What is the working of vacuum tube?
The basic working principle of a vacuum tube is a phenomenon called thermionic emission. It works like this: you heat up a metal, and the thermal energy knocks some electrons loose.
Are vacuum tubes still in production?
Current audio vacuum tube production is still largely limited to 3 locations: China, Russia and the Czech and Slovak Republics. While many other developed nations still produce and develop vacuum based electronics, only Japan and Germany have produced glass vacuum tubes suitable for audio recently.
What replaced the vacuum tube?
transistors
Vacuum tubes were originally used in the earliest digital electronic computers back in the 1930s and 1940s, before being replaced by transistors composed of semiconductors, which can can be manufactured much smaller, making today’s computers, smartphones, and tablets possible.
What replaced the vacuum tube and why?
The Transistor Age Scientists William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain collaborated on inventing the transistor, which would replace the vacuum tube. The transistor worked more efficiently than the vacuum tube and operated on less power.
Are vacuum tubes worth anything?
Some older Western Electric tubes unused or the original box will sometimes sell for over a thousand dollars at auction. Any early vacuum tube with a “tip” (the little glass nub on the top) and a brass base has some value to collectors even if it’s just usable for display.
Are Chinese Vacuum tubes any good?
Chinese tubes are quite satisfying in my opinion. Not only more affordable, but also reliable and sonically good. I’m using the KT88 from Shuguang and compared to other brands that I tried on the same amplifier, the results (sonically) are not much different – especially when looking at the price difference.
How do you know if a vacuum tube is bad?
When a vacuum tube develops an air leak (a small crack or bad seal by a pin for example) this getter color will change to pure white. If you see this you know with 100% certainty that the tube is bad. Third, look for a purple glow that is very focused around specific elements inside the tube.