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Brimar tubes?

tomlinmgt

tomlinmgt

Lunatic Member
I'm a little over a year into the tube world having picked up a GF tube DAC-09 (now have a -11), an ST-70, and then a couple of tube pre's. I'm currently enjoying a Dared SL2000a and the prior owner included a pair of each EH and Brimar 12AT7's along with Raytheon and Briamr 5V4G's. When I first got the pre I put the EH's and Raytheon in it. After a few days I rolled all the Brimars into it and man, the improvement was eye opening. Experienced owners of the Dared pre swear by a single plate rectifier tube and E80CC's in place of the 12AT7's so I picked up a Sylvania single plate 5V4G and a pair of Tungsram E80CC's. Man, I just can't say one is better than the other as both configurations sound great. It was suggested I try some 12AU7's in there as well so I took my best AU7's, a pair of NOS Bugle Boys and a pair of NOS RCA black mica plates, and sampled those. Nice, but no cigar. I must admit, I'm very impressed by the Brimars considering I haven't heard much anything about the brand. What's the story? Did I just happen upon a lucky combination with the Brimar AU7's and 5V4G or are Brimar well regarded tubes?

- Michael
 
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I discovered Bimar about 15 years ago. They are premium tubes. Three different types exist in the 12AX7. Long narrow plate like a Sylvania, ladder plate with standard two wings on each side & the box plate (like ladder type) with one wing. I only like the box plate. The other are showing up on ebay of late & telefunken smooth plate are much better IMO. The box plate are super in phono sections & perhaps a trade off with Telefunken in other circuits such as tone amp & phase splitter/driver positions. In the latter positions the Telfunken are a little warmer sounding. Both Telefunken & Brimar box plate are very clear & neurtal sounding tubes.

Looking at the Brimar 12AU7, I used Brimar 13D5 as the best sounding 12AU7 beating out CBS/Hytron 5814A in second place, but I find any 12AU7 handicapped sonically. The Tungsram E80CC way outperforms the Brimar 13D5. The Tungsram have more gain, good to about 200 volts plate, taller than a 12AU7 plus use more filament current. :D
 
^^^
Thanks for the info.

I expected the Tungsram E80CC's to have a noticeable margin of improvement over the Brimar 12AT7's....they simply don't. The more time I get to compare the two the more I hear a little more clarity from top to bottom with the Tungsrams and perhaps a bit more space and dynamic punch in the low and mid range. I'll have to look at these Brimar AT7's and see if their plate style matches any of the ones you describe.

- Michael
 
BRIMAR, which stood for BRItish Made American Radio valves, was a brand of tubes that used the US tube designations instead of the UK ones. The company that made them was named "Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd." (STC). STC was a UK subsidiary of the American giant ITT (International Telephone and Telegraph. From 1934 on they used the BRIMAR brand. Their main manufacturing plant was at Footscray in Kent. The Brimar valve and cathode-ray tube division was sold to Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd. in 1960.

STC also made tubes for the UK Military, under the CV tube code designation, that were not branded Brimar, although they are sometimes mistakenly referred to as such.
 
tomlinmgt said:
^^^
Thanks for the info.

I expected the Tungsram E80CC's to have a noticeable margin of improvement over the Brimar 12AT7's....they simply don't. The more time I get to compare the two the more I hear a little more clarity from top to bottom with the Tungsrams and perhaps a bit more space and dynamic punch in the low and mid range. I'll have to look at these Brimar AT7's and see if their plate style matches any of the ones you describe.

- Michael
Click to expand...

Brimar 12AT7s have more gain than E80CC. Brimar makes a lot of great tubes.
 
I love the Brimar tubes. They sound great. I have the NOS ecc88 and the yellow A 12at7 tubes. If I remember right with out having to get out of my chair LOL!!! I am trying to find the company that I bought the ecc8 from as I want to get another set. . I know the company with the yellow and the T on it. Stupid you would think I could find the company they are in the UK. Anyway great tubes. I like these better than my Teles. but that is just my opinion only and my setup all are different.
 
Your thinking of the Brimar black plate 6060's? I have some and agree, they sound great. I'm using them in my elekit TU-8500, very quiet tubes.
 
I’ve found Brimar labeled tubes a mixed bag. Be aware that at some points they seem to have just relabeled other companies’ tubes. Tubes actually made by Brimar tend to be very good. I really like the 6aq5 and 13d1 from them. Tubes made by their parent company STC are uniformly wonderful. I use both 5a/152m and 5b/254m in my systems and love them.
 
Running a trio of IEC/Mullard labeled Brimar 12AX7's in a stereo PP EL84 Newbomb. They came originally installed in the unit. Recognized early on they probably weren't Mullards. It took a little effort to find the tiny vertical Brimar etchings. The etchings show up much better in photos that light. Compared with photos on the net for more confirmation. They sound great in the Newcomb and I'll eventually compare them to the Teles in my Fisher X-100-3. These are my 1st experience with Brimar tubes.
2024-07-28 001.jpg
 
I got a pair of BRIMAR 6SN7-compatible B65 tubes... Never used 'em. They're really old, my guess is from the '50s. I should try them out...
 
Jon S said:
Sorry, I thought they were BRIMAR but when I took them out of storage it was a pair of OSRAM B65s...
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Yup, that’s what I figured. Good news! If you don‘t like them, or at least don’t like them as much as some others they are now worth quite a bit. Supplies have mostly dried up and the remaining ones are priced accordingly.
 
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