tube sockets

[rutledj]

What kind of sockets do you guys use? I've been using the ceramic type with a spade type connection. They don't seem to hold up that well.

I'm thinking I need to move toward one that has a circular socket that gives better pin contact.

Thanks,
Rut

[odourboy]

Belton

[collinsamps]

Beltons are good, but don't go bending the terminals on the octals to fit large resistors unless you solder them first or they snap off.

[heisthl]

+1 on the Belton's, although there's nothing wrong with using the ceramics or the plastic ones. The ceramic ones vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, some don't really flush mount because they use metal tabs wrapped around the sides and you have to use a spacer washer or when you tighten them down they crack. Never had pin continuity issues with any of them.

[Funkalicousgroove]

Beltons are good, but don't go bending the terminals on the octals to fit large resistors unless you solder them first or they snap off.

Just be careful, they bend, but not too far! Nice thing is they are easy to replace pins on, I keep a donor socket on the bench for just such an occasion.

[muchxs]

NOS Cinch for me when I can get 'em. I attended an antique radio show a while back, a vendor had a whole bin full of WWII surplus octals @ $3.00 each in the mil-spec cosmoline "mummy wrap". They're more like $10.00 each at AES.

Beltons use a metric knockout that's larger than the 1 1/8" for NOS.

[David Root]

+1 on the Beltons.

I also have some black NOS Omron phenolic octals I got from Apex Jr. for $1.75 ea which are good too but I am not comfortable using them on high plate/screen voltages. Maybe I'm too conservative.

Nice thing aboout these are the pins are already laid out almost flat, like the sockets on #124.

9-pin, NOS Cinch if I could get them. Last time I saw those was about there years ago when Lord Valve had some. Not cheap tho'. Have been using black phenolic no-names lately. I use only shield base 9-pins so that no doubt limits what I can get.

I don't like ceramic, it chips too easily. I may have to settle for ceramic when I do a Music Man iron model.

[Structo]

I read somewhere that the ceramic sockets while they don't arc as easily as the phenolic ones, they can be more microphonic in an amp that is prone to microphonics.
Tubes that are borderline usable because of microphonics will suffer even worse in a ceramic socket.
Particularly on V1 of a higher gain amp.

I used them on my little 6V6 amp.
I didn't really notice this being true but then again I did not do a A/B test between a phenolic and ceramic on it.

So not sure if this is an urban myth type thing or factual.

[collinsamps]

Beltons are good, but don't go bending the terminals on the octals to fit large resistors unless you solder them first or they snap off.

Just be careful, they bend, but not too far! Nice thing is they are easy to replace pins on, I keep a donor socket on the bench for just such an occasion.

So do I, another + for them is the two hole terminals. In tight spots you can use the lower hole and snip the top one off for clearance.