Do NOS Mullard EL34 tubes last much longer than NOS SED (Svetlana) EL34 ?

bjesien: " window into the notes and texture". That’s exactly what I would seek if I wanted to take the sound to the next level, and I sure want it.

So, this is an opposite opinion - with EL34 there is no substitute for NOS Mullards.

In fact, Kevin did recommend NOS Mullards if I really wanted to push the sound quality and had the funds. He just said it was not necessary to get  excellent results.

A friend of mine worked in the USA repairing (now vintage) tube amplifiers and he would often tell me how beautifully the Mullard EL34 sounded to him - the best he heard at the time, from a client's amplifier, but that was in the 19080s. I was sure the Mullard EL34 were long gone, I would be seriously suspicious of them appearing on the market now. I'm sure there are some good alternatives from modern production, like the Psvane. 

@Serblinfan

I just got in 16 or so NOS/NOS TESTING Mullard xf2 EL34. I think there is at least one quad that is NIB, maybe more. I know the provenance/chain of custody of these tubes going back 40--50 years. And I sell at reasonable prices, not like TubeDepot and some of the others. 

If interested, DM me and I will list some here on Audiogon.