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Tell me about "tubey" tubes.

I own pair of Quicksilver mini monos driven by Quicksilver's phono and linestage (A23 transformer and Zu DL103 or Grado Sonora1 mono if you want to swim that far upstream) and a pair of Prologue Sevens driven by a Three and mostly digital sources. Stray speakers follow me home, so I do not voice either for a single pair-- I like rolling loudspeakers. To keep this from becoming a manifesto on that aspect of my illness, I have about "fifteen or so" (I purposely do NOT count them) pair of classic american speakers ranging from various 1970's JBLs, Ohm 3s and 4s, Snell Es and Js, all the Spicas, Klipsch Chorus IIs to the some late-production Maggie 1.6s and Druid mk4s. I do have a few classic japanese high-wattage solid-state systems for those times when current is required, but have fairly sensitive hearing and do not generally need high power to appreciate any of my boxes.

I also run several old 1950's five-tube AM radios and a few Zenith AM/FMs. For radio, I enjoy the tube euphony. I really, really enjoy the euphony.

I'm currently listening to a lot of small-ensemble female vocal, avant-garde jazz, and space age exotica, if that matters.

Both the minis and the Sevens allow rolling of all the usual suspects, and I am aware of the basic sonic differences of power tube types. Both rigs currently utilize stock-spec tubes (2 Shuguang EL 34s and 4 KT88s, respectively), and until now I have not deviated from that. I already know what I need to get fairly accurate sound from both amps.

I don't enjoy tweaking and perfectionism as much as occasionally being whacked in the head by change, which is why I bought self-biasing amps in the first place, and now I'm a gonna use 'em. I want some simple advice: What specific varieties of EL34, KT88, 6550, or equivalents, in your actual experience, would give me the most euphonic, fat, Midrange Uber Alles, tube-colored sound? Feel free to suggest front-end drivers (12AU7/12AX7) as well, if that would make a noticeable difference. Price matters, so current production is a plus. Stick to my two amps. I'll get around to SET one day after I find some K-horns. Experience only, please. I'm not interested in second-hand speculation.
morgenholz
morgenholz OP
61 posts
 
Thorman/Hifihvn: This may have been all too easy. My passive websurfing has also suggested the SED EL34. Every datapoint helps, however, so I don't mind being advised the same repeatedly.

Buconero117, I sure hope that they are capable of it. Some recordings that I own and love were not recorded all too well. I am hoping a set of power tubes dedicated to this end will do for them what my 1950 Zenith AM/FM does for overcompressed FM broadcasts.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,987 posts
 
I think coloring is fine...as long as you stay within the lines :-)
morningstaraudio's avatar
morningstaraudio
154 posts
 
The old Tesla EL34's would be my choice and for small front end driver it would be hard to beat the old RCA 1950's era blackplate D getter 12au7's. Also the black glass Tungsol 12au7 has the smokey night club feel.
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
I assume you know about Joe's Tube Lore on Audio Asylum?

If not, it is a great resource for one man's, (albeit a very informed man's), opinion on the sound of different tubes.

Joe's Tube Lore on Audio Asylum

And if you already know about it, well, just disregard this post, (and Good Luck in your search!) ;-)
jafox
1,456 posts
 
Morgenholz will put to rest the fact that tubes in fact color the music.
And how are tubes different than any other active or passive component in an audio product's internal-component lineup? Just read about the various Nelson Pass designs where a number of different solid state devices are chosen for one kind of sound vs. another. And the debate of BJT vs. JFET vs. MOSFET.

The beauty of tube gear is that many products can be configured by the owner with many different brands and tube types to dial in various changes to tonality, dynamics contrasts, portrayal of space. Can you do this with a solid state device? Obviously no. For this reason and simply that many tube preamps and amps quite handily destroy their solid state peers, in the areas of portrayal of space, I will stay with tubes any time.

Morgenholz: Try the RCA 12BH7 in your 12AU7 socket. You will be pleasantly surprised....perhaps more than the power tube debate. And these are dirt cheap on ebay. Even if a used pair, they will last a long time.
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