Signal tube versus power tube, sound impact?

Djohn….
My comments relative to tube types would be the same with either gain (12AX7 or 12AT7) 

if you need more info pertaining to the Herron, let’s start a new thread or move to PM and keep this thread on topic.

Back to the original topic…..

OP - I’m definitely in the camp the that the driver (signal tubes) have a larger sonic imprint. Where there is budget and availability, NOS from the big makers from the 40’s to 60s were vastly superior to the modern stuff. The only time that’s not entirely true is with 300b. Today’s EML and the like are outstanding.

I don’t know why manufacturers of expensive tube amplifiers don’t provide better tubes in their equipment. Lots of people form opinions about amplifiers and if these amplifiers came with better tubes peoples impressions would be a lot better.

I think they are shooting themselves in the feet when they put JJ tubes, which consensus seems to say are lower quality, into their tube amplifiers. Hardly a way to provide a product to a customer especially when they’re so expensive.

Amp manufacturers know that people are going to roll tubes anyway - it's part of the charm -  so why not let them do that for themselves.

I think they are shooting themselves in the feet when they put JJ tubes, which consensus seems to say are lower quality, into their tube amplifiers.

Hmmm . . . I just looked at your "JJs suck" thread and counted the positives and negatives, and then I did the same on this thread, and I came up with 5 "JJs are okay or I like them" and 8 "JJs suck," is this your "consensus"? Not that it matters to me . . . just asking for my friend’s grandmother.

As far as why (most?) manufacturers don’t ship their gear with NOS or moderately used vintage tubes, my own personal theory on that is because I would think that most manufacturers buy tubes for the products that they build in bulk, and for that reason they buy affordable bulk priced tubes. If they went out and, for example, loaded up on NOS Tung Sol output tubes and NOS RCA black glass signal tubes, that would dramatically increase production costs and the cost  of the effect produced by that expensive combination would have to be passed on to the consumer, but that particular effect may not be what all consumers are looking for, so perhaps the manufacturer feels better to give the consumer a bit of a price break and let him or her do his or her own fine tuning by rolling high dollar tubes.

Or maybe not. I make no claims to being an audio or tube or electrical guru, so that is just a theory. Maybe pose the question to some manufacturers.