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If NOS pre or power tubes became unavailable altogether, what new tubes would you buy?

Hey tuberollers, 

I'm curious to see what happens if there's a gun to your head, or more practically all NOS tubes disappear (dread).  What would you do with your line/pre stage and/or power stage?  

I have tried 5 different NOS 12AU7s and only 1 new 12AU7 in my preamp section (Cifte, RCA black plates (late 50s), Sylvanias, Baldwin organ tubes, Amperex 70s orange globes, and new Chinese stock Primaluna tubes).  In my power section, I have not tried any NOS tubes and 3 types of tubes (stock Chinese Primaluna EL34s, reissue Mullard EL34s, and reissue Gold Lion KT88s).  

Side note: I haven't ventured into NOS power tubes because of the cost and availability/scarcity.  I need 8 of them!

Without having tried anything else, I would be lost on new or reissue 12AU7s.  On the power tube side, I'd be just fine with either the reissue Mullard EL34s or the Gold Lion KT88s.  
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lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,400 posts
 
Are there any decent Russian small signal tubes that have the characteristics of NOS? Many 6SN7 type NOS become microphonic and are very noticable in preamps.
lewm
12,570 posts
 
The very best 12AU7s I have heard in my system were supposedly selected 12AU7s that were made in China.  I bought them from Billington in England, and they were "Billington Gold" class.  The only drawback was a relatively short lifespan compared to any of the other 12AU7s I tried, all of which were NOS.  The best NOS by far were Amperex BugleBoys, real ones, not fake ones.  I bought them in the 70s, so I know they are the real thing.  (No one had started faking NOS tubes back then.)  Once I realized that 12AU7s per se are not the best sounding tube, I stopped caring about which brand sounds better and converted all my gear either to use 6SN7s or 6CG7/6FQ7s.  Those two have nearly identical characteristics to a 12AU7 and can be used in any circuit that uses 12AU7s, to great advantage.  But you have to do some re-wiring, in both cases. Well worth the effort.

I agree with lowrider, 6SN7s are hellishly microphonic.  Best I've tried are either KenRad 6SN7GT with or without the silvery glass coating or RCA 6SN7GT with the gray glass coating.  But you've gotta damp them somehow.  Wonderful tubes, nevertheless.  Another one to think about are 12SX7s, which require 12V filament supply and have the characteristics of a GT type (as opposed to GTA or GTB types, which can take a higher plate voltage). 12SN7s may be a bargain, too.


tubed1
161 posts
 

I’d be up a creek w/o the NOS Russian 6h23eb tubes for my Audible Illusions Modulus 3A Pre-Amp. Notoriously hard on tubes this preamp runs those tubes hard. New Electro Harmonix 6922 are reliable and long lasting they sound OK.

I don’t waste my money in cryonics, as I personally can hear no audible difference. Although, I have seen longer tube life which may or may not have been attributable to the physics of this process.

Currently grooving on the 6550/KT-88 sound for the amp side. Filling the bill quite nicely the new issue Tung Sol KT-120, (my circuit supports it) or even better yet. The new issue Tung Sol KT-150 (the egg). Buy these while you are able.....oh yeah, bring it on!

rotarius
431 posts
 
The new production Mullard and Tungsol 12ax7 tubes are nice, I can live with them no problem.  I suppose the 12au7 versions are fine too but I have not used those.  I don't care for new 6sn7.  I have a stash of GE, CBS, Hytron, RCA, Raytheon, Sylvania, Kenrad, Soviet ones and a few others. They should last a lifetime but if some anti-ageing procedure is invented and I manage to outlast them, I would get the Shuguangs.  Oh and you have to try JJ  6ca7 tubes, they are one of my favorites.  Big ballsy sound!
wolf_garcia
6,635 posts
 
I found that Gold Lion 12AX7s are great, as are reissued Mullards. I use NOS 12AT7 type (6201 or something) Mullards also since there seem to be lots of them, but the Lions sound fine and as long as Russia allows them to exist I'm happy with that stuff. Russian GL KT88s are superb.
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