Jaycar used to sell 3 types but there are none listed in the 2020 catalogue.

Trust me if it is not in the cat. purchasing is not re-stocking.

They would be concentrating on the stuff that sells, no valves is the thin edge of the wedge for components.

I have not worked there for 5 years so do not know any more than guessing.

Fred.

Probably sell the 12AU7 because there is a turn table Maina going on and lots of guys are having a crack at building vintage pre Amps .
Lots of web sites where you can get the kits or just built it from a schematic.
One day I'm going to have a go at building one too, The vintage Shure from about 1962 .you can buy the kit or the schematic.

Pete

Jaycar still lists these valves:

https://www.jaycar.com.au/6p15-valve/p/ZA6002

https://www.jaycar.com.au/6n-valve-spare-valves-for-aa-0474/p/ZA6001

for this amplifier:

http://members.iinet.net.au/~cool386/jaycar/jaycar.html

... but has discontinued 12AX7:

https://www.jaycar.com.au/12ax7wa-7025-valve/p/ZA6000

It costs to stock goods. Accountants and bank managers like short Stock Turn figures, they are an indication of a profitable business, everything else being equal.

This is why no-one wants to stock slow moving items unless a premium can be charged for them.

A product has to have "legs" (meaning: it walks off the shelves / out the door) or it won't be re-stocked.

Here in Coffs Harbour I just bought a couple octal and 9-pin sockets from Jaycar.
They definitely still have parts but I didn’t see any valves.
I went there to pick up a replacement 4 ohm speaker for the admiral 5AW and they had quite a collection of different things including resistor bins of various values.
Definitely one of the better stocked jay cars I’ve seen.

Well,after 2 whole days on the computer I've managed to find a way to get some into Australia. 2 days wasted on computers, I have eyes like marty feldman. I'm sure computers are sending us all blind.
Anyway there on the way.

Pete

Gtc, those valves are not costly I just looked at the link , probably more than that on Ebay

Gtc, those valves are not costly I just looked at the link , probably more than that on Ebay

I believe it was Robbbert who commented about cost.

Personally, I obtain most of my valves via the HRSA, where prices are reasonable.

The 6P and 6N valves were used on that excretable "HiFi" amplifier that Jaycar marketed back whenever.
I had NOTHING to do with that...thing........dont blame me..........!

There are volumes written on the web about that...thing......
I took one look at the samples marketing procured for technical evaluation and just laughed and voted NO.
When you turned them on the heaters in the valves ran at white temperature!

Look at the glowing valves...how good is that! There was about 9 volt rms applied to the 6v heaters.........Jesus.
The amp was actually a pair of "30 watt" LSI packages mounted on a heatsink inside the chassis, the valves just acted as tone and volume controls and looked good for the ValvoPhiles.
Anyway it is all history, the Boss in the end had to do a classic grovel and refund any unit returned.

From memory the 6N was a twin triode and the 6P a pentode output valve.
I have a bag full of the things in the workshop and use them as dummy valves to mask off sockets while cleaning/spraying chassis or fill the sockets while doing chassis layouts.
That is all they are good for.
I did use a couple of 6P as output grid drivers in a Bass amp, they were uncontrollable parasitic oscillators in pentode configuration but calmed down when connected as triodes. in other words f---ing useless for the alleged purpose.
The 6N had ultra thin cathode sleeves and just injected 50hz hum into a low level guitar preamp circuit.
I did try to use them as preamps, useless noise level at all frequencys. Worked ok as low gain stages at line level where mV of noise did not matter so much. Any aussie Radiotron or AWV used worn out 12AU7 or 12AX7 from a old TV chassis performed far better!

Typical examples of Chinese valves, look the same but fall down on spec when actually used because they have no idea how to make a valve. When chipped and asked why?, they reply, no ploblem we send more! You will like!

Never had any problems with the Russian Sovtek valves That Jaycar sold by the way, Used the twin triodes and output valves in amps and they worked just like any other good brand. I could run 700 volts on the plates of the OP valves and 300 volt on the little guys without a murmer. No noise, no hum, bias up ok, draw normal current ok, beta ok, good stuff.

Probably got several 12AU7's buried in various boxes around here as they sort of arrive & need sorting.

The usual Schizophrenia joke: I have two valve testers: One each

I've got about 150 spare twin triodes of the 12AU7A, 12AT7 etc etc variety. Now if I could get $44.50 each....

I bought some Russian 6CM5 equivalents which cost a fraction of what Ebay were asking for used ones.
They look very solidly constructed and work perfectly.

It seems China has no idea about valves. They can copy them (like they copy everything), but have no understanding of them, and no idea how to test them.

Just like many other Chinese products.
If it physically looks the same and someone will buy it then it's "job done" for them.
Doesn't matter whether it works or not.

Irext, are you saying there's a source of valves in Russia apart from the common audiophool range?

Link?

It was a Russian Ebay site that I got the 6CM5 equivalent from but it was quite a few years ago.
The purchase history doesn't go back that far unfortunately.
I bought 4 of them at the time as I figured that would see me out.
I have 3 left.
They are in a safe place. Just wish I knew where that safe place was!!
I need a clear out and reorganisation of all my electronic components which I plan to do fairly soon since I no longer have any paid work getting in the way thanks to Covid19.
Hopefully they will turn up and I'll post the Russian valve type then.