Which brand of 45 tubes do you use?

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?

I liked the meshplate even though it was a bit over the top.  I liked the wide open soundstage, but, if someone said the tube sounded "phasey," I wouldn't disagree.  I used it in a parallel single-ended amp (Audio Note Kageki) and it had a reasonable life span, although not the kind of life that vintage 2a3s seem to have if run conservatively.