Ef86 tube replacement

[pucho812]

What’s a good ef86 tube for mic use that won’t break the bank

 

[Tubetec]

The eastern european or Russian eqiv,
I'll check the nomenclature tomorrow and report back

 

[Tubetec]

nowhere near a proper Mullard though,
you'll end up weeding out duds till the cows come home

 

[pucho812]

Well I saw some eh ones on the inexpensive but assume it be better to just buy a proper Mullard or similar for

 

[gyraf]

Depends on applikation. If youre flexible with heating, then PF86 are still available at good price/quality.

 

[RuudNL]

The current tube production quality is no longer what it used to be.
Recently, I have tested many tubes for a microphone company.
There were a lot of rejects because of a high self noise and microphonics.
Even some 'new' tubes, straight from the factory, didn't even work. (They showed a white ring on the top of the tube.)
I suppose this says a lot about quality control at the factory nowadays.
I ended up with a reject rate of about 20%...

 

[ruffrecords]

The current tube production quality is no longer what it used to be.
Recently, I have tested many tubes for a microphone company.
There were a lot of rejects because of a high self noise and microphonics.
Even some 'new' tubes, straight from the factory, didn't even work. (They showed a white ring on the top of the tube.)
I suppose this says a lot about quality control at the factory nowadays.
I ended up with a reject rate of about 20%...

I think that 20% reject rate is pretty good. Tubes have historically been selected for low noise and microphonics and I suspect their reject rate was no better. A decade ago I was using 6CG7 tubes in my mic pres. I purchased about 100 NOS samples and tested them all for noise and microphony. The reject rate was about 30% I then tested current production ones and found them to significantly better than that. All the testing I have done indicates that NOS tubes are generally worse than current production when it comes to noise and microphony.

Cheers

Ian

 

[moamps]

IMO, the best EF86 is a TFK version with a nickel plate, and can still be found on ebay for 15-20 Euros or less. None of the ones I bought when I needed them were discarded due to excessive noise or microphonics. All of today’s productions are a waste of money and time for me.

 

[alphasnk]

IMO, the best EF86 is a TFK version with a nickel plate, and can still be found on ebay for 15-20 Euros or less. None of the ones I bought when I needed them were discarded due to excessive noise or microphonics. All of today’s productions are a waste of money and time for me.

It's true, you don't discard them for noise or microphonics, but due to the 'eq curve' they each have, to suit the voice you make the microphone for.. Valvo ones are very good as well, and PF86 as well, the mazdas/philips etc are great for preamps, they don't really have a sound, but you can find TFK ones for less than 20e easily!

 

[Gus]

What about a solid state one? I just built one for my MXL revelation I bought to experiment on.
I picture of two different circuits. I have built a few other circuit ideas as well.
Issue is they don't have microphonics

 

[TLRT]

I'm selling a lot of old Valvos, they came as stock with old u67's. All noise tested,find me at black market.

 

[pucho812]

Depends on applikation. If youre flexible with heating, then PF86 are still available at good price/quality.

Application is replacing a dead tube in a vintage u67

 

[gyraf]

PF86 is VERY good in mics imho. It's heated by 4.5V/300mA, so a small dropper resistor required at heater.

EF86 was 6.3V so we want to drop 1.8V

1.8V at 300mA is 1.8/0.3= 6 Ohms

A 6 ohms resistor dropping 1.8V = (1.8*1.8)/6 =0.54W

These PF86's take underheating VERY well, so perhaps go for a 6.8 Ohm / 0.6W

/Jakob E.

 

[mhelin]

E80F

 

[TLRT]

Application is replacing a dead tube in a vintage u67

Valvo is clean and natural, Telefunken silver anode is more open but very nice, TFK EF806s is warm and round, extra low end ,and less highs than the silver version.

 

[JerryPbury]

I preferred the Valvos in my U67 clones and Gyraf G7’s. Telefunkens and Mullards were OK but softer in tone.

 

[TLRT]

I preferred the Valvos in my U67 clones and Gyraf G7’s. Telefunkens and Mullards were OK but softer in tone.

Btw these are all the same valvo brand ef86's,the internal structures are the same. Mullard has a special silver anode version but that is very rare.

 

[JerryPbury]

Good to know!

 

[Whoops]

For EF86 the current JJ EF806S (improved EF86) are really really good,
I never had them being rejected for noise or microphonics, it would be my choice in a Neumann U67 microphone:

https://www.banzaimusic.com/EF806S-JJ-Gold.html
https://www.banzaimusic.com/EF806S-JJ.html
I preffer this tube for EF86 work better than any NOS option

 

[pucho812]

I found an amperex ef86 in my tube stash, I didn’t think I had any ef86’s. Anyway dropped it in and the mic sounds as good as it did before.