EAR 834p Tube Upgrade/Replacement

When I had the 834P I rolled many different brands of tubes in this preamp at all positions, including some nice NOS Telefunkens, both smooth and ribbed plates, and finally concluded that the current Genalex 12AX7s, as ordered from Tube Depot and selected for low noise, provided the best results with great dynamics, warmth, air, depth of stage and solid bass. The Telefunkens, though very nice and a close second, were a bit too smooth and soft for my tastes.

Thanks for the recommendation. I will try the RCA and if I don't like the sound I will try the Genalex.

Did you replace all three or just the first position? Is the first position closest to the front of the unit?

Thankful, there is often confusion about tube locations in the 834P. The tube with the most potential through upgrade is, in fact, the one closest to the front; but, that position is V1. The middle tube is V2, and the one in the rear is V3. Having said that, and as Stevecham points out, I have experimented with different tubes in all three positions with good results. Unlike him, in my system, best results (by far) were with the Telefunkens. Good luck.