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5 TUBES IN A SLEEVE,BEST PRICE ONLINE! The American made military specification General Electric 5751 is a superb sounding valve for audio as well as guitar applications. It was used by all the major American high end audio manufacturers such as Audio Research and Conrad Johnson in their most expensive designs and was used by Stevie Ray Vaughan in his Fenders. The valve has a lower amplification of 70 mu as opposed to a 100 mu of a ECC8312AX7. This makes it harder for the valve to distort and therefore an ideal choice when the best clean sound is required.
Compared with the obvious alternative at this price point—buying a lot more generic current-production small-signal valves—£200 is ambitious against the recent used market, where comparable GBP listings sit at a £89 median and £205 at the 75th percentile. This one is basically priced right up near the upper edge of normal, so I’d call it only fair if the tubes are genuinely strong, matched, and testing well; otherwise there isn’t much cushion left.
The upside here is obvious to tube people: JAN/NOS 5751s are prized for their low-noise, refined presentation and long service life, especially in gain-sensitive positions where a 5751 can be a smarter swap than a regular 12AX7. If the pair is truly unused, correctly branded, and comes with solid test data, it’s a tidy buy for someone who values provenance and wants to avoid the lottery of tired pulls.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
General Electric, the American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892 through the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric, traces its roots to the dawn of the electrical age. Emerging from Thomas Edison's innovations in power generation and lighting, GE quickly expanded into radio and electronics, notably by acquiring the Marconi U.S. subsidiary in 1919 to form RCA, the dominant force in consumer radio receivers through the mid-20th century. This heritage positioned GE as a pioneer in electrical engineering, with early forays into broadcasting stations and vacuum tube production that laid the groundwork for its audio legacy.
In hi-fi circles, GE stands out for its vintage vacuum tubes, particularly the renowned 5-Star series like the 12AX7, developed in the mid-1940s from military-spec designs acquired via the 1945 purchase of Kentucky Radio Company's Ken-Rad brand. These tubes powered aviation communications, broadcast gear from makers like Gates and Fairchild, and iconic Fender guitar amps such as the Princeton, defining the raw tone of American rock and blues from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. While GE produced rack-mounted audio panels and amplifiers into the 1950s, its consumer hi-fi output was limited compared to full systems.
Today, GE holds a cherished niche among vintage collectors and tube enthusiasts, prized for the linear response, quiet operation, and warm sonics of its 5-Star tubes rather than modern high-end gear. No longer active in consumer audio, its components command premium prices in the aftermarket, appealing to restorers and boutique amp builders seeking authentic mid-century American sound.
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