Tube types

@jea48- I mostly agree with Joe S, as well. I’m guess he didn’t have any late 50’s-early 60’s, grey shield, CCas. They command a premium price, for a reason. There’s much more difference, in the presentation of the upper-crust Siemens tubes, between their years of manufacture, than he mentions. They vary at least as widely as the Amperex iterations, which he seemed to have in abundance. So many variables, in this aspect of Audio!

@jea48 thank you for the link. There's a lot for me to learn...

@dill thanks for the link. Never heard of them... they sound like a bargain if the performance is that good.

@wlutke thanks; I appreciate posting your experiences. 

@rodman99999 good to know that switching just one of the tubes in my pre to a premium would make a big difference. 

I also(as wlutke) owned an ARC SP-9, some decades back.    I ended up with a Siemens E188CC, in it's main gain circuit.   Hadn't tried a CCa yet, back then.    Every tube, tried in that pre(there were a number), made a distinct difference in the system's presentation.  Of course, some more profound, and better/worse, than others    Again: so many variables!

Every tube, tried in that pre(there were a number), made a distinct difference in the system's presentation.  

Which one impressed you the most?

The E188CC was my favorite. I think I still have a couple, in my stash, as well as a couple Amperex. After listening to a few different CCa’s, the grey shields became my nine-pin miniature of choice. My CDP takes six. Glad I bought a few spares, before the supply dwindled and the prices increased.