Siemens

Siemens E288CC = E188CC Matched Pair in Original Boxes - Munich 1965 N0 2# - NOS

$378.00 USD

Sale Sold out

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Product variants

Quantity

Perfect matched & balanced pair of vintage Siemens E288CC (equiv. of E188CC) Audio Tubes - Munich 1965 - Super Strong NOS - Extremely Rare

Product Summary

E288CC, the tube that should get full attention from tube sound enthusiasts but hasn't. Why? Let's review the technical specs of this tube before we answer that question: essentially E188CC/7308 in a slightly taller bottle, plug and play compatible with every other model in the 6DJ8 family - ECC88/6DJ8, E88CC/6922, E188CC/7308 and CCa, while the filament current draw is slightly higher, manufacture screened triodes for ultra low noise, and minimum 10K hours heater life. Still not convinced? How about getting the E188CC sound at the price of E88CC or maybe even a little lower, which means a fraction of the E188CC's price? Therefore, if your application allows for one-half inch additional room to house the E288CC tubes, this can (not "could") be your solution to the "best sound" problem. Just a thought...

Also, it turns out Siemens and Telefunken were both involved in making these unusual but fantastic tubes. So don't be surprised when you see the lovely diamond logo on one of these tubes. As we often remind everyone about this type of combination: 100% Munich house sound, 200% German brand prestige!

BTW there's one more thing: original boxes don't seem to be rare any more these days so are also including the original "Gurantiekarte" (warranty card) for an alternative flavor. Warning: the warranty expired 60 years ago.

Sound Characteristics

The airy and transparent sound produced by the vintage Siemens tubes has been unrivaled even to this day. The magically extended yet never tizzy highs, coupled with the slightly focused upper mid-range, deliver a clear presentation of the entire frequency spectrum, completed by the precise and deep controlled bass. And the most defining sound characteristic of Siemens E288CC/E188CC tubes is their ability to retrieve the deepest levels of detail in sound, and these hidden sonic layers can go a long way to revealing the subtle ambient clues that help complete building a truly 3D holographic presentation. While as quiet and analytical as the best Telefunken E188CC tubes, Siemens E188CC's produce a warmer, smoother and more musical sound.

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

NO shorts or grid leakage. NO noise or microphonics.

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

Tube 1(left): 18,100/18,100 (144%/144%)

Tube 2(right): 18,100/18,000 (144%/143%)

Good tubes start at 7000 and new tubes (incl. NOS/NIB) 12,500 - 13,000, and the Mercury 2000's rated mutual conductance for new tubes is 12,500. Test result can also be seen in the pictures. In case you wonder what all these numbers 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 the tube is.

Appearance & Cosmetic condition

This pair in excellent cosmetic condition with at least 95% of the silkscreen intact. The 3-line Munich date codes etched on the glass are perfectly visible on both tubes:

N0 2# 5H (A0 = E88CC, # = Munich production, 5 = 1965, H = August)

N0 2# 5K (A0 = E88CC, # = Munich production, 5 = 1965, K = November)

Packaging

This pair of tubes will be packaged in Original Siemens E288CC and original Telefunken E288CC tube boxes, secured by a hand-made paper ribbon (by courtesy of Soundlumia.)

Shipping Policy

- US Shipping: Flat-rate($5.50) USPS Ground Advantage for ALL states.

- International Shipping: Flat-rate ($20.00) USPS First Class International for ALL countries.

- Orders ship within 24 - 48 hours