Re:Bassman Rectifers, what does it all mean?

[Randy Lilleston <randyl@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 1 Nov 1994, Barry Schaede wrote:

> The Sovteks and the Rubies were probabaly amde in the same plant.  Ruby 
> doesn't make tubes they silkscreen them.  Could be you got a bad one 
> could be their grading isn't that good.

  No (or in this case, nyet). This Ruby rectifier came from China (the 
real problem is the country, not the company. Chinese tubes often have 
problems. I realize Ruby also sells Soviet-made tubes but I don't think 
they sell Soviet-made rectifiers). Also, rectifier tubes have a much 
higher rate of early death than output tubes, or so I have read.

> Randy please explain to me the part about the re-biasing.

 Sure. First, the stork visits the home of the happy couple while the 
parents are sleeping, and then.....well, you get the point.  I based my 
statement on conversations with three or four local amp geeks, including 
some who don't do it for the money. Once you start talking in engineering 
terms, I must punt (grin).
 So much of amp biasing is akin to witch doctoring anyway. Heck, try the 
rectifiers and if you don't like 'em, scrub 'em. I tried both tube 
rectifiers and prefered the 5AR4. Others may not agree.
 BTW, your point about the wide levels of variance on components is a 
good one. The rule: Try those tube amps before you buy, and BUY THE ONE 
YOU TRY. Don't let the music store haul a new amp out of the back unless 
you get to try that one, too. The same amps can sound surprisingly different.