Bigbottle 3 Valve rolling malarky.

Madza/ Cifte SILVER/CHROME plate ecc83s are excellent tubes. Whoever won the auction got them for a steal if they are in good condition. There is no testing report on the listing however.

They were below 100%.
They are FRS coded tubes, so Made in France at the Factory in Suresnes.

This little gem arrived today:

It's an RT ECC83 (Military grade)

NOS from Langrex.

Don't bother looking, they have already sold out.

Assuming the readings were accurate, they were a very high testing matched pair, with matched sides. So ceteris paribus, and relative to what Mazda silver plates normally sell for the sales price was very low. No worries though, if you've got a foil getter on the way, which should raise performance levels more than the Mazda's would...

You are not comparing apples with apples. It is 12AX7 that you need for the BB3. The ones you list are also triple mica.

Exactly.

Seriously, the Philips PCC88 I bought for the first BB3 we so microphonic that I could hear myself talking through the speakers.

They were dull as ditch water and had about as much depth as an ironing board.

3 people bought them against my advice and it was quickly evident that I hadn't had a bad batch. They were just Sh#t.

I also heard a Mazda valve that looked identical to the Philips and that was equally as bad.

The trouble is that all of these Odd brands are usually made in one of the big boys factory. There are others I have found that were made in the same factory, on the same equipment etc as the much coveted Siemens stuff and they are exactly the same too. Last ones of those I bought cost me £9.00. The Siemens was £200.

It quite common for BB3 owners to go on a valve rampage.

I went on one and bought almost any NOS Telefunken I could find. Spend about £500.

6 months later I sold them all and bought my DAC with the return from the sale. Also had change to build the power supply.

Never a bad thing to have valves in the drawer.

I know you're joking, but I wouldn't be surprised.

When we started the BB Phonostage project 3.5 years ago, we were picking up TFK PCC88'S £20 a pair.

I had loads, foolishly not realising they weren't as plentiful as the ECC83, I sold loads on too.

Now, you'll struggle to pay less than £80 for a NOS still sealed genuine TFK. Not a S&H TFK.

Yes, that's very true. The 6N2P-EV-OS (NEARLY Ecc83 equivalent) used to be £8 per valve, now they are nearly £20, if you can find them.

www.ebay.com/itm/173396092377

12 available here.

That's not a bad price!!!

I have had some very good Philips tubes. The SQ ones are pretty good in my opinion. But lime all things, tastes vary.

Buying tubes that are 60 years old is always going to be risky, so you are bound to get some problems.

As I've said, Phillips/ Miniwatt/ Amperex have undoubtedly produced some of the best tubes ever made in term of mechanical construction and performance.