Do NOS Tubes Built to Medical Grade or Military Specifications Sound Better?

[caesar]

Do NOS tubes built to medical or military specifications sound better?

Some of these tubes are visually different than the regular counterparts. They may have red tips to indicate medical grade , while others say JAN on the labels.

Is it Worth paying a premium for this? Or just marketing by the tube sellers?

Thanks

 

[Alrainbow]

Every tube has its own variation of sound of nos
various plants and age
for me tubes are very different in how they sound per application and the circuit used in
I like the industrial or milatary tubes but the sound is not always for the better
there is a tube gz480 it’s a large recti tube to me has great details in the lower freq
but this may effect the over all tone and tilt any given system
another tube the USA airforce 596
to me it has a lesser stage and and less air on top
but it is magic ina given system
military and industrial can be found as real new nos
Easier then most non nos
tubes

 

[jazdoc]

It depends.

 

[oldvinyl]

Do NOS tubes built to medical or military specifications sound better?

Some of these tubes are visually different than the regular counterparts. They may have red tips to indicate medical grade , while others say JAN on the labels.

Is it Worth paying a premium for this? Or just marketing by the tube sellers?

Thanks

There are two topics:
- tubes manufactured to military specs
- tube screened and selected for specific applications

From what I have seen, the red tip medical and instrument grade are regular production tubes that underwent further screening to find the mostly closely matched, least noisy, least microphonic. In the 12AX7 and 12AU7s I have used in phono stages or CD players, these have always been preferred over the same tube that was not screened.

A 5692 is a 6SN7 that was built for military and industrial applications. Compared with a 6SN7, the 5692 is ruggedized with additional support rods, rated for 10,000 hour life, close triode section balance, shock resistance, harsh temperatures, and stability. For me, these have also performed well.

The ruggedizing means lower noise and microphonics - always a plus for a tube.

As stated above, it depends on the tube. Some military tubes are just production runs with special marking and packaging. Other tubes had specific materials or processes and screening for selection.

 

[Sablon Audio]

To build on @oldvinyl ‘s wise words, my tube guru suggested to me that 60% of the sound quality comes from the physical design with @20% each from materials chosen and individual build quality.

 

[Lowrider75]

As stated above, it depends on the tube. Some military tubes are just production runs with special marking and packaging. Other tubes had specific materials or processes and screening for selection

Example; RCA 6SN7GT (early version) is identical to RCA VT-231 and JAN-CRC-6SN7GT. VT-231 and JAN are branded for military.

 

[Lowrider75]

5814A is ruggedized with support rods and is an industrial version of the 12AU7. Does it sound better? I can't tell, it's too close to call. But the 5814s usually last longer.

JAN 5687WB is a ruggedized tube for the military. The 5687 is the standard tube without support rods. They sound the same to me.