Metropoulos Forum

I had not heard that the Microtech Valve operation in Blackburn had closed recently. Here is a link to an article from the Lancashire Telegraph sent to me by Rob Hull at Tube Depot. It is sad that a company making a new effort to prop up the tube industry has already gone under. Meanwhile, Mike Matthews continues to struggle to keep the Russian underworld from taking over his operation. Anyone who thinks his stuff is no good should wait until some Russian crime lord is running the plant! Say what you will about Matthews using the Mullard, and other names, but if he ever goes under, we will be left with JJ, and the Chinese producing new tubes. You think the price of NOS tubes is bad now? Prices of NOS and new production with blast off.
NOS getting more scarce and expensive. The day may come when we'll be cruising E-bay for "vintage" Sovtek tubes....buy now

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... istration/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, disheartening news. I have just one of the Blackburn tubes left, out of four total. Good sound, unique.

george

Hang on to it G. It's already a collector's item.

Yes that's sad!
This company was a big hope for the tube amp's future!

Larry

At least I managed to get 2 before they went under. Still a very sad ending though.

Unbelievably, I still haven't really put much time on my two as yet. Too busy, and quite settled on what I'm currently using.

Just bumping this thread.
Im interested to know what equipment Blackburn microtech still had for the production of valves.
Do you think its possible they still they still had the tooling for producing the common double triodes and power pentodes such as the EL34?
Is there any information regarding the sale of the company after it went into administration?
Im just hoping their valve division that was making the techtube valves gets sold off, i was making an enquiry about purchasing them before they went under, that is what explained why i did not get any replys to my emails.

i have read this thread here, which is rather interesting.
It seems some employees bought some of the assets, hopefully they start production again.
Would be good if some amp manufacturers could come onboard and help out.
I would be keen to in some shape or form, even if it was a form of donation.
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archiv ... 0-p-2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Other than that the Ei tubes from Yugoslavia will be the closest thing we can get to a mullard/philips type tube.

I'm almost 100% certain that they didn't have ANY original tooling left over from Mullard at all. Remember that they were not affiliated with Mullard really, was just a new company on a different site in Blackburn (albeit close to the original plant). As far as I know, all tooling that was left over from Mullard days went over to Matsushita, but given the production of EL34's stopped before the preamp tubes, I suspect the tooling for those went elsewhere before the end of Mullard.

you really wonder what's happened to it all now eh?
I wonder if they still have any of it in Japan, i highly doubt it.
I do know that Ei in Yugoslavia was set up by philips and has the same tooling, they are supposed to be starting up production again, so will be great if i can get tubes from them once more.

As for blackburn microtech, we can only pray that something good comes out of the situation and see some new tubes coming out again, despite some rather negative reviews on those tubes, ive read alot of positive things from people who are using them and say they are still working strong and as good as the day they bought them.

They were okay, quite sweet sounding. But microphony was an issue. I only put about three hours on mine before hiding them away in a drawer never to be seen again. They were an interesting alternative for certain. Probably great for hi-fi amps. Perhaps I should dig them out again and try them. I remember they sounded quite nice for bass through my 4104.