WANTED: Help stuck in tube rolling insanity

Buying NOS can drive you a little crazy. I have learned to live with (and enjoy) the sound of current tubes in my ARC preamp (an LS7). I'm using the Electro-Harmonix 6922, available at many dealers (I like www.tubedepot.com). Some folks in Tube Asylum also have kind words for the current JJ/Tesla. These don't cost a lot compared to vintage Amperex or Siemens. Of course they don't have any audiophile cachet, but I can live without that. In my system, the EH's sound darned good. Maybe worth a try for you as well.

I have put RAM super low noise tubes in every component I have had that used 6922 tubes. They are absolutly dead quiet.
Here is the address:

http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=tubeaudiostore&query=6922&.autodone=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tubeaudiostore.com%2Fnsearch.html

If you can find some, try a matched set of the late 60's, Telefunken e88cc..

Do you need matched tubes and aside from microphonics what sound quality are you looking for. I am using regular Seimans Rorher right now late production. You are right prices are higher than ever. I have had some pleasant surprises such as an equipment pull amperex white label. I bought the Mil spec Mullard CV2493 from an agon tube dealer and am delighted with it its a drop in for the ECC88 (in fact it's just designated E88CC -01, it gives a much cleaner signal than regular Mullards). I don't know what your definition of expensive is but I agree seeing these nine pins selling as CCas,7308s, Pich waist etc for $2-300 a set is ridiculous. My tube guru in England told me that all that stuff was absurd and more collecting ego than improved sound quality. I live on the east coast but if you want send me an e-mail.

I had a Cary SLI-80. I ordered a set of Amperex 7308, paid $65.00 a piece for them. They did not make a differnce to my ears. I went back to the stock Chinese, all is fine.