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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 14:01:45 GMT -6
I just bought a FLEA 12 to customise which was advertised as having a military-grade GE 6072 valve.
No. It was an Electro Harmonix 6072.
It’s not just the 12 but I’ve noticed the 47’s having fet fake tubes and other strange unnamed tubes.
I suggest you’re vigilant about these in advance as they’re not cheap these days. And we’re talking about what could amount to a few hundred bucks difference.
I’m sadly disappointed in these antics.
I believe that due to language barriers Flea are being taken advantage of by dealers who aren’t keeping information up to date. If you think you’re getting a valuable tube you may well be getting a cheap replacement.
I was lucky with my 47’s but people are reporting surprising results as NOS stocks deplete and they do what that can.
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Post by kcatthedog on Aug 28, 2023 15:04:57 GMT -6
False advertising, is what it is, if you are paying for a premium mike and tube, that’s what you should get. Like buying a ferrari and finding it has a fiesta engine: fail  |
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Post by hadaja on Aug 28, 2023 15:19:25 GMT -6
So was this was a new or 2nd hand flea?
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 16:27:45 GMT -6
So was this was a new or 2nd hand flea? Brand new. I got a couple of 47’s and I made sure they were fine through one U.K. retailer and put Beesneez K7’s in to juice them up and then I have a rare limited Flea 12 that is the exact copy of the original AKG down to the pattern box etc. and it even has an AKG capsule that sounds like a dream. Anyway I ordered one of their regular “Vintage 12’s” that usually look nice through a retailer I’ve spent enough to buy an apartment with and it’s cheap crap with a £20 EH tube and no badge. It doesn’t resemble any Flea 12 I’ve ever seen but I have some old AKG capsule’s so I’ll see how it sounds once it has a 5 star GE tube and a vintage capsule. I can only assume they have put all their recent energies into the 251 and other lines have suffered. Meanwhile dealers don’t have any interest in staying up to date with their sales blurb and Flea don’t keep up either. Which is a shame as I was a big fan after buying 5 mics beforehand. |
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Post by hadaja on Aug 28, 2023 17:10:37 GMT -6
Yes there is definitely a problem if there is an advertised product and it does say its a GE 6072 tube and its not here.
Thats needs addressing ASAP.
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 18:07:54 GMT -6
I might drop them an email and tell Ivan to get the troops in line.
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 18:09:33 GMT -6
So was this was a new or 2nd hand flea? Brand new. I ordered one of their regular “Vintage 12’s” that usually look nice through a retailer I’ve spent enough to buy an apartment with and it’s cheap crap with a £20 EH tube and no badge. It doesn’t resemble any Flea 12 I’ve ever seen but I have some old AKG capsule’s so I’ll see how it sounds once it has a 5 star GE tube and a vintage capsule. I can only assume they have put all their recent energies into the 251 and other lines have suffered. Meanwhile dealers don’t have any interest in staying up to date with their sales blurb and Flea don’t keep up either. Which is a shame as I was a big fan after buying 5 mics beforehand. I would contact Milos directly about this headquarters@flea-microphones.com . I have worked for them for more than 15 years and that doesn't sound like anything I have experienced. They currently use EH tubes but they state that on their own website. I doubt that any current manufacturer would include a real GE 5 star 6072 at no additional cost.
I would more honestly believe that this is on the retailer. FLEA does not write retailers promo material. Recently I had to write Funky Junk because their text on the FLEA 251 was incorrect. Rather than use FLEA's text they decided to write their own and this happens all the time.
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 18:10:03 GMT -6
“The tube is GE 6072 in five-star version or GE 6072 made for Rayethon. These tubes were produced especially for military purposes.“
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 18:13:24 GMT -6
There’s no denying their quality fluctuates. The finish on my 6 varies from mic to mic.
Celebrating 20 years by dropping the standards!
The quote above about tubes has been edited out of the blurb on their website which I would swear was Chinese if I didn’t know any better.
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 18:14:54 GMT -6
“The tube is GE 6072 in five-star version or GE 6072 made for Rayethon. These tubes were produced especially for military purposes.“ You will not find this quote on any FLEA site.
From their own website for their vintage C12:
"The mic is equipped with 6072 tube." period. Nothing about brand. And for the 251 it simply states: "a selected 6072a tube"
So FLEA gets the blame as lying about their product even though it was never them that stated the tube was a GE or Ratheon?
The finish on most nickel plated mics varies greatly. David Bock used to tear his hair out over this very issue .
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 18:25:05 GMT -6
However you justify it they are using inferior methods and materials over time as the market consumes the NOS parts.
People need to lower their expectations now. That’s all.
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 18:31:19 GMT -6
Well Paul I think you must be being mistreated by your retailer. I just received an Ela M 251 and the build quality is exceptional.
Is this a thread about lying about a tube or poor build quality?
