Well, here's my input.
I haven't been a cable believer but I tried the affordable Grover Huffman's RCAs (UR5 model) from the Primaluna to the Dynavector P75 phono stage. Let's just say that I am a cable believer now. 2006 agenda is to look into getting his speaker cables. Much more detail information heard now.
I am still using the stock power tubes but have rolled the 12ax7 and 12au7 positions. Mullard CV4004 in 12ax7 have the following qualities: warm, tighter edges/focused sounding, great tonality. The famed Amperex 7316s are thinner sounding, have focused images, are very very dynamic but not the last word in warm with lotsa high frequencies. Siemens 12AU7s brought beautiful tonality, big images, and depth in the soundstage and are my preference - just a solid tube.
I'm puzzled as to what power tube to buy. What's the run down on the current production power tubes?
The EI KT90s are tempting but I'm wondering if this will be too solid state sounding to me. I definitely like a thicker sound. But then I read the Swets are too slow and muddy, the EH's are too bright, and the EI's are great but too solid state. For every negative, I read a positive. Fun to read but puzzling! Looks like I'm just going to have to pick one. I did seem to glean from most online comments that unless you are buying NOS, KT88s/90s are the way to go. :-)
