Tubes (Page 2): Up the creek if the Dems and Repubs don't stop fighting and start working for us! Sorry about the political connection, but couldn't resist.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

ejones0310 wrote:

When I went to tech school they were still teaching tubes. Integrated circuits had just been released to market and no one had any idea the personal computer was only 5 years away. Now our phones have more processing power than the computers that the space shuttle carried.

Where will we be in just 10 more years?

Up the creek if the Dems and Repubs don't stop fighting and start working for us! Sorry about the political connection, but couldn't resist.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

TheShoe wrote:

Actually, there are a lot of vacuum tube computers in use by DOD in highly critical but important applications today. The reason is that the tubes are not susceptible to EMP. On the consumer side, there are many audiophiles that are still using vacuum tube amplifiers because they supposedly produce more accurate sound.

Odd how the old technology is better for audio. Tubes and vinyl are making a return because the audiophiles prefer the accuracy of the reproduction and the absence of the digital bacground noise.

Personally I can't hear the difference. One ear is completely shot and the other does good to hear normal conversation. So CDs and solid state still works fine for me.

Anhanga Brasil Loc: Cabo Frio - Brazil

That was a great time. I still use two all-tube guitar amps and have
a stereo radio (multi-band + FM) that I need to repair.
Image quality was really nasty, but as for sound... nothing beats
a tube.

Thanks for the photo.

Bill 45

TheShoe wrote:

Actually, there are a lot of vacuum tube computers in use by DOD in highly critical but important applications today. The reason is that the tubes are not susceptible to EMP. On the consumer side, there are many audiophiles that are still using vacuum tube amplifiers because they supposedly produce more accurate sound.

Ok, what are you writing about? I was just saying that I have 1940 RCA radio that does not work.

EdR Loc: Gig Harbor, WA

Real radios glow in the dark.😁 old Ham operators saying..

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

EdR wrote:

Real radios glow in the dark.😁 old Ham operators saying..

Absolutely correct! (and my big amp still does). I find the warm glow very comforting 😎.

73,
de K4CKB

EdR Loc: Gig Harbor, WA

73 back. Kc7oks

Drewline Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Tube amps for audio are the best. We don’t play our guitars through anything else.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Bill 45 wrote:

I have a nice 1940 RCA's table top radio. One problem with it, it does not work. Forget about find anyone local to fix it. If I want to drive 6 hour one way to get it fix or mail it for $40.00. Cost of repairs at lest $150.00. So I would end up paying out $200.00+ to get something working that I pay $5.00 for. Who listen to AM or Short Wave any more anyway?

It’s all on line now...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

ejones0310 wrote:

Odd how the old technology is better for audio. Tubes and vinyl are making a return because the audiophiles prefer the accuracy of the reproduction and the absence of the digital bacground noise.

Personally I can't hear the difference. One ear is completely shot and the other does good to hear normal conversation. So CDs and solid state still works fine for me.

We like tube sound not because it is accurate, but because of musical harmonic distortion. Good vocalists use tube preamps to add warmth to their voices, just like guitarists use tube amps for the same reason.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

troutbum wrote:

Wonderful picture but you left out the battery the radio ran off from.

Or batteries. My old one had 3 batteries- different sizes, different voltages.
This is a newer one- that's a power cord coming out of the bottom left.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

Harry0 wrote:

Or batteries. My old one had 3 batteries- different sizes, different voltages.
This is a newer one- that's a power cord coming out of the bottom left.

When I was a teenager my dad gave me an old Army Signal Corp short wave receiver that came out of a WWII bomber. It originally was powered by a dynamotor, but had been converted to a 110VAC power supply. It was of course all tubes. I sure miss that old radio. I spent many Friday and Saturday nights listening to shortwave from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. I listened to the Seven Day War over that old radio.

But alas, some kids broke in and took a hammer to it.

troutbum Loc: north central pennsylvania

Sorry I see the plug but don't see the transformer and all. On my fathers family farm they had no electric so the radio was powered off a big battery, but the only time it played was Saturday nights to listen to wwv in Wheeling West, Va.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

troutbum wrote:

Sorry I see the plug but don't see the transformer and all. On my fathers family farm they had no electric so the radio was powered off a big battery, but the only time it played was Saturday nights to listen to wwv in Wheeling West, Va.

The transformer, wiring and most of the components are inside the metal box that forms the chassis. The tubes, IF transformers and larger components are on top with their connections sticking through the top of the chassis.

Construction of the old tube models was completely different from today's solid state devices.

troutbum Loc: north central pennsylvania

Yes they were fer sure different, I am all but 67 years young so have been around much tube stuff from tv's to radio's and also many boat anchor ham radio stuff. Enjoyed your picture and I have only a couple pieces left with tubes and they both are morse code senders.