Offering a comprehensive warranty on vacuum tubes is easier said than done. That’s why it’s rare. Tubes break. Some tubes break faster than others. At Ray Tubes, we put in the hard work upfront to guarantee our tubes will work as they should, for as long as they should. Some might think our methods are overly laborious, but quality control matters deeply. We don’t want flawed tubes reaching the hands of our customers and we’ll go the extra mile to make sure that doesn’t happen. . Poor quality means a substandard listening experience. It means potential damage to your equipment. And it means buying replacement tubes early—again and again. .. We believe in doing things right the first time. That’s why our quality control process is the way it is. And that’s why we can offer our warranty with confidence.
This is our current baseline process. For specific tubes and variants, we go even further with specialized tests.
STEP 1: ROBUST SOLDERING, METICULOUSLY INSPECTED.
After soldering the tip of each pin, we inspect our work under a microscope. Imperfect soldering leads to broken seals in the vacuum or outright failure. If the soldering isn't right, the tube doesn't make the cut.
STEP 2: EXTENDED BURN-IN PERIOD.
Each tube undergoes a 24-hour burn-in period. This stabilizes the components and exposes early failures. Finding problems now saves us from bigger headaches later. If a tube fails, it doesn’t make the cut.
STEP 3: UNCOMPROMISING STANDARDS FOR CRITICAL PARAMETERS.
We test every tube against critical parameters like amplification factor and internal resistance. All measurements are recorded under the tube's unique serial number. If the tube fails a single test, it doesn’t make the cut.
STEP 4: CONSISTENCY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.
Using industrial-grade instruments, we measure current draw to ensure accurate matching. Each channel has to deliver consistent sound quality and volume. If it doesn’t, the tube doesn’t make the cut.
STEP 5: MINIMAL MICROPHONICS.
We subject the tubes to physical stress to check for microphonics. This confirms they maintain low noise levels, even in tough conditions. If they don’t, they don’t make the cut.
STEP 6: REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE.
Tubes are installed in two-channel speaker amplifiers to assess real-world performance. Our sound engineers listen to them using calibrated audio equipment to ensure they meet our standards. If they don’t, they don’t make the cut.
STEP 7: AN EXPERT OPINION.
Finally, we randomly select tubes that have passed all tests for targeted listening sessions. If the tube fails? You know what happens.
Quality isn't incidental. It's the result of decades of accumulated experience, deliberate planning, and fastidious tweaking. That means our process is constantly evolving, because we’re not ones to rest on our laurels. If there are improvements to be found, we’ll find them. We’re relentless like that. . . The process today may not be the process tomorrow—and that’s a good thing. We do the work so you get a product that works.
Think you know better? Let the boss know at nelson@raytubes.audio. Your idea in his inbox could be our next improvement.
End of blog.
