The Need for Innovation

To make this project a reality we are redefining how electron tubes are made. Why? Because while the final product is from another era, manufacturing standards don’t have to be. At our factory, a combination of existing and new machinery will be outfitted for automation, making stronger tube design possible. All new production tubes will include a rugged frame design that addresses problems like microphonic noise, shorts, and other common failures. We look forward to showing our progress on this new front.

We’re investing in the future by building reliable electron tubes that sound better. This means:

• Fewer shorts and failures

• Less variation in performance from tube to tube

• Improved grid dissipation

• Increased uniformity of electron flow

• Stability across entire tube life

• Refined construction parameters via automation

We’re proud to make the first significant advancements in tube design in over sixty years, but certain processes still require the human touch. For that, we rely on the hands of our line operators who fill their stations with highly specialized talent. Our forward-thinking innovation is always balanced with hands-on, by-the-book methods.

The Need For Quality

We believe in the need for quality. Users have grown accustomed to mysteriously sourced, poorly constructed, low performance tubes with high failure rates. Culling and testing multiple tubes to find the “sweet spot” is the norm. Western Electric is stepping up with quality control standards that eliminate the use of substandard materials and reduce the unpredictability associated with everyday tube operation.

Tubes Sound Better

We believe in good sound. Our world is reliant on digital, solid state technology, and yet the analog crowd grows with each passing year. Vinyl records are in high demand. Film photography is here to stay. And nothing new has ever replaced the vacuum tube’s dynamic musicality. As one of the last remaining tube makers, we share a conviction with people everywhere that sometimes the old ways are the best. Whether you’re making music or listening to it — tubes sound better.