3 ms·

What is a "valve" in this context? A transistor?

• jacquesm 5y ago
  A valve can refer to a vacuum tube or it can refer to a diode, which can be made from all manner of stuff such as razor blades, crystals, rocks. It's called a valve because of its rectifying behavior allowing current through in only one direction, this is also the reason for the diode's electronic diagram icon ---|>|---
• qiqitori 5y ago
  There were no transistors during WWII. (The first one was demonstrated in late 1947 apparently.) A valve is a vacuum tube (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_tube https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_tube).
• davidwritesbugs 5y ago
  Ah bless, tell me your under 60 without disclosing your age.
  • kwhitefoot 5y ago
    Valves are still produced. See https://www.europeanaudioteam.com/en/e.a.t.-kt88-diamond-valve-wp000023.html https://www.europeanaudioteam.com/en/e.a.t.-kt88-diamond-val..., https://brimaruk.com/about-us/faqs-2/ https://brimaruk.com/about-us/faqs-2/, etc.
  • gnu8 5y ago
    Locality is more like it. Valves are what UK people call tubes.