NOS tube alternatives for Herron VTSP 3A r02

Do what Keith says and tweak something else in your system if you need to scratch that itch.

Buy the "NOS" and the Herron set, as you outlined above, and listen and compare. It'll be fun and it's what you need to do. 

     After 6 months of listening with the stock EH tubes, switched in 2 Siemens  Cca and 4 Philips E188cc ( didn´t have 6 of a kind) and the results were purely positive.

     Totally gone was any hint of electronic haze or the glare & brightness in the upper mids I find so offensive and characteristic with Russian & Chinese current production. Voices, especially female much more natural, soundstage opened up and best of all zero listening fatigue over very extended periods. Plainly, just much more musical.

     Advice about not messing with stock tubes from manufacturer and other content users seemed mainly based upon the argument that the preamp was voiced with provided tubes but it´s obvious that my setup ( Air Tight PC1s, SME IV, Avid Volvere, Zanden 1200 mkII, Reimyo CDP 777, CAT JL5, ATC SCM19v2, Audience SX & Harmonix speaker & interconnects, Cardas Golden Reference & Clear Beyond power) cannot be the same @ Herrons or any other where this particular piece is used.

     Anyway, cheers and remember YMMV.

Calling it "voiced" carries the unfortunate implication of looking for a particular characteristic sound. Which is unfortunate since the main thing the VTPH2A hit me with is its lack of voice or character. It made the previous ARC sound downright woody and colored. 

Given the history, used gear, tube rolling, I'm not at all surprised you played around and found something better. What would surprise me is if you called Keith and didn't find whatever he sends you at least as good.

Who cares about mileage, really? Its the road. The car. And most of all the driver.

Call Keith to find out which tube pairs are the most critical and then roll these. My favorite have always been the Amperex U.S. or Dutch made 6922s.