09-12-2016, 12:50 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2016, 12:53 AM by Valvebloke.)
Since we don't know the 'nut' (there's that word again) in question, I guess we'll have to speculate. The answer's "Maybe yes, and maybe no" of course.
Assuming the factory codes are good, so these valves really were produced at a decent Philips plant and at a time when they were still making them in large enough volume for QA to be up to scratch, and assuming the buyer understood this and believed it, then if he only wanted the valves for his own use most of the hi-fi folks I've met would probably be happy from a 'sound' point of view to take any Philips valve. Indeed, only last week one of my customers asked if I had any Mullard GZ34s for sale. I had to say no, but I told him that the vast majority of old stock GZ34s, whatever they were branded, were made by Philips/Mullard and if he ever gets the chance of a Tung-Sol or even a Zaerix he should check the factory code, because it might well be 'the real thing'. He left saying he'll do this, and I honestly believe he will.
Some folks might say no though on grounds other than sonic. First they might not like the look. If they've got three good Mullards in the amp they might want the fourth one to be a Mullard to get a visual match in much the same way that if you ever need a door replacing on your car you'll probably want it to be the same colour as all your other doors even though you know, don't you, that its colour won't make a trace of difference to its performance
. The same could be said for knobs on radios. They're knobs for goodness sake. Surely only nutters care whether they match.
Other folks might want a branded Mullard because if they ever decide to re-sell it, or sell the amp with it in, they know that a valued brand will be worth more. Hard cash is a really compelling argument. Really compelling ! (It's actually less of an issue with power valves because they don't hold their resale value very well. But there's quite a healthy market in second-hand small-signal valves because as a general rule those don't go downhill very quickly in hi-fi amps. Guitar amps and tellies are a different matter of course.)
As a closer I'll raise the hoary old issue of 'sonic'. Hi-fi people mostly don't care about 'sound' as vibrations of the air, or voltages and currents in amplifiers. They care about the sensation they get in their brains when those vibrations move their eardrums. That sensation is influenced by a lot of things other than the air vibrations. One of the strong influences is the hi-fi fan's sense of comfort and well-being about the kit he's using to reproduce the music. Never mind how it's actually working. What affects the sound in his head is how he feels it's working. If it's got the 'wrong' valve in it and that's irritating him then it will never 'sound' perfect.
VB
Assuming the factory codes are good, so these valves really were produced at a decent Philips plant and at a time when they were still making them in large enough volume for QA to be up to scratch, and assuming the buyer understood this and believed it, then if he only wanted the valves for his own use most of the hi-fi folks I've met would probably be happy from a 'sound' point of view to take any Philips valve. Indeed, only last week one of my customers asked if I had any Mullard GZ34s for sale. I had to say no, but I told him that the vast majority of old stock GZ34s, whatever they were branded, were made by Philips/Mullard and if he ever gets the chance of a Tung-Sol or even a Zaerix he should check the factory code, because it might well be 'the real thing'. He left saying he'll do this, and I honestly believe he will.
Some folks might say no though on grounds other than sonic. First they might not like the look. If they've got three good Mullards in the amp they might want the fourth one to be a Mullard to get a visual match in much the same way that if you ever need a door replacing on your car you'll probably want it to be the same colour as all your other doors even though you know, don't you, that its colour won't make a trace of difference to its performance
. The same could be said for knobs on radios. They're knobs for goodness sake. Surely only nutters care whether they match.Other folks might want a branded Mullard because if they ever decide to re-sell it, or sell the amp with it in, they know that a valued brand will be worth more. Hard cash is a really compelling argument. Really compelling ! (It's actually less of an issue with power valves because they don't hold their resale value very well. But there's quite a healthy market in second-hand small-signal valves because as a general rule those don't go downhill very quickly in hi-fi amps. Guitar amps and tellies are a different matter of course.)
As a closer I'll raise the hoary old issue of 'sonic'. Hi-fi people mostly don't care about 'sound' as vibrations of the air, or voltages and currents in amplifiers. They care about the sensation they get in their brains when those vibrations move their eardrums. That sensation is influenced by a lot of things other than the air vibrations. One of the strong influences is the hi-fi fan's sense of comfort and well-being about the kit he's using to reproduce the music. Never mind how it's actually working. What affects the sound in his head is how he feels it's working. If it's got the 'wrong' valve in it and that's irritating him then it will never 'sound' perfect.
VB
Ampregen Ltd http://www.ampregen.com
