Your choice of EL34's

Getting back to tubes the average audiophile could actually find, hear, and buy without being independently wealthy, an inveterate risk-taking junky, or possessing an advanced degree in ancient audio esoterica: The Svetlana's are the best new EL-34's available IMHO (used in my C-J MV-55). There are previous threads on this subject to search for...

Yes, I auditioned a Jolida 302B with both the stock and Svetlana tubes and the Svet's sounded very good to me (warm and full). The only other EL34's that I have ever owned/used have been Mullard XF1's and 2's, though in different/vintage amps so a comparsison would not be valid. The Svet's, again, sounded very sweet and 3D. I do have NOS Mullards on hand in the event that I ever own such an amp again, but still would not hesitate to try the Svet's as well, based on what I heard.

Zaikesman, I hope you never hear any of those "ancient esoterica" tubes for yourself.

If you did, you would discover that money invested in premium tubes are often more improvement than twice that amount in equipment upgrades.

Tubes are not just parts, they are the heart of the equipment and almost as important to performance as the design itself.

One last factor to consider. Many of the old tubes such as the KT 77 are known to last 30 years and more. How many Svetlana's and for what amount of money would be required to equal that durability record? Assuming you are willing to take the quality "hit" along with the cash.

Albert, I'm sure you've listened to many tubes that I never will, but I suspect that if I could, I might only somewhat disagree with you in degree, not in kind. I do not at all dispute that tubes can greatly affect the quality of the sound, and that there are times when an older tube, even an extensively used tube, can have the superior sound. Most of my tube-rolling using vintage tubes has taken place in my guitar amps, and there has even been an occassion when the best sounding tube was an "obsolete" metal-case oldie. I will admit that these experiments were done with tubes that I just scrounged up, not pristine NOS bought for big bucks from a dealer. But I have also done a little dabbling with mail-order NOS in my hi-fi preamp, and mostly been disapointed, with noisy, ringy results. And with power output tubes, I've always found that freshness does matter. Obviously, it's possible to manufacture either a superior or an inferior tube, and it is probable that some of the best would have been made in the tube's heyday. But it is also possible that someone could make a top-quality tube today. In addition, I think it is quite likely that some amount of snobbery and opportunism has attached itself to the NOS market, as will happen with any scarce or no longer made commodity. If I had the patience and werewhithal to hunt down premium NOS and do all the comparing, maybe I would reach conclusions similar to yours. But this is clearly not for everybody, and motivation, in the form of dissatisfying sound, would also have to be present. I think that in a case such as the Svetlana EL-34's, that someone might be manufacturing a tube right now that is about as good as anything ever made, a position some reveiwers have taken on this tube. I like what I hear with this product enough that in my rig, I am not really curious to go down the NOS road (and they've been very durable). YMMV!

When the best tubes were manufactured, they were the industry that brought the brightest minds and biggest budgets into play, much like the aerospace or computer industry today.

The materials and manufacturing quality control standards (especially for Military versions) were often "cost no object." This was due to the fact that we were at war and fighting for our very survival.

The Russian tubes are good, no doubt. They are however the product of great American marketing, where we find cheap labor (China as well) and make a decent knock off. The true cost of a Svetlana EL 34 is less than 50 cents. No doubt a great value for the money, but hardly state of the art.

If your equipment does not benefit from the better quality, then you are blessed. I am after the best sound reproduction available and will not compromise on tubes, even if you perceive it as snobbish.