or not TAD does either. If it is the same as the Electron Tube model you're probably better off saving some money and just getting the straight up Chinese one, advertised as such. With places like TD, the warranty is great and one can easily weed out bad tubes in a three month time frame.
My question still remains and probably can't be answered here regarding whether TAD valves are worth the extra scratch. The minimal differences internally don't seem like the difference between a standard tube and a premium selected one. I guess the closest we'd come to it would be people's experiences with longevity and the failure rates of TAD vs the Chinese products like Ruby, Electron Tube, etc.
Note: Just did a comparison of my TAD 5AR4 with the stock photo on CED of the Ruby and it does look like it's the same.
Well, that's a step in the direction I was hoping for. I'll be putting the TAD in a new amp in a few days and I'll definitely do some good breaking in over the following week. Guitar, music, etc. We'll see...
For new tubes, I've liked their triple mica 12AX7 for its low noise characteristics and you should give them a shot in the future. I'm not nearly worried about the longevity of 12AX7s as I am for rectumfriers and that's why I started this thread.
Last edited by Blackburn on Sun Apr 06, 2014 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I am close with the ruby folks and the deal is that they hand select, test, grade, and weed out the bad tubes here in the US. I can only assume TAD does the same in Germany.
There's one nice woman at Ruby who tests tubes all day long - they have a bunch of custom test gear. It's very cool in there! That's why they do the long warranty - their testing is very thorough. I got a kick out of their Microphonics test jig - 32 12AX7s in a box with a speaker and high gain amp.
They also test power the tubes and rectifiers and burn tubes in. It's amazing how much work goes in before you even put then into an amp
Milkman, very good to hear!!!... For Ruby anyway. I can only hope the same for TAD. I may just go with Ruby now since I have a first hand account of their 'Premium Selection'.
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Thanks pdf64. I was about to mention - and you did. Stan also helped Ruby with some of their tube test gear when he was still in California. According to entry 9 in the thread you mention, Ruby has their own separate production for 5AR4. Separate from Shuguang? I wonder what else is made there?
