5ar4 rectifier tube

That Phillips 5AR4GYS that’s in the Upscale link was a tube that Kevin promoted as the best rectifier tube since sliced bread. He’s definitely sales minded and promotes what HE SELLS. About 6-7 years ago I bought one of those from him that was cryo treated. I think it was about $140 delivered. I have the little Had Inspire Hot Rod 12wpc amp. I purchased some  nos  tubes to try. Mullard GZ 32, Mullard Coke Bottle GZ 34, RCA , RCA Coke Bottle black plate, Tung Sol and Sylvania Coke Bottle. My amp easily tolerates them all. My favorite is the Tung Sol. As mentioned Dub Girls post is great. Never got to try the exotic 274b’s however. Back then they were already too expensive for me. I don’t know squat about what your Prima Luna’s limits are but my amp responds like a guitar amp and a lower voltage rectifier tube really mellowed it out. I guess it’s the equivalent of the guitar term “ Sag “. 

I also recommend Brent Jesse

https://www.audiotubes.com/audtube.htm

just scroll down to the 5ar4 section

I would let him know I was going to buy two pairs of 5ar4’s

1 pair psvane’s at $49.99 and one more expensive pair (you pick or he recommends for your equipment?), simply return one pair after comparing them.

break them in for 60 hours (no signal needed, just leave them on), then compare, pick.

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now, Brent does not have many low cost in stock, perhaps Tube Depot this time, tell them same thing, ordering 2 pair, will keep only 1

https://www.tubedepot.com/products

My experience, I hated the sound of the expensive ones, loved the sound of the inexpensive ones as much as my Cayin OEM tubes

You might look at Japanese production 5ar4 (Brent Jesse has them for $130/each).

Looks like he's out of them right now, @dekay .  I saw one on ebay for $100 not all that long ago, I think the seller was calling it a "Japanese Mullard," but after my last bad experience, I am personally not buying anymore tubes on ebay. 

Unless I am missing something, the only 5AR4s Uncle Kevin is showing in stock are the reissued GLs and Tung-Sols, which makes me think he is not saying to run the Prima Luna 5AR4 just so he can sell them.  I remember when he had "special" rectifier tubes (I think that they were 5AR4s) for that Prima Luna CDP he used to sell, he had those 5AR4s listed that were theoretically real good in that CDP, but his site was saying he would only sell him to people who had bought that CDP from him.

I use the tubestore "preferred" (Shuguang) 274b tubes in my Had Firebottle because they look so cool. They seem to work very well but mostly...hey...it's the look.

NOS Mullard GZ34