"New Sensor" has another meaning; Not just for the M9

Rob-F

Rob-F

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We've talked a lot about the Leica M9 getting a new sensor to replace the original, which was defective. But did you know there is a company called "New Sensor" that is involved, not with cameras, but with vacuum tubes? It is, I believe, an American company that imports Russian vacuum tubes.

Until several years ago, the Svetlana EL-34 beam power tube was made in St. Petersburg, Russia. A different company, called "Reflektor" purchased the rights to the Svetlana name and began making a similar tube in its Saratov, Russia factory. They are imported by New Sensor.

I find it interesting that a company that has ostensibly nothing to do with Leicas or cameras has taken a name that has nothing to do with vacuum tubes, and everything to do with the Leica M9 in particular! Can it be a coincidence? Is there a conspiracy afoot?
 
Isn't the M9 problem the sensor 'cover glass', rather than the sensor itself?

This clearly goes deeper, much deeper, and its no surprise to find the Russians are involved.
 
I'm Russian with disco, Queen, Sinatra and Armstrong, Miller on turntables.
And with Chinese tube phono pre-amp.
You know what we, Russian, were saying about Russian electronics?
"Russian-derevyashin". It means electronics and mechanics made like they were made from wood.
Sorry to spit on your TT. This is part of been made in Russia too. :)
 
New Sensor has been around for decades. A guitar pickup is a sensor. As far as I recall the owner started out making distortion pedals, and bought the Soviet Valve [vacuum tube, to you yanks] factory maybe a dozen years ago.
 
New Sensor

New Sensor

Yes, that will be Mike Matthews, a very talented guy.

He has rebranded several tube companies of the past.
My favourite ones are the Gold Lions, especially the KT88's, the gold pin 12AX7's are also very good for new tubes.

I'm running all NOS British made Mullard's in my McIntosh amps and preamp, except for the KT88's, those are the GL's.

cheers/ken.

Paul T. said:
New Sensor has been around for decades. A guitar pickup is a sensor. As far as I recall the owner started out making distortion pedals, and bought the Soviet Valve [vacuum tube, to you yanks] factory maybe a dozen years ago.
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My Prima Luna monoblocks run EL-34 or KT77. I had liked the sound of the EL-34 that had been made in St. Petersburg until recently: the one with the "Winged-C" logo that was known as "Svetlana." Until the Svetlana trade name was sold to a different factory, one in Saratov, the one that makes the EL-34 that New Sensor sells. I'm sorry that the original Svetlana is no longer available. I'm trying the Gold Lion KT-77, but haven't really come to prefer them, so far.

NOS Mullards are above my pay grade! But I do find the Russian Mullards very listenable. In fact I have a set in my (ahem) Marantz 8.
 
raid said:
In Iraq we used to say that "everything made in USSR heats up except the irons!"
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An old joke from Poland (I think) was that before communism they had butcher shops and inside you would only find meat. Under communism they had meat shops and inside you only found butchers.
 
Ya, the Mullards weren't cheap, especially the 12AX7's, the 12 AT7's were reasonable.

I got them all cryo treated from Kevin at Upscale Audio, for some reason I find the cryo treated ones don't take as long to burn in, and if there is a problem it shows up then.

I left my amp on for a month, and after about a hundred hours of listening I found them sounding a lot better.
Very deep, tight bass, nice open mids and extended highs.

I've no experience with KT77's, but EL34's are a good sounding tube, how many hours have you got on the GL's now?

Before I got the Mc, I had a PL Prologue 8, I replaced the stock tubes with GL's and it sounded great, but took some time burning in to get there..

cheers/ken.


Rob-F said:
My Prima Luna monoblocks run EL-34 or KT77. I had liked the sound of the EL-34 that had been made in St. Petersburg until recently: the one with the "Winged-C" logo that was known as "Svetlana." Until the Svetlana trade name was sold to a different factory, one in Saratov, the one that makes the EL-34 that New Sensor sells. I'm sorry that the original Svetlana is no longer available. I'm trying the Gold Lion KT-77, but haven't really come to prefer them, so far.

NOS Mullards are above my pay grade! But I do find the Russian Mullards very listenable. In fact I have a set in my (ahem) Marantz 8.
Click to expand...
 
fad gadget said:
I've no experience with KT77's, but EL34's are a good sounding tube, how many hours have you got on the GL's now?
cheers/ken.
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I don't keep track of my tube hours, but I always order them with the burn-in service. I think it's for a 24 hour burn-in. I've probably put on 80 or 100 hours. though. I guess one idea would be to put an electric clock on the same circuit. Or keep a log book!

So far the only EL-34 I can't stand is the Electro Harmonix.
 
I do the same, burn in with the cryo, but still found it took some time to open up.
That's what I did, kept a log of the listening hours.

I've heard the EH's, I didn't like them either.
Soft bottom end and very one dimensional sounding. I didn't like their preamp tubes either.

Mc used JJ's for the KT88's and the Chinese firecrackers for the preamp/driver section.
It all started for me when I blew a KT'88, replaced those with the GL's and then went nuts! lol


Rob-F said:
I don't keep track of my tube hours, but I always order them with the burn-in service. I think it's for a 24 hour burn-in. I've probably put on 80 or 100 hours. though. I guess one idea would be to put an electric clock on the same circuit. Or keep a log book!

So far the only EL-34 I can't stand is the Electro Harmonix.
Click to expand...
 
fad gadget said:
He has rebranded several tube companies of the past.
My favourite ones are the Gold Lions, especially the KT88's, the gold pin 12AX7's are also very good for new tubes.
Click to expand...
I miss my KT88s. But there's only one real home for them: a Park (aka own-brand Marshall) 75 watt head, with a 4 by 12 cabinet and a Les Paul.

ONly problem with that set up, which I had as a teenager, was the fact it would project sound half a mile away. Which can be distracting in a tiny town.
 
That might get you locked up, better off putting the into a McIntosh 275. lol



Paul T. said:
I miss my KT88s. But there's only one real home for them: a Park (aka own-brand Marshall) 75 watt head, with a 4 by 12 cabinet and a Les Paul.

ONly problem with that set up, which I had as a teenager, was the fact it would project sound half a mile away. Which can be distracting in a tiny town.
Click to expand...
 
Rob-F said:
I don't keep track of my tube hours, but I always order them with the burn-in service. I think it's for a 24 hour burn-in. I've probably put on 80 or 100 hours. though. I guess one idea would be to put an electric clock on the same circuit. Or keep a log book!

So far the only EL-34 I can't stand is the Electro Harmonix.
Click to expand...

I've started keeping a log book for the 845 tubes in my SET amp.

I agree with your earlier post on the 6550 winged C Svetlana's. I used them for my prior Conrad Johnson amp. When I replaced them with Kt-120s and Kt-77s, it just wasn't the same. :(
 
Hi Rob,

I was just talking to a friend that's running 2 sets of matched GL KT77 quads in his ZOTL40 MKll's.

He said when he retubed them with the GL's, it took at least 130/150 before they started to sound like he thought they should.
He's very happy with them now.



Rob-F said:
I don't keep track of my tube hours, but I always order them with the burn-in service. I think it's for a 24 hour burn-in. I've probably put on 80 or 100 hours. though. I guess one idea would be to put an electric clock on the same circuit. Or keep a log book!

So far the only EL-34 I can't stand is the Electro Harmonix.
Click to expand...
 
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