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Best Tubes on Market today?

I'd like to upgrade tubes on my Mastersound Compact 845 SET.
I'm getting a loud buzzing noise from both channels at  listening position which I find extremely annoying.
 My current tubes are Shuguang 845C (cheap Chinese electron). Pre amp tubes are Tungsram ECC82 and driver tubes 6SN7 EH. Probably all cheap stock tubes. I Love the the sweet sound but noise level is unacceptable.  Also very audible transformer noise, but I doubt there is a fix for that. Are there other ways to minimize tube/transformer noise?

What are the most reliable aforementioned tubes out there and what is the best place to get them?
Upscale audio seems to have quite a selection. PSVANE was also recommended by some. 
 I would prefer not to spend more than $600 on 845 tubes and hoping for reliable clean sounding tubes all around.    
I also have C2600 preamp with stock tubes. Any advice on those? 
ei001h
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
DC offset most certainly can and does exist on AC lines.  And it can definitely cause or exacerbate mechanical transformer hum/buzz on both tube and SS amps.  I have personally witnessed even an inexpensive Emotiva CMX-2 reduce mechanical hum/buzz.  I have also observed DC offset effects reduced using an Isotek EVO3 Synchro Uni.


Also, while I suspect it's really rare for tubes to buzz it has happened to me once.  On a Cary SLI-80 the rectifier tubes were buzzing and it was 100% fixed by replacing those rectifier tubes.  I've never witnessed any other tubes buzz.  Most tube noise sounds like tuning in a staticky AM radio station.
faxer's avatar
faxer
165 posts
 
I am using 8 Shuguang Black Treasures CZ 181z instead of 6SN7’s - They are amazing tube
Purchased from Salience HI FI 
they are on Amazon.
They respond to all emails promptly.
30 Day gauranteez
perkri
909 posts
 
Hi.

I had a similar problem. Humming transformer, noise from the channels. Replaced the big electrolytic caps and most of the noise went away. Then swapped out all the caps in the amp and it is close to black. Suspect I would need an AC conditioner to get rid of the rest. Amp is 25 years or so years old. Age takes its toll on caps. Not sure how old your amp is, but might be worth pulling the power caps out an measure them. Just a thought.

P
shoff
133 posts
 
+1 on Andy's Vintage Tubes.  He is the best I've ever worked with.
atomheart411
3 posts
 
I replaced a pair of Gold Lion kt77’s with Wathen Cryotone kt77’s and was impressed enough to keep them in. Very dynamic and sweet sounding to my ears. 
https://www.wathenspeakers.com/index.html

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