Which brand of 45 tubes do you use?

Look at the recent posting under chakster and you will see the answers to your question.
Some will depend on your amplifier but in general NOS are more musical under audiophile definition and much more economical.

Thanks for your comments.

I also use amps designed for 2A3 tubes. I have a few NOS, Shuguang and EMLs. In those amps in my system I prefer the EML 2A3s, mostly because they are the most transparent and balanced.

For my 45 amps I have several NOS and Sophia Electric. I'm trying to decided whether or not I should try EMLs. They are kind of expensive. I agree that good NOS 45 tubes are very close in SQ based on the small selection I have. I have no complaints about the NOS 45 tubes other than availability and reliability. They sound great to me. My overall preferred amp/tube combo in my system is my 45 tube mono amps using NOS 45s. 

@jmolsberg  I will give Andy at vintage tube services a call. Thanks for the contact. I guess a google search will find him?

@gwalt  Thanks, I will check out the recent posting under chakster.

^ certainly will. A call for sure he’s not email friendly. 

I never got to try genuine NOS tubes; at best, I could get my hands on old tubes that tested strong.  Most of the brands I heard, like the National Unions, sounded very good.  They also don't cost a fortune. 

I haven't tried EML 45's, but, I have owned their similar 2a3 tubes, both meshplate and solid plate and they are quite nice sounding tubes. The meshplates are quite different from any other 2a3's I've heard--more open, with the soundstage more enveloping, and a "dramatic" sound (I've heard this tube described as "technicolor."

Larry,   Now that you mention it, It's very possible that some of (or maybe all) the NOS tubes I bought aren't but just tested within new specs. They came in factory boxes with what appears to be period correct wrapping. I was told they were NOS. Who knows. Doesn't really matter, they sound great.

The EML 2A3 tubes I have are solid plates. I never tried the Mesh plate type. Did you prefer one over the other?