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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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tubed1
161 posts
 

Thanks for you post Deepee99 or should I say Mr. Natural?  I find your bias refreshingly intriguing.  Is that CV-181s a drop in replacement for a 6SN7 tube?  If the big bastards fit I might just give them a listen.

Agreed Raul: my ears are the "corrupted AHEE"

"Is thank's to that AHEE/HE-community that we are here. IMHO almost all of us belongs to that HE-community/AHEE that's different from other audio communities.

That for you has no meaning does not means that HE-community/AHEE does not exist because is " here ", alive and growing up!.

IMHO the AHEE is beyond what you, me or any one else can/could think about: just exist and this is a fact!!! that does not needs any one " blessing ".

Btw, like it want it or not you already are inside the AHEE and unfortunately you just can't do nothing about because is not your choice to be there: you are there!."

Looking forward with anticipation to the vaunted opine of comrade Nandric/Dover regarding this subject.  I am certain he will be arriving shortly. 

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rauliruegas
12,872 posts
 
Dear @deepee99 : """   Everything distorts,... """, agree and this fact is the main subject.

Now, there are more kind of distortions than we even can name it or even know about. We know about distortions as: THD, IMD, clipping/overload generated distortions, Fim distortion, etc , etc. but exist other kind of distortions that normally almost no one name it as distortions examples of these could be:

- Inverse RIAA eq. deviation level, item frequency response bandwindth, item slew rate, item headroom level, item output impedance, item type of amplification class operation, feedback levels used in the design, item noise level figure, active or passive gain in phono stages, damping factor figure, common mode rejection, crosstalk, dynamic range, etc, etc.

All those parameters and many more makes a difference for the better or worse and contribute to generated distortions additional to the " normal " ones. Tube designs are and have inferior way inferior figures that a good SS designs.

Tube just can't do it, it's fully limited technology ( between other things. ) at both frequency extremes that are the frame of the MUSIC in a home audio system, it's where MUSIC belongs and not to mid-range as almost any one can think.

Tubes are just with out any single way to deffend it other that what you are accustom to that is wrong and it does not matters that you like it because as I posted: what we ike does not matters, what matters is HOW THINGS MUST BE.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.


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rauliruegas
12,872 posts
 
Dear @tubed1 :  """  almost all of us belongs to that HE-community/AHEE... """

of course we do. That statement I posted in this and other forums " thousands " of times. We are in agree here.


"""  my ears are the "corrupted AHEE" """

NO, your ears are not. You learned through the corrupted AHEE but your ears are not corrupted because the AHEE take advantage of all of us high ignorance levels but we in anyway are corrupted or form part of the corruption.

As I said I'm still inside the AHEE but with a very big main difference than you: from some time now my audio choices/decisions are taking by me and not as you where that AHEE already took in advance for you. You are only a docil follower that go  for the audio world with out questioning no one not even your self or what you learned.

"""  alive and growing up!. """, alive is true but really growing up when you are severe limited by them?. You can't grow-up till you make your self one simple question: WHAT IF WHAT I LEARNED IS WRONG? and other questions: WHY IS WRONG? and WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX IT ?

Btw, """  Nandric/Dover  """?  whom are they? but people exactly like you that all what they learned is wrong. If those kind of people are the ones that support you then I understand your post.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.
barbapapa
244 posts
 
The initial post is not Tubes vs SS but "what would you choose as new production tubes if NOS disapeared". Good music can be obtained ind with both. Technologies thanks god.

At that time I still have nos tubes, pre and power in my pre and amps, but a friend of mine curiously likes Sovtek 12AX7 LPS.
My Air Tight pre came equipped with them for the phono section because they are silent. I changed them with 5751 NOS for the best, but it is me.
12 AU7 Gold Lion have good reputation too (not cheap however).

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