NOS EF86

[DaveFx]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the GE EF86 (made in germany) was made proper to specs, I picked one up at a ham fest, and just wanted to know if I wasted $18 dollars or not. There's just a lot of talk about if it's not a NOS Mullard, then forget it, as I've heard that current productions' are not even close to the originals, but I thought, this one is german, it may be a good find.

Thanks in advance..

[KrazyKabs]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the GE EF86 (made in germany) was made proper to specs,

German=Telefunken in many cases and Telefunken made good stuff. If it has a little diamond molded into the glass between the pins on the base it's a Telefunken. Whatever it is it wasn't manufactured by GE, it's a tube GE outsourced and re-lableled.

I picked one up at a ham fest, and just wanted to know if I wasted $18 dollars or not. There's just a lot of talk about if it's not a NOS Mullard, then forget it, ..

Depends on how badly you needed the $18 right then, if you can spare it what the heck? If it's a usable EF86 then it's worth the money.

as I've heard that current productions' are not even close to the originals, but I thought, this one is german, it may be a good find...

Draw your own conclusions here. Advertising claims in today's tube market are like political advertising, they won't tell how good they are so much as how much the other guy sucks! So any vendor's inventory is touted to be the good stuff and whatever the other guy has is supposed to be junk especially when it comes to NOS, those guys need to justify their ridiculous prices. Then there's the difference between audiophiles and musicians, they're looking for something different than we are. Bottom line: Buy the best parts you can afford, use NOS when you can get it and ignore the internet hype. Remember, a lot of so called "information" on the internet is just some guy who's been in it for three months puking up everything he's read, right or wrong.

[DaveFx]

Thanks Krazy! Well there's not a diamond, but what appears to be a backwards 2 in the gap between the pins, but it does say made in W. Germany. Who knows? In the end, tone matters and hoping it isn't badly microphonic, but I wish I knew what a "good one" is supposed to sound like! Anyway, can't test until I get my cerria 18w TMB built.

Thanks for the info, and do you make cabs? Your screen name sounds like an ad, lol! I will be looking for a cab source for my amp when its built.

Thanks again... Dave Foreman

[KrazyKabs]

Off topic but yes I make cabinets, mostly Fender style. I figure leave the Marshall style combos to Anthony over here because he does those really well. There's nothing to prevent you from putting your Marshall style chassis in a tweed Fender style cabinet besides perhaps personal preference... it's good for any number of double-takes!

[dotfret]

A lot of the EF86 designs go microphonic very easily, especially the old Mullards - all EF86 should be fitted with valve shields to combat this. Mullard dropped their own design in favour of a Philips mesh plate design
- most of the makers used the Philips design, so Amperex, Philips, Mullard and Siemens are all similar, to mention a few.
The Telefunken is a different design - very durable and reliable, especially in the super heavy duty EF806S variant - but I would guess you have a Siemens or Valvo, since the Telefunken EF86 are REALLY expensive.

[zaphod_phil]

I prefer to use those silicone-rubber ring things, you place around the points where the mica spacer touches the inside of the glass. I've found them to help quite a lot with microphonic tubes. BTW it's a good idea to get hold of military versions of the EF86, such as the CV2901. They're very rugged and not usually microphonic.

. Mullard dropped their own design in favour of a Philips mesh plate design...

I may be wrong, but I'm under the impression that what many refer to as a "mesh plate" is actually the internal shield, which connects to pins 2 & 7. This means EF86s don't need an external shielding can when used in sensitive applications.

[Merlinb]

. Mullard dropped their own design in favour of a Philips mesh plate design...

Philips and Mullard are one and the same thing!

a "mesh plate" is actually the internal shield. This means EF86s don't need an external shielding can when used in sensitive applications.

Exactly. If you look through the mesh you can see the anode- it's completely open;- two separate plates, like wings.