5AR4s bring $50

[Rick Robinson]

Well gang, curiosity got the best of me when I saw AES was also selling
5AR4s for $50. I called John, N4BWO, my local audiophile for the lowdown. I
figured correctly that it was audiophile driven.

Yup, those suckers will fetch $50 in a heartbeat from audiophiles.  It
seems Mullard designed the filaments to have a very long warmup/turn-on
time.  As John says, "They kiss your power supply awake rather than
slapping it" like a 5Y3 or 5U4 does.  Also was told that RCA and GE labeled
5AR4s are remarked Mullards per a licensing agreement.  This I haven't
verified as I have only Mullards myself.  He says you will see "Made in
England" on all 5AR4/GZ34s regardless of the brand due to their being a
proprietary design. Anyone know whether this is true?

BTW, check to see if you have any "Diamond" Telefunken 12AX7s lying around
the shack, another high buck item in the $50+ range for NOS.  My McIntosh
C-67 pre-amp uses these and I was never aware they were anything special.

Rodrigues cartoon seen in Stereo Review several years ago: (remember him
from the early issues of National Lampoon?)

Nerdy looking guy is at the gates of Hell standing in front of the Devil
himself and being held on each arm by demons.  The Devil says, "It's
another audiooophile.  Take him to the multipath room."

73,

Rick kf4ar

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