Re: "Audio" Valves
These days, users of valves are increasingly unaware that they were made for any purpose besides audio, if this has been the sole commercial application during their lifetime. A young former colleague questioned the need for valves in a TV (the 1400 that I was fettling) where top-notch audio quality was unimportant. My Tektronix 555 blew him away!
Modern valve sellers may seek to foster this idea, that valves and audio were 'made for each other'. Humdrum and lo-fi applications detract from the boutique appeal. Who would get any pleasure from their record collection knowing that the heart of their preamp was once destined to monitor smoke density in a refuse incinerator flue? This might lead to a tendency to classify any vaguely industrial sources as 'defence applications', as this at least implies gallantry if not sonic finesse.
|