Do you buy high end tubes?

[Guest GregM]

Every time I need new tubes, I look for the cheapest deal I can find and end up with Svetlanas. I think they sound comparable to the original Chinese tubes that shipped with my amp, which were a bit more expensive. How much happier would I be with NOS? Probably significantly happier. . .and significantly poorer. I'm sticking with Svetlanas for now.

[jazzbo]

Tube choice makes a big big difference in my amplifier circuit; differences in input tubes, power tubes and rectifiers really are quite apparent. I've done some judicious shopping and have found that RCA rectifiers and Siemens input tubes are the best combination for me, and compared to the Svetlana and Ruby (Chinese) stock tubes they are no comparison: the NOS are clearly superior and I won't do without them. It really surprised me what a difference rectifier tube rolling has made; the partnership between a rectifier and an input tube is quite important and I've found a really great one in Siemens 6922 and RCA 5V4. The Seimens 6922 also work really well in my Dynaco CD player, and I have a pair of Mullards that also work excellently.

I've looked around and really have found bargains for the NOS tubes I prefer and have a supply that will last me a long time.

For output tubes, my amp uses the Svetlana SV83 which is a newly developed tube with no real direct replacements in vintage gear. EL84s work, electrically, but the SV83 yields more power, and has a wider bandwidth, it's really no contest. The treble is much better with the SV83, extended and open, and the midrange is very open too; EL84s sound somewhat midrangey and compressed in comparison.

So my amp is split between new production Svetlanas and NOS stock tubes. And I'm ecstatically happy with the situation.

In your amp I would recommend playing about with NOS power tubes. I find that EL84s by Mullard and Tesla are better than Russian and Chinese tubes, in three different tube amps I've owned. And I also believe that you can really enjoy differences in input tubes and rectifier tubes as well. I would think with your attention to detail in your system that you would explore this avenue to improve and tailor the sound, and enjoy the adventure.

Edited August 5, 2003 by jazzbo

[wolff]

I think it depends on the piece of equipment. I have an amp where NOS Tung-Sol 6550's make a nice improvement over current tubes. I have some mono EL 84 amps where I cannot tell too great of a difference between current and NOS tubes.

Biggest difference I've found is in my tube pre-amp. The tubes that sound the best are NOS, and are rare and costly. It's been a struggle to find cheaper ones that sound close.

Try to locate people that use the same amp you use and see what they have learned.

[Stefan Wood]

NOS is fine -- I have Mullards on my power amp, but I am seriously looking at the new Ei tubes, which are made using the same equipment and specs as the old Phillips tubes, which I have used and are also very good. Ei has been getting positive reviews for their sound quality and pricing. I refuse to believe that NOS is the only way to go, especially with more people getting into tube equipment.

[Claude]

Every time I need new tubes

How often did you have to change tubes? I thought your tube amp was rather recent.

[Guest GregM]

I had a tube go bad about 6 months ago. Other than that it's been smooth sailing, so I guess I shouldn't have said "every time". I rolled tubes about three years ago (from Chinese to Russian) just to familiarize myself with biasing and changing tubes (piece of cake), and the sonic change (very subtle). I'm back to using the Chinese tubes that shipped with my amp but they've had so many hours of use I wanted to buy a matched set of four to have them handy just in case. I looked around and just couldn't convince myself to go with NOS. For about $50 I'm having four Svetlanas sent to me.

How much are you folks spending on your NOS Mullards and Siemens?

[jazzbo]

I bought five Siemens 6922 input tubes from ebay for a total of 75 dollars a year ago. THAT was a great deal. Excellent tubes too, NOS in the box.

I also bought a totally fried EICO amplifier as a parts amp to the EICO that I have that needs some work, and it came with quite lively yet Mullard EL84s and some Sylvania and Mullard 12AU7 and 12AX7s. Paid fifty dollars for the amp and tubes together. Another good deal, that I'll appreciate whenever I have one of these overhauled.

If you look around, you should find some bargains. I honestly think that tube choices are as significant as wiring and footer etc. concerns, and clean power. Even in my EICO when it was up and running, which is far from the minimalist circuit and single-ended design of my Decware Select amp, and not too dissimilar in topology from your amp, rolling tubes made significant differences. And I'd invite you to consider rectifiers in the rolling as they always surprise in the differences they make.

Edited August 5, 2003 by jazzbo