Shiva Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 A nice review of Sophia Electrics new EL34 design. I like the new curves for that tube and how it is on display. The reviewer also has some nice horned speakers to test with. https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/sexy-blue-tubes-the-sophia-electric-el34-st-and-aqua-274b-vacuum-tubes/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 It looks nice. What is the cost of the Sophia EL 34? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtmudd Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 44 minutes ago, derrickdj1 said: It looks nice. What is the cost of the Sophia EL 34? Sophia Electric offers the following pricing options for the Sophia Electric EL34-ST tubes: Grade A (top 10%): $125 USD per tube with 30 days warranty, $25 extra for one year warranty. Grade B (top 25%): $100 USD per tube with 30 days warranty, $25 extra for one year warranty. As points of comparison, a matched pair of vintage EL34 Mullard nickel base tubes with an early production 1956 date code (the most desirable vintage Mullard EL34), sell for $499 USD per matched pair at Brent Jesse Recording (when available), and the new production "Mullard" (the name and trademark were acquired by New Sensor Corporation) that are manufactured in the Reflektor factory in Russia, typically sell for around $26 USD per tube. So, the vintage 1956 Mullard EL34 at about $250 USD per tube, is about ten times more expensive than the mass production Russian Reflektor EL34 at $26 USD per tube, the new Sophia Electric EL34-ST at $125 USD per tube is about five times more expensive than the mass produced Russian Reflektor EL34 per tube, putting the Sophia Electric EL34-ST towards the middle of the pricing spectrum between current production Russian Reflektor EL34's and the vintage 1956 Mullard EL34's. Sophia Electric told me that the Sophia Electric EL34-ST tubes are rated to have a mean life span of 7,000 hours, with a range of 5,000 – 10,000 hours, which translates to about a four to eight-year lifespan, with a median of just under a six-year lifespan, assuming about 1,200 hours per year of operation. https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/sexy-blue-tubes-the-sophia-electric-el34-st-and-aqua-274b-vacuum-tubes/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 600 bucks for a quad with a one year warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMRR Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Thanks for pointing that out, interesting read. I've wondered about their tubes for a long time, haven't heard any. Their 45 is the only reproduction I'm aware of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainz Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I started working on hifi gear after school (HS) '64-'66 , picking it back up part-time while I was in college '66-'68. I joined the Navy as an ET - '69-'72. I recall a lot of VT equipment - and the last color you wanted to see from the tube was blue... It meant gas! And... how can the shape of the glass envelope 'color' the sound? I guess it's like using super-sized Litz wire for speaker runs... if you spend enough, it must be better. Still... $600 for a quad of EL34 bottles... you could get a p-p stereo PRC-made Yaqin amp - with a quad of EL34's (or 6CA7's) - delivered (Amazon) for that! Of course, I am frugal... and when I ordered my MP-301 MK3 in August, I had to think about ordering a spare pair of PRC-made EL34B's at $25/pair! I probably need to check tube prices... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davecv41 Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I wasn't around in the 1930s, though I remember reading in an antique radio book that the ST style glass was designed for better heat dissipation over the balloon style glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon string Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Hmmmm interesting read. Im a EL34 fan, my favorite has been the winged C so I guess Im going to have to buy a pair of the sophia Electra's now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 On 9/30/2017 at 1:30 PM, Stainz said: . I recall a lot of VT equipment - and the last color you wanted to see from the tube was blue... It meant gas! And... how can the shape of the glass envelope 'color' the sound? I'm always astonished by the claims people make for their gear in this hobby. I'm sorry, but their claim that the color of the tube is influencing the sound is pure hokum. However, blue tubes are not necessarily gassy. Check out some pictures of the Acturus 126 tube. Blue. Beautiful, and made that way on purpose. I'd post a pic but this lousy forum rewards active participation by limited the amount of pics you can post to some laughable 50 or 100 megs or something, so I don't even try to post pics here anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 On 9/30/2017 at 12:30 PM, Stainz said: the last color you wanted to see from the tube was blue... It meant gas! That means you can't use this JJ EL34, lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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