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This section provides an overview for vacuum tube as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 5 vacuum tube manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked vacuum tube companies as of January, 2025: 1.Digivac, 2.Electro-Harmonix, 3.JJ Electronic.
Table of Contents
A vacuum tube, or electron tube, is a hollow device with a highly vacuumed interior and enclosed electrodes. It controls electrons through electric and magnetic fields to amplify, detect, rectify, oscillate, and modulate them.
Vacuum tubes consist of a container made of glass, metal, or ceramics. This container houses multiple electrodes in a vacuum or low-pressure environment, often with a small amount of rare gas or mercury.
The tubes are categorized based on their electrodes: bi-polar, tri-polar, quadrupolar, or pentode. Rectifier tubes, a type of 2-pole tube, are specifically used for rectification.
Vacuum tubes were once fundamental in electrical and electronic circuits for rectification, modulation, detection, and amplification. However, semiconductor elements have largely replaced them. Still, they are produced for broadcasting stations, the military, and particularly for audio and guitar amplifiers due to their excellent sound quality.
Special vacuum tubes like magnetrons continue to be important for generating microwaves in microwave ovens and radar.
Advanced applications include X-ray tubes, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for optical measurements, and image intensifiers for night vision.
Vacuum tubes operate on thermionic emission, where materials emit electrons when heated in a vacuum. In a bipolar vacuum tube, heating the filament emits electrons. Applying a positive potential to the plate attracts these electrons, allowing current to flow.
The triode vacuum tube has a grid between the plate and the filament. Adjusting the grid's potential controls the electron flow, enabling amplification.
Quadrupole, pentode, and beam tubes are evolved versions of the triode, offering enhanced performance.
Vacuum tubes come in various types, each suited for specific purposes.
Primarily used in amplifiers for enhancing music and instrumental signals.
Crucial in transmitters for radio communication, broadcasting, and industrial high-frequency generators.
Integral in devices like cathode-ray tubes for image display.
Key in microwave generation for radar and microwave ovens.
Formerly used in TV cameras, now prevalent in nuclear reactor decommissioning due to radiation resistance.
Utilized in night vision devices and goggles.
Employed in dental and industrial X-ray inspection tools.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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DigiVac was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Morganville, New Jersey. DigiVac engineers and manufactures measurement and control instruments and solutions designed to solve customer problems common in a medical vacuum, altitude simulation, transformer maintenance, HVAC, and other industries. In addition, DigiVac is ISO 9001:2015 certified. DigiVac’s product lineup includes large systems such as chillers, freezers, and ovens, as well as small components such as vacuum sensors. DigiVac also provides various calibration services, ODM and OEM design and manufacturing, and item customization options.
JJ Electronic, a company founded in 1993 and based in Čadca, Slovak Republic, is a manufacturer and supplier of vacuum tubes and electronic components. The company is known for producing tubes used in audio amplifiers, musical instruments, and professional audio equipment. The company provides a wide range of vacuum tubes, including preamp tubes, power tubes, and rectifier tubes. These products are utilized to cater to the needs of musicians, audio enthusiasts, and professionals in the audio industry. The company also offers customized customer services to meet clients' needs.
Electro-Harmonix, founded in 1968 and headquartered in New York City, is a manufacturer of audio effects and musical equipment. The company offers analog audio signal processing, digital delay, digital sampling, and polyphonic real-time processing. Its effects pedals are used by professional and amateur guitar players, bass players, keyboardists, producers, and studio engineers. Its iconic products are used worldwide and are utilized in recordings by The Police, Devo, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nirvana. The company also offers guitar amplifiers, vacuum tubes, Bluetooth headphones, and speakers.
Ranking as of January 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Digivac |
34.3%
|
| 2 | Electro-Harmonix |
19.8%
|
| 3 | JJ Electronic |
16.6%
|
| 4 | PENTA LABORATORIES |
15.3%
|
| 5 | TAKATSUKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO.,LTD |
14.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the vacuum tube page as of January 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
1 | 50.0% |
| Slovakia | 1 | 50.0% |
8 products found
8 products
Takatsuki Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
40+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
The TA-300B, which debuted in 2010 as the first domestic vacuum tube in 35 years, is back with even more precision improvements. While maintaining ...
Takatsuki Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
40+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 hour ago
In 2010, we released the ``TA-300B'' as the first international vacuum tube in 35 years, and by pouring all the technology and know-how that went i...
Takatsuki Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
40+ people viewing
Last viewed: 14 hours ago
We have started accepting reservations for the fully made-to-order model "TA-274A", which is a 4-pin UX base instead of the rectifier tube "TA-274B...
Takatsuki Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
TA-300B in 2010, TA-274B in 2012, and TA-2A3 as a new lineup in 2022 for the first time in 10 years (Following 300B in triodes, the famous 2A3 is a...
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.
70+ people viewing
Standard Response
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.
110+ people viewing
Last viewed: 7 hours ago
Standard Response
Let's Corporation Co., Ltd.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 hour ago
Taking advantage of the many years of experience of our partner transformer manufacturers, we have adopted a large toroidal transformer with an ori...
