F.A.Q. - Frequent questions

Question: Is shipping to Germany possible?

Answer: At the moment it is not possible for us to meet the costs of complying with the new German packaging regulations, so we no longer ship to Germany. We will be happy to send your package to a nearby country or make suitable alternative arrangements.

Question: If I purchase a product here and one on your eBay store, can I combine shipping?

Answer: Of course, just write to us or specify it in the notes at the time of purchase and we will refund the shipping costs for one of the two orders with the same payment method you used.

Question: What happens if the goods arrive damaged or the package is lost?

Answer: The goods travel well packaged and protected to face the journey safely, we have added comprehensive insurance that will save the entire value of your products from unexpected events. 

Question: Why is Tracking not active? Have you sent?

Answer: Sometimes there are initial delays in scanning. Please be patient for the first day or two if tracking has not yet activated. On Saturdays and holidays the couriers do not collect the goods. We ship the day after the sale if it was after 10am.30AM Italian time.

Question: the product arrived defective, can you replace it?

Answer: Of course. The products are also tested with a real test on the amplifiers we have to avoid unpleasant events, however if upon receipt you should find a defective product that has escaped quality control, please contact us, you can send the goods back and have a replacement product and a refund for return costs. If the replacement product is no longer available, you will have a credit of the same value that you can spend in our store. If the product is not defective, the shipping costs incurred will be your responsibility.

Question: I can't find what I need, can I have a telephone number to find out if it's available?

Answer: despite fully understanding your needs, there are many of you who are asking for the telephone, in the past we have tried the route of telephone contact and after a short time the situation became unmanageable. We reserve the right to use telephone contact only for truly urgent cases, we manage all other communications only via email or messaging, we hope you understand. Please send us all your questions or requests, we will be happy to answer you as soon as possible.

Question: I live nearby, can I come and pick up the products personally?

Answer: our Shop carries out exclusively mail order sales, however, for customers domiciled within a 15 km radius we offer a free delivery service to be agreed in advance.

Question: On one product description I read “Factory selected for Low Noise & Microphonics” and on another I read “Selected for Low Noise & Microphonics”. Which of the two is really Low Noise & Microphonics?

Answer: Both. We always test the valves also for low background noise and microphony and when we find them we write it in the title or description of the advert.
The valves with the colored dot on the top of the glass or on the base have been tested by the manufacturer for low noise and microphony, we repeat this test to verify and guarantee the quality of our products.

Question: How do I understand if a valve is new or used?

Answer: When we are absolutely certain that the valve is new we write NOS or NOS NIB in the title of the advertisement, if we have any doubts or the valve has already undergone some sort of use we do not write it. To find out more, we have written a short article that may interest you.

Question: I see you also have used tubes, how long will they last in terms of hours?

Answer: generally the life of a newly produced pre amplifier tube is estimated at around 12000/15000 hours while that of a power tube at around 5000/6000 hours.
Vintage valves, thanks to their superior construction qualities, in addition to having a better sound also have a greater longevity, consider that pre amplifiers can easily reach 100.000 hours, straighteners at 40.000 hours operating life, and the power tubes at 10.000 hours, an enormity for a valve. This unusual longevity is testimony to a superior level of construction and quality. To estimate the remaining life you can look at the product description and make a quick calculation based on the data provided.

Question: I see that you also have used tubes but are they a valid alternative to NOS?

Answer: Although NOS (New Old Stock) valves are new and never used, the used thermionic valves that we offer represent an excellent alternative thanks to the rigorous checks and selections to which they are subjected before sale to guarantee quality and performance.
Some of our customers, who were available for "blind tests", found that the used tubes we offer offer the same sonic performance as their NOS counterpart. Furthermore, they concluded that they represent a valid opportunity to obtain excellent sound quality at a lower cost.
Furthermore, keep in mind that there is no longer any trace of some items on the planet other than using used specimens. Therefore, used valves often represent not only a valid alternative, but the only solution for finding components that are now rare and precious.
In summary, you can consider used valves a safe alternative, with the certainty that each product has been tested to ensure maximum performance.