Is there a strategy in preamp tube placement?

@pindac 

I was one of the early buyers of Linlai's 6SN7. Due to a lack of information at the time, I purchased E-6SN7's from an Ebay dealer. I was very active on that thread as members learned that there were indeed two different 6SN7 types (as stated on the Linlai website). As the tubes burned in, it sounded like they may live up to the hype. But after 100 hours they sounded dull and lacked the realism that the Grant Fidelity tube users were reporting. 

If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid the higher price of the Global Elite with the vertical Linlai logo on the glass.

Lowrider57, On tubes most of the time you get what you paid for, I agree with you, after paying premium price for my globe 6sn7 at Grant Fidelity , it made me realize what a high quality tube is all about.Though I did have luck buying tubes from Chinese 6sn7 dealers o  Pavanedirect and HiFi ...

@lowrider57 The advisory is registered.

When I enter into the exercise of re-visiting 6SN7 Tubes used on my system I will be cautious of the Linlai E Types I buy into.

Especially as I have also discovered the option to use an adaptor for the Pins and use them on a owned Phono- Pre and DAC which are using early 60's Vintage E88CC Tubes.

The additional comparisons for myself, will be a voyage into the unknown. 

The only principle that holds water is to put your best tube in the gain stage. The last tube before the output jacks is almost always a cathode follower. Cathode follower does not add gain and therefore has little effect on SQ. Except the CF by its nature can add a coloration that won’t be entirely overcome with even the best sounding tube.

while I think this talk about tube rolling as if it was a panacea is blather, I too prefer the KenRad VT231 over all other 6SN7s. But they’re microphonic.

@curiousjim - A buddy came over yesterday and we installed 4 of his olderTelefunken's in the phono stage in place of the Electro Harmonics. It was really really nice.

@lowrider57- I bought my Linlai's from Vivatubes, so I'm on the fence about buying a 2nd set from Grant Fidelity or finding a set of Ken Rad's

Presently, I have a set of Tung-sol's in the Gain position and the Linlai's in the Buffer spot. I still need to experiment a little more.

@decooney - The Full Music seems reasonably priced, might have to experiment.