Atmasphere mp1 mk3.3 with phono

It's not too steep when you consider those resistors are not your run of the mill Caddock. They are manufactured to Ralph's specifications for optimal performance in the preamplifier. Fiven what people pay for an MP-1 to begin with what's another $2400.

Thank you, I know Ralph doesn't recommend NOS for the 12AT7 phono sections and he uses Shuguang as the stock tube which BTW is excellent.Fort the preamp he supplies Shuguang brown base which are good, I have NOS Sylvanias 6SN7GTBs on mine and found it to be an apparent improvement. I mixed the stock tubes with 2x CV181-Z, Shuguang Black Treasures and did not like the results, on my previous MP-3 these same tubes were very good but the MP-3 needs only 2 and the MP-1 6 of these.

according to the manufacture they stated JJ for the preamp section (6sn7) and for the phono section they recommend the Shugan from China.  Anyone with accurate info.

This is correct. With any high performance product using tubes, the tubes have to be hand-picked. NOS 12AT7s that are quiet enough to work in a phono section capable of working with LOMC cartridges disappeared long ago. I'm not saying you can't find some, but they are very hard to find these days. So new tubes have to be used and the Chinese 12AT7 has the lowest rejection rate.

Spoke with Ralph, he wants $2400 for both the preamp section and phono with caddock upgrades.  I think that just too steep for Caddock resistors! 

@zipost , @clio09  is correct, the Caddock resistors we use are not stocked by Caddock and have to be built per custom order. They are pricey! But they are also the best we've heard, and one of the best performing resistors you can buy. Vishay now owns Caddock, but has wisely chosen not to mess with them in any way, since Vishay has never made anything with their name on it that performs as well.

NOS 12AT7s that are quiet enough to work in a phono section capable of working with LOMC cartridges disappeared long ago. I'm not saying you can't find some, but they are very hard to find these days 

For the record, on the 12AT7's comment Ralph, I have Raytheons and Westinghouse NOS, Shuguang's the Z version new production. After measuring these tubes on my B&K 707 tube tester the "readings" are not comparable to your stock Shuguang's, the ones you supplied with your amp are 120 on the tester scale, the NOS I have are usually at 40-50 and the Shuguang's Z version (new production) are on the 90's
So yeah I second your comment that finding a good 12AT7 older production would be challenging and even the new production chinese tubes won't measure "as well" as your stock ones.Someone people needs to understand, when China (Shuguang, PSVane) produces tubes their QC separates these tubes and distribute and prices these accordingly so even new the same tube you will find it for a very wide price range, "on average basis" the more expensive tubes will be better, my point is I am positive your source for your stock tubes must not be "cheap" (hence the high readings) and the product is better than purchasing directly from China from other sources. And this comment applies also I think to the Caddock resistors you use, like you mentioned special order.

The problem lies not with the 12AT7 tubes it lies with the Atma-sphere and its gain. When you have old stock 12AT7s that will work with 99 out of 100 preamps with the single odd guy being the Atma-sphere...guess what is to blame? I have nothing but the highest respect for Ralph and Atma-sphere but I think that blaming old stock tubes is nonsense and noise at least with the older MP-1s was a real problem.

Now it makes sense that when Ralph designed this piece he would use new production tubes not old stock and I think this is likely the case.