Does anyone still make Nuvistors? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Radio Wrangler · 15th Apr 2018, 2:04 pm

I've just come across a range of hifi stuff which is claimed to use nuvistors. With 300W (per channel, I think it was) and a CD player, I suspected the little devices weren't doing everything.

Closer reading mentions Nuvistor buffer stages. The prose is frightfully seductive, the adjectives firm and reassuring.

I thought Nuvistors were rather hard to find, and sockets even more so. Strange to see them in new production equipment. 8.8 grand for the amp, so maybe they don't need to find so many...

David

chriswood1900 · 15th Apr 2018, 2:28 pm

I seem to remember some articles around 10years ago where Musical Fidelity purchased a batch of NOS nuvistors and built a range of products using them as pre amps keeping enough back for future support needs.
Chris

barrymagrec · 15th Apr 2018, 2:53 pm

I read something along the same lines - a very niche product I would think.

I haven`t heard of any current Nuvistor production.

GrimJosef · 15th Apr 2018, 3:26 pm

Langrex are listing 250 7586s in stock and over 4,000 7587s. WiWi Tubes have 6CW4/6DS4s available, although they don't say how many.

Cheers,

GJ

Bazz4CQJ · 15th Apr 2018, 3:30 pm

I'm not aware of any current Nuvistor production. However, there seems to be no shortage of NOS items (RCA) selling at prices which are not too outrageous - more expensive than many semiconductors, less expensive than a Mullard ECC81 made at Blackburn on Shrove Tuesday. I bought a pack of 4 Nuvistor sockets online for ~£22 last year. There are quite a few Russian 'Nuvistors' around, many being wire-ended, which solves the socket problem.

How about some Acorn valves? They are typically selling a bit cheaper than Nuvistors. The sockets are very rare but you can solder direct to the pins. The 6.3V heaters light up almost as bright as Christmas trees, which has a certain appeal

.

B

MrBungle · 15th Apr 2018, 4:06 pm

I made a small fortune on selling nuvistors and sockets (and ceramic strips) recovered from some old Tek boards (which had been extracted from plugins) a couple of years back. Might have been me

turretslug · 15th Apr 2018, 4:07 pm

I recall the Musical Fidelity products (Nu-Vista?) that used these NOS devices. As good as Nuvistors may have been in their day, I can't help thinking that they would be rather noisier and more microphonic than even modest, mainstream transistors of the early 21st century. Surely a marketing flim-flam exercise using devices that can't even fall back on the visual appeal excuse resort of a pair of ECC83s (yellow print or otherwise....) poking through the case of an otherwise semiconductor-populated device.

Perhaps some stock-taking (puffed as "managed to track down") has reminded them that not so much Nu-Vista stuff sold after all, and it's time to get some return on latent Nuvistor stock with the hipster set.

VT FUSE · 15th Apr 2018, 4:24 pm

A search on the usual internet auction site will find many,well 40+ listings,for WIRE ENDED
Nuvistor triodes at really daft prices for space specified high reliability 6S51N-V.

This type were very close to the RCA ones used in early Mercury missions by NASA.

Perfect for audio-so it is claimed. They seem to have done quite well in the USSR space and ICBM role.
Psst... better not let the audio people in on this.

stevehertz · 15th Apr 2018, 4:52 pm

There's only one 'Nuvistor' surely? And he is a regular poster on here.

15th Apr 2018, 2:04 pm	#1
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,876	Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I've just come across a range of hifi stuff which is claimed to use nuvistors. With 300W (per channel, I think it was) and a CD player, I suspected the little devices weren't doing everything. Closer reading mentions Nuvistor buffer stages. The prose is frightfully seductive, the adjectives firm and reassuring. I thought Nuvistors were rather hard to find, and sockets even more so. Strange to see them in new production equipment. 8.8 grand for the amp, so maybe they don't need to find so many... David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

15th Apr 2018, 2:28 pm	#2
chriswood1900 Octode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dorridge, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,483	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I seem to remember some articles around 10years ago where Musical Fidelity purchased a batch of NOS nuvistors and built a range of products using them as pre amps keeping enough back for future support needs. Chris

15th Apr 2018, 2:53 pm	#3
barrymagrec Octode Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Morden, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,558	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I read something along the same lines - a very niche product I would think. I haven`t heard of any current Nuvistor production.

15th Apr 2018, 3:26 pm	#4
GrimJosef Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,311	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? Langrex are listing 250 7586s in stock and over 4,000 7587s. WiWi Tubes have 6CW4/6DS4s available, although they don't say how many. Cheers, GJ __________________ http://www.ampregen.com

15th Apr 2018, 3:30 pm	#5
Bazz4CQJ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,935	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I'm not aware of any current Nuvistor production. However, there seems to be no shortage of NOS items (RCA) selling at prices which are not too outrageous - more expensive than many semiconductors, less expensive than a Mullard ECC81 made at Blackburn on Shrove Tuesday. I bought a pack of 4 Nuvistor sockets online for ~£22 last year. There are quite a few Russian 'Nuvistors' around, many being wire-ended, which solves the socket problem. How about some Acorn valves? They are typically selling a bit cheaper than Nuvistors. The sockets are very rare but you can solder direct to the pins. The 6.3V heaters light up almost as bright as Christmas trees, which has a certain appeal . B __________________ Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch. Last edited by Bazz4CQJ; 15th Apr 2018 at 3:38 pm.

15th Apr 2018, 4:06 pm	#6
MrBungle Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I made a small fortune on selling nuvistors and sockets (and ceramic strips) recovered from some old Tek boards (which had been extracted from plugins) a couple of years back. Might have been me

15th Apr 2018, 4:07 pm	#7
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,396	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? I recall the Musical Fidelity products (Nu-Vista?) that used these NOS devices. As good as Nuvistors may have been in their day, I can't help thinking that they would be rather noisier and more microphonic than even modest, mainstream transistors of the early 21st century. Surely a marketing flim-flam exercise using devices that can't even fall back on the visual appeal excuse resort of a pair of ECC83s (yellow print or otherwise....) poking through the case of an otherwise semiconductor-populated device. Perhaps some stock-taking (puffed as "managed to track down") has reminded them that not so much Nu-Vista stuff sold after all, and it's time to get some return on latent Nuvistor stock with the hipster set.

15th Apr 2018, 4:24 pm	#8
VT FUSE Hexode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Malvern, Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 347	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? A search on the usual internet auction site will find many,well 40+ listings,for WIRE ENDED Nuvistor triodes at really daft prices for space specified high reliability 6S51N-V. This type were very close to the RCA ones used in early Mercury missions by NASA. Perfect for audio-so it is claimed. They seem to have done quite well in the USSR space and ICBM role. Psst... better not let the audio people in on this. Last edited by VT FUSE; 15th Apr 2018 at 4:31 pm.

15th Apr 2018, 4:52 pm	#9
stevehertz Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 8,831	Re: Does anyone still make Nuvistors? There's only one 'Nuvistor' surely? And he is a regular poster on here. __________________ A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..