Amperex

Amperex USN-CEP 7308 Matched Pair - USA 1964 White Print VR5 - Same code - NOS

Name: Amperex USN-CEP 7308 Matched Pair - USA 1964 White Print VR5 - Same code - NOS
Brand: Amperex
SKU: 266509455307
Price: 450.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Amperex USN-CEP 7308 Matched Pair - USA 1964 White Print VR5 - Same code - NOS

$450.00 USD

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Perfect matched & balanced pair of vintage Amperex USN-CEP 7308 White Print audio tubes w/ O-getter and gold pins - Made in USA in 1964 - Strong NOS - Identical date code - Ultra Rare

Product Overview

Built and tested according to military specs of the US Navy, Amperex USN-CEP O-getter has been the most reliable 7308/E188CC tube known to the world: its quality is more than premium, although it doesn't carry the aweing PQ label like its more expensive siblings do; its performance is superb and in fact very few tubes in this price range can claim to be stronger; its low noise should only by judged by the most experienced sound experts because we are talking about the very tube built for and certified by US Navy for mission-critical communication devices; its sound signature is phenomenal (I don't use this word very often to describe tube sound) and many experienced audiophiles consider the "Holy Grail" ('75 Reflektor 6N23P) its only possible upgrade path.

Sound Qualities

The clarity and sound detail on USN-CEP 7308's are second to none. They deliver the same resolution and grip you get from the best German E88CC's but feel less "clinical", for the lack of a better word to describe what Telefunken E88CC's "ultimate clarity" means. These tubes have a clean, incisive presentation, but are also euphonic and musical. Like the HG's they put all the differing and competing attributes together in one excellent package. As a result, there's no one area they are weak in. The sound stage is not only wide but also deep so every listening experience feels like at a live concert. The instrument separation is not done as beautifully anywhere else, as one would expect from tubes this quiet.

Professional Sound Evaluation

The pair worked wonderfully and sounded terrific in our professional studio setup for monitoring.

- Input: Cambridge Audio CXC V2 dedicated CD transport + Schiit Audio Bifrost 2 Multibit DAC

- Amplification: Liquid Platinum Tube Amplifier by Alex Cavalli

- Output: Focal Clear MG Pro open-back headphones

Our full tube sound review was written 100% based on the actual listening experience while this pair of tubes were running in the system described above.

Professional Tube Testing

Both tubes tested Strong NOS (110%+ nominal mutual conductance) on a Mercury 2000 tube tester with the following result (mutual conductance both in uMhos and in percentage of nominal/new):

Tube 1: 15,000/15,100 (120%/121%)

Tube 2: 14,300/14,200 (114%/114%)

Good tubes start around 7000 and new tubes (incl. NOS/NIB) 12,500 - 13,000, and Mercury 2000's rated mutual conductance (nominal) for new tubes is 12,500. Test result can also be seen in the pictures. In case you wonder what all these numbers would mean to your sound experience, it's actually quite straightforward: mutual conductance directly translates to a tube's ability to amplify sound so the higher the numbers the stronger.

Appearance & cosmetic condition

Beside the world-class sound characteristics, we treasure this pair also because of its pristine condition - nearly 100% of the paint is intact, and the identical acid-etched date code is perfectly visible on both tubes:

VR9 *4D (VR5 = Amperex 7308/E188CC Production #5, * = Amperex New York factory, 4 = 1964, D = April)

Packaging

This pair of tubes will be packaged in new white tube boxes, secured by a handmade paper ribbon (by courtesy of Soundlumia.)