2 x NOS Tesla ECC88 "GOLD GRID / GOLD FRAME" tubes, 03.1963/03.1963 Telefunken CCa sound at a fraction of the price. Paired, measured

Who needs the rarest and finest pair of tubes from the Eastern Bloc?

For sale: a pair of NOS (New Old Stock) tubes from my collection: 2x ECC88 "GOLD GRID / GOLD FRAME", rodium pins Tesla.

Same "UC" codes, meaning production date: 03/1963/03/1963. If anyone still doesn't know what "Gold Grid" is, and what the additional "Gold Frame" in this tube means, they should search online (I suggest starting with "Jacmusic Tesla Gold Grid").

This tube has earned a reputation for sounding the SAME as the famous and exorbitantly expensive (if you can find the original) Telefunken CCa (the best version of the ECC88 manufactured by Telefunken).

Legend has it that after the war, Tesla took over the "tooling" and some of the materials for manufacturing these tubes from the Telefunken factory as war reparations.

Looking at the designs can be confusing. That's why Telefunken CCa tubes are often counterfeited using these Tesla tubes.

By purchasing this ultra-rare Tesla version, you dream of experiencing the sound of the Telefunken CCa at a fraction of the price.

Teslas measured and paired on a calibrated Elpo-508. Here are the anode current and slope curves. Transconductance, which is much more important for pairing amp heads (ask other sellers why they only list Ia... :)

The Holy Grail of the ECC88. Everyone should listen to it once in their life.

Sound:

Precision and a "blanket-lifting" effect: Wide soundstage, airy sound, and incredible holography.

Fast, well-controlled low end: Unlike standard, budget-friendly ECC88 Tesla tubes (which sometimes have a "teddy bear-like" bass response), the gold mesh and "gold frame" versions have exceptionally well-controlled and tight bass.

Close, tangible midrange, with very good resolution while maintaining musicality.

Vocals come to the forefront, are very clear, natural, and even "present in the room." The sound leans more (slightly) toward studio-quality (but still "organic") precision instead of the overly sweet, typical tube "warmth." Clear, non-fatiguing treble: High-frequency details are perfectly extended (not packed into a narrow band like most ecc88 tubes) and separated (just as Telefunken does so perfectly and unmatched), without any harshness. This tube truly allows for hours of fatigue-free listening. You won't want to stop.

What makes this design unique:

Gold Grid: Tesla sputtered gold onto the microscopic wires of the grid using a thermal method (not chemical), which was extremely rare and expensive. This prevents the grid from thermally emitting and drastically improves the stability of its parameters over time.

Gold Frame Grid: This allowed for the grid to be extremely close to the cathode, resulting in very high transconductance. This design also ensures minimal noise and exceptional resistance to microphonics. Gold plating of the frame itself further reduced the noise level.

Black Internal Screen: Old Teslas have a black coated screen to aid heat dissipation, which again reduced "reverse currents," which translated into lower "shot" noise ("white" background noise). This also translates into a much longer lifespan compared to modern products (e.g., brands like JJ Electronic, which use pure nickel).

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This product is shipped from Poland. Import duties, taxes, and fees are not included in the product price or shipping costs. Within the European Union, all duties and taxes are already included in the price. Outside the EU, they may be charged during delivery, depending on the destination country and local regulations.

These fees are the responsibility of the buyer.