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Reviews For: Chinese 811A Tubes

Category: Electron Tubes

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Review Summary For : Chinese 811A Tubes
Reviews: 6MSRP: 15-30
Description:
Available from RFParts, Ameritron and many other vendors at reasonable prices.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
1563.8
K4PVK Rating: 2023-02-22
PSVane 811a Tubes Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In November 2021 I purchased a matched set of PSVane 811a tubes directly from a supplier in China via the Aliexpress website. The tubes arrived well packed. I installed them in my Ameritron AL-811H amp and burned them in for about 15 hours. They have functioned flawlessly since then, with about 45 watts drive I get 550 to 600 watts output on CW (just briefly to tune) and I run them exclusively for SSB. Nothing negative to report at this point. Will be interesting to see how long they last, according to all the negative reports about Chinese tubes.
KD5OEI Rating: 2017-07-15
Fine at moderate ratings Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had to replace the very old RCA 811As in four Altec 1570B audio amps. These are class AB2 units running about 930V on the tubes and making 175W from a push pull pair. It has been 4 years and there have been no failures in this conservative service. The rating of only 4/5 is because I recognize the troubles sometimes had in ham service where things get pushed.
MM0IMC Rating: 2012-10-05
Seem to do the job! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought 4 Chinese 811A valves (tubes) there and the seem to require less drive for more output power that the Ameritron OEM ones that came with my AL-811H amp.

They will do the full rated output into an oil can dummy load with no problems at all...
ZL1PHD Rating: 2008-04-12
High failure rate Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought a 3 tube AL811. Very nicely built amp, can't fault it. But the tubes are starting to drive me spare. These are the no name brand from China. 1st tube has a welt you can drive a bus through. On using it that welt was bright enough to read a book from, the other tubes had no anode glow. Got that replaced by Ameritron free of change, A+ for Ameritron for that. 6 months later another tube shorts out between the anode and grid supports on the top insulator. Gas? Getter is still silver. No idea why it shorted to start with. Apart from it now has a carbon track between the anode and grid! If these tubes are to be used in a circuit with a 1000 volt DC supply, ok. But who runs that lower voltage? Their QC needs to be uprated.
OZ1GCT Rating: 2008-01-15
Good so far Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have bought 4 matched SHUGUANG 811A from TUBEMAN.COM for my AL-811H, and no problems with them so far. Ken is a real gentleman to deal with
and deliver fast, safe and cheap.
WD0CT Rating: 2006-12-03
Oh for the good old days Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My experience with Chinese made 811A tubes has been a learning experience. In one year I have had three of them go bad. Two shorted and one went completely gassy and burnt it's filament up. They are being used in a three hole Ameritron. I bought the amp new and a new set of 811A from Ameritron when I started having problems.

The amp is used strictly on ssb and the remaining three tubes have now lost some emission in less than a year of use.

To Ameritron's credit, they did replace defective tubes free of charge with a requirement to send in the defective tubes at my expense. I believe they are stuck between a rock and a hard place with finding a quality tube supplier.

A bit of research revealed that RFParts lists US made Marshall 811A tubes and makes quite good claims for them.

I don't know how many tube factories in China make 811A tubes but I am not impressed with my experience.

If you have had better luck, please let us know about it.

73 Steve