3 new 5AR4/GZ34's from Newsensor

[randalp3000]

Just got an e-mail from New Sensor, thought you might be interested.

Wonder if these will be any good. Looks like retail will be between $60-70, no MAP pricing as of yet.

copied from press release.

New Sensor has reissued the most popular rectifiers for musical instrument amplifiers and hi-fi equipment in the most desirable brands.


The classic Mullard GZ34 has always been a favorite and is the most sought after version. It is now available with the same great performance without the high price that NOS Mullard GZ34 tubes command.


The Tung-Sol 5AR4 is a solid workhorse rectifier that will provide great performance and reliability in the tradition expected of Tung-Sol tubes.


The Genalex Gold Lion U77/GZ34 is smooth, refined, and balanced for the very best high-end audio sound.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

I tend not to believe a word of it. It seems tube manufacturers are calling on the brands and performance of yesteryear with new products that don't even come close to living up to the hype.

[vibratoking]

Frankly, I'm surprised they are advertising the same great performance...usually it's mo gooder.

[Firestorm]

I've been trying figure out what made those Mullards so great for years. I'd like to hear more than copywriter claims.

[Tone Lover]

I've been trying figure out what made those Mullards so great for years. I'd like to hear more than copywriter claims.

There smooth and they last.

[Firestorm]

I've been trying figure out what made those Mullards so great for years. I'd like to hear more than copywriter claims.

There smooth and they last.

Okay. If I ever start another ad business, you can be junior copywriter (youll need a proofreader, though). But really, the GZ34s Mullard sold to Telefunken were better than the ones they sold to RCA and better than the ones they sold under their own name. WHY? It drives me nuts. It's a rectifier! But the difference is obvious.

[Tone Lover]

Ive never been lucky enough to get to try the ones labeled telefunkin. Only a the few I have labeled RCA. I was just kidding around, my ears are so shot from playing in front of amps turned up to loud for the last 35 yrs, I cant hear the differance in any of them.(LOL)
I can tell the differance between the new stuff and good old tubes but thats about it.
The reality is maybe I cant tell the differance between them either.
I could just be overly biased towards old tubes.
Bill

[Cliff Schecht]

I've got an Amperex made in Holland and an Amperex made in Germany. TBH I can't tell a difference between the two, both are rock solid .

[Firestorm]

I think I've told this story before: but I know this jazz producer/mixer/engineer (he has actual Grammys), but plays rock on the side. I was tweaking his reissue Bluesbreaker to semi-original specs and thought "let's play with rectifier." Stock was Sovtek (10 years ago). Pulled an RCA (Mullard) from my 66 DR, and it was, in his words "like when the Wizard of Oz goes from B&W to color." So I bought a slew of different ones and we did the A/B again. The two that jumped out were Telefunken Mullard. All of them were from Blackburn. I wish I'd noted the date codes, so I could be sure that the Telefunken designation was the critical factor.

But I've heard these tubes make a difference (and so have people with much better ears than mine), so I ask again "why?"

I'm kind of out of the tube rectifier thing, but if they could answer that question, I'm in.

[Tone Lover]

I can joke about it but the rectifier really makes a differance in my rocket.
I have old GE and numerous new production tubes and none come close to my RCA labeled Mullards. Wish i had a dozen more.
I dont trust fleabay and reasonably priced, quality tubes are real hard to find at the moment.
Bill

[Firestorm]

I can joke about it but the rectifier really makes a differance in my rocket.
I have old GE and numerous new production tubes and none come close to my RCA labeled Mullards. Wish i had a dozen more.
I dont trust fleabay and reasonably priced, quality tubes are real hard to find at the moment.
Bill

It's not just eBay that's untrustworthy. I've bought NOS Mullards from reputable dealers and sometimes what comes is not Mullard. (In this case it was old Japanese, so I didn't bitch: 1 out of four a little off the mark, whatever).

But NOS is a huge gamble; a few gems, but mostly culls. The hoarders sold out years ago.

[tubeswell]

I've found the JJ GZ34 to be quite reliable for a modern production rectifier tube. Having said that, I tend not to hook them up to more than about 40uF

[Firestorm]

I've found the JJ GZ34 to be quite reliable for a modern production rectifier tube. Having said that, I tend not to hook them up to more than about 40uF

I have heard the opposite. No offense, but I really want to know.

[Reeltarded]

I stopped using tube rectification because of new mullards flashing into oblivion within minutes in my JTM.

Bad batch? Dunno. All it takes!

[Clyde]

I stopped using tube rectification because of new mullards flashing into oblivion within minutes in my JTM.

Bad batch? Dunno. All it takes!

New Mullards? Or do you mean NOS? The only differences between GZ34's would be more or less voltage, which may mean slight tonal differences.