@artemus_5 - Not to step on Ralph/s toes, but fake tubes are re-labelled modern production. Wipe off the printing on the tube and you can label it anything you want. Put it in a plain white box and voila...NOS goodness. Also pulls sold as NOS. Be VERY careful on eBay. Most of the "NOS" tubes I bought there turned out to be junk.
Genalex GL GZ-34 Rectifier...Did I just get a bad one? Five months seems
like a terribly short lifespan. I bought it in May and spent the extra money to get a "good" tube. It sounded good while it lived. But it went in a fiery inferno last weekend. Fortunately it only took out a fuse.
It was running in a Bob Latino VTA ST-70 Dynaco amp. It's a great amp but runs the rectifier a bit hard from my understanding. However the original tube lasted at least 3-4 yrs IIRC. I tried a SS rectifier. YUK!! I put the tube (a spare Sovtek) back in place I've had good luck with the KT-66 Genalex GL's and they have a good reputation (I think). Is this just the luck of the draw. IOW, even a new tube can have a short life span? Or is this odd? Is there any way to avoid it? I'd buy another Gennalex GL if it will last. But I can buy 2 Sovteks for the price of one GL. Sovtek sounds good too.
FWIW, The tube that failed was cryo treated. Could that make a difference in a rectifier tube? As always, Thanks for your help.
It was running in a Bob Latino VTA ST-70 Dynaco amp. It's a great amp but runs the rectifier a bit hard from my understanding. However the original tube lasted at least 3-4 yrs IIRC. I tried a SS rectifier. YUK!! I put the tube (a spare Sovtek) back in place I've had good luck with the KT-66 Genalex GL's and they have a good reputation (I think). Is this just the luck of the draw. IOW, even a new tube can have a short life span? Or is this odd? Is there any way to avoid it? I'd buy another Gennalex GL if it will last. But I can buy 2 Sovteks for the price of one GL. Sovtek sounds good too.
FWIW, The tube that failed was cryo treated. Could that make a difference in a rectifier tube? As always, Thanks for your help.