possibly problems with supply

[Richard]

All this car chat reminded me of a few good episodes of Zen Motoring I watched in lock-down, have a quick look if you've not seen it,


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FEO-XKo4cw

[A.N. Beal]

Dear Friends,

Please see the following update about valve supplies from Stewart Gebbie at Valve Tube Guitar Amps:

https://valvetubeguitaramps.com/news...alve-supplies/

The future looks very tricky, especially if you live in Ukraine. For hifi bufs outside Ukraine, aside from the problem with Russian valve supplies, the news that the Shuguang factory in China is not going to reopen closes down the available options for good quality valves. It is possible that, for the foreseeable future, JJ in Slovakia may be the only supplier left.

Regards, Alasdair

[bikerhifinut]

This is all very depressing and at the same time predictable.

I'm happily in a position where I have enough valves to see me through and possibly into old age, given that I'm quite happy to use valves until they are worn out.

It seems to me that we may have to swallow our principles and accept that our DIY projects may have to be based on silicon technology.

For the hobbyist there are still supplies of older devices that make interesting projects.

And sticking my neck out, head over the parapet and waiting for the inevitable snipers bullet, I'm going to say that during the lockdowns i spent a lot of time sweating over various opamp based RIAA preamp circuits. Some using the good old 5532 and close relatives which is a bloody good chip and still in production. Some using an obsolete Hitachi dedicated Audio chip from the early 80s which I have found to be amazingly competent to the point where after some fine tuning of the EQ in an "all in one" feedback arrangement, is actually the phono preamp of choice in my system. not sounding harsh or any of the other buzz words prevalent in hi fi reviewspeak.

Its not what you want to hear, but I say keep an open mind and if it looks like affordable valve audio is doomed, don't despair as homebrew solid state can produce some remarkable results from relatively modest circuts providing you are prepared to tweak them in a way that commercial folk cant afford to.

Don't lose sight of the reason we build our own amplifiers, and that is to enjoy a musical experience rather than boast about how much "detail" or "speed" or any of the other hifispeak expressions that abound.

I do hope the awful situation in Ukraine and Russia resolves satisfactorily and justly, and in the meantime if i have to live without a quad of EL34 its a small price to pay compared to the destroyed lives of innocent people that we cannot possibly imagine.

Andy.

[BOONDI]

Whilst I share the sentiment of previous posts, all may not be lost Andy.
https://audioxpress.com/news/update-...ube-amp-doctor

As an item of interest, have you tried the wad solid state phono from issue 7 of the supplement. I still have mine in use in my bolt hole system. Works great. Currently working on upgrades to it, but I used good components when I built it. Zfoils about the only thing I can think of....

[Paul Barker]

There is a chip in most gas boilers’ pcb (ecu for boilers) which is only manufactured in China. Affecting all boiler manufacturers. Fortunately for me the Worcester Compact range doesnt use this chip, and it is Worcester’s most reliable boiler from my years of experience.

The situation in China I dont know, but these chips are in short supply and affecting the new boiler market and the availability of circuit boards.

Good old global market, oh yes!

[Riggers]

Hi All

The situation with supply of new valves is uh interesting... Here in Australia there are a couple of online stores supplying valves to (mainly) the musical industry as well as the hifi market. Last year I bought a new matched quad of Genelex gold lion kt88s for my WD88VA. Cost was AUD $90 per valve. As of today the same supplier has the valves at AUD $159 per valve, and another supplier I have used previously has the same valves at AUD$250 per valve or (gasp) $1000 AUD for a matched quad. Crikey!

Phil.

[bob orbell]

We are seeing this all over, it is just simply taking the **** . Bob

[Phil Y]

Don't know if people have seen this?

https://guitar.com/features/intervie...actory-crisis/

Obviously this can't happen over night but a good sign non the less.

Phil.

[BOONDI]

Just a quick update....

https://www.stereophile.com/content/...ime-tube-surge