Mic: K2
Valve/tube style: 6922

Looking for recommendations for a brand of tube to replace stock.

Do you need to replace a dead tube or are you looking to play different flavors? What's in there now?

I would probably get a JAN Low noise The Tube Store

Dirty,

I don't have the mic on me at home here but I believe it's a russain tube right now. Before it had some no name chinese tube when I sent the k2 to rode they replaced it with the russian.

I was looking a seimen, mullard, and amperex tubes at the tube depot. I'm actually looking for telefunken tube but having much luck but
this looks like a good alternative:

http://www.tubedepot.com/nos-6922-siemens.html

Thanks John, i'll check out the Jan

...Maybe getting $90 to a $140 tubes is a little over the top for what it is. ???

Word of caution on Tube Depot, their prices can be outrageous. Sorry I can't recommend a better specific place for NOS, for me that's the kind of thing I "come across," I'm in good with a tech locally who gets dusty old tubes by the boxful that I can dig through and sometimes good sheet pops up. Buying old tube gear from flea markets or yard sales can sometimes yield old working tubes if you have a way to test them. Takes some luck and footwork but simetimes you can come up with cool tubes and not have to pay $140 big ones for an old tube that may or may not hold up, who knows.

If you want to play around on the cheap and see if you think it's worth spending more money on hand picked, tested NOS tubes, maybe try one of the better current production tubes. For ten bucks or so you could get a JJ Electronic 6922/E88CC type at eurotubes.com and it will probably be cleaner than a russian (Sov) and probably have a nicer midrange and some sparkle...at least, those are some attributes I've noticed using their E88CCs in several different types of equipment. I don't associate as much coloration of the midrange to them as I have with some Mullards and Bugle Boys used in a couple different types of gear--but not mics, unfortunately. I really don't know much about the K2 specifically though, or how much retubing changes its character.

I know other guys here have done some mic retubing with Mullards and so-on who will hopefully chime in.

I can vouch for the JJ tubes if you want something that’s relatively clean and warm. Telefunken’s tend to be a bit gritty and grimy sounding IMO but not in a bad way necessarily. I’ve modified all my gear with JJ’s . . everything from my guitar amps to my preamps to my tube mic. . . For the money you just can’t go wrong.

K

I've purchased many tubes from Brent Jesse at:

NOS Tubes

This is what I got from Rode regarding replacing the tube...

"While some 3rd party tubes might work, and some are happy with the results,
you will not be assured of the RODE SPEC, the ultra low noise and high SPL
that our factory burned and tested tubes insure. Also, if the 3rd party tube
causes a problem with the mic, the warranty may be voided. This is why we
can't suggest any other replacement tube. "

I really don't know what factory burned means but everything else sounds like we use cheap tubes but make sure they are at least good ones...

Right now I have an electronic-harmonix tube that K2 used to replace the original when I sent the K2 back cuz I didn't think it sounded as good as it should and I was right since they replaced the tube with a different brand ..I can only imagine the K2 would preform better with an even better tube. That's my guess.

quote:

Originally posted by stickers:
This is what I got from Rode regarding replacing the tube...

"While some 3rd party tubes might work, and some are happy with the results,
you will not be assured of the RODE SPEC, the ultra low noise and high SPL
that our factory burned and tested tubes insure. Also, if the 3rd party tube
causes a problem with the mic, the warranty may be voided. This is why we
can't suggest any other replacement tube. "

I really don't know what factory burned means but everything else sounds like we use cheap tubes but make sure they are at least good ones...

Right now I have an electronic-harmonix tube that K2 used to replace the original when I sent the K2 back cuz I didn't think it sounded as good as it should and I was right since they replaced the tube with a different brand ..I can only imagine the K2 would preform better with an even better tube. That's my guess.

They're basically just telling you do whatever you want but they won't accept liability if a bad tube damages the mic. I say give it a go, just make sure yer puttin' a good tube in.

I've heard claim that Electro Harmonix preamp tubes are just the more tightly toleranced Sovteks coming off the line, take it FWIW, but both brands are manufactured by New Sensor who also now has the rights to market tubes they've manufactured with the Tung-Sol and Mullard names--but it's all Russian mfr AFAIK...and what the hell, since we're on the subject of current prod tube trivia, you might have noticed that some people use "JJ" and "Tesla" interchangeably or are sometimes marketed online as "JJ/Tesla" but this is not quite right. JJ tubes are unique designs that are made in former Tesla facilities and I believe the JJ founders have background in Tesla. Groove Tubes are rebranded Chinese (as are Ruby) or Sov depending on the tube, again AFAIK. Doncha just love modern marketing?