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Post by Ward on Aug 28, 2023 18:37:06 GMT -6
However you justify it they are using inferior methods and materials over time as the market consumes the NOS parts. People need to lower their expectations now. That’s all. If I'm buying a top tier microphone from Flea, Heiserman, Upton or another reputable microphone manufacturer which has (in the recent past) made claims about using the highest quality components in these 5 star mics, I expect a 5-star vacuum valve/tube. anything less is a form of fraud. There are plenty of 5-star GE 6072 glass bottles around. Your nearest bowie can help you find them. |
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 18:40:57 GMT -6
The problem is Ward that Flea never promised this tube. Yes I have stacks of GE 5 stars ( so does Paul by his own admission) but none of the manufacturers mentioned uses them in a production mic. I am sure if someone wanted to pay the extra builders would include that tube
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Post by Ward on Aug 28, 2023 18:42:31 GMT -6
The problem is Ward that Flea never promised this tube. Yes I have stacks of GE 5 stars but none of the manufacturers mentioned uses them in a production mic. I am sure if someone wanted to pay the extra builders would include that tube When you start a sentence with these four words: "The problem is Ward" you sound like my ex-wife. Immediately I am triggered and looking for my therapist's phone number. |
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Post by Ward on Aug 28, 2023 18:43:47 GMT -6
SNIP I have stacks of GE 5 stars Brother, can you spare a tube? |
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 18:43:56 GMT -6
I am so sorry Ward! I'll help cover the cost of the first session  |
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Post by Ward on Aug 28, 2023 18:45:00 GMT -6
I am so sorry Ward! I'll help cover the cost of the first session LOL!! First? |
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Post by mics on Aug 28, 2023 18:47:12 GMT -6
I have seen some 3 Star CE tubes on Ali Express; are these the same?  Lol In all seriousness though, keep your eyes open for IBM 12AV7 and 12AY7 with the side getter. If you can buy a bunch and find a quiet one among them, they are sublime!!! |
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Post by sean on Aug 28, 2023 19:14:40 GMT -6
I imagine that at one time, when the Flea 12 was first introduced, they shipped with a GE tube...and the copy from the reseller hasn't been updated. It probably wasn't realistic from them to keep using vintage tubes so they had to switch to a modern tube. Most likely (hopefully) they rigorously test them. I know with the REDD microphone Chandler only about 10% (maybe less) meet the noise standards (they were every nice to send me a tested, burned in replacement when my new mic was a bit too low gain and noisy for my personal use). Same with Neumann for the modern U67s. I'm sure if you bought 100 6072's off eBay only 10 of them would be quiet enough for a microphone. BOWIE can probably attest to that.
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 19:19:44 GMT -6
Well Paul I think you must be being mistreated by your retailer. I just received an Ela M 251 and the build quality is exceptional.
Is this a thread about lying about a tube or poor build quality?
Well there’s an element of that if they don’t update Flea’s Chinese website blurb. It wasn’t the tube that sounded so thin though. It was the capsule. I don’t know why they use such bad sounding capsules. |
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 19:24:20 GMT -6
Well Paul I think you must be being mistreated by your retailer. I just received an Ela M 251 and the build quality is exceptional.
Is this a thread about lying about a tube or poor build quality?
Well there’s an element of that if they don’t update Flea’s Chinese website blurb. It wasn’t the tube that sounded so thin though. It was the capsule. I don’t know why they use such bad sounding capsules. hahahahahaha a broken record. A hater's gonna hate Paul you really need to post more positive uplifting stuff about how much you like Ben's work, Stam's etcetera and get off this negative stuff.
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 19:29:03 GMT -6
Well there’s an element of that if they don’t update Flea’s Chinese website blurb. It wasn’t the tube that sounded so thin though. It was the capsule. I don’t know why they use such bad sounding capsules. hahahahahaha a broken record. A hater's gonna hate Well I’m not a liar. And to be fair, you told me they sounded good in a professional microphone. |
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Post by timcampbell on Aug 28, 2023 19:31:26 GMT -6
Really Paul I should just post a link to the 3000 times you've said this.
I respect your opinion when it comes to your own tastes but you are in the minority on this and you clearly just have a bone to pick |
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 28, 2023 19:35:49 GMT -6
“The FLEA 12 is an exact replica of C12 and involves a modern style power supply with integrated pattern switch. As standard, it is equipped with Tim Campbell`s CT12 capsule - great choice if you are considering the clones of original CK12. The tube is GE 6072 in five-star version or GE 6072 made for Rayethon. These tubes were produced especially for military purposes. The transformer is our own replica of original.“
That used to be on the Flea 12 site and they’ve edited it.
Deny it Tim.
The opening phrase is a lie.
Deny it Tim.
I don’t think you should go round accusing people of lying especially at your age.
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Lol