I was going to suggest you try Telefunken 12AX7's but the Amperex are very similar (BTW, you don't HAVE to buy "Bugle Boys". All the Amperex/Holland tubes are the same, and they made them for a multitude of other brands/manufacturers: Hewlett Packard, Eico, Fisher, Electrohome, even Mullard -- if you look on Ebay, you'll see what I mean)
If you really want a big (and pleasant) surprise get some NOS (ca. 1958) RCA longplate, blackplates. The best 12AX7 I've heard, and maybe the best 12AX7 ever made (see discussions on AA.)
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