Rumor has it that those GEC clone flat plate KT-88s from Shuguang are incredible. Is that really misguided??
BTW I am late to this thread, the answer is absolutely, you must burn in a new tube to get the best sound it has to offer. They burn in but do not take as much time as many as people say, for an input tube, in particular. They (inputs) will IMHO retain their sonic signature after at most 40hrs. I think people who say 200 hrs are just hearing things.
Output tubes are a different animal altogether they may need 100 hrs or more to settle into their final state they have been quiky in my amps, but they just seem to bounce around. They always seem to start thin and flesh out but even a matched quad will have a tube or two that takes more time and they can go through a really flat sounding period on the way, others flesh out right away.
Can't comment on the 6SN7s burn in every pair I own (may 10 pairs or more- I love tube rolling) is NOS and well burned in.
BTW I am late to this thread, the answer is absolutely, you must burn in a new tube to get the best sound it has to offer. They burn in but do not take as much time as many as people say, for an input tube, in particular. They (inputs) will IMHO retain their sonic signature after at most 40hrs. I think people who say 200 hrs are just hearing things.
Output tubes are a different animal altogether they may need 100 hrs or more to settle into their final state they have been quiky in my amps, but they just seem to bounce around. They always seem to start thin and flesh out but even a matched quad will have a tube or two that takes more time and they can go through a really flat sounding period on the way, others flesh out right away.
Can't comment on the 6SN7s burn in every pair I own (may 10 pairs or more- I love tube rolling) is NOS and well burned in